Do you know what Osechi Ryori is?
[From wikipedia]Osechi-ryōri (御節料理 or お節料理) are traditional Japanese New Year foods. The tradition started in the Heian Period (794-1185). Osechi are easily recognizable by their special boxes called jūbako (重箱), which resemble bentō boxes.”

Today most families order/purchase their osechi from either department stores or at local supermarkets. The prices usually start at around 10,000yen [USD$120] and the sky is the limit. Some osechi made by famous restaurants or high end department stores [takashimaya, mitsukoshi] can cost even more [we are talking almost 10 thousand usd!~!!]

But like most japanese people, i feel that new year isnt new year unless your osechi is homemade XD. Whilst its not usually my job to make it, this year it has fallen upon me to do so XD
tw01
I admit, this is my first time doing it all on my own. I have been collecting osechi related cooking articles/magazine cutouts for a really long time now so i spent almost a whole month reading/planning my cooking XD

Note: i ganked a lot of info from wikipedia cos i was lazy to translate descriptions but all the recipes are translated by me so please do not repost!
Read the rest of this entry »

Another roadtrip travel post today. Not the one on kyoto/nagoya [though i will write more soon] but the 2nd roadtrip i went on with my sister, brother in law and husband. We went to Ito Shizuoka.

Whilst there..we dropped by a “Road Station”. Those familiar with my blog would have read my previous posts about SA/PA [Service Areas/ Parking Areas] which are rest tops aka truck stops on the expressway. However there are also stops of interest along certain normal roads [which are frequented by those travelling] They are known as “Road Stations”
marinetown02
Ito Marine Town Road Station

Read the rest of this entry »