It's been a while!!!

The last few months have been full of surprises. Some good, some bad and some just plain horrible. Let's go back in time will you. Back in March I started my first day of march break with the horrible news of the Earthquake-Tsunami in Japan. Took me a good 16 hours to reach my friends in the affected area. Everyone is safe, although some have lost their home. I was glued for the week, to my computer, watching the Live Fuji-terebi broadcast. During that week, my sister and I were quick coming up with a fundraiser idea! At her college in Sudbury, she sold origami paper cranes. She raised 500$ for the red cross. At my school, with the help of the grade 5 students, we made onigiri (4 different flavors) and sold them to the rest of the school. The student built a festival like food-stand, got dress in yukata and played japanese music to set the mood. Although no-one had ever heard of onigiri, the students (from kindergarden to grade 6) were pleasantly surprise!! The sake furikake flavor was a hit! In all, we raise 460$ for the red cross. But more importantly, the students had the opportunity to discover japanese culture! The double disaster also motivated the grade 2 class in finishing their 1000 paper cranes. In June, they will be mailing them to Hiroshima.

Although we are a small community in rural Ontario, I was so happy to see how willing to help people of the community were. At my husband's school, kids raised over 1000$ for the relief effort and again last week had a *wear red and white* day to remind people that Japan is still struggling.

In other news, at the end of the month of March I finished my contract. I was sad to leave the kids behind, but glad to have more free time to finishing writing my thesis which I am suppose to defend in August. I just need my intro and conclusion and then it's editing time. 160 pages in all. Wish me luck! And for those who wonder, the subject is (this is a rough English translation since my thesis is in french) cultural and aesthetic hybridity in Ook Chung's novels and short stories : the influence of Japanese and Korean culture.

Then came April. Oh boy! Did it rain. Outside and inside. I ran into some health issues... Then there was the emotional roller coaster of getting to my pregnancy due date (I miscarried back in October). We were on the road a lot, for basketball tournaments. (My husband is an assistant coach). My sister moved back in with us for a few weeks. Overall April felt like a stop and go type of month with endless car ride and lot's of waiting. Did I have the time to cook? Not one chance! We were barely ever home.

Now May and June should be fairly exciting! My sister is moving into her new apartment this weekend. Then in two weeks, my sister in law is coming from Vancouver to visit. And if everything goes according to plan, in June I will be welcoming my Japanese friend and her parents. They decided to take a holiday from all the after shocks. This is very exciting since my friend's mom is the best cook I have ever met! I am hoping to learn a few recipes from her!

As for me, I will take this month to finish writing my thesis, to finish transferring my old blog to this blog. And also finish posting about last year's trip to Japan. In the main while, check out this fabulous rice-cooker give away!!! For those who know me, I always brag about my Zojirushi rice-cooker!! Yes the one that cooked over 50 cups of rice for the onigiri fundraiser ;-) Here is your chance to win your own!!! Even better, this is the new model with the Umami setting! Check it out right here. The contest is open until May 12, 2011.               

Not so challenging bento challenge

216!

That is the official number of bentos we made for the Valentine's day school fundraiser.

In the end, we raised close to 500$.

As we were not expecting such high demand, we had to overcome some major thecnical difficulty such as, how to fit 216 bentos in a fridge, but in the end, with the help of family and friends, we made it!

The healthy lunch consisted in a turkey and cheese whole grain sandwich, a tomato and cheese kabob, veggys and dip, a tofu-brownie kabob and a fresh fruit. It also came with a juice box. Each box was individually labelled with the student's name.

For the bento, we used a 100% biogradable recycled paper box. 

Bento Challenge is a hit!

88!!!! One week left to order and we have already reached 88 bento sold! Our ambitous goal was 100. Our realistic goal was 50. (We are a small school.) We also have a second school on board with us! We are still fixing the details but I am very optimistic!

On a side note, here are the pictures from the 2 bentos I made this weekend. They are not fancy looking but they were delicious. Rice balls (salmon furikake, umemoboshi), tamago, sweet and sour daikon, dinosaure shaped eggs sandwich. In all it was a really easy-tasty bento.



Byakkotai part 3 Nisshinkan

 

1. Never disobey a superior.

2. Always bow in presence of a superior.

3. Never act as a coward.

4.  Never eat outside.

5.Never engage in a conversation with a women.

(Some of the rules students had to respect)


 



After visiting the memorial site on Iimori hill we headed for the castle. We quickly walked around the ground and took pictures of the cherry blossom. The rain was still pouring. We then made our way to Nisshinkan Samurai School. The school attended by the Byakkotai (white tiger brigades).







Just as we pulled in, the rain stopped. What a relief! We made our way inside the school. First off was a movie explaining the historical background:

The Nisshinkan school was founded by Genko Tanaka in 1803. During his lifetime he introduced wide scale political changes to the clan. His personal motto was "The Aizu clan's prosperity depends on educating its people." So he started the Nisshinkan school on the west side of Tsurugajo Castle. It was a school set up to educate the boys of the samurai rank retainers from the age of 10. The boys studied confucianism, mathematics, astronomy, and medical science using Japanese sources and information gathered from the Dutch. They also had to train in the martial arts, archery, spear-throwing, shooting, horse-riding and swimming. The school had its own swimming pool and observatory and it is said to have been in the top 3 out of 300 such clan schools in Japan at that time. (Visit this web site for more information)

The school was used to film the most recent movie about Byakkotai. You can watch here a preview. Unfortunately I must say that other than the historical aspect, this 4 hours long movie has very little to go for. The acting and the special effect are especially horrible.

Then we walked the grounds and explored all the building.  We didn't have much time before closing. We had to hurry. But before leaving, we painted our very own Akabeko!

Akabeko (赤べこ, Akabeko, red cow) is a traditional toy from the Aizu region of Japan. The toy is made from two pieces of papier-mâché-covered wood, shaped and painted to look like a red cow or ox. When the toy is moved, the head thus bobs up and down and side to side. Aizu legend claims that the toys are based on a real cow that lived in the 9th century and showed its devotion to Buddha by willing its soul away or by refusing to leave the site of a temple it had helped to construct. Akabeko has become one of Fukushima Prefecture's most famous crafts and a symbol of the Aizu region.

 Before departing the wonderful city of Aizu, we stopped for lunch. Konnyaku, fish and meat grilled over fire, covered by a yuzu-miso sauce.

Byakkotai part 2

 

 

 

 

Down the rabbit hole!

As they fought to defeat the enemy, the Byakkotai had to retreat. They were fighting in familiar territory. What was once their playground was now a battlefield. They headed for a secret passage way through the mountain. And that is how they reach ed Iiemori hills. Still to this day, the secret passage way remains. It is but a hole on a cliff. But it stands as a testimony of the story that unfolded.

 

 

 

 

There are many sights to see between the secret passage way and the memorial monument. The most striking one is perhaps the round temple. In which you go up and down without ever changing direction. It is but one straight path!   

Not so challenging bento

Here we are, back from our grocery trip. We managed to price our bento below 2.50$ a unit. Which means we can expect a profit of 2-3$. Since this is a fundraiser for the school, we might bump up the price a bit. We haven't decided yet. But here is a sample picture of what we are going to offer.

• Cheese, turkey, salad, sandwich
• Veggy and dip
• Pretzel
• Fruit
• Brownie trio
• Tomato-cheese trio

The quantity will be adjusted to fit the size of the box as to not leave any holes. The meal also comes with a juice box.

We are really excited about this and hope the kids will be too!!!

Challenging Bento Challenge

I am so excited about this, I can't wait any longer! My coworker and I had the ok, from the school we work at, to organize a fundraiser. We will be selling bento lunches on St-Valentine's day! For the last 2 weeks, we have been discussing different options and tomorrow we are finally ready to present the project to the rest of the school staff! 

We decided on heart shape sandwiches, with pink dip and veggy. Heart shape rice crispies square and pretzel. Tomorrow morning, before work, we are going to price all the material and food. Then we will sketch the bento. We might make one or two to showcase to the staff.

All this is part of a much bigger project we have been discussing in the last month. We would love to perhaps turn this into a side business. Although we believe in the product, there are still many great hurdle to overcome. 

Next month, we intend on having a few kids at school (with the parents permission off course) to help us out in a food tasting survey. We are curious to find out if kids from this very Caucasian rural community would be willing to eat rice balls and furikake!!! With the fundraiser we are staying within known territory and we have a goal of selling 100 bento!

Stay tune to find out more about this project!!!   

Recette de Gyoza en français!

 

Voici la traduction de la recette de gyoza dont j’ai parlé pendant les vacances de noël!

Je dois spécifier qu’en général, je modifie la recette selon ce que mon réfrigérateur contient! Alors n’hésitez pas non plus à expérimenter! Il est aussi possible de les faire végétariens.

Néanmoins, peu importe les modifications que vous apporter, il y a une certaine recette de base à respecter.

 

·         I chou finement coupé

·         3livres de porc haché (peut être remplacé par de la dinde, du bœuf, des crevettes…)

·         ½ tasse de ciboulette finement haché

·         ½ tasse de sake

·         1/8 tasse de sauce soya

·         1/8 tasse de mirin

·         De temps en temps, j’aime ajouter de la coriandre et du gingembre.

Je prends tout les ingrédients et je les passe au robot culinaire. Si vous n’y avez pas accès, vous assurer que tout soit très finement coupé et bien mélangé.

Je n’ai jamais encore essayé de confectionner mes propres pâtes à Gyozo. Je trouve plus simple acheter les pâtes rondes à dumplings chinois (généralement disponible dans les épiceries chinoises mais aussi nord américaine.) Faîtes attention de ne pas acheter les pâtes à won-ton. Elles sont de constitution différente. Avec cette recette, j’ai généralement besoin de 150 à 200 pâtes.

Lorsque vous façonner chaque gyoza, utiliser de l’eau et non pas un œuf pour sceller les côtés. Le plus simple est de prendre une petite cuillérée de mélange, la déposer au milieu. Humecter le contour de la pâte avec de l’eau et de la refermer en demi-cercle. Selon la tradition japonaise, il ne faut plisser qu’un seul côté. Il est par contre standard pour les dumplings chinois, de plisser les deux côtés. Rien ne vous empêche de le faire de l’une ou de l’autre façon. Si vous avez utilisé toutes les pâtes et qu’il vous reste du mélange, vous pouvez l’utiliser pour faire un stir-fry.

Lorsque vous avez tout terminé vous pouvez les faire cuire ou les mettre à congeler. Pour la cuisson, il y a plusieurs façons possibles. Vous pouvez tout simplement les faire cuire à la vapeur. Vous pouvez les faire bouillir dans une soupe. Vous pouvez les faire frire dans l’huile. Toutefois, noter que la façon traditionnelle japonaise (et la meilleur selon moi) est de les faire cuire lentement dans une poêle qui a été remplie d’une fine couche d’huile. De cette façon, ils seront croustillants mais tendre. Il n’est pas nécessaire de les retourner pendant la cuisson. Néanmoins assurez vous qu’ils demeurent couvert afin qu’ils ne s’assèchent pas.

Pour la sauce, vous pouvez acheter de la sauce à gyoza ou faire votre propre mélange de sauce soya, sauce à tamari et  vinaigre rouge.

Aizu-Wakamatsu The Byakkotai Story

The truth is that I had never heard about Byakkotai. As a matter of fact, the chances are : neither have you! 

Unless you are a hard core Tomohisa Yamashita fan and happened to have watched the 4 hours made for TV Japanese movie. (Which I had never heard of either before traveling to my friend family house in Chiba).

My friend lives in the prefecture of Chiba near Narita city but her father is from Fukushima. He's an Aizu boy ;-) Knowing that I love history, he had planed on taking us to his hometown and show me all the sight the great city of Aizu-Wakamatsu had to offer. Long before going, my friend had been telling me all about it. She would always mentioned the Byakkotai. I had no idea what she was talking about. All I had in my mind was Yoshitsune!










We got up really early one April morning and took of in the family minivan for Aizu. outside : pouring rain. We drove for about 4 hours and reached Aizu. We first made our way to the famous hill where the memorial for the Byakotai lays. There stands a little museum. And that is when I understood what Byakkotai was...

In short : such as Hiroshima and the children peace memorial. Byakkotai is the synonym of the infamy of war. Children and war. Kids that shouldn't have been sent to war and for lack of better knowledge, committed ceremonial suicide thinking they had been defeated.  Teenagers who had been train by the best. And who did the best thing they could do when they saw the castle, they were meant to defend, burning. What they did not know was that the castle was not engulf in flame and that they had not been defeated yet.

So there I stood. At the top of the hill. Looking over 19 graves. With the castle standing strong in the valley. (It has since been rebuilt). The cherry blossoms. The pouring rain. It hit me harder than the Atomic bomb site in Hiroshima. 

Probably because the site was so modest. Probably because although they are respected, they are in no way heroes. 

Fools. 

That's what they were. Yet you can't help but understand the reason behind their act. The ultimate testimony of pride. Everyday I see kids. Teenagers. With no sense of pride. With no integrity. Teens that have no directions or nothing they hold near and dear to their heart and would give their life to protect. 

Granted, Byakkotai represent youth foolishness just the same  way Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet does. But Byakkotai also represent the ultimate act of loyalty. Would you do the same for the country you love?

 

Takasaki x3

 


As I write this post, Japan is far behind me. But I cannot ignore the wonderful last 2 weeks I spent there last April. Here is an account of how I spent two amazing weeks in the care of my Japanese friend Ayumi and her family.

First off, we met in Tokyo and took off, early morning for Takasaki. My Japanese friend had never been there but she had heard all about our previous adventure in the town of Daruma!

We easily reached the town, and grabbed some Daruma bentos at the train station. We had planned on having an outdoor lunch  at the Daruma temple. We were a little bit behind schedule and miss the before noon bus. We ended up having to wait a good hour before the next mean of transportation to the temple, which was on a local train. By the time we reached the temple, we had very little time left so we zoomed up the hundreds of stairs and made our way to the main building. We snapped tons of pictures and bought Daruma-shape omikuji (300yen). My fortune was not exactly stellar so I decided to fold it up and tie it at the temple.

We then walked across the bridge to the Daruma factory. I was glad for once to have a Japanese translator to talk to the old man who had been so nice for us!! In fact he was so happy to see that we had brought our Japanese friend! As always Ayuchan did an amazing job at translating everything I wanted to say!!! 

The old man invited us to the second floor of the workshop and served us lunch! We had delicious Soba and tempura. We were not expecting such generosity. But we were really happy, since it hadn't had lunch yet! We still had our bentos with us but decided to keep them for dinner.

After the lunch, we headed back to the station and started the long journey back to Tokyo, then Narita then Sosa. I was finally going to meet her family!