ハイハイ！It's a チュハイ！

Well I've found me some peace in the madness of it all, and it's thanks to my new favourite chuhai, Slat, or as I have taken the liberty to mispronounce, SLUT. SLUT goes for a mere 125yen at ye olde MAX VALUE and these days I've been having my way with the 500ml grapefruit flavour. Cherry on top is the little pulpy bits that other chuhai aren't packing. Don't know why it took me 4 months to get back into this little treat. If it all gets too much some days, crack yourself one and within a few minutes the lovely fuzziness that only a SLUT can give will have you singing along to the BIC CAMERA jingle, pardoning the obachan who bowl you over as you make your way onto the train, smiling at the lovely old men who look you up and down like a plague on the country, laughing off the fact clothes sizes don't stretch past size waif, and agreeing that yes it is totally fine with you that corn be served on your pizza.

Well what a woffle it's been tonight. Gonna make my way over to 100yen heaven tomorrow and find me something I'm not in need of!

Stay tuned...

Like water for chocolate

This is the name of a book I read a few years ago. Along with a love story and recipes the book offers invaluable cooking advice. The most memorable advice I can recall is that you should never cook when you are in a bad mood, because the food will taste bad. Well today I was overcome with cooking euphoria and put together a treat for dinner, thanks to my amazing mum. She sent me the recipe for chicken minestrone last night. Coupled with that I also whipped up a gateau chocolate cake, thanks to MUJI. Haven't yet tasted either but am sure my genki mood will make for a delicious meal.

Chicken Minestrone by Denise

500 grams of chicken thigh
3 rashes of bacon
2 nobs of butter
1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, diced
2 packs of kidney beans
3 cubes of chicken stock
3 cups of water
1 tin of diced tomatoes
2 stems of celery
2 carrots, sliced
2 packs of maccaroni pasta
oregano
fresh parsley

Pop the butter in the pan, add bacon, onion and garlic. Throw in chicken and mix around for a bit, or until chicken is just cooked. Add celery, carrot and beans. Mix for a bit. Then add tin of tomatoes, chicken stock, 3 cups of water and pasta. Boil away for 10 minutes, then reduce to a simmer at which time you should throw in oregano and parsley. Best to make early afternoon so soup can thicken and build up flavour.

Serve with parmesan cheese and garlic bread. Nice bottle of cab sav will really set things off.



Nice dessert to accompany minestrone might be strawberries dipped in MEIJI white chocolate which I have cooling in the freezer. Will go well with cake!



100yen heaven didn't help out today, but I'm sure I'll be there soon for something I'm yet to find out I need.

Stay tuned...

*sigh*

Well today I am having an 'I don't feel like being in Japan' day. Nothing substantial has happened but I started to feel a little irritated by the slightest things. I guess it happens every now and then. Sometimes I even felt like this in Australia if I try to put things in to perspective. Started to feel for Asashoryu just by virtue of the fact that he is a foreigner and according to some disrespected the sport of Sumo because of his charismatic behaviour. Hell, if he was putting bums on seats and bringing the sport alive, is it such a bad thing? Granted, he was given 5 warnings to clean up his act, and did not, but seriously sometimes Japan is just too uptight, mefeels.

Hopefully this will pass.

Things I miss about home:

1. Summer in January/February
2. Thai food
3. Mexican food
4. Indian food
5. Mum's dinner
6. Diet Coke!!
7. Being an hour from the Gold Coast
8. TV- Law & Order!
9. Australian radio
10.Eating outside

I guess the list could go on if I really wanna dig myself a pit of wallow. But lets just say spring is nigh and hopefully that will put a smile on my dial soon.

Stay tuned...

I was flatlining...

there for a while. But I'm back. All vitals point to ok. I was in a real rut- and at the beginning of the year, despite all my bravado about being positive and resolute. No need to document it. Safe to say I have seen the light.

Was published this month in the Kansai Scene. I wrote an article about the local priest with whom I supped and talked Buddhism. Photos came out really well. Also did a vox pop for The Japan Times in December so feeling slightly accomplished in the writing stakes. Head down bum up today on a new piece about...BLOOD! Stay tuned for that in next month's Kansai Scene.

Popped into 100yen heaven last week and went a little nuts over the kitchen utensils. Got myself kitted out for making chocolates and cakes in anticipation of Valentines Day this weekend. Picked up two cooking kits from MUJI- one a chocolate cake and the cther chocolate hearts with pink trimmings. Haven fallen in love with MUJI to be honest. Logged onto their website the other day and found could click on all kits and watch a 3 minute demo video on how to make each one. So even though I can't read the scribble on the box, I can follow along with the lovely little hands in the demo video complete with soothing musak. I'll keep you posted on my kitchen prowess. Planning to get started tomorrow on the chocolate hearts.

In other news Starbucks has been dumped! By me. Poked my head into Mister Donuts last week and was serenaded by the smell of apple pies and pon de rings along with Alicia Keys playing on the radio. Grabbed myself a coffee, pon de ring and sat down to listen to my now new favourite tune Empire State of Mind. Had just gulped down the last of my coffee and started rearranging my handbag (a habit I have when I go to coffee shops) when lovely Mister Donut employee came over and offered me a free refill. Now I've always known that Mister Donuts does this, but it wasn't until last week that I realised that that was enough for me to ditch my before work ritual cappacino at Starbucks and take up residence at Mister Donuts. Am always cautious now to write Mister after a mishap with a Japanese guy once, who I arranged to meet with at Mr. Donuts. I got a prompt reply from him asking: Who is Mr. Donut? I don't know him. Took me forever to realise the problem.

Stay tuned...