Kakizome is a calligraphy practice and is a traditional New Year's event in Japan. People show their resolution of the new year on a paper. It is normally done on 2nd of January, but I did it yesterday of my turning point.
Last week on Sunday (my birthday eve): I had a great summer party, enjoyed with friends. Our B&B guests also joined us. Thank you very much everyone who came and listened to our piano performance.
Wonderful performance by our guest, Sean ! 飛び入り演奏の翔一君、 素敵なプレゼント、ありがとう!
Ume (Japanese plum for making Umeboshi pickles) arrived last week. I got NANKO-UME (which is known as a high quality ume plum in Japan) from Yumesato farm near Christchurch. Yes, I try to make Umeboshi (sour ume pickles) this season.
Large ones were already yellow and seemed to have well ripened, so that I started work on the next day.
Lサイズは黄熟度が良い感じだったので、 翌日漬け込み作業開始。
Medium ones were still greenish. I decided to let them ripen in the box for several days.
Mサイズはまだ少し青い。 数日追熟させてみることにしました。
It came on some creamy the next day. Maybe a bit more?
翌日、少し黄味を帯びてきました。 もう少しかな。
Because I wanted to produce it experimentally in several kinds of recipes, I did by 1kg each in a zip lock bag instead of in a pickles jar. I used rock salt instead of "arajio" (course sea salt), and used vodka instead of "shochu"(Japanese distilled alcohol beverage).
I removed each calyx carefully after washing, then wiped moisture...
丁寧に洗ってからヘタを取り除き、 水気を拭いて
placed them in a bag, sprinkled small quantity of vodka (for mold prevention and to moisten surface of ume to attach salt easily) then added rock salt. The grain of the salt is rugged and the skin seemed to be hurt ! Flake salt may be better?
"Doyo-boshi"(summer airing) They are going to be dried under the sunlight later (for 3 days and nights) just after the rainy season over in Japan. So when is it good in NZ? Probably, at the time of fine weather continuance with strong sunlight in February, it will be all right. I'm praying for my success...
The hydrangea blooms now in my garden. I associated it with the scene, and made sweets.
ちょうど、 庭のあじさいがきれいに咲き揃ったので これをヒントに・・・
SWEET・CRYSTAL・HYDRANGEA It's a jerry dessert made from black currunt juice and blue curacao.
スイート・クリスタル・あじさい
ブラックカラントジュースと ブルーキュラソーで色づけしたゼリー をトッピングしたデザート。
あじさいは 日本では梅雨の風物詩ですが・・・
Sponge cake and sweetened whipped cream cheese underneath. Dome-shaped surface makes this dessert seem to be it, and decoration with the hydrangea's leaf makes it wonderful.
I cooked OSECHI-ryori for welcoming this New Year. It is becoming my annual custom. OSECHI-ryori are .... specially-prepared New Year's dishes to be eaten during the first three days of January. Various kinds of beautifully-prepared dishes are set in tiered lacquer boxes. Each of the dishes has some auspicious meaning which reflects people's wishes, such as good health, good harvest, happiness, prosperity, longevity, and so on.
********************************************************************************************* I was going to cook Kobu-maki (simmered Kombu roll with salmon) which was to cook for the first time, so I did practise beforehand. .....However, actually, I was running out of time and wasn't able to include it into this OSECHI.
New Year's Day: Beautiful morning ! Perfect weather ! Our guests happily planned for Rob Roy trekking. 元旦の朝は、さわやかな快晴! ロブロイ氷河トレッキングを予定していたお客様、完璧な天候に大喜び!
First breakfast 2015 for our guest was.... a plate of OSECHI-ryori Taki-awase(simmered Shiitake-mushroom, tofu, vegetables), Ebi-umani (Tigar prawn), Nishiki-tamago (steamed sweet egg), Kuro-mame (simmered black beans), Tazukuri (candied dried sardines), Mastu-kaze-yaki (meat loaf, Japanese style), Kuri-kinton (mashed & sweetened chestnut & kumara-potato), and Osuimono (clear soup with mussels). 元旦の朝食: 炊合わせ、海老の旨煮、錦玉子、黒豆、田作り、松風焼き、栗きんとんに、 マッスル(ムール貝)のお吸物を添えて。
Dishes were set in tiered lacquer boxes for the New Year's dinner party. 残りはお重に詰めて、夜の宴会用。