Nearly the end of year!!!

Ready for Christmas? 

We're not ready yet as usual. We're very last minute persons.

We're doing our family Christmas dinner at our home this year. It's our turn.

Will have 10 people including us (my hus, Daughter, son and me). 

This year, we have my son who lived in Japan for 2 ½ years. 

Hope you enjoy your Christmas.

Lot of love, 

Masuyo xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I've got a good news for you.  (Actually, long time no see you, readers.)

"Washoku 和食" traditional Japanese cuisine was added to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list Wednesday.



Here are some articles from the papers.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/japan/10496326/Japanese-cuisine-gets-UNESCO-heritage-statusj.html
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/AJ201312050050
http://mainichi.jp/english/english/newsselect/news/20131205p2g00m0dm001000c.html

ⒸMainichi Shinbun

Washoku o Nihonshoku, 和食 or 日本食／Japanese cuisine, usually traditional Japanese dishes.




When you think of Japanese food, you would say "Sushi"?
Yes ,"sushi" is very very popular in the western countries nowadays. Most of people, I think, have tried a pack of sushi sold in the big supermarket in the UK before?  Or you have been to a Japanese restaurant near your place. There're so many Japanese restaurants and shops in London. Even many  of those restaurants owned or cooked by non-Japanese, I don't mind if the restaurant offer the proper manner and taste. 
If you luckily live in London or near there, there're many choices. Unfortunately in Bristol, I can't recommend any restaurant (sorry to say, but,,,), because even not one restaurant that meets my favour. I can cook the food much, much, much, so much better than them!!!  If you don't know mach Japanese taste, it would be OK, but please do not think they're the proper Japanese cuisine. 
Maybe my opinion is too strong for someone. But I wouldn't except, if it didn't properly follow the tradition and the manner, of course the taste!! Out of question!!! Check the chopsticks, they must displayed horizontally in a Japanese restaurant. Chinese and Korean (nowadays) display their chopsticks vatical.

 This is one of my dishes called "Teriyaki chicken/照り焼きチキン". The rice and Miso-shiru (miso soup) are a basic set of the dinner. I usually some shredded cabbage for the side, but this time I didn't have a cabbage so I used the boiled red cabbage.
"Teriyaki sauce／照り焼きソース" is quite versatile, you can use any meat and fish.  
The variation of the sauce;
Shoyu(soy sauce), Sake(or Sherry/Cider), Mirin 
Shoyu and butter, it works perfectly.

Hoso-maki／細巻き, Chirashi-zushi／ちらし寿司, Nigiri-zushi／にぎり寿司.
I usually use smoked salmons, herring rolls, boiled prawns, instead the row fish. I don't think it is easy to get a very fresh fish in this area, unless you have a good fishmonger or a farmers market near your house.
However, other ingredients like sushi rice, nori, gari-ginger, etc, can be sold at a big supermarket. Nowadays, you can bay a packed sushi/nigiri in the supermarket. But they're not proper ones as I always say. Because they're getting too dry in the fridge. We, Japanese, don't put the cooked rice in the fridge. Never!!