japanstuff #4

[psyched_out]

Here's a post that shows you some of the food I ate in Japan. This was spurred on by several people at work (the kind who have probably experienced Japanese cuisine from a "hibachi" chef hurling shrimp towards their open mouth, if even that) asking me "So what do people eat in Japan?" I'd imagine that most of you are a bit more knowledgable, but

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[psyched_out]

Maybe the old post came up since I just friended you and the huntingmonsters feed (i'd already had your other one) and its bringing up my old writings? Or maybe I'm being syndicated now as part of a "Best blogging moments of 2006". Yeah, that has to be the case...

I guess the biggest difference between miso oup and ramen/soba is that miso doesn't have noodles in it. That picture makes it look like there's some kind of thin brown noodle in it but that's just seaweed. Miso is essentially soybean paste that is mixed with hot water, and you'll usually have little cubes of tofu or seaweed in it, perhaps little clams too if you're lucky (although I've only seen that done in Japan). You can palm the bowl in one hand, and its proper etiquette to be holding it as such when you eat it (excepting a case like the photo above, which would be impossible with one hand), sipping for most of the time like its a hot beverage and occasionally picking the few items out with chopsticks.

Happy new year, by the way, for those of you in the future. We've got another 3 hours to go. Curiously enough, you did reply to this post on Dec 31, which has a connection with Japanese food. The tradition to guarantee a future lucky year is to have soba noodles on the night before the New Year, which we are getting ready to prepare up. Soba followed by Belgian ale - I don't know how 2007 will be like, but at least I'm starting it off right...