Food Blog Update: Mt. Blanc Recipe

New update! It's been ages since I've written anything for the blog, and feeling a bit guilty for neglecting it, I finally uploaded a recipe of Mt. Blanc. It's one of my favorite desserts to eat year round (but unfortunately I can't get chestnuts year round in the states...), so fall and winter are really the only times I can make it. The top picture is a type of Japanese candied chestnut that leaves the skin on and it's called shibukawani 渋皮煮. It's really delicious (and no the skin doesn't taste stringent or tough anymore after you cook it), but it takes a while to cook and loads of prep work to peel. Sigh...if only I was in Japan, I could just go out and buy a jar!

Anyways, if you're interested, you can read the recipe here.

I saw that the newest chapter of Dear Brother has been up, and glanced through it briefly...but unfortunately, it's nothing to be excited about. I'll post the summary up soon as these days are a bit busy.

Food Blog Update: Indian Roadside Snacks

It’s been ages since I’ve updated the blog, but I finally gritted my teeth and did it. This time it’s about an Indian restaurant in Berkeley that specializes in road-side savory snacks! Before I tried my first Indian salad (pictured below…) I only knew of curry, roti, and paneer.

But after I had the salad, known as bhel puri, I was in love. It’s spicy and crunchy and tangy and sooo delicious I could eat the salad for days. Like the majority of restaurants in Berkeley, they offer loads of vegan and vegetarian options (so it’s bound to cater to even the most finicky eaters). I only tried 4 things there (there were tons…all with names I cannot pronounce), and they had a lot of sweets behind the glass counter, and everything was really delicious. And the best part? The portions were very generous and the prices were reasonable. If you’re interested in reading more about Vik’s Chaat (the place I visited), click here!

Dear Brother Chapter 13+14 Summary

Eek! I totally forgot about posting the summary because I got so busy...but I promise to up the short soon (not sure if scanlators also did that one for the special issue). Anyways, since chapter 13 is up in Chinese scans, at least you'll get a clearer view instead of my crappy iPhone pictures. And reading the chapter in Japanese has made me realize my mistake! It's supposed to be Arisue instead of Arimatsu, lol. If you want to follow along, click here for the link. This chapter is shorter than others (because the author did the one-shot special).

The chapter opens with Momo telling Aoba to hurry so that they can go to the summer festival. Sougo isn't here...because well, he has disappeared for one year without a word to them. Although all the brothers know (Gin&Aoba) that Momo has fallen in love with him, they had never blamed her. Yet she wonders if she hadn't blurted it aloud, whether they would still be living together happily as siblings.

I now know that I'm not related to all my family members. I'm the child from mom's side and Sougo and Gin are children from my dad's side. Although all of us are related to Aoba by blood, I'm not connected to Sougo or Gin. Still, I'm living with Aoba and Gin, for we still want to live together as siblings. 

As they walk towards the festival, Aoba comments, "Sougo-niichan even quit the job with that Arisue guy. He could at least tell us what he's doing now."

"Well well now," replies Momo.

Aoba has already graduated from university and is now in a special training school to take over the Suzuki family business. Meanwhile Gin is still taking care of all the family things, although Momo is still unclear as to what his real job is.

Aoba: Do you still want to see him?

Momo: Of course...but...

Pumpkin Mt. Blanc Recipe

Finally finished writing/translating the recipe for Pumpkin Mt. Blanc! I haven't posted in forever because I was extremely busy (and it's only continuing to be more so), but felt really guilty of not contributing to the food blog I have with my friends. So here's something to share just in time for the holidays! The layers are pumpkin cream and whipped cream on top of a matcha cake roll filled with adzuki beans. And there's a sugar crust hiding underneath too! If you feel like trying something for Thanksgiving besides pumpkin pie, this is it!

The recipe looks really long, but it actually isn't. There's a lot of waiting time (for the crust mainly), but it's super delicious. I had consumed like 7-8 of these things by myself.

If you're interested in the recipe, click here!

Food Blog Update! Kebabs in Europe~

This time it's a different type of post, travel & food packed into one! And if you're in France, I hope you find this, because it sounds absolutely fricking amazing. I never knew that kebabs were a popular street food in Europe...(I would have guessed that every country had its specialty, but hey what do I know) If you're interested, click here to read it!

I apologize for the dearth of updates for the manga. Things have been really harsh lately and I get depressed, angry, and sad all at the same time. (No I'm not turning emo, but finding a full time job is hard and the current one makes me hate myself and everything I do all the time. It's just been very stressful). I promise to do an update soon when Chapter 14 comes out, so it'll be a double post. But for those who're curious about Chapter 13 (which is shortened because the author did that special), Sougo had left for an entire year without contacting the siblings. When Momo, Gin, and Aoba go to the summer festival, Momo gets lost and winds up stumbling upon a shrine that she remembers from childhood. She makes a wish, and when she turns around, she bumps into Sougo.

Food Blog Update: Mt. Blanc Swiss Roll Recipe

I finally finished writing the recipe for Mt. Blanc and updated the blog! Mt. Blanc is one of my favorite desserts in the world, and in fact, I tend to always order one if I’m picking up pastries in Japan or Hong Kong (among my five or six desserts). Sadly, it’s not so readily available in the States, and I have to wait for chestnuts to be in season to have any Mt. Blanc at all...which generally leaves me on choice but to make one.

If you’re interested in making one, click here for the recipe!

Got my hands on the issue!!

My dear friend was kind enough to help me pick it up when she was in the city! I finally get to read it in its original language! Below are just some pictures of the magazine- the first one is the standalone story that Enjouji Maki especially did for this issue, and then it's Dear Brother. I would love to read it and update right now but as usual tomorrow's hellish work schedule prevents me from doing so (or else I would not only feel like a zombie but look like one too). Look forward to an update soon!

Food Blog Update: Mochi from Mochi Cream

New post on food blog! This time it’s about a chain of mochi shops from Japan (they only have a few locations outside of the country, and luckily one of them is in Bay Area). Unlike traditional mochi with just plain old red bean paste, they have flavors like chocolate banana, mango, strawberry short cake, melon, sweet potato, bluberry yogurt, caramel pudding, and more! 

I ordered 8 mochis and 3 mochido’s (mochi in donut form) for myself, and while not all of them were delicious, I really liked how soft and fluffy each were. I’m glad I don’t live near the mochi shop (it’s one hour drive away) or else I would find myself visiting every day for a box…and would probably balloon to the size of an airship!

If you’re interested, click here to read about it!

Dear Brother Chapter 12 Summary

So I was really confused by this chapter, between Momo confessing and not confessing, and had to go back to the previous chapter to see if she actually admitted out loud that she likes Sougo. The "family secret" wasn't that exciting...I would actually say it's rather commonplace- but if you guessed that Momo and Sougo are not related, then you're correct! Anyways...on with the summary (or more like page by page line by line translation~ I've found that my summaries are getting less and less summary-like as I write). By the way, italics are Momo's thoughts (and yes, those are directly translated too!)

Starting from the last chapter...

Momo: Sorry...I fell in love with you.  I'm sorry...

His silence...scathes my heart.

So many things happened today...not all of them good. Actually, I am rather depressed by one of them still...sometimes it drives me to the corner with dark thoughts about my future. I just saw that chapter 12 is out, so I'll do my best to update tomorrow! (The delay is unfortunately caused by work and early waking hours when no one should be forced to wake up at, otherwise I would have done it right now~) Look forward to it, and a new food blog update too about this scrummy Japanese mochi place (where they ship all their fabulous wacky flavored mochi directly from their factory in Gunma) in the Bay Area.

Food Blog Update: Kappou Gomi

Hungry yet? Or dareIsay...jealous yet?? I went to this Japanese restaurant with my mum last week, and I was really excited about it because it served real Japanese food. Not your typical fare of crunchy rolls, teriyaki chicken, bento combination boxes with salad and miso dressing- but true dishes (some homecooked fare, and some restaurant staples). I admit I've turned a bit snobbish about food after my trips to Japan and have been avoiding fanciful sushi rolls like the plague, so this was like finding a treasure.

Food-wise, it was alright. The seafood steamed egg custard pictured above was the star of the show- it was so addicting, I would have been content to eat only that and order 10 of them. I really loved their ochazuke too! Price-wise, it's kinda expensive (I only had no qualms about it because I was treating my mum...and the bill came out to $110 with tips), but then again, I ordered 8 dishes and was positively stuffed at the end! Service-wise....I only wished I didn't have that chubby waitress, who was the most horrendous server I've ever encountered, rude and unhelpful. I envied all the other patrons who had the warm and polite Japanese waitresses...but no ranting here (I saved it on the food blog). If you're interested in taking out your best friend/boyfriend/family on a treat, click here!

Dear Brother Chapter 11 Summary

Ok...I am so damn confused by this chapter...mainly because of the panels with only the speech bubbles, which makes it hard to know who said what. And also because of this one particular scene where I'm not sure if Momo confessed to Sougo or not...but I'm finally getting a bit excited for this series (although it was nothing like Hapi Mari though where I hung onto all the beginning chapters eager to see how it turned out). Anyways, here we go!

The chapter picks up where Sakura (Momo's coworker) is desperately shaking Arimatsu for an answer as to where Sougo is. Unsure of the turnout of events, he asks for Sakura's name, to which she answers it's Honda Sakura. Momo hadn't paid particular attention to her last name before because it's such a common last name. But now she sees that Sakura was probably Sougo's adopted sister when he went to live with another family. Arimatsu eventually tells Sakura that Sougo lives with Momo now, and all three of them end up going to Momo's house.

Momo: Why are you still here Arimatsu-san?

Arimatsu: I told you before that I wanted to know more about the person I loved. Plus, Honda-sensei told me before that he had a very independent and reliable sister, but I had no idea that things would turn out like this.

Momo: I see...

However, Momo clenches her fist as she says this, inwardly comparing herself to Momo and how Sakura is probably the goody type who never causes anyone trouble. She's also jealous of the fact that Sakura had fifteen years to spend with her brother, but she only had little more than memories as a child. Meanwhile, Sakura looks around the house in wonderment.

Food Blog Update: French Eatery Cocotte

After shamefully neglecting to update last week, I finally found time to finish the post this week. I had almost decided not to write about the restaurant because my notes had disappeared from my iphone (recently I found out that if yahoo mail is connected to your notes in the phone, it annoyingly removes that note and archives it to your email instead and you would have to access it from the desktop version and not on your phone). Anyways, this restaurant is located in SF, and it’s a comfortable 25 min walk from the Bart station. My friend and I took the bus there first so we could make our reservation, but the walk is perfect afterwards because the meal is super filling.

Ambiance wise, it’s nice both for dates and friends. The food wasn’t perfect, although I did really like their bread and banana creme brulee, but the servers are really nice and patient and the service is excellent (so much so I that I left a hefty tip…which I never do). If you’re interested in reading more about the French restaurant, click here!

And the newest issue of Petit is finally out! I called the bookstore to help me reserve a copy, so hopefully it won't take like 3 weeks to get here.

Below is the wallpaper you can find on their site!

This looks so cute...shame it'll only be a one-shot. And finally, we get a slightly non-Hokuto looking character...just slightly. Can't wait to read it!

Dear Brother Chapter 10 Summary

Finally moving somewhere! Although the relationship between Momo and Sougo is still going nowhere, there's a new plot development! I just hope that it turns out for the better in the next chapter~

The chapter starts with Gin and Aoba examining the scratches on Momo's face, which she doesn't cover up because she doesn't want to put any cosmetics on her wound. Sougo, who just entered the dining room, also is alarmed, but Gin tells him not to worry since it's a shallow wound that will heal soon. Sougo doesn't seem to be in high spirits, and as he leaves the house for work, he tells Momo that he'll help her reject Arimatsu. She tells him that he doesn't have to, but he insists.

Aoba: He's still stubborn as always.

Gin: Leave him alone, he's always like that. He'll probably never change.

At work, Momo tells Sakura (Momo's coworker) what happened at home.

Sakura: I thought you always got along well with your siblings.

Momo: Yea, but we get into fights sometimes too.

Food Blog Update: High Tea at Lovejoy's

Update on food blog! I’ve been on a mission to find tea rooms in the Bay Area, simply because having high tea is such a common thing to do back in Hong Kong, except of course…people in HK do it way classier in hotels. There are few tea rooms in the Bay Area that have garnered much interest online, and Lovejoy’s was one of them. To be honest, their food was so-so. The scones were the highlight of my entire meal, super warm and flaky and buttery. However the sandwiches were a bit of a disappointment- they just didn’t compare to Dartealing (also in SF). Next time I’m going, I’ll just order the simple Cream Tea (served with scones), which is way cheaper than the Queen’s Tea that my friend and I ordered (at $26 per person).

If you’re interested in the review (or just want to look at a lot of food porn), click here!

Hapi Mari Novel: Update 10

Thank you to my readers for waiting so patiently. To be honest I'm really stressed these days about a lot of things...things like finding a full time job, and a bit depressed that no matter how hard I try, I'm still unable to score one. Failed interview one after the other for ones that I want, and having a terrible time to keep commuting 4 hours each day for this one...Heck, even my younger brother has an internship and is faster on the way to building a meaningful career than I am...it's just really shitty. Life isn't the way I thought it to be...and it's hard to have my hopes crushed again and again.  Needless to say, I've been feeling quite down...which is why I really didn't have the mood to translate Hapi Mari.  I really appreciate those who keep visiting, but at the same time, I ask for others to please be more polite.  Yes, the Dear Brother summaries are not entirely exciting, but you don't have to read if you don't want to.  I love translating for an audience, but at the same time the blog is an extension of myself and what I want to do. It's for you for the stories that don't get picked up by English scanlators right away, but it's also for me.  And I hope to keep it that way.  I'll promise to try though to make more often updates and eventually finish it.  So, picking up from where I left off last time...

Hokuto contrived to affect a grimace, but I urged him on our way to our private beach. Honestly there isn't any part of this island that isn't private, but according to the hotel, they cordon off a part of the beach especially for guests to designate it as private. When we arrived, there was no other person in sight, nothing but us walking among the sparkling white sands.  Everywhere you looked there were only the endless skies and ocean, the boundary so hazy between the two you can lose yourself.

"Isn't it a relief there's no one?" I laugh as I reach my hand out for his.

"Are we really doing this?  Holding hands while we walk along the beach?" Hokuto frowns.

"You said you would do it, didn't you?  Don't grumble about it now."

I reach out once again, and he reluctantly takes my hand.

"It's not like we're a love-struck couple in high school."

"No matter how old you get, it's a girl's dream."

"You're not a girl anymore," he jabs. I promptly kick him on the shin.

News: Volume 2 is out + Next Issue One-Shot

Ok...honestly I have no idea who the guy in the cover is...he doesn't look like Gin...or does he?  Usually the covers of her past novels really only had the main characters on it (you don't see side characters slapped on the cover- and yes Gin qualifies as one because you don't really read much about him. I would say the brothers are quite underdeveloped as characters so far). Unless Sougo flipping dyed his hair, I think they need to redraw the cover. The story is going nowhere so far, which is why I'm still not purchasing any of it. I have a theory that Enjouji Maki is doing a one-shot in the monthly magazine because her Dear Brother series has been dragging. When she was at the height of her popularity with Hapi Mari, you never see her participate in drawing extra one-shot stories...not for the omake, not for anything really.

Summary of the one-shot:

Animals never really took a liking to pet groomer Azusa. But one day a large dog attaches to her, and the pet owner asks her to sit his dog?!

I'm actually really looking forward to this issue, and will probably even buy it just for the one-shot. Will keep everyone posted when I actually get it!

Dear Brother Chapter 9 Summary

Someone needs to smack Enjouji Maki's editor...or the editor at Petit really needs to step his/her game up in helping the mangaka move along, because never have I been so exasperated by one of her series. All the past ones I've read move quickly, and while they can be repetitive, never have they been as slow and boring as this one. If I weren't a fan of hers and there wasn't pretty art...I'm sure I may have dropped this long ago. Anyways...here goes! If you're interested in following along, click here for the scans!

The four siblings are at home on a weekend, when Arimatsu (Sougo's coworker from last chapter) calls on them. Sougo is shocked to see him, and Arimatsu is in turn surprised when he sees the other two brothers poking out. It turns out that Arimatsu has come to visit because Sougo had promised to introduce him (as a dating figure) to Momo, but hasn't heard back from Sougo since last chapter.

Food Blog Update: $2 Crab at Five Star Seafood Restaurant

Update on food blog! This time, it’s a continuation from my food adventures in LA~ Stepping into the restaurant really pulled me back into Hong Kong- the loud chatter, the cloth covered tables, the red carpets, the golden dragon and phoenix on the walls…damn, I really want to go back now.

The specialty of this place is that they always have seafood specials- this time it was having crab or lobster at $.99/lb…which is ridiculously cheap if you ask me. Our crab dish only came to $2 on the check! The food was delicious (except for one dish that really disappointed), and the restaurant is situated in a busy Chinese shopping center, so you can go grab dessert or boba afterwards. 

If you’re interested, click here to read about it!

On another note, I know that chapter 9 of Dear Brother has already come out, so expect the summary to come soon!

Food blog update! Super easy 5 ingredient Financier tea cake recipe~

Whoever said all French desserts are complex is wrong. Sure, there are those beautiful pesky cookies known as macaron that will give even the most seasoned chefs a headache, and then there are those entremets that call for 5 different layers that will take you at least 2 days to make…but then, there are financiers, buttery, golden, moist, springy cakes that go well with everything, and only takes 5 ingredients! (Well, more if you add fruit and stuff like lemon zest)

I had a load of butter to get rid of and decided to make these to use all my ingredients up.  This recipe uses brown butter, which is basically boiled down butter with the water solids removed (and when it’s done, it smells like caramel toffee!) They go well with tea, ice cream, clotted cream, and well…basically anything you can think of.  But the best thing about them is that they’re super easy to make~ Just boil your butter until it gives off that sweet burnt toffee aroma, mix together all your ingredients, let it sit in the fridge for a while, and stuff them into the oven.

If you google them, you would most likely see them in rectangular ingot like shapes, but I didn’t have those molds. Technically, you can fill muffin molds with it too, I just used tart molds (though I’m definitely going to purchase some rectangle ones soon).  If you’re interested, click here for the recipe!

Men Oh Tokushima Ramen

New blog post! This time it’s on a ramen place I visited while in LA. Although it was alright (though it verged on the salty side…I must have visited on a bad day), it didn’t really let me relive my experience in Japan…it doesn’t even really compare to those ramen shops where the counter is wood bare, and you order through the machine and punch in all the options you want before handing it to the cook.  Must really look for a legit place to write about.

If you’re interested, click here to read about it!

Food Blog Update: Best Chinese Restaurant in LA

Finally finished writing the first blog post of my food excursions in LA.  I wasn’t too enthusiastic about going to Beijing Pie House at first, since it wasn’t on my list of restaurants to go to before I set out.  But damn, was I surprised…in fact, if I lived down there, I think I would go to this restaurant every single week for a different item.  Pictured above are beef rolls, pork and chives dumpling, radish pies, and the famous Homeland Meat Pie (simply addicting).

You must go here if you ever set out for LA.  In fact, I’ve sang praises to all my friends ever since coming back.  If you’re interested, click here to read about it!