Napkins

I like to hole napkins when we have guests at home.

This is what I usually make, looks like Kimono.

Chopstick holder is a handmade from Japan.  This kind of handmade stuff can be found in shops, department stores and a souvenir shop in hot springs(onsen) area in everywhere in Japan.

Gruyere Cheese Spaghetti

This is our family's favorite pasta.  It's Gruyere Cheese spaghetti.  Grate Gruyere cheese and mix with olive oil, garlic and salt.  Very simple, but very very tasty.  It is great with Riesling wine.

Riesling

I was not a big fan of German wine before, but I had a fantastic Riesling in Germany this summer.  I miss this wine very much and I even miss more our friends I had this wine with.

Lunch Bento Box at Japanese Association

There is a restaurant in Japanese Association and they serve nice food.

I had this lunch bento box the other day.  I felt I was in Japan:)

Sunset from my balcony

It's autumn and almost beginning of winter time in Japan or Holland and other countries.  However, Singapore is a tropical country so you won't feel the season:(   I miss 4 seasons, but I am glad to see such a beautiful sunset while I am having a glass of cold white wine from my balcony.

Agedashidofu

Agedashidofu is a fried tofu.

Wrap a tofu in a kitchen paper for few hours and keep in the fridge or you can put it in a microwave wrapped by kitchen paper for about 1 minute.  This is called " Tofu no mizukiri" (take out of water from tofu).  Lightly dusted with potato starch or cornstarch and mix with a bit flour then fried until golden blown.  Serve in a hot mentsuyu topped with grated daikonoroshi and bannonegi(Japanese spring onion) on the top.

Salmon with Mandarin Orange

Salmon is a very popular fish in Japan.  We eat usually grilled salmon.  It is nice, but I like to eat Salmon more western style.  I made salmon with mandarin orange.

For 2 big salmon fillet
-Make a sauce.  Mix with 2 tbs of soy sauce, 1 tsp of oyster sauce, 1 tsp of brown sugar and 1 clove chopped garlic
- Blush the sauce on salmon and leave it for 20- 30 minutes in a fridge.  Then put mandarin orange on it and baked in the oven (400F) about 10 minutes.

I served with brown rice and some green on a plate.

It's easy, quick and tasty.

Corned beef

Corned beef is also quite popular in Japan.  I've never bought it here in Singapore as I totally forgot about it.  We had a dinner party the other day and one of our guest brought many corned beef cans as he is doing business with that company.  When I saw the tin I said "Wow, it remind me of my childhood (Natsukashii)" cause every household has a corned beef in their pantry for an emergency.  It's good for 2 years at least.

I wondered if my family liked it or not so I was not brave to use it.  However, I made appetizer with corned beef.  How did they like it?  They love it:)

Potato Salad

There are many kinds of potato salad.  I don't know if it's popular in other countries but in Japan it is a very popular dish.  You can buy it at a supermarket or department store's food section, but if you make your own potato salad, it tastes much better.

This recipe is from my mom:
- Boil some potatoes with a bit sugar and salt.
- Use the boiling potato water to add sliced onions for 2 minutes and then scoop out the onions and drain.
- When potatoes are soft, drain and put them back to a pan.
- Put a small fire to dry the water out from potatoes.  Then mash and add the onions.
- Add Japanese mustard (Karashi) and Mayonnaise.
- Place cucumber, ham and boiled eggs around the potatoes.

Peach Crumble

This recipe is from a very good friend of mine in France.  We visited her this summer and she made this for us for dessert.

I made peach crumble yesterday and sprinkled roasted almond on top.

Yummy!!

Ikebana 2

These two photos are same kind of flowers.  Pink one is Japanese Ikebana and red one is just arranged in small glasses on a dining table.

Which one you like better?

Apple Flap

Apple Flap is like an apple pie by dutch style.  You don't need to cook fillings, just place sliced apple and raisin and cinnamon on the pie sheet, fold it, then bake.