A Mt. Fuji Sunset

Pizza-wow!

You've heard me talk about the Japanese restaurant Pizza-la. Well, my Japanese friends came over for our usual English conversation meeting this month and we served them pizza. "Pizza-wow!" sums up their impression of American pizza.

Yes, indeed, our pizzas are very big! But after we cut the pieces in half, they were very happy to try cheese, pepperoni and/or veggie slices. When they politely declined our offer to wash it down with some beer, we insisted because to drink tea with pizza would be extremely unconventional.

Our topic of English conversation centered around the ubiquitous cherry blossom, which is beginning to reveal itself in Japan and maintain its beauty only for the next two weeks. But its spring symbolism is refreshing and will continue long after the blooms are blown to the ground. Akiko-san (above, right) took advantage of the rare opportunity to wear her mother's cherry blossom kimono and exquisite obi, which of course is only fashionable during cherry blossom season.

Happy Easter!

Sydney colored eggs for the first time yesterday! Here's my little scientist who wanted to mix all the colors together, but restrained herself at my suggestion (for a change).

It's Miranda's first Easter! Here she is in her Sunday best.

The Easter bunny came after church. Sydney (as I knew she would) delved into her basket and ate every single piece of candy she could find. She took out the "grass" looking for any lost pieces at the bottom of her basket. Good thing the Easter Bunny knew to only put 1 or 2 M&Ms or jelly beans in each egg!

My two little "bunnies" and their bunny purses.

Sydney scores big at the Easter egg hunt today, only Mommy didn't give her a big enough bag for all the eggs she wanted to take home. You should've seen her picking through the empty eggs looking for any leftovers. Poor kid.

The Best (and Most) Strawberries I've Ever Eaten

How many strawberries can you eat in 30 minutes?

No, this is not a trivia contest. In Japan, that's how strawberry picking works. You pay about $12 to enter a greenhouse and eat strawberries for 30 minutes and you're not allowed to pick any to take home. So, eat up and get your fill!


I think Sydney ate at least 30. It would've been more if she wasn't so easily distracted by the mess on her hands, the bumble bees in the corner (note her boots), her friends, etc. That and the fact that she lost several minutes in her panic to get out of the greenhouse door as soon as we entered. (Maybe she's seen Frosty the Snowman one too many times.)

Anyway, once she realized there were rows and rows of strawberries for the plucking, she began popping them one after the other--stems and all! I guess our girl really likes her green veggies. You're even given a tray with a white sugary dipping sauce (maybe sweetened condensed milk), but being the "purist" that she is, Sydney wanted none of this. Fine, more for me!







Till she took the tray full of strawberries away from me to be like her friend, Sydney.

But the strawberries were pure sweetness alone and not at all tart or acidic. They were natural and divine. We had such a great time with our playgroup friends that we'll be back. Good thing they have many greenhouses full of strawberries.

Miranda's "Firsts" in Hawaii

Maybe it was just coincidental, but Hawaii seemed to be a place of firsts for Miranda. Of course it was her first time in Hawaii. (Mine too!) But she also laughed for the first time on our first full day in Hawaii. See it on camera here!




She also rolled over from back to front for the first time! So since she could already go front to back, now she's officially a rolly polly going every which way.

As if that wasn't enough, Miranda discovered she could make all kinds of sounds with her mouth, including blowing raspberries. See her new talent here.

Aloha from Hawaii!

Unfortunately we're back home now, but we had a fabulous time on the island of Oahu last week. Sydney, Miranda and I tagged along while Brian went to a conference in a hotel right on Waikiki beach Monday through Thursday. Then we stayed a while longer to enjoy Paradise (well, the version which includes small kids, which is still pretty darn nice).

It was my first time there and definitely not my last! Besides the usual Waikiki resort, beach and pool time (including a luau), we drove around the island and enjoyed the scenery, visited Pearl Harbor, and ate some shrimp from a truck on the North Shore. Here are a few photos. See the rest in the photo gallery as usual.

A USNH Yokosuka "Dining Out"

On March 8th, Brian and I attended our first Navy dining out together. The dining in/out is a popular formal military tradition today, though it goes by several names. Both the United States Navy and Air Force call this social affair the "dining in" (or "dining out" if spouses and other guests are invited). The Marine Corps and the Coast Guard refer to it as mess night and the Army sometimes calls it a regimental dinner.

The dining in originated from British military tradition. (So I'm not quite sure how the Scotish bag-pipe player comes into play, but it was a nice touch nevertheless.) The dining in has been largely resurrected since the 200th birthday of both the USA and the Navy. During the bicentennial, officials were reviving virtually every traditional event to celebrate the occasion. The Chief of Naval Information (CHINFO) prepared a pamphlet entitled "How to Conduct a Dining-In." The guide was published as an article in the March 1975 issue of U.S. Navy Medicine. This is an important document because it describes the basic format of the Navy dining-in.

And what format is that, you might ask?

Well, obviously there is a dinner and those invited belong to the same command--in this case, officers of the United States Naval Hospital in Yokosuka, Japan.

Each dining in follows established protocols. Etiquette requires a diner to know what is appropriate at any given time. However, on the other hand, there are many comical and silly behaviors in the course of the proceedings.

Rules define the officers of the mess, guests, and procedures, such as cocktail hour, call to dinner, grace, seating arrangement and table setting. After a brief cocktail period of 30 to 45 minutes, the presiding officer, known as the "President of the Mess," announces, "Please be seated." The group will then retire to the dining area to be seated.

After tasting the meat (usually beef), the President (the CO of the hospital) will declare it "tasty and fit for human consumption," after which the meal will be served to the diners. At our dining out, there were two "beefs," the first of which is a joke and seen here (the CO's son, Matt). Eventually the head waiter brought out the real beef, prime rib, for the President to sample.

After the dessert is finished, the President will invite the chief steward to bring forth wine to be served, and toasting will begin. Some toasts are rote and others are thoughtful and somber.

Then after the toasts have concluded, the floor is opened to the levying of fines. Fines are incurred if the following violations are made:

• untimely arrival at proceedings
• smoking at the table before the lighting of the smoking lamp
• haggling over date of rank
• improper wear of uniform
• inverted cummerbund
• wearing a clip-on bow tie at an obvious list
• poor language
• loud and obtrusive remarks in a foreign language
• foul language
• discussion on a controversial topic (politics, religion, and women are commonly forbidden topics)
• improper toasting procedure
• toasting with an uncharged glass
• rising to applaud particularly witty, succinct, sarcastic, or relevant toasts, unless following the example of the President
• leaving the dining room without permission from the President of the Mess
• carrying cocktails into the dining area before the conclusion of dinner
• haggling over penalties or fines imposed
  

In addition to paying fines, violators were sent to the grog bowls, for alcoholic or non-alcoholic punch, and then forced to put the empty cups on their heads. The rules state they may also be sentenced to sing songs, tell jokes, do pushups, or perform menial tasks to entertain the mess. As you can imagine, some silly behaviors ensued throughout the night to provide entertainment and also point out the absurdity of some of these antiquated rules. And in most cases, when a violator has been identified, he or she is given the opportunity to provide a rebuttal or defense for the violation, which rarely results in the violator being excused for the offense, and usually only results in more punishment...and more entertainment. So, it was a fun evening, especially since the rules didn't seem to apply to the spouses.

For example, Anpanman momentarily makes an unacknowledged appearance at the USNH Dining Out. Perhaps because he sat in Kathy's (the CO's wife) seat and everyone was none the wiser, he wasn't made to drink from the grog. Or maybe he was an official Japanese guest.

Asian-American Fusion Food

It's no secret I like food. I also like cooking. Since living in Japan, I've been perfecting some Asian-inspired recipes. Most are instant successes with my family, but these are a few of my favorites I thought I'd share. I call them Asian-American fusion because they are definitely not authentically Japanese, for the record.

Miso-Glazed Salmon
(Serves four. This is an EASY everyday recipe that is also impressive for guests.)
2-4 tablespoons brown sugar (to taste)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons hot water
2 tablespoons miso
4 salmon fillets
cooking spray
1 tablespoon chopped chives (top after cooking salmon)
Bake at 400 for about 15 minutes, depending on thickness of fish. (This recipe is best with sashimi grade salmon. I know it is a major faux pas to actually cook sashimi, but it's the freshest fish you'll ever taste and it melts in your mouth like butter.)


Asian Cabbage and Radish Slaw with Peanut Dressing
(Serves 8 to 10. This salad requires lots of chopping, but is worth it! Also can be made ahead and tossed together with the dressing at the last minute.)
1 T. finely chopped ginger
1/4 c. coarsely chopped shallot
1/4 c. plus 1 T. creamy peanut butter
1/2 c. rice-wine vinegar
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. packed dark-brown sugar
1/4 c. canola oil
1 small green cabbage (about 1 3/4 lbs), finely shredded
1 medium daikon radish, cut into 1/8-inch-thick matchsticks
16 red radishes, halfed lengthwise and cut into thin half moons
4 scallions, cut on diagonal into long thin slices
1/2 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Blend ginger, shallot, peanut butter, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and oil in a blender until smooth. Set aside. Put cabbage, daikon radish, red radishes, scallions and peanuts in a large serving bowl. Pour in peanut dressing; toss to combine.


Peanut-Crusted Tofu Triangles
(Serves four. Don't knock it till you've tried it. Great served with grated fresh ginger for an extra spicey kick.)
(14-ounce) package firm tofu, drained
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon water
1 large egg white
1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
Cooking spray

Cut tofu crosswise into 8 equal pieces. Cut each piece into two triangles. Arrange tofu in a single layer on several layers of heavy-duty paper towels. Cover tofu with additional paper towels. Place a cutting board on top of tofu. Place a heavy pan on cutting board. Let stand 1 hour. Pat tofu dry with paper towels.

Combine 1 teaspoon water and egg white in a shallow dish. Place peanuts in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine ground peanuts, garlic powder, ginger, red pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a shallow dish. Dip one side of each tofu triangle in egg mixture. Dredge the same side in peanut mixture. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add half of tofu; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. (Watch closely to prevent burning.) Repeat procedure with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and tofu. Serve tofu with rice.


Awesome Korean Steak
(Serves 6. Even kids will eat this delicious and easy recipe.)
1/2 cup soy sauce
5 tablespoons white sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons sesame seeds
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
5 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
2 pounds thinly sliced round steak
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

In a large bowl, stir together the soy sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, sesame oil, shallots, garlic, and mirin. Add the meat and stir to coat. Cover and marinate overnight in refrigerator.

Heat a wok or large skillet over medium heat. Fry the meat for 5 to 10 minutes or until no longer pink. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve with rice, stir-fried shredded cabbage, or other stir-fried vegetables. Or goes well with Asian Slaw above.

Hope you enjoy! Feel free to share any of your favorite recipes in the comments section!

Happy Girls' Day!

Since we have another girl in our family now, Girls' Day, or the Japanese Doll Festival Hina-matsuri, is even more fun to celebrate in Japan this year. As you may recall from last year's blog on this day, this is the day families pray for the happiness and prosperity of their girls and to help ensure that they grow up healthy and beautiful. So far, so good.

To recap, the custom mainly involves displaying dolls, which represent the emperor and empress during the Heian period, in your home. This tradition is said to ward off evil spirits. It evolved from the ancient Japanese tradition of placing straw hina dolls into water and watching them float away, symbolizing bad spirits being washed away. Dolls are usually displayed starting in mid-February up until the actual holiday, March 3rd, at which point it is important to promptly put them away lest your girls marry late in life.

Most girls in Japan have a set of hina-matsuri dolls. Most of the traditional dolls are extremely expensive and are usually given to girls on their first Girls' Day by their Japanese grandparents.

Sydney and Miranda obviously don't have Japanese grandparents. But in teaching English lessons, I've come to know as friends several very kind and thoughtful Japanese ladies. Noriko-san lets us think of her as a "Japanese grandma." She and Kayo-san gave Sydney and Miranda the pretty ceramic dolls above. And the adorable handmade dolls were a gift from another friend, Emiko-san. To me, these Girls' Day dolls are a constant reminder of the friends my girls and I have made in Japan, so although it's getting late, I just can't bring myself to put them away.

Miranda's Christening

Here's our beautiful girl, Miranda Jane, on her special day. We wish our families could have shared the day with us, but being in Japan makes that difficult of course. Here are a couple of photos from the blessed event, which took place at the Chapel of Hope in Yokosuka, Japan.