Samgyetang Soup

Cooking Samgyetan Soup

This is my first time cook Samgyetang at my home.  Samgyetang is traditional and one of popular Korean soup, which primarily consists of a whole young chicken, Korean ginseng, sweet rice, garlic and chestnuts. I thought it need many preparation and difficult to cook it before but actually it was very simple and easy.  I used only little salt but taste was really good.  Today, many Japanese enjoy Korean food, me and my family are really like Korean food so I add this recipe to my repertoires and enjoy this wonderful soup with my family more often.     

Tokyo Motor Show 2011

At BMW Booth

This is my best car in this exhibition.  Such a beautiful, stylish and so sophisticated car.  And this is EV(electric vehicle).  Look at its door like a wing!!

At YAMAHA Booth

This is the best motorcycle in this show to me.  EV scooter.  Handles are unique shapes and beautiful blinkers!  Our technology is so good isn't it? 

Souvenir

 

Chocolate from Sweden

        Dates Sweets from Dubai

One of my Japanese girl friend came back from Sweden with her twin babies and her partner for Christmas.  She just stopped by my place but unfortunately I was not at home.  I disappointed to miss seeing each other especially her twin babies.  She hung this gift at my door and called me.  I had met an another friend who just came back from Dubai when she gave me a call.  He bought some souvenirs for me and this is one of them.  Dates with chocolates.  How come they wanted see me on same day and same time???  Funny.

Sending Winter Gift

Nigerian Shea Butter 50g and Propspray Mint 20ml gift set

We provide the winter gift for your loved ones.  It's the most useful combination for winter season.  There is no  doubt to be pleased if you send this.  Plese see more details at Toyo Ltd..  Please check it out.

Sayonara Party

Sayonara Party @ Sushi Bar

 My Sushi restaurant is really popular and so delicious.  You can choose 4 kind at one plate with  Chawanmushi which is egg custard, another side dish and Japanese noodle named Soba.  Look at this center one!!  This is house made baked eggs, so big and taste really good.  We held a Sayonara Party at sushi bar for our Korean friend who lives in Japan near 20 years.  She loves row fish.  She has been working very hard and saved her money to built a house at Busan in Korea.  She's going back to her hometown with her Japanese husband.  We miss her so much but Korea is not so far so I believe that we can meet again.  By the way, Sayonara means good-bye and we had a farewell party.   Anyway, she enjoyed Japanese dishes!!  It was good for her.

Rooibos Tea

Rooibos Tea 10TB 298yen

I sometimes drink this tea.  "Rooibos Tea" is good for your body and beauty.  This is well-known "Longevity Tea" and "Anti-Aging Tea".  It contains a lot of minerals and antioxidants for removal of active oxygen and improve your immunity system.  Non caffeine and allergy improvement.  It's great tea of South Africa. 

Miracle!!

Rattle lottery Prizes

1st & 2nd Prize she got

On last Saturday, me and my mother went shopping for "Oseibo" which is one of our tradition, sending seasonal gift for winter to someone who has good relationship with, especially in business anyway.  After shopping, the salesperson asked us to do lottery, once for each other but I said to my mom to do it instead of me.  So she tried 2 times.  At the first, she got a gold... Gold?  It was a 1st prize!  Wao!  I've never seem someone who won the 1st prize in my life but I saw at the first time was MY MOTHER!  It was so amazing!  Then she did it again... this time she got a red ball...Red?  It was 2nd prize again!!  Wao!  How lucky she was.  I was so surprised what happened but she was not much because she is really strong for "Garagara" lottery and this is not her first time.  She has been getting 1st prize for 3 times in her life.  Anyway I was so surprise to see this miracle.  She may has something?

Shanghai Souvenir

From Shanghai, China

I said to my husband "Let's take a photo before we start to eat them!" hahaha.  My husband has just got back home with a lot of sweet stuff.  Look at Panda's chocolate!!  So cute!  "meiji" is Japanese chocolate, isn't it?  So it means Japanese stuff is also very popular in China.  Most of all are unfamiliar but we'll try them. I'm also expecting a lot of his souvenir story.  Thank God get him back home safety!!

Shea Butter

100% Pure raw Sheabutter

My company has been start selling Nigeiran 100 % Pure and Organic Shea Butter since ending of October.  I really wanted to do something with African county so I'm very happy and honored to handle this wonderful products from Nigeria.  

Production in Kuje Village, Nigeria

This is just a beginning but I've got this road to Japan.  Actually there are 2 types of Shea Butter in the market but I prefer to introduce you all this unrefined one because there are so many active ingredients more than refined one.  More than 80% of this made by Stearic and Oleic acid and make our skin soft and gives elasticity to aging skin.  Aroma : natural, woody and fragrance.  Color : very light gray and ivory. Check below and get more details "Pieces of Earth" by TOYO Ltd. 
Classified : Non-cosmetics, non-pharmaceutical

"Silvy" travel doggy

Silvy looks cozy at home in Winnipeg, Manitoba of Canada 

He was my baddy, Golden Retriever named Silvy.  He was travel doggy has flied to Canada with me when he was 8 to 10 years old.  Lived in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  He has been past away after got back to Japan when he was 13 years old.  Recently I remember him so often and it makes me feel miss him so much.  I have many nice memories with him.  Silvy made me smile more than anybody!!  He could understand my words and always very quite and gentle to everybody so we went to many places together.  It was so much fun with him.  I wish I could meet him again and I want to hug him just like I used to do.  He loved padding, scratching and pulling towel. He also loved listen his song which I made and sang for him!!

JETRO

I went to JETRO @Akasaka, Tokyo in this afternoon to study african vegetables and plants ingredients.  JETRO held an Exhibition only Ghana and Nigeria today.  I'm looking forward to see, touch, smell and taking photos of african agricultural products and natural ingredients.  I saw many new things and there were more than 40 kinds ingredients of both countries.   It's for sure there are more kinds in Africa but without leaving Japan to see, touch, smell, learn and take photos, it's definitely nice opportunity to me. It was fun.

Cosmos field

Sunset Yellow and　Flashing Pink 

We went to "Showa Memorial Park" (Japanese name : Showakinenkoen) in Tachikawa, Tokyo on Sunday to see Cosmos.  This is the most beautiful time for it and quite famous place in Tokyo.  Actually there were 4 million of many different kinds of Cosmos and 3rd largest field in Japan.  We saw yellow Cosmos named "Sunset Yellow" as our first time.  Very soft color and cute.  We walked more than 2 hours, it's really huge park!!, and enjoyed watching flowers and taking photos.  Wonderful time we had. 

Genovese Pasta

Genovese with ham and green pees

I made Genovese pasta for our lunch.  It's simple but nice combination of pees and ham with basil sauce. I cooked this for my husband cause he loves it since he knew this dish.  He gave me a compliments and I love to hear that!!

Our Pepper

Japanese Red Hot Pepper 2011

I'm taking care of this pretty pepper for the first time at my small balcony farm.  They are gradually change the color to red.  There are so many very hot pepper in the world but Japanese hot pepper is also very hot.  Usually we dry them out and use for cooking but I'm not gonna dry them out and try to pickled hot pepper oil with garlic.  That will be very useful for cooking.  I love hot and spicy food.

Survive

Tomato's flower 2011

I found these tomato flowers after the strong typhoon has been passed.  I almost gave up them to remain because strong storm took them away but they are still survive.  It's miracle.  We might enjoy tomato till end of November or December...

Homemade Pickles

Japanese White Radish (Daikon)'s Pickles

I made these Daikon pickles to my mother and my neighborhood. Using red perilla for making them pink.  I think we have so many different type of pickles in my country.  Kyoto is one of famous place of local pickles with local vegetables.  And we Japanese are rally like the pickles and I guess everyone has own favorites.  We eat the pickles very often.  Typically we use Daikon radish, eggplants, cucumber, Chinese cabbage (Hakusai), burdock, turnip and ginger. However we have more variety kinds.  It's no doubt this is one of our food culture and pickles is one of our soul food to Japanese.

Basil Sauce

Basil 2011 Summer

This year I planted many Basil at my small balcony farm.  I gave 6 cans to my friends and family but still I have many.  I wanted to keep this basil for long time but it seems like impossible before I knew Genovese.  Fresh basil taste is so good.  I really like this flavor.

Genovese is such a wonderful sauce.  I thank to the person who has been invented this.  Wonderful.

This is my 3rd time to make.  First time I made just a little bit so I couldn't save them.  2nd time I make better than 1st time and save little bit.  And this time, I could save 2 bottles of glass.  I'm going to give them to my ant and my friend.

Basil Sauce 2011 Summer

My basil will grow so soon and I think I can make it again at least once more.  I save even one bottle for ourselves, you can use it for year.  Top of the sauce put 1cm of Olive oil, it makes rule of sealed, just like a lid.  It doesn't touch the air means keep freshness.    

I often cook Genovese Pasta with ham or bacon.  It was so delicious.  My husband like it too.  And also it's simple but really good "Genovese garlic toast".  I'm going to check out new recipes. The large repertoire will be help me a lot.

Herbal tea

Rosehip & Hibiscus 10TB 315yen

 I sometimes have this "Rosehip and Hibiscus Flowers" when I want to relax.  I like a color of this tea, it's a  beautiful natural Red, very fresh taste and non caffeine.  POMPADOUR is a brand of TEEKANNE and was born in Germany and the world's largest manufacturer of harbal tea with a history since 1882, almost 130 years.  You might can buy this brand tea at stores in your country.  Rosehip and hibiscus is rich in vitamin C and citric acid and working for eye fatigue,summer heat fatigue and physical fatigue.  Also make your skin beautiful.  Rosehip by matching hibiscus, increase the nutritional content of each other that more synergy can be expected.

Royal Host

Coffee Jelly Sundae  504yen

I went out to see my Pakistani friend at Royal Host somedays ago.  It's too late to have lunch and too early to have dinner so we just ordered sweets.  It was my first time to had this and surprised because it was very delicious!!  The whipped cream was like mocha taste? and ice cream was salted caramel flavor.  It was so good.  Please try it.

Doberman

This is my friend's dog named Dandy.  He is quite big, I think he is over 40kg but still teenager boy.  He is a show dog and his father is a champion.  Dobermans are German dog and use for Police, Army, and also as a Drug, Guard and Guide dog.  This color called Red or Chocolate.  I'm a truly dog person and I love big dogs.  He is a smart but spoiled child and loves body patting.  And he is always gentle when I meet him that's very important especially like this size of big dogs.

Chocolate Brown Doberman 

Paper Cutout

I sometime to this kind of work as my hobby.  Reauires a very delicate work as you know.  I always use my paper cutting knife which my friend gave it to me as a birthday gift.  It's really good one.   I need to concentrate but don't get tired rather feeling refreshing. Most of my paper cutout came from books.  And I don't have most of all anymore because I just gave them to my family and friends.   So I take a picture of them as my memory of my work but even I forget to take the pictures thought.  I made more than those small to big.  I'm going to make a lily of the valley in next time.

Green Curtain

Green Curtain of Bitter Melon 2011 

Yes! That's I wanted.  I've been planted this vegetable because of making Green Curtain at my balcony.  If you have it at your place you feel more cooler than nothing and also you can reduce the consumption of electricity.  As a bonus I've gotten some of bitter melon so far!!  There are some more.  Can you see them?

Apple Mango Tree

Taiwan Apple Mango 2011 August

This little mango tree is getting grow up.  After I ate an Apple Mango from Taiwan in July and put the seed into water and wait.  The bud came out as I expected so I planted it to soil.  I don't have any knowledge about how to grow it up but I check it out by internet and try to get it big.  I may some mangos from this tree in a few years.

Birthday

Me and my father, our birthday is very close in August.  So we celebrate together on his birthday most of the time.  In this year too, my family went to restaurant and had a good time together.
And also on my B day, I spent time with my husband alone.  We went to a restaurant together.  We had a plan to go to mega shopping mall but we just couldn't make it on the same day so just went to new restaurant.  He wants to give me a short trip or 1 day trip as a gift but I don't want to leave house now because of our plants and vegetables.  We'll go to shopping mall in this weekend, maybe and I'm going to get a nice birthday present from my husband.  However I got some emails and calls from friends and sister, and also I got a wonderful plants basket and cake from neighbor, so my people made me feel happy already.

Plants Basket

Peach Cake

Tomatoes

<Rubyno>

I planted 4 kind of mini tomatoes in this year.  They are getting red day by day. I really enjoy watching them and sometime I harvest them right on time. They are so sweet!! 

Summer Festival

The season of People who really love dancing has come. The Hottest people and audience became more hot together. This is one of Japanese Summer Festiveal named "AWAODORI". This originally from Tokushima prefecture. AWAORORI is one of three biggest Summer festival and more than 400 years history in Japan.  I went to Higashirinkan Awaodori festival with my mother.  In last year, me and my husband went to see together so I invited my mother for this in this year.  She really enjoyed Awaodori and we had local fast-foods together.  It was fun to see their dancing.  They were more than 4 hours dancing!!

Bitter Melon

The First Our Bitter Melon 2011/8/5

The First Our Bitter Melon 2011/7/25

Do you know this vegetable?  Is this popular in your country?  This is quite popular in my country and it's originally come from Okinawa.  It calls "Goya" in local name and cook with eggs and sausage for stair fly.  This vegetable is really BITTER but it's popular and also very good as "Green Curtain" for making shades especially in this Summer because their leaves are large and make a good shades so it's really good to save electricity.  This is my first time to plant at my balcony farm and I'm studying how to handle it little by little.  I enjoy watching them grow up so fast.  The harvest isn't so far!!

Burdock wrapped Pork

Very good dish for a rice

When I was living in Canada, I took a wine tasting course at the Forks in Winnipeg.  It was just for fun.  I enjoyed the course and tasting wine every classes.  One day I smelled Burdock in a red wine.  I told my teacher "I think this wine is really good for Burdock dishes."  but unfortunately he didn't know what is a burdock and other people neither.  I was wondering why they don't know it because it's very popular vegetable in Japan but most of countries don't eat like us.  Later I researched and I knew it.  Only Japanese and Koreans and a part of Taiwanese eat as a vegetables.  I wrapped boiled burdock with pork and fried them after sprinkled potato starch.  And to make source with soy source, red pepper, ginger and little bit honey.  It's so delicious!!  I think you can use a leek or asparagus instead of burdocks maybe!

Obento**Deluxe Lunch Box**

This is Obento.  Obento means a lunch box but this one is so deluxe. Usually Obento is more simple I've never had like this before.  So this one is for a special occasion.  In this time, my mother ordered for our neighbor's birthday lunch but she also ordered for ourselves.  Loot at red rice called Osekihan with red beans.  We have Osakihan at the festive situation or celebration.  I joked to my mother "This is so deluxe, we are just  like a hight society people, aren't we?"  This Obento was so good!!  Thanks mom!

Petit Bag

This is my new handbag.  I was looking for compact bag with a capacity.  This is A6+ size so it's a quite small but has a wide gusset.  It made of leather and because of off-white color, I can use this for all seasons and also it looks not too casual, so I like it.  I also prefer to hand-held handbag than shoulder-bag because I have sloping shoulders so.....I stopped Odakyu department store was doing a Summer Bargain. I was lucky!! 

Tokyo Tower

6/29/2011 Evening Time

I don't know why but I really like this Tokyo Tower.  I'm alway looking for it when I came to mid Tokyo.  It also very good to see it in the night cause beautiful.  We will get a new Tokyo Tower in the next year named "Sky Tree" and it has been finished construct already.  It's double taller than this one and looks more smart and stylish but there is no change this old tower makes me exciting always when I see.

Highway Road

Shutoko High Way

I went to Cosmetic Japan Exhibition at Ariake(Tokyo Big Sight) by my car through Tokyo yesterday.  This is Akasaka area, actually around here is kind of "exciting place" for me because a just little bit before here you pass Shibuya and Roppongi Hills where is very popular places and you could see many interesting shapes of buildings along this street.  And also after here if you take right, I mean go to C1 that go to Haneda Airport  direction, you must see "Tokyo Tower" at your left side.  It just show up in front of you!!  And also you will see the symbol bridge of Tokyo named "Rainbow Bridge" right after the tower.  That's way I always excite if I come here.

View from Rainbow Bridge

My station

Odakyu Line Sagamiono Station (North) 2011

We have 2 Station buildings(complex) and Century Hotel at staion.  And also there is ISETAN department near there.  My station is not too big not too small, just cozy.  Here in Japan, people use train a lots.  It's convenient to use them because those are on time so easy to make plan and punctual.  

The construction progressing, June 25th 2011 

And also it is under redevelopment now.  We will have a new complex, more supermarket, shops, restaurants, community space and residential space in the next year.  I'm looking forward to it.  

My place is really convenient to move here is example ...

Sagamiono st. ---> Shinjuku( central Tokyo)  33mins

                       ---> Enoshima (beach area) 31 mins

                       --->Yokohama (central Kanagawa) 34 mins

                       ---> Hakone (mountain and hot springs area) 1hour8mins

About 30 mins till Tokyo, Yokohama and seashore and about 1 hour to hot springs.  Nothing special but that's the reason I really like this place.  Convenient!!