AizuWakamatsu Trip in May 2012

Since I have not written on our blog for many months there have been many events and ideas which have been left unblogged..

one of which was our trip to AizuWakamatsu in May. AizuWakamatsu is Akiko's birth town. We had a nice time there. Visited the Castle, Gardens, and I could appreciate learning about AKiko's childhood and school years.

 Aizu's iconic NekoBeko, Red Cow, image on the local train. 

 The castle at Aizu, amazing. 会津若松城 AizuWakamatsu-Jo.

 We visited a brewery, tasted sake, Akiko was tipsy :)

 Miso DenGaku, an amazing meal, great food, and unique Japanese vegetarian bbq cuisine.

 One of many beautiful, silent, grounds of worship and housing past life. 

 Organic Citrus Cake, nice design, and nice taste, however the coffee was terrible :)

A sunset by Street View.

Breads

This is my latest bread, baked at home our toaster oven. There have been many before this one, but because of my many other daily tasks, I very often forget to keep a record of them on our blog. 

This latest bread is a blend of white and rye flours, with organic nuts, dried fruit, and molasses enriched, and leavened naturally. I suppose the reason I am choosing to post about this bread is because the taste was quite good, in my opinion. I was pleased with it, and felt some satisfaction to have some success after months of trials and experiments. 

It is very enjoyable, making, baking, and eating home made bread. I look forward to having a proper oven, to cook large breads, and have better results.

Happy Birthday to teddy Adam!!!

おたんじょうびおめでとうございます！

As Adam is having work on his birthday, we went out for dinner at organic restaurant in Gakugeidaigaku
on 11th July.

I hope he could have a good day on that day, because its special day for him and me since
this is the first time for celebrating his BD in Japan together

I know it's not that easy to live relaxed completely in Tokyo and he is not happy with Japanese  hot summer weather.

so I'd like to try my best to make himself comfortable at home as possible as i can.

because home can be the only place for us to be relaxed in a day.

Since the Fukushima plant explosion, its is getting harder for us to live in Tokyo in many ways in daily life.

Well, I hope he will be even more happy being with me than before.

we enjoyed the organic beer and food.

いただきま～す！

love love Teddy :)

After big moving

It's been almost 3 weeks after our big moving.
Adam and I had worked alot for this moving, but I couldn't do as much as Adam did.
I had to do accounting that had to hand by the end of May.

So Adam worked hard for pacing, organising many stuff in Sakura.
I'm really appreciate for him to help me to do that.
Without Adam, I dont think I can concentrate on my accounting at that time.
Thank you! ありがとうございます Adam！

Now, we live in the new place, where has my office and our home.
It's still a mess and I do think I need to clearn and organise more, escecially my office.
I try to organise when I have a time.

Recentrty it is becomming warm and humid in Tokyo.
I can get used to Japanese summer but not Adam at least so far.

I want to help him that he can spend time more comfortable in here Tokyo.
He seems to be a bit frastrated the humidity and busy life.

I try my best to give him comfort at home.

Home Baking with Natural Yeasts

All the doughs are kneaded by hand on a pastry board.

For about for months now, I have been baking bread at home in our tiny toaster oven.
I have been used to baking in large commercial ovens. Baking in a small toaster oven requires different techniques to produce a lite and well baked bread. Here's a general outline of what ingredients and techniques I use repeatedly.

Goji Berry Yeast Spring water.

Organic Fig Yeast Spring Water.

Our toaster oven, I use two trays, one deep one on top to protect the dough from the top element.

Sesame Bread, using wild yeast and fig yeast water.

Plain breads, using wild yeast and Goji yeast water.

Reunited with old books.

Last month I received a box, from my Father in New York, containing some books which I had enjoyed collecting as a past time. It feels as though the time when I was collecting them was so long ago. Recalling what I was doing during that time is nice, especially since that time marked a change in my life. At that time, I became more interested in reading in my spare time, and I had very much enjoyed a weekend at used book shops in the city and Long Island. Used books were cheap, $2 or $3 dollars for a nice paperback sometimes with nice retro cover art.


I'm currently reading Kurt Vonnegut's 'Blackbeard'. My first Vonnegut. Brian, my old friend from New York would be shocked to hear that after all these years I have never read a Kurt Vonnegut book. I'm enjoying it.