You Ate What?























There's a new survey to the right in which I've turned the tables and want to know what you've had to eat? You can vote for multiple things so click each one if you've tried it... If you've consumed something creepy that isn't listed, comment on this post and tell me! I'd say there's a prize for the gnarliest food mentioned but I'd be lying.

Oh yeah, this photo was taken in Paris two years ago on my final night there. I'd been looking for escargo, (snails,) the entire duration of my trip! I'd had snails before in our hometown, el Puerto de Santa Maria, Spain, but in a tomato-based sauce. In Paris they were in an oil and butter sauce with some pureed herbs. Exactly how I like them. Zey were screaming delicious. Like chewy mushrooms. . . .chewy mushrooms that used to crawl around.

Tanabata: Star Crossed Lovers Meet in the Sky
The most popular Tanabata festival kicked off last night in Hiratsuka, about a half hour from here. The festival features elaborate decorations and of course, the usual festival food booths and carnival-type game booths. See all the photos here.
Yumi and I had a blast eating our way through the streets and enjoying the beautiful "yukata," or summer kimonos. (Hiratsuka, Japan)

Matsuri no Gomi: (Festival Trash)
Yumi: (With a strange look and laugh,) Why are you taking a picture of garbage????
Jessica: Because it's cool! It's Japanese garbage!
Yumi: Why is it cool and Japanese???
Jessica: You've got a Japanese melon, some Asahi beer cups, a kaki-kori (Japanese shaved ice) container and the skeleton of an uchiwa (summer fan.) That's totally Japan!
Yumi: Oh. I see....

This One's For Christine

This is a common sight in Japan--pups being toted around on wheels, dressed to the nines, visiting temples with thier owners. Yesterday alone, several dogs visited the Yakitori shop, most in tee shirts and some in little carts like these cuties. (Kamakura, Japan)

He Gives the Term
"Coke Head"
a New Meaning

Saw this ad in a vending machine yesterday. If you're not familiar, samurais wore their hair like this. I'm guessing this guy is a famous actor? I just thought the ad was cleverly designed... (Kamakura, Japan)

101 Reasons to Not Love Japan












In June, we found not one--but two--centipedes, or "Mukade," in our kitchen. I swear the first one was pushing eight inches and the second a mere six. They are scary as all hell and because of their armor, they are impossible to kill with average household weapons, (Raid and sneaker.)
This guy took five whacks from Matt's boot and was still limping away!!! FYI: My colleague tells me to hold them at arms length and burn their heads with a lighter to kill them. With pleasure....

Summer is Here

Temps are suddenly upper seventies and touched eighty yesterday. I snapped this two weeks ago at Hideyoshi Yakitori and I think it conjures up what summer in Japan is about quite nicely. BTW that's an oolonghai made from oolong tea (barley) and shochu liquor. (Kamakura, Japan)

"Edible, Raw Work of Art" Medium: Raw Seafood

We ate this last weekend on the way back from the sumo tournament in Tokyo. (VIEW PHOTOS HERE) We stumbled upon a delicious Izakaya, (a casual place with drinks and great food selections,) with an all-Kanji menu. I couldn't read a darn thing so I just asked for a few things that I knew we liked. They had most of it and this is what arrived when I asked for "sashimi." There's a little raw octopus, tuna and mystery fish plus a few raw prawns. In the front is a bit of red pepper, wasabe and freshly grated ginger. It's served on a bed of plum leaves (ume shiso,) and pine frawn. You eat the ume shiso with some fish but the pine is just for decor. The people sitting next to us were eating raw beef and when they caught us looking, they insisted that we try it. Matt had some and said it was so-so. I felt bad about eating thier food so I played shy.

That's Japan for you. Hospitality Rules!

(Near Yokohama Station, Japan)

"If You Shall Ever Tire of Yakitori, I Shall Tire of You" Japanese Proverb














Okay, so I made that up. But they are words to live by as far as I'm concerned. One of Hideyoshi's specialties is a yummy slab of duck grilled with their secret yakitori sauce. Customers can purchase it to go, (on a stick,) or eat it on a plate in the shop. In the background are the last bites of heart, tsukune and cheek, (my current favorite.) We're going to eat there tonight...again;) This was taken umm...two weeks ago? (Hideyoshi Yakitori Restaurant, Kamakura Japan)

Alternative Tentacles

The beautiful hand modeling a delicious chunk of octopus is Blanca. We grabbed some bar snacks at 7-11 before hitting a local bar. On the left is slightly pickled Bok Choy (Chinese cabbage,) in the middle, boiled Octopus with soy sauce and on the right--quickly pickled cucumbers, (Oshinko.) In the background is what I call "a drink for drinkers." It's made from some ginger looking root and is supposed to help your liver deal with booze thereby easing your hangover. It's no match for a night at the chuhai stand but then again, nothing really is...