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.