A Sticky Situation

A rice paddle is one of the most important kitchen utensils in the Japanese home. Why? Because when you’re scooping out rice, there’s nothing worse than the sound of a metal spoon scraping against a metal pot. Argh~!

Rice paddles are traditionally wooden, but these days plastic is standard-issue. They’re easy to wash, but the one pet peeve I have is that it gets sticky with rice as soon as I use it. So wherever I put my paddle down, rice clumps are sure to follow.

That’s why I love this invention: the swinging rice paddle.

Now you need not worry about getting the kitchen counter sticky. Just lay the rice paddle down and it’ll sway around upright without falling over. Reminds me of those clown punching bags. And they come in all sorts of colors, so you’ll never get bored.

Yeah, I know some of you don’t see the big deal. Believe me, when you’re making a dozen rice balls at a time, there’s no time to wash and rewash things. So nothing beats having an accessible rice paddle. Just try it! (^_^)v

Himawari

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Crackers + Rice = Crazy Delicious

We all know just how decadent a Japanese meal can be. Think $200 plates of raw fugu, and kaiseki ryouri packed with seasonal vegetables and well-marbled meat. But what’s on the other end of the spectrum?

I saw a Japanese TV show a while back featuring meals people cook when they’re in the poorhouse. My favorite was a guy who crushed soy-flavored rice crackers (“kaki-pi,” to be exact) and sprinkled it over his rice. It sounds like a joke, but it’s actually tasty! If you dare to try it, Takara Tomy has a cool product that takes the work out of making this unlikely topping:

It’s called “Okashina Furikake,” which is a double-entendre meaning “snack-like condiment” and “rice-topping oddity.” It’s a simple device: Just pour in your snack of choice, then push and turn the handle. You can use just about anything: potato chips, pretzels, even cookies.

Speaking of furikake, I did some sleuthing and found it was invented in the early 1900s by a pharmacist who wanted to add more calcium into people’s diet. So he started crushing fish bones and mixed it with sesame seeds and dried seaweed to cover the fishy flavor. The bones have since been replaced by dried egg, vegetables, bonito flakes, and dozens of other yummy ingredients but my people’s love for rice topping has gone unwavered.

Well, it’s about dinner time here and I only have $2 in my pocket. You know what that means…..RICE CRACKER DINNER! \(^o^)/

Himawari

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Chocolate with a Purpose

Japan is in a chocolate frenzy for Valentine’s Day. It’s a yearly ritual of sending out boxes of lovely aphrodisiacs to friends, loved ones, and even people you don’t care for. I love ogling at the assortment of sweets on Yahoo Japan’s shopping site and finding out what sort of novelty items they have. This is my favorite… edible tools!:

You might not be able to fix your broken radiator, but it still comes in handy whenever your inner cocoa demon attacks. Kobe Frantz produces them as part of their “Car Mania Set V4,” which includes monkey wrenches, nuts and bolts, pliers, a screwdriver and car keys, each made with high-quality couverture chocolate. A dream gift for the sweet-tooth car enthusiast, don’t you think?

For chocolate lovers on a diet, there’s the non-edible dessert camera by Fuvi:

It’s a tiny 3-megapixel toy perfect for keeping in your clutch for a night on the town. Amazingly, it also takes video and connects to your computer with a USB cable. It makes for a good spy camera, too; As you’re snapping shots, everyone will think you’re nibbling on an after-dinner mint!

So what’s your favorite piece of chocolate??

Himawari

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Cooking with Bear

I knew a girl in college who preferred to eat dinner in her room than with everyone else. After her roommates left for the cafeteria, she’d take out a mini-rice cooker from under her bed and make a simple meal —
either rice and furikake or a steamy bowl of ochazuke. Starch was her addiction.

I know the feeling. When I’m traveling Europe, I start craving all kinds of sticky, short-grain rice (sorry, Uncle Ben’s doesn’t cut it) most Asians can’t live without. That’s why this comes in handy… the Rilakkuma Rice Cooker:

Place this cutie bear of a pot into the microwave and he’ll cook rice for you in under 10 minutes — four times faster than the conventional cooker. The cooking process is easy: Just pour in water and fill the raw grains up to the line marked on the container, then microwave. As an added bonus, you get a shamoji (rice paddle) and an extra compartment for steaming vegetables.

As I’ve mentioned before, Rilakkuma is a bear created by Sanrio. His main objective in life is to relax and enjoy life, and he hopes his carefree attitude rubs off onto his owner. Just thinking about him puts a smile on my face. (^o^)

Himawari

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Playing with Your Food

There is no limit to Japan’s obsession with food, especially with what’s called “Eki-ben,” those boxed lunches sold at the train station. To me, they’re like brilliant works of art. They express the mood of nature with the use of season-ripe vegetables, and they sometimes employ modern-day technology to get their point across. I wouldn’t be alone in admitting that part of my reason for taking the train is so that I can grab an Eki-ben along the way.

So take that obession and stretch it out to something that won’t ever go bad and you’ve got Eki-ben playing cards:

The truest food nuts will love this deck of 52 cards ($10) showcasing some of Japan’s most famous portable lunches, like Hakodate City’s rice-stuffed squid bento or Gunma prefecture’s touge kamameshi (chicken and vegetable mixed rice) bento. Each card includes a tantalizing photo along with mouthwatering descriptions. But don’t lick them. Paper isn’t tasty.

One of the factors that keep Eki-ben intriguing is that you can’t just walk into the nearest supermarket to get them. You have to actually go to that town or remote village station because they make use of regional products, a.k.a. meibutsu. So in a way, having a deck of the bento cards may actually be the closest anyone will get to having them all.

52 pickup, anyone??

Himawari

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Get on the Bus!

Here’s a school of animals ready to jump in your lunch box, feed you, and pick particles out of your teeth. What do you think…they’re toothpicks!

Moms will rejoice that they can finally get kids to eat their brussel sprouts. Just stick in a toothpick and watch them eat it like a piece of candy (well, hopefully). It may seem deceptive, but it’s just like playing choo-choo train with a spoon.

Japan has a way of transforming the mundane into something so awesomely cute. American toothpicks come in cinnamon flavor at best. In Japan, they’re transformed into a barnyard of happy animals, making everything all the more appetizing.

They work best in a kids’ bento box. After getting beaten up by the school bully, it’s always nice to have something that will cheer him up. Well, hopefully, his mom will be there to comfort him, too. v(^o<)

Himawari

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Eat the Moon!

This month marks the season to get on your porch and gaze at the autumn moon. It’s a time-honored tradition that’s not only celebrated with song and poetry but also by eating foods strikingly similar to the full moon.

At McDonalds, you can sink your teeth into a Tsukimi (moon-viewing) Burger filled with a beef patty and a perfectly-circular poached egg.

At noodle shops, you can order a hot bowl of soba topped with a raw egg yolk. (Yeah, it sounds gross, but it’s good!)

Another moon-shaped food is mochi, a sweet, sticky rice-cake. Here’s a fun kitchen toy that helps you turn out mochi from scratch:

You start off by boiling a pot of sweet rice, a.k.a., mochi-gome. Then you use this machine to mash the rice until soft and smooth. Traditionally speaking, mochi is pounded into submission using a mortar and heavy wooden hammer. Though, I’ve tried it before and nearly had my hand smashed. Ouch~

This cute mochi toys takes the sweat out of making Japanese desserts. Now all you need to do is pull up a chair and enjoy the rabbit in the moon!

Himawari

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Display Food

Looks are Deceiving

When it looks this good, I’m bound to grab a pair of chopsticks and slurp it up. Though be warned: IT’S A PIECE OF PLASTIC!

Display food is a great way to lure customers through the door. Not only do you learn what’s on the menu, you get the sense that it’s all amazingly fresh and perky. (I love perky!) That’s why so many of Japan’s restaurants spend thousands of dollars on elaborate store fronts, displaying rows and rows of food that’ll make you salivate before you’re seated.

And now you can get all your favorite food-fakes via Japan Trend Shop: kitsune udon, tempura, yakisoba, sushi, pork ramen and even a strawberry donut. But don’t think fake udon is cheaper than the real thing just because you can’t eat it. One bowl is $77, chopsticks not included. It’s the cost of craftsmanship. (Read up on the century-old industry here.) Apparently, there’s one company that only hires women to craft the food because, “Women cook everyday.” Hah!

Though once you actually get your delicious paper-weight in the mail, then what? I suppose it’d make a great dieting tool: just lick it whenever you get an urge to snack. Zero calories! \(^o^)/

Himawari

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Best Lunch Ever!

For a limited time only, 7-Eleven (Japan) is offering a special bento box commemorating the 20th anniversary of Chibi Maruko, Japan’s animated sweetheart.

The $11 meal includes a two-tiered plastic container, a mini fork and a mini tote bag. Inside the box you’ll find an assortment of tasty morsels like bacon-wrapped asparagus, a grilled meat patty, seasoned vegetables, cheesy potatoes and a rice ball. Best lunch ever! \(^o^)/

Bento boxes are what I love about Japan’s 7-Eleven. They’re quick, cute, nutritious and affordable. And from time to time you’ll come across one of these synergistic meal deals that also make a great collector’s item.

Chibi Maruko is one of the most-watched animated series in Japan, airing Sunday evenings just before dinnertime. It’s a wholesome show depicting the often comical idiosyncrasies of Japanese family life. With the show’s mass-appeal, I’m sure the bento box will be sold out before it even hits shelves.

It’s just too bad that nothing as fun as this comes to 7-Eleven in the U.S. Though when I think about it, those Simpson’s Movie and Domo-kun collectibles from the past couple years were pretty cool. Maybe there’s more to come? Family Guy bento box, perhaps!?

Himawari

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japanizmo, a Los Angeles based company, provides practical solutions for U.S. ? Japan business projects. Our experienced Japanese staff will support all phases of your business project to seize business opportunities and turn your vision into a reality. >> Learn more

Save a Tree, Buy Some Chopsticks

Deforestation is still a huge problem in the world and it especially hits home for us chopstick-holding types. On a typical week, I’ll blow through a dozen or so disposable sticks. …Yikes, I’m a tree killer!

So to ease my conscience, I started searching for cool utensils I won’t need to later feed the garbage can. Here are my favorites:

Can’t stand getting your fingers greased up in a bag of potato chips? Here’s the tool for you: Chip sticks! It spares the annoyance of licking your fingers clean as you play Warcraft. Toss a bowl of rice into the bag and you’ve got dinner! ($4.32)

Not a day goes by at Los Angeles’ Japanese markets where you don’t see a bunch of anime-loving teens ogling boxes of Pocky on the shelf. I’m not sure what the fascination is, but I’m sure it’s thanks to Glico‘s marketing team putting it in our heads that a stick-like cookie covered in chocolate is the next best thing to heaven. Now you can pick up and eat Pocky using — what else? — a pair of Pocky sticks! How cute is that! ($4)

Contrary to popular belief, Asians are not genetically predisposed to eating with chopsticks. We had to practice just like everyone else. So for those of you who can’t keep them still between your fingers, here’s the utensil for you. They’re hinged together at the top end and ribbed at the bottom to prevent embarrassing slips. Practice with them and in a few weeks you’ll be able to take down flies! ($13)

Himawari

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Thinking of doing business in Japan? We can make it easy for you!
japanizmo, a Los Angeles based company, provides practical solutions for U.S. ? Japan business projects. Our experienced Japanese staff will support all phases of your business project to seize business opportunities and turn your vision into a reality. >> Learn more