Last night, my aunt and I sat down to watch the first half of Return to Cranford only to find that our local public television station wasn't working properly. We sat for about ten minutes waiting for the volume to work and then ran around the house seeing if the same was true for the other televisions in the house.
I was so glad to hear that pbs.org has the first episode of the show available to view online! I just got finished watching it.
Change has finally come to the small town of Cranford with the arrival of the railway. Despite the ups and downs of deciding on what is best for Cranford, the ladies of Cranford are comical as ever.
My favorite scene happens with the arrival of Mr. Peter Jenkyns, Miss Matty's brother, from his travels abroad. He brings back all matter of exotic items including a tiger rug and a parrot! Of course, with Miss Matty taking care of Martha's baby such things are a bit of risk around a child so they are given away.
Mr. Jenkyns gives his parrot to Miss Octavia Pole (Imelda Staunton). She is advised by her neighbor to purchase a cage from Paris. She entirely misunderstands and purchases a crinoline dress cage! LOL It was the funniest thing to see Miss Pole put the cage outside on a peg to show off her parrot and then run inside her house when she finds out that it is an undergarment by the town's shopkeeper!
Hopefully, this Sunday night I will be able to see the conclusion of the Return to Cranford without any problems!
The rest of the Masterpiece Classic 2010 season looks great! I can't wait to see the newest adaptation of Emma and the encore presentations of Northanger Abbey and Persuasion. The Diary of Anne Frank and Small Island look promising as well. I wish I knew more about the Sharpe films. One of these days, I'll have to watch that series :)
Until next time ^___^
Monday, January 11, 2010
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Weekend stitching
Hi! I managed this weekend to get more stitched on the second block of 4 Saisons while watching Elizabeth Gaskell's North and South yesterday and the rest of the Christy series today.
Here is my progress:
Stitching: January 9-10, 2010
In addition to stitching, I've been on the lookout for some Valentine's Day patterns. I've seemed to have forgotten that I have a back subscription to the Gift of Stitching. I'll have to look through the old issues and see if anything catches my eye.
I think from now on, I'll stitch on my WIP during the weekends when I have the time and devote the rest of the week to reading and stitching other patterns. I'll let you know if I find any new patterns :)
Have a good week everyone! Keep your fingers crossed for warmer weather on the Gulf Coast.
Oh, don't forget that the Return to Cranford is airing tonight on PBS!!! *squeal* ~Sorry historical geekiness has taken over my mind~
Until next time ^____^
Here is my progress:
Stitching: January 9-10, 2010
In addition to stitching, I've been on the lookout for some Valentine's Day patterns. I've seemed to have forgotten that I have a back subscription to the Gift of Stitching. I'll have to look through the old issues and see if anything catches my eye.
I think from now on, I'll stitch on my WIP during the weekends when I have the time and devote the rest of the week to reading and stitching other patterns. I'll let you know if I find any new patterns :)
Have a good week everyone! Keep your fingers crossed for warmer weather on the Gulf Coast.
Oh, don't forget that the Return to Cranford is airing tonight on PBS!!! *squeal* ~Sorry historical geekiness has taken over my mind~
Until next time ^____^
Friday, January 8, 2010
Stitchery and books
Hi! I hope everyone is staying warm tonight. It's quite cold in the South right now. We are definitely not used to extreme cold weather for such long periods of time!
I made some progress on my WIP 4 Saisons last Saturday. I didn't have a chance to show you a picture until now.
Design: 4 Saisons by Anagram Diffusion
Fabric: 32 ct olive green Belfast
Threads: DMC 5200 and 498
Start: Block 2 - January 2, 2010
Not too bad for a half a day of stitching while watching Christy on dvd ;) I usually always watch some sort of period drama while stitching.
In addition to my stitching, I've been reading during the evenings after work. I've read the following books so far this month:
1. Steampunk by Ann VanderMeer - a collection of short stories under the literary genre of steampunk. My favorite was Victoria by Paul Di Filippo. It is a shame that the story wasn't a full-scale novel. I love the author's wit and humor.
2. Hana Kimi manga volumes 1-23 by Hisaya Nakajo - a cute story following the adventures of Mizuki Ashiya, a girl who has disguised herself in order to enroll in an all-boys school to be friends with her favorite high-jumper, Izumi Sano. I borrowed this series from one of my friends. I've heard from my friends that there are two TV drama adaptations of this series, one Japanese and the other Taiwanese. I can't wait to watch them after reading this delightful story!
3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Coyle Donan - When I was growing up, I always meant to read Sherlock Holmes, but I never got around to it. I read this collection in about two days.
Currently reading:
1. Spice and Wolf by Isuna Hasekura - the story of Kraft Lawrence, a traveling merchant and his (mis)adventures with the wolf-goddess Holo.
Future reading:
1. The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - a collection of all the short stories and one novel that were published by the British magazine The Strand from 1891 to 1905. I picked up this book from the library after work today. I was hoping that it would have the first Sherlock Holmes novel A Study in Scarlet, but no luck there. After I'm finished reading this collection, I'll have to hunt down a copy of A Study in Scarlet.
Aside from books, I am on the hunt for Valentine's designs to cross stitch for the SAL that I belong too. I haven't come across anything yet. I had stopped by my LNS last Saturday, but I didn't see anything that caught my eye. I did buy some lovely pink shades of Anchor thread while I was there though ;)
Hopefully, I'll have better luck this weekend finding some nice designs to stitch. I hope to work on my WIP too!
Until next time ^____^ Happy reading/stiching!!
I made some progress on my WIP 4 Saisons last Saturday. I didn't have a chance to show you a picture until now.
Design: 4 Saisons by Anagram Diffusion
Fabric: 32 ct olive green Belfast
Threads: DMC 5200 and 498
Start: Block 2 - January 2, 2010
Not too bad for a half a day of stitching while watching Christy on dvd ;) I usually always watch some sort of period drama while stitching.
In addition to my stitching, I've been reading during the evenings after work. I've read the following books so far this month:
1. Steampunk by Ann VanderMeer - a collection of short stories under the literary genre of steampunk. My favorite was Victoria by Paul Di Filippo. It is a shame that the story wasn't a full-scale novel. I love the author's wit and humor.
2. Hana Kimi manga volumes 1-23 by Hisaya Nakajo - a cute story following the adventures of Mizuki Ashiya, a girl who has disguised herself in order to enroll in an all-boys school to be friends with her favorite high-jumper, Izumi Sano. I borrowed this series from one of my friends. I've heard from my friends that there are two TV drama adaptations of this series, one Japanese and the other Taiwanese. I can't wait to watch them after reading this delightful story!
3. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Coyle Donan - When I was growing up, I always meant to read Sherlock Holmes, but I never got around to it. I read this collection in about two days.
Currently reading:
1. Spice and Wolf by Isuna Hasekura - the story of Kraft Lawrence, a traveling merchant and his (mis)adventures with the wolf-goddess Holo.
Future reading:
1. The Original Illustrated Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle - a collection of all the short stories and one novel that were published by the British magazine The Strand from 1891 to 1905. I picked up this book from the library after work today. I was hoping that it would have the first Sherlock Holmes novel A Study in Scarlet, but no luck there. After I'm finished reading this collection, I'll have to hunt down a copy of A Study in Scarlet.
Aside from books, I am on the hunt for Valentine's designs to cross stitch for the SAL that I belong too. I haven't come across anything yet. I had stopped by my LNS last Saturday, but I didn't see anything that caught my eye. I did buy some lovely pink shades of Anchor thread while I was there though ;)
Hopefully, I'll have better luck this weekend finding some nice designs to stitch. I hope to work on my WIP too!
Until next time ^____^ Happy reading/stiching!!
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Birthday fun ~
Hi! Two birthdays today, my mother and our chocolate lab, Sam.
My sister made a cake for our mother at work. What do you think? I love the dog paws in the right corner ;) The cake has a vanilla whipped cream, vanilla cake, and strawberry filling!
Herb Garden by Little House Needleworks
My gift to my mother this year was this design that I stitched last year and had framed before the Christmas holidays. The picture isn't the best, but you get the idea ;) It has the same frame as the Morning Berries design that I gave my mother for Christmas.
I hope everyone is keeping warm on the Gulf Coast. It is cold!! I'm not used to wearing several layers, hats, or gloves! We might have snow tomorrow O_o"
Until next time ^____^
My sister made a cake for our mother at work. What do you think? I love the dog paws in the right corner ;) The cake has a vanilla whipped cream, vanilla cake, and strawberry filling!
Herb Garden by Little House Needleworks
My gift to my mother this year was this design that I stitched last year and had framed before the Christmas holidays. The picture isn't the best, but you get the idea ;) It has the same frame as the Morning Berries design that I gave my mother for Christmas.
I hope everyone is keeping warm on the Gulf Coast. It is cold!! I'm not used to wearing several layers, hats, or gloves! We might have snow tomorrow O_o"
Until next time ^____^
Friday, January 1, 2010
4 Saisons - Block 1
Design: 4 Saisons, Block 1 by Anagram Diffusion
Fabric: 32ct olive green Belfast
Finish: Block 1 - 1/1/2010
With time off from work I was able to finish up Block 1 of my WIP 4 Saisons by Anagram Diffusion. Hopefully, I will get more time to work on this design this year ;)
I hope everyone is having a great New Year!
Until next time ^___^
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Pins, anyone?
For my last post before the New Year, I thought I'd show you pictures of the pins that I received for Christmas, some that I bought afterwards, and two I received from a dear friend in the fall.
I received these two brooches from my mom for Christmas. The snowman brooch as an addition to our holiday pin collection and because it said London on the bag that the snowman is carrying. This is a neat little pin because it reminds me of Mary Poppins if she was a snowman!
The second brooch is by Kirks Folly. I adore Kirks Folly brooches, but hardly buy them because they can be pricey. What do you think? Isn't it lovely?! It is a kitty fairy. Fairies and cats, you just can't go wrong!
I bought these pins the day after Christmas at my local Target store. My collection of winter/Christmas pins is quite small so I thought I'd add to my stash with these little guys. My favorite is the Baking Spirits Bright ;) And guess what, they were all 50% off! Woohoo ^___^
This last pic features two pins that a dear friend of mine in New Zealand sent me before the holidays! I think I took a picture of them earlier, but it wasn't the best quality. What do think? I love wearing these pins to work! Don't you just love the dark blue of the butterfly pin?! It is made out of paua shell.
Until next time ^___^
I received these two brooches from my mom for Christmas. The snowman brooch as an addition to our holiday pin collection and because it said London on the bag that the snowman is carrying. This is a neat little pin because it reminds me of Mary Poppins if she was a snowman!
The second brooch is by Kirks Folly. I adore Kirks Folly brooches, but hardly buy them because they can be pricey. What do you think? Isn't it lovely?! It is a kitty fairy. Fairies and cats, you just can't go wrong!
I bought these pins the day after Christmas at my local Target store. My collection of winter/Christmas pins is quite small so I thought I'd add to my stash with these little guys. My favorite is the Baking Spirits Bright ;) And guess what, they were all 50% off! Woohoo ^___^
This last pic features two pins that a dear friend of mine in New Zealand sent me before the holidays! I think I took a picture of them earlier, but it wasn't the best quality. What do think? I love wearing these pins to work! Don't you just love the dark blue of the butterfly pin?! It is made out of paua shell.
Until next time ^___^
A rant about what?!?
Over the holidays, I was able to finish reading Bleak House by Charles Dickens. It has been a slow read as I’ve been mostly reading it during my lunch break at work. I finally finished it last week with several days off! Bleak House is first and foremost a satire on the Chancery court system of Dickens’ time, but what a tangled web Mr. Dickens weaves in this novel. There are a vast number of plots running throughout this novel, all involved in some way, whether directly or indirectly, to the Chancery case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce.
While reading Bleak House, I’ve come to notice that there will always be that one character that you hate in a Dickens novel. In this novel, there are several characters you will come to loath, Mr. Tulkinghorn, Mr. Vholes, or Mr. Smallweed to name a few. I hope I am not the only person who could not stand Mr. Harold Skimpole, the long-time friend of Mr. John Jarndyce.
A child-like, amiable character who claims to know nothing of worldly matters such as money, employment, or responsibility. A man who provides entertainment for his friends Mr. Jarndyce and his wards with lively conversation, singing, and music, but underneath it all is someone who we would call a leech in our modern terms.
We meet Mr. Skimpole early on in the novel when he comes to visit Mr. Jarndyce and meet the wards of Jarndyce and Jarndyce. Later that same night, Richard and Esther are called downstairs after hearing the news that Mr. Skimpole has ‘been took.’ They find Mr. Skimpole with a warrant for his arrest unless he pays about £25 for his debts. Knowing nothing of money and not wishing to bother Mr. Jarndyce about the situation, Mr. Skimpole asks Richard and Esther to bail him out. Agreeing not mention the matter to Mr. Jarndyce, they pay the bail with what money they have between them. Of course, their guardian finds out about the matter and insists upon repaying Esther and Richard.
Mr. Skimpole’s actions through the entirety of the novel can be summed up by Mr. Jarndyce’s remark while talking to Esther and Richard about the bail money: “…You can’t make him responsible. The idea of Harold Skimpole with designs or plans, or knowledge of consequences! Ha, ha, ha!” Sadly, I think Mr. Skimpole’s character knows actually what his plans are and where to get the means to achieve them.
Oh, and did I mention that Skimpole has a family?! Oh, yes, he does! His wife is an unfortunate woman who probably didn’t realize what kind of man she had married with all of Mr. Skimpole’s talk to love, poetry, and childishness. His three daughters are silly girls who know nothing of domestic arts, but have been taught by their father to play music and sing. How Mr. Skimpole leeches off others to provide for their welfare, I know not.
I do know that Mr. Skimpole ranks up there with Dickens’ other cringe-worthy characters such as Uriah Heep and Edward Murdstone in David Copperfield and Rigaud in Little Dorrit. It was said during Dickens’ period, that Skimpole was modeled after one of his literary friends, Leigh Hunt, to such an extent that it was greatly spoke of and the relationship between Hunt and Dickens could not be resolved. Ouch!
Until next time ^___^
While reading Bleak House, I’ve come to notice that there will always be that one character that you hate in a Dickens novel. In this novel, there are several characters you will come to loath, Mr. Tulkinghorn, Mr. Vholes, or Mr. Smallweed to name a few. I hope I am not the only person who could not stand Mr. Harold Skimpole, the long-time friend of Mr. John Jarndyce.
A child-like, amiable character who claims to know nothing of worldly matters such as money, employment, or responsibility. A man who provides entertainment for his friends Mr. Jarndyce and his wards with lively conversation, singing, and music, but underneath it all is someone who we would call a leech in our modern terms.
We meet Mr. Skimpole early on in the novel when he comes to visit Mr. Jarndyce and meet the wards of Jarndyce and Jarndyce. Later that same night, Richard and Esther are called downstairs after hearing the news that Mr. Skimpole has ‘been took.’ They find Mr. Skimpole with a warrant for his arrest unless he pays about £25 for his debts. Knowing nothing of money and not wishing to bother Mr. Jarndyce about the situation, Mr. Skimpole asks Richard and Esther to bail him out. Agreeing not mention the matter to Mr. Jarndyce, they pay the bail with what money they have between them. Of course, their guardian finds out about the matter and insists upon repaying Esther and Richard.
Mr. Skimpole’s actions through the entirety of the novel can be summed up by Mr. Jarndyce’s remark while talking to Esther and Richard about the bail money: “…You can’t make him responsible. The idea of Harold Skimpole with designs or plans, or knowledge of consequences! Ha, ha, ha!” Sadly, I think Mr. Skimpole’s character knows actually what his plans are and where to get the means to achieve them.
Oh, and did I mention that Skimpole has a family?! Oh, yes, he does! His wife is an unfortunate woman who probably didn’t realize what kind of man she had married with all of Mr. Skimpole’s talk to love, poetry, and childishness. His three daughters are silly girls who know nothing of domestic arts, but have been taught by their father to play music and sing. How Mr. Skimpole leeches off others to provide for their welfare, I know not.
I do know that Mr. Skimpole ranks up there with Dickens’ other cringe-worthy characters such as Uriah Heep and Edward Murdstone in David Copperfield and Rigaud in Little Dorrit. It was said during Dickens’ period, that Skimpole was modeled after one of his literary friends, Leigh Hunt, to such an extent that it was greatly spoke of and the relationship between Hunt and Dickens could not be resolved. Ouch!
Until next time ^___^
Family Christmas
Christmas this year can be summed up with the following image in mind: our aunt’s cat sitting in the middle of the living room floor watching everyone unwrap presents, while secretly wondering to himself which piece of paper he should attack first!
My gift to my mother this year was Morning Berries by LHN. I stitched this design earlier in the year and just recently got it framed at a local shop in Satsuma.
What do you think? I love the choice of colors with the mat board and frame. I'm sorry the quality isn't good. Low lighting in the living room and glass are not a good mixture for taking pics!!
This year I finally broke down and started a wishlist online. I thought it would make it easier for my family and friends to know what I would like for Christmas, etc. I was pleasantly surprised when several of the gifts that I received were from my wishlist.
I didn’t ask for any cross-stitch patterns this year as my favorite designer Anagram Diffusion is hard to find online within a reasonable price. My mother, however, gave me a gift certificate to my LNS. I can’t wait to go by the store and browse around!! I haven’t quite decided whether I want to buy some specialty threads or look for some new charts O_o”
The best part of this Christmas was our cousin’s gift to all of us. We were presented with several tins which contained sugar cookies decorated with icing and sprinkles, chocolate-covered pretzels and pretzel sticks, and shortbread cookies with date filling. The shortbread cookies were a lovely gift as they are from a recipe passed down from my grandfather’s mother to her daughter and then to us. The cookie isn’t sweet despite the powered sugar on top. It definitely reminds me of the European cookies that aren’t overly sweetened.
All in all, it was a great Christmas with our family! I hope you had a lovely holiday season too!!
Until next time!
My gift to my mother this year was Morning Berries by LHN. I stitched this design earlier in the year and just recently got it framed at a local shop in Satsuma.
What do you think? I love the choice of colors with the mat board and frame. I'm sorry the quality isn't good. Low lighting in the living room and glass are not a good mixture for taking pics!!
This year I finally broke down and started a wishlist online. I thought it would make it easier for my family and friends to know what I would like for Christmas, etc. I was pleasantly surprised when several of the gifts that I received were from my wishlist.
I didn’t ask for any cross-stitch patterns this year as my favorite designer Anagram Diffusion is hard to find online within a reasonable price. My mother, however, gave me a gift certificate to my LNS. I can’t wait to go by the store and browse around!! I haven’t quite decided whether I want to buy some specialty threads or look for some new charts O_o”
The best part of this Christmas was our cousin’s gift to all of us. We were presented with several tins which contained sugar cookies decorated with icing and sprinkles, chocolate-covered pretzels and pretzel sticks, and shortbread cookies with date filling. The shortbread cookies were a lovely gift as they are from a recipe passed down from my grandfather’s mother to her daughter and then to us. The cookie isn’t sweet despite the powered sugar on top. It definitely reminds me of the European cookies that aren’t overly sweetened.
All in all, it was a great Christmas with our family! I hope you had a lovely holiday season too!!
Until next time!
Gathering of Friends
Hello, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the holiday season with your friends and family. On Sunday, I got the chance to hang out with my friends from our anime group. We exchanged presents. My usual gifts to my friends are a box of assorted Japanese candy, a cell phone charm, and the latest manga volume from whatever series they are currently reading.
One of my friends surprised me this year by stitching me a little bunny design as a Christmas present. She used a small photo frame to display it. When I got home, I immediately put it on one of the bookshelves in the living room. I have very few stitched items from my friends, as I know they are busy with other projects and life in general, so it always a joy to receive something they have made.
After exchanging gifts, we all decided to play HP Clue. This must be my third or fourth time playing the game and I still cannot seem to win. When someone declares the answers, I’m always wrong. LOL Sunday night, the answer was Dolores Umbridge, which I had marked off for some reason. Oh, well! ~
Along with all the Christmas presents, I bought a box of Japanese mochi for all of us to try. I happened to see it while I was at a local Asian market and thought it would be nice if we had it at the party since it was the last time we would meet before the New Year. Mochi is a rice paste that can be shaped into balls or cubes and usually stuffed with a variety of different fillings. It can be eaten throughout the year, but is traditional eaten during the Japanese New Year.
The box I picked up contained three different types of mochi. The plain white mochi was filled with an (sweet red bean paste ~yum~) and the light brown mochi was dusted with some sort of powder and filled with.…..oddly enough….peanut butter. The mochi rolled in sesame seeds was a mystery filling to us. It was a black filling and it had a sweet taste. The ingredients listed on the back of the package mentioned tapioca so maybe that’s the flavor.
Mochi - three flavored box
My friends actually liked the mochi with the an paste inside. They said it seemed to be sweeter than the an that is usually in red bean buns. I had them try the red bean buns the last time we met and they didn’t really like it, LOL so I ended up taking some home and eating them myself. ~ more for me, yummy
Ah, bean buns! It makes me miss the Minamoto Kitchoan, a Japanese confectionary shop in London, Piccadilly Circus. I came across the store when I searching for Asian markets/stores in the city. It was a bit out of the way for me to go, but always worth the trip.
Picture I took while in London ;) Yes, I'm a geek!
By the time I found this little jewel of a store, I was already half way through my school year. I tried the following sweets during my various stops by the store:
- Iwamura: plum jelly
- Kurihoka: bean jelly
- Jyukushi: persimmon jelly
- Sakura: cherry blossom jelly with a cherry inside
- Yuka: citron jelly
- Kurizutsumi: bean cake
- Oribenishiki: Japanese traditional Kurimanju, using chestnut and sweet red bean paste wrapped in Japanese cake.
- Hakuun-no-Hotori: Milky flavored white bean paste wrapped in Japanese cake.
- Fukuwatashi-Senbei: Japanese style vanilla cream filled cookie.
- Tenka taihei bean cake, which is shaped like a fish and contains sweet red bean paste and chestnuts.
- Yamatowakakusa bean cake: a mugwort flavored fluffy cake with sweet red bean paste and a soft rice cake inside it.
- Tsuya: Sweet red beans sandwiched between sweet mini pancakes.
There is something to be said about simplicity in Japanese sweets. You are never really overpowered by Japanese desserts compared to American ones. My all time favorites at the store beside the tsuya buns were the seasonal jellies. Every time I came to the store, there would be something different. My favorite was the sakura jelly that they sold during the spring.
Sadly, the Minamoto Kitchoan is only located in four cities in the world so the only time I’ll be able to go again is if I make a trip to NY or London. (sigh) So if you are in either area, stop by and enjoy some Japanese sweets! You won’t be disappointed ;)
~ Sorry for the mini-rant about Japanese sweets! It’s all the mochi’s fault leading my brain to think about Minamoto Kitchoan!! LOL ~
Until next time!
One of my friends surprised me this year by stitching me a little bunny design as a Christmas present. She used a small photo frame to display it. When I got home, I immediately put it on one of the bookshelves in the living room. I have very few stitched items from my friends, as I know they are busy with other projects and life in general, so it always a joy to receive something they have made.
After exchanging gifts, we all decided to play HP Clue. This must be my third or fourth time playing the game and I still cannot seem to win. When someone declares the answers, I’m always wrong. LOL Sunday night, the answer was Dolores Umbridge, which I had marked off for some reason. Oh, well! ~
Along with all the Christmas presents, I bought a box of Japanese mochi for all of us to try. I happened to see it while I was at a local Asian market and thought it would be nice if we had it at the party since it was the last time we would meet before the New Year. Mochi is a rice paste that can be shaped into balls or cubes and usually stuffed with a variety of different fillings. It can be eaten throughout the year, but is traditional eaten during the Japanese New Year.
The box I picked up contained three different types of mochi. The plain white mochi was filled with an (sweet red bean paste ~yum~) and the light brown mochi was dusted with some sort of powder and filled with.…..oddly enough….peanut butter. The mochi rolled in sesame seeds was a mystery filling to us. It was a black filling and it had a sweet taste. The ingredients listed on the back of the package mentioned tapioca so maybe that’s the flavor.
Mochi - three flavored box
My friends actually liked the mochi with the an paste inside. They said it seemed to be sweeter than the an that is usually in red bean buns. I had them try the red bean buns the last time we met and they didn’t really like it, LOL so I ended up taking some home and eating them myself. ~ more for me, yummy
Ah, bean buns! It makes me miss the Minamoto Kitchoan, a Japanese confectionary shop in London, Piccadilly Circus. I came across the store when I searching for Asian markets/stores in the city. It was a bit out of the way for me to go, but always worth the trip.
Picture I took while in London ;) Yes, I'm a geek!
By the time I found this little jewel of a store, I was already half way through my school year. I tried the following sweets during my various stops by the store:
- Iwamura: plum jelly
- Kurihoka: bean jelly
- Jyukushi: persimmon jelly
- Sakura: cherry blossom jelly with a cherry inside
- Yuka: citron jelly
- Kurizutsumi: bean cake
- Oribenishiki: Japanese traditional Kurimanju, using chestnut and sweet red bean paste wrapped in Japanese cake.
- Hakuun-no-Hotori: Milky flavored white bean paste wrapped in Japanese cake.
- Fukuwatashi-Senbei: Japanese style vanilla cream filled cookie.
- Tenka taihei bean cake, which is shaped like a fish and contains sweet red bean paste and chestnuts.
- Yamatowakakusa bean cake: a mugwort flavored fluffy cake with sweet red bean paste and a soft rice cake inside it.
- Tsuya: Sweet red beans sandwiched between sweet mini pancakes.
There is something to be said about simplicity in Japanese sweets. You are never really overpowered by Japanese desserts compared to American ones. My all time favorites at the store beside the tsuya buns were the seasonal jellies. Every time I came to the store, there would be something different. My favorite was the sakura jelly that they sold during the spring.
Sadly, the Minamoto Kitchoan is only located in four cities in the world so the only time I’ll be able to go again is if I make a trip to NY or London. (sigh) So if you are in either area, stop by and enjoy some Japanese sweets! You won’t be disappointed ;)
~ Sorry for the mini-rant about Japanese sweets! It’s all the mochi’s fault leading my brain to think about Minamoto Kitchoan!! LOL ~
Until next time!
Friday, December 25, 2009
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
