Long time no update, ho hum
I have been putting off updating because I was going to make my next update my holiday pics, but with 1700+ condensed to 630 odd I am putting off the slightly arduous task of uploading them. I will slim them down before putting them on here, maybe just put a few in and put a link for those who are more interested. For those that don't know, we went from Nottingham (where we live) by train across western and central europe to Moscow, where we stayed for 4 days before takingt he trans siberian express across siberia (as the name would suggest), down through mongolia and across china to beijing. We then had a week in china before taking the ferry to japan. We were in Japan for 9 days before flying home. Absolutely amazing!
Since being home I also have a new hobby - Japanese food (the making of, although I do also enjoy the eating of!). I am a bit rubbish at taking photos of food I have made, but should really encourage myself to do so.
the first japanese meal I made was laid out in small portions on dinner plates because I didn't really have any japanese serving thingumybobs. We had a japanese clear soup with pak choi and tofu, with green bean salad, glazed grilled corn on the cob, sushi (avocado maki rolls and cucmuber maki rolls). I then decorated the plates with lotus root and my first attempt at radish flowers. I totally forgot to serve people the pudding (melon and mochi, not together) that I had bought.
My next foray was into bento. I bought bento supplies (must take pics of the stuff, sooo cute!). Then made a bento lunch for me and the mister. We had stuffed baby peppers, quorn and soya soft cheese mini pinwheels, mini tomatoes, salad, strawberries and yoghurt. I forgot to include a couple of things I had planned to and also found the boxes didn't hold quite as much as i had thought. Next time I will pack them tighter!
Then last night it was our book group, and we theme the food to the book. There was no link between japanese food and the book, but I wanted to have another go at sushi in particular, so I made a japanese starter, just because. I presented it on yo sushi plates, which I like to think looks like I ate a lot at yo and couldn't pay so slid a few plates into my bag thereby acquiring some new plates and reducing what had to be paid for (for those that don't know Yo! it is conveyor belt sushi, so you pay at the end when they come and count your colour coded plates). But anyway, I didn't do that (I am sure that *would* be outside the new teacher code of conduct!) I bought them off ebay (someone else did it for me, lol!)
I wish I had taken a photo because the plates looked lovely when they were finished. We had aspargus and red pepper with sesame dressing maki rolls, and cucumber and sesame maki rolls. Plus a teriyaki glazed tofu nigiri and a half size teriyaki shiitake half sized nigiri. They were arranged in a rectangle, with pickled ginger, wasabi and extra sesame dressing. We also had the green bean salad from the other meal with sesame dressing and toasted sesame seeds, presented with a ginger rose and a radish flower.
I am getting better at rolling maki rolls now. I wasn't terrible the first time, but last night's looked way more professional. We have some left over for our lunch this week, but no more nigiri left. Would have done, but I burnt the bottom of the rice onto the pan, and so that was wasted (whoops).
Since being home I also have a new hobby - Japanese food (the making of, although I do also enjoy the eating of!). I am a bit rubbish at taking photos of food I have made, but should really encourage myself to do so.
the first japanese meal I made was laid out in small portions on dinner plates because I didn't really have any japanese serving thingumybobs. We had a japanese clear soup with pak choi and tofu, with green bean salad, glazed grilled corn on the cob, sushi (avocado maki rolls and cucmuber maki rolls). I then decorated the plates with lotus root and my first attempt at radish flowers. I totally forgot to serve people the pudding (melon and mochi, not together) that I had bought.
My next foray was into bento. I bought bento supplies (must take pics of the stuff, sooo cute!). Then made a bento lunch for me and the mister. We had stuffed baby peppers, quorn and soya soft cheese mini pinwheels, mini tomatoes, salad, strawberries and yoghurt. I forgot to include a couple of things I had planned to and also found the boxes didn't hold quite as much as i had thought. Next time I will pack them tighter!
Then last night it was our book group, and we theme the food to the book. There was no link between japanese food and the book, but I wanted to have another go at sushi in particular, so I made a japanese starter, just because. I presented it on yo sushi plates, which I like to think looks like I ate a lot at yo and couldn't pay so slid a few plates into my bag thereby acquiring some new plates and reducing what had to be paid for (for those that don't know Yo! it is conveyor belt sushi, so you pay at the end when they come and count your colour coded plates). But anyway, I didn't do that (I am sure that *would* be outside the new teacher code of conduct!) I bought them off ebay (someone else did it for me, lol!)
I wish I had taken a photo because the plates looked lovely when they were finished. We had aspargus and red pepper with sesame dressing maki rolls, and cucumber and sesame maki rolls. Plus a teriyaki glazed tofu nigiri and a half size teriyaki shiitake half sized nigiri. They were arranged in a rectangle, with pickled ginger, wasabi and extra sesame dressing. We also had the green bean salad from the other meal with sesame dressing and toasted sesame seeds, presented with a ginger rose and a radish flower.
I am getting better at rolling maki rolls now. I wasn't terrible the first time, but last night's looked way more professional. We have some left over for our lunch this week, but no more nigiri left. Would have done, but I burnt the bottom of the rice onto the pan, and so that was wasted (whoops).