Simple pasta dishes are one of life’s true treasures. Whether quickly stir-fried with crisp vegetables and tangy sauce or coated with a light combination of olive oil, garlic and lemon, pasta satisfies our hunger and brings everyone to the table in a hurry. Who can say no to a big bowl of carbs?

The recipe I’m sharing with you today is perfectly simple and full of wonderful, classic flavors. The original dish was made with homemade garlic pasta, creamy crumbled Gorgonzola, bright flat-leaf parsley, and crunchy toasted hazelnuts. I first enjoyed this comforting pasta during my recent visit to Minnesota. It was part of a four-course meal prepared by my good friend, Tim Cheesebrow. Apart from being my friend and being married to one of my very best girlfriends, Tim is a talented singer/songwriter. He has recorded one album, and is in the process of raising money for his second, Home in the Heartland. Click here to listen to some of Tim’s music, and if you like what you hear, you can contribute to his IndieGoGo campaign. One of the many incentives for contributing is a four-course Italian meal prepared by Tim himself. I was lucky enough to enjoy a 4 course meal that is very similar to what Tim will prepare for some of his contributors. Our menu began with a riff on a caprese salad, featuring mozzarella made from scratch, home grown basil pesto, and a sun-dried tomato puree. The next course was homemade garlic pasta with Gorgonzola and hazelnuts, followed by flavorful, and perfectly cooked, herb-rubbed lamb steaks. Finally, we indulged in freshly made pizzelles filled with chocolate mascarpone and sprinkled with coconut flakes. It was absolutely amazing and not at all helpful to my resolution of eating healthy…but so worth it every sinful bite (especially the chocolate mascarpone pizzelles)!

Just a note on homemade pasta: it isn’t a requirement for this dish, but once you get the hang of rolling out your own pasta dough, it is so worth the time and effort. Think you need a pasta machine to make your own? Nope. You can roll it out by hand using this foolproof recipe from America’s Test Kitchen. You have to plan ahead, because the dough needs to rest four hours. I thought that was crazy at first, but it turns out that it really helps the texture of the dough. If you do have a machine, I recommend this recipe from Jamie Oliver. It turns out perfectly every time! One last note on fresh pasta; you don’t have to search out Typo 00 flour. All purpose works just fine. Make a bowl of this pasta, pour a glass of wine (either white or red will pair with this dish), and listen to Tim’s tunes. Delicious food and fabulous music. What could be better?

And if you’d like to learn more about Tim and how he is spreading the joy of music to those around him, check out this video:

Pasta with Gorgonzola & Hazelnuts

• 1 pound fettuccine or tagliatelle, homemade or sore-bought
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• Juice from 1 lemon
• Course salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
• 1/4 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• Fresh flat leaf parsley for garnish

Begin by cooking your pasta by adding it to a large pot of salted, boiling water. If you are using homemade pasta, you will only need 2 or 3 minutes of cooking time. If you are using store-bought, follow the package directions. While the water comes to a boil, assemble the sauce. In a small bowl, combine the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice salt and pepper. Set the bowl aside to let the ingredients mingle. When the pasta has finished cooking, reserve 1 cup of pasta water. Drain the pasta and transfer it back to the pot. Add the sauce and toss to combine. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary, keeping in mind that the Gorgonzola has a nice bite that will add more flavor. Transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl and top with the Gorgonzola, parsley and hazelnuts. Serve immediately.

It smells like spring outside. Fragrant ume blossoms brighten the once bare branches of the plum trees. The bright pink and white flowers are a welcome bright contrast to the black bark. Their scent is so intoxicating and wonderful. I remember this time last year. We had spent a weekend out walking around enjoying the late February blossoms, having no idea that in a few days we would experience 3.11. In hindsight, I’m glad such a beautiful memory was made before such a sad one. The stark contrast of the two experiences reminds me of how quickly life changes. And how holding on to the memories of happy moments helps us cope when life seems grim.

The plum blossoms are blooming now in Tokyo, but there is still a bit of winter chill in the air. I’m still craving soups and warm drinks to keep me warm, but I’m looking for ways to add a little spring into my recipes. You may remember last week when I posted a recipe for ginger honey. Today’s recipe uses that honey to make a delicious, comforting mug of warm milk. There is a restaurant that we go to with Callie the dog (yes, they allow dogs inside the restaurant) and I almost always order this drink. It is called Ginger Honey Milk Tea…or something similar…and it is divine. The spicy ginger adds a welcome brightness to the honey and the creamy milk. There is nothing like it coupled with their house made crumpets.

I decided to add a little extra flavor with what will probably be the last yuzu of the season by adding the zest to the milk. You could just as easily use lemon or orange instead. There is no real “recipe” to post, but here’s the basic idea: simply put milk in a saucepan with the citrus zest and heat until steaming (don’t boil!) and add the honey. You can add extra raw ginger with the citrus zest for an extra kick, which I really like. Just pour the milk through a strainer into a mug, breath deeply, and enjoy. At the end of a long day, after Riley has gone to sleep, this ginger honey milk tea with yuzu is the perfect way to wind down. I just know you’ll love it.

These days, my happy memories are being filled with the little smiling face below. Babies have the amazing ability to show us pure joy in moments like these.

Two years ago, for our first Christmas in Tokyo, my thoughtful husband did everything he could to make me feel at home. I had a really difficult time not being in Minnesota with my family and he knew that I was struggling a bit. Fortunately, Christmas in Tokyo is just as festive as Minnesota, if not more so, minus the snow of course.  One of the things Brad got to keep me in the holiday spirit was a sampling of hot chocolate stir sticks.They were simply blocks of chocolate at the end of wooden sticks. I don’t know where I had been, but I had never seen these before and I was so excited to give them a try! They reminded me of an Argentine Submarino (Argentine hot chocolate) that we enjoyed in Buenos Aires a few years ago. It’s hard to find anything more fitting for hot milk than a big hunk of chocolate that slowly melts, creating a rich, comforting mug of wonderfulness.

Two years after the idea entered my mind, I finally got around to making my own hot chocolate stir sticks. I wanted to try some new flavors that I hadn’t seen before, so I used what I had in my pantry cabinet to add a little flare to the dark chocolate base for the sticks. One clear option was the addition of matcha powder to the chocolate. After all, what is Tokyo Terrace without a little Japanese twist, right? I also made an almond and pink sea salt stir stick, and another with warm, spicy cinnamon.

There are so many options for creative flavor combinations- you could even make the sticks a little bigger and add mini marshmallows if you wanted to! Crushed peppermint candy is another classic addition. These stir sticks also makes very nice Christmas or hostess gifts. All you need is an ice-cube tray, some chocolate chips, and perhaps something to dress them up- a ribbon to tie at the top of the stick, or a sprinkling of powdered sugar to make them look pretty. These are easy to make in large batches, so you can get a bunch of gifts taken care of easily!

Hot Chocolate Stir Sticks

Makes about 12-16 stir sticks

I’m providing the basic recipe for you below without the addition of other flavors. If you’d like to add your own creative twist to the basic recipe, it’s relatively simple. If you are using almond extract or peppermint extract, go with about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon for 4 cups of chocolate chips. If you are using something like cinnamon or other dried spices, add a little at a time and taste it to make sure it is acceptable for your palate. Keep in mind, however, that these will be slightly mellowed out in flavor when they are added to the hot milk. If you use sea salt, a sprinkling on the top of the chocolate is plenty for some, but if the salt is particularly mild, you may want to add a touch to the melted chocolate as well.

Ingredients:

4 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli)

1/3 cup cocoa powder

Materials:

Bamboo skewers or craft sticks

piping bag or ziplock

ice cube tray

Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. With the microwave on its lowest setting, microwave the chips for 30-45 seconds. Remove from the microwave and stir. Continue doing this in about 30 second increments, stirring after each increment, until the chocolate chips are almost completely melted. There should still be a couple lumps left- just stir everything together and they should disappear. If they don’t, place the bowl back in the microwave for about 10 seconds. When the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the cocoa powder.

Let the chocolate sit for 3 or 4 minutes. Transfer the melted chocolate to a piping bag or ziplock. If you are using a ziplock, clip the bottom corner of the bag with scissors. Pipe the chocolate into your ice cube tray. Use a small spoon to smooth the top of the chocolate. Insert the stir sticks and allow to sit (at room temperature is best) until the chocolate sets. If you notice imperfections in the finished product, melt more chocolate (I like to make a creamy ganache by adding about a tablespoon of cream to 1 cup of chocolate chips) and dip the stir sticks to create a nice outer layer. Allow them to cool on wax or parchment paper. This is also a great time to add your garnishes- crushed peppermint, sea salt, etc. If you adding cinnamon or powdered sugar, the chocolate will need to be nearly cooled so that the powder doesn’t dissolve.

For the hot chocolate:

Heat 6 oz. of milk in a small saucepan or gently in the microwave. When the milk is hot (not boiling, just letting off a nice steam) transfer it to a mug. Stir with your hot chocolate stir stick until the chocolate has completely melted and sip away!

I’ve been doing a lot of reading lately. Mostly, I read before bed to take my mind off some of the baby anxieties that run around my brain in the dark quiet. Right now, I’m reading The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister. It’s not a long book. I actually wish it were much longer. Every time I sit down to read it, I get wrapped up in the stories and food descriptions. It’s like the author knew exactly how to describe food in a way that reminds the reader why food is such a meaningful part of who we are. It goes beyond the necessity to nourish our bodies and helps us hold on to and create memories and feelings.

Around this time of year, I think we can all relate to the the way certain smells and taste bring us back to the days when we wore footie pajamas, the grips of the feet sticking slightly to the floor of the kitchen while the smell of fresh-baked cookies fill the air. The classic flavors of fall and winter never cease to remind me of my childhood and how I want to continue experiencing life in that way even as I grow older each year. Cinnamon reminds me of a warm fleece blanket. Hot chocolate with marshmallows reminds me of a crackling fireplace. Beef stew brings the longing to wear a cozy sweater with a luxurious turtleneck.

These kabocha cookies (or mini-pies) are my way of bringing the comforting memories of my past in line with the comforting feelings of my present. Minnesota will always, in my heart, be home. Still, Japan has become more of my home than I ever thought possible. These cookies are a spin on the classic pumpkin pie using Japanese kabocha purée. The scent as they bake is warm and comforting, leaving no room for the stresses of the day. And taking a bite of the flaky crust against the creamy filling, the warm flavors blending together and melting on the tongue, brings an overwhelming feeling of simple joy.

If you don’t want to make your own kabocha (or pumpkin) purée or pie crust, you can easily use store bought. However, part of the pleasure in making these pretty little pie-cookies is getting your hands in the flour and butter that make the crust and seeing the filling develop from the actual squash. However you decide to make these, I know you’ll love them.

Kabocha Cookies

Makes 1 dozen cookies

1/2 cup kabocha (or pumpkin) purée

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 egg yolk

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/4 cup brown sugar

A double batch of crust

1 egg yolk + 1 tablespoon water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the kabocha purée with the ground spices in a small bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg yolk, heavy cream and brown sugar together. Add the purée to the egg mixture and mix well.

Roll out the chilled dough for the crust to a little less than 1/4″ thick on a floured surface. Use a cookie cutter (or a mason jar lid, which is what I used) to cut out rounds of dough about 3″ in diameter. You should have enough rounds for 12 cookies (24 total).

Roll out each round to about 4″ in diameter, using a dusting of flour as needed to keep the dough from sticking. Place a rounded tablespoon of the kabocha purée in the center of one round, then top it with another, sealing the edges and crimping or sealing with a fork. Using a sharp pairing knife, gently cut 4 slits in the top crust. Whisk together the egg yolk and water. Brush with top crusts with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until the crust is just golden.

I managed to get my big pregnant belly out of the apartment for a little walk this afternoon. These last few weeks have left me feeling quite tired and even going for a short walk seems like an impossible feat. However, when I am able to manage the motivation to get out the door, it is more than worth it. Today, I walked around marveling at the beautiful persimmon trees in our Tokyo suburb, dotted with bright orange fruit, the afternoon sun giving them a dreamy glow. There are a lot of things in life that seem impossible until they are done. Once we have accomplished the “doing” part, the payback is immeasurable. The same can be said for making homemade food, like this kabocha purée.

In the states, it is so easy to find canned pumpkin this time of year. It seems totally unnecessary to purchase your own pumpkin and make homemade purée. I would be of the same mind had I not moved to a country that doesn’t seem to have our obsession with premade, prepackaged pumpkin. To be honest, I was wary of making this myself. But, like my walk this afternoon, once I did it I felt a great sense of accomplishment. And the time it took me to make the pumpkin purée was negligible. The steps, simple and few, resulted in a beautifully flavored fresh kabocha purée that will make some delicious desserts.

In Japan, orange pumpkins are rarely seen. I managed to snag a couple this year around Halloween, but that was not normal. If you live in Japan and are craving some American-style pumpkin pie during the holiday season, this is the base you will need. I promise, it doesn’t take long and is worth the (very little) effort! If you don’t live in Japan, feel free to use pumpkin if it is available. I would venture a guess that just about any squash similar to pumpkin or kabocha would work just as well.

What is it that you are avoiding? What is your excuse? Whatever the reason, brush it to the side and hopefully you will learn what I did today: there is no point sitting around thinking about it when you could be doing it instead.

In a couple days, I will be sharing a couple of great ideas for how to season your purée and use it in desserts!

Kabocha Purée

Serving size depends on the size of your squash/pumpkin, but mine made just over 1 cup of purée

1 medium sized kabocha, 2-3 pounds

water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the kabocha in half but do not remove the seeds. On a foil lined baking sheet, place the kabocha cut side down. Add about 1 inch of water to the pan to keep the kabocha from drying out during roasting. Carefully place the pan in the oven and roast until the flesh can easily be pierced with a knife, about 40-45 minutes.

Remove the kabocha from the pan and water. Place it on a plate and allow to cool until you can easily handle it. Remove the seeds and discard. Scoop out the flesh and put it in a food processor. Begin pulsing to break up the kabocha, then process until smooth.

*Note: My kabocha was a little too dry for my liking, so while it was in the processor, I added water (about 1 tablespoon at a time) until it reached the consistency I wanted. You may not need to do this, but if the kabocha is not smooth and glossy but chunky and chalky looking, add water. If you don’t, the texture of whatever it is you are making with the purée will not turn out correctly.

Transfer the purée to an airtight container and store in the fridge until ready to use (no more than 3 or 4 days).

It’s amazing how quickly my mind goes from Halloween to Thanksgiving to Christmas this time of year. The excitement might as well start mid-September because that’s when I have to start using my self-control (of which I have very little) to not listen to Christmas music just yet. It’s been this way for my entire life. My sister and I have both been fans of starting to listen to/sing/play Christmas music together very early in the season. I think we could probably get away with it when we were younger. It’s probably less cute now that we’re all grown up. These days, after Halloween, I allow myself to relax a bit and begin listening to Christmas music that isn’t really Christmas music. You know, the newer releases that are not as traditional as Bing Crosby, for example. Bing should be reserved for falling snowflakes and tree decorating.

It’s a little harder lately to avoid having Christmas music playing in the background because I’m trying to get a number of holiday posts completed before our Little Man arrives at Tokyo Terrace. With only 3 weeks left until the due date, I have to use my time wisely and a little holiday music seems to help the creative flow. So yes, that’s how I’m justifying my ridiculously early listening pleasures.

In an effort to spread the early holiday joy, and with Thanksgiving coming up very quickly (check your calendar- it’s nearly NOVEMBER!) I thought it would be nice to share one of my favorite Thanksgiving recipes with you. This is not exactly what graced our table in years past as my family gathered to enjoy a massive, delicious meal together, but its roots stem from Thanksgiving at my parents’ house. Every year of my life, until moving to Tokyo, the entire extended family would come over and everyone brought their signature contributions. My Aunt Joanne’s pumpkin and apple pies, my grandma’s fruit salad (a shade of mint green and filled with mini-marshmallows) and my mom’s sweet potato casserole, to name a few.

We have hosted Thanksgiving for the past 3 years in Tokyo, which I must say has proven to be the most difficult but also rewarding experience. The logistics of putting together a traditional Thanksgiving meal in Tokyo make for some interesting stories. And the creativity of using the ingredients that are available (no canned yams or pumpkin around here, folks!) can result in both discoveries that are frustrating and entirely satisfying. Recreating my mom’s sweet potato casserole was just such an experience.

Our first year in Tokyo I knew only of the white-fleshed, purple-skinned sweet potatoes that I saw in every grocery store. But I also knew that I couldn’t have white potatoes as the main ingredient in the casserole. Aesthetically it would not be as pleasing. So, I decided to experiment with Japanese kabocha squash. I’ve tried several different methods for cooking the kabocha before putting it in the casserole dish- steaming, roasting and boiling. While each method worked well, I have found that roasting leads to the most satisfying flavor in the squash.

This year, since I’m a little too pregnant to host Thanksgiving (OK, my due date is the day before), I decided to make personal sized casseroles with these mini-kabocha that I found the other day. They are the perfect personal size! You can use orange sweet potatoes (or yams) that have been cut in half in place of the kabocha, but if you’re in Japan I recommend giving this a try. If you don’t have an oven, you can simply steam the squash halves in a bamboo steamer until a knife can be easily inserted into the flesh. To brown the top, simply pop them in the fish oven but keep a close eye on them so you don’t end up with a black, charcoal topping.

What are some of your favorite twists on traditional holiday dishes? I’d love to hear some of your ideas in the comments below!

Individual Kabocha Casserole

Makes 2 servings

*This recipe is written specifically for individual servings but it is quite simple to multiply. If you are using a larger squash or sweet potatoes/yams, you will need about 2 cups diced to serve approximately 6 people. Prepare the squash/potatoes/yams as desired- steamed or roasted- before adding them to a casserole dish. For the brown sugar-cinnamon topping, you will need about 1 cup brown sugar, 3 tablespoons cinnamon (or to taste- I’m a big fan of cinnamon) and 1/4 cup flour. Otherwise, just follow the cooking steps below!

1 small kabocha or other squash, or a medium sweet potato or yam

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 tablespoon cinnamon (or to taste- I’m a big cinnamon fan so I am generous)

1/4 cup course chopped pecans

2 tablespoons flour

1-2 tablespoons butter

Mini-marshmallows

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Cut the squash in half along the equator and scoop out the seeds. Place it cut side down on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the flesh can be pierced with a knife with little resistance. Meanwhile, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and pecans in a small bowl.

Turn the squash halves cut side up and sprinkle with the brown sugar/cinnamon/pecan topping. Top with small pieces of butter. Return the squash to the oven and bake for about 5 minutes, or until the topping is beginning to bubble slightly. Be careful not to leave them unattended for too long, or the nuts will burn.

Top with the mini marshmallows (they expand slightly, so don’t go too overboard or they will ooze over the edges- not necessarily a bad thing but it doesn’t look as pretty). Return to the oven for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the marshmallows are a beautiful golden brown.

Serve immediately.

The past couple days in Tokyo have been cool and cloudy. All signs point to fall. Finally.

In Minnesota, fall would be filled with caramel apples, hot cider, and campfires. In Japan, it is filled with hot pots, warm bowls of ramen, and the sweet, nutty scent of sweet potatoes. I’ve rambled on about how much I love the smell of Japanese sweet potatoes before and this year is no different. The only change is that instead of waiting to walk through the doors of the grocery store to find that beautiful aroma, I created it in my own kitchen.

Daigaku imo are probably the closest thing to caramel apples here in Japan. Chunks of sweet potato take the place of the apple, and a combination of sugar and soy sauce coats the outside creating a sticky, crispy, umami coating. Black sesame salt decorates the top beautifully, creating a lovely and festive appetizer for Halloween parties.

This is the perfect fall treat, not only because of the beautiful presentation, but because of the perfect combination of flavors. The sweet, nutty taste of the sweet potato is enhanced by the sweet-salty, toffee-like glaze and sesame salt. You can find daigaku imo (Japanese University Sweet Potatoes) at many of the autumn festivals that occur at various school campuses, as well as food stands around Tokyo but they are just as easy to make in the comfort of your own home. I haven’t tried this yet, but I’d be willing to bet you could use almost any potato or even squash to make this recipe. I’d like to try adding a little cinnamon to the glaze next time, just to mix things up a little and add a little of my own touch. The basic recipe is quite easy and lends itself well to creative license.

I have to thank my facebook followers for a swath of new Japanese recipes to post here. The other day, I asked what readers would like to see here on the site and got some great feedback! Thanks to Lisa for the suggestion to do daigaku imo! If there is anything you would like to see on Tokyo Terrace in the coming days and weeks, feel free to leave suggestions here in the comment section or on my facebook page.

Daigaku Imo

Serves 2-4

Based on a recipe from Just Hungry

1 medium sweet potato (about 1 1/2-2 cups after being cut)

Oil for frying

2 T sesame oil

2 T white sugar

1 T corn syrup (you can also use honey, but this will alter the flavor and texture)

3/4 tsp. soy sauce

Black sesame seeds, lightly toasted and combined with a touch of course sea salt

Clean the sweet potato and remove any stringy bits.  Cut the sweet potato into cubes about an inch or so in size. Place the potatoes in a bowl of cold water.

Meanwhile, combine the oils together in a large saucepan. You should have enough oil to give you just over an inch in the bottom of the pan. Test the oil with one piece of sweet potato that you have dried thoroughly with a paper towel or tea towel. If the oil starts to bubble about 2 seconds after you add the potato, it is ready. While you wait for the oil to heat, carefully and completely dry the sweet potato pieces. Add the sweet potatoes to the oil and fry until golden brown and crisp. This should take no more than 4 or 5 minutes, depending on the exact size of your pieces.

As the potatoes cook, combine the sugar, corn syrup or honey, and soy sauce in a small, heavy saucepan. Place over medium heat and stir until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is heated but not bubbling. Turn off the heat and set the pan aside but within reach while you work with the potatoes.

Remove the potatoes from the oil using a slotted spoon and shake carefully (the oil is HOT!) over the frying pan before transferring them to the pan holding the syrup mixture. Toss immediately to coat all of the potatoes and sprinkle with the sesame seeds/salt. Serve immediately.

Life is full of unexpected surprises, both good and bad. This is a lesson I learn over and over again with each passing year. Sometimes I wish life would just remain calm for a little while- you know, no more big natural disasters would be a good start. But, for better or for worse, huge changes continue to happen all around me.

Pregnancy? Biggest and best change so far. In only 7 weeks, we will welcome the biggest change of our lives.

Unexpected surprises are often easy to miss. They don’t always take you by the shoulders and force you to pay attention. Today, for example, I was sitting in the living room when I heard the faint, distant bang of a drum. It did not immediately grab my attention until I heard the beating drum followed by the bright sound of a wooden whistle. Still, none of these things were particularly attention-grabbing and I could have easily ignored them and continued wasting time on Pinterest. But instead I grabbed my camera on the off-chance that something interesting might be outside my door. And today, walking those few steps out of the apartment prevented me from missing this…

Sometimes unexpected things happen to us. Other times we have to take the extra step(s) to notice.

After snapping a couple photos of the passing Mikoshi outside my door, I went back to the apartment where the scent of cinnamon and apples had filled the air. I love making food that permeates each room of the apartment with warm, delicious smells. I especially love it when the weather is cool and the smell of spices, baking chocolate, or simmering soup are like a big, cozy hug.

This apple spice syrup is easy to throw together and brings the fragrance of fall into the kitchen. It can be used in a similar way to the popular pumpkin syrups everyone loves to make this time of year. Apple spice lattes, apple spice hot chocolate, or apple spice tea are just a few of the creations you can put together when you have this syrup on hand. My sister requested that I post a recipe for a spiced syrup, so here you go, Rebecca! I hope you like it!

Apple Spice Syrup

Makes about 1 1/2-2 cups

*Note: this syrup is quite sweet using the recipe below. If you don’t want it to be as sweet, cut back on the sugar but don’t expect a very syrup-like texture. I’ve also included the option of using honey instead of sugar, which will also create a less thick final product, but the flavor is very nice.

1 cup apple cider (you can use juice if you don’t have cider, but I’d recommend the cider)

3/4 cup water

1 1/2 cups light brown sugar or 3/4 cup honey

1/2 of a large apple, peeled and cubed (about 1 cup) – granny smith is best, or another tart variety

4 cinnamon sticks

4 cloves

1/4 teaspoon dried ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Combine the cider/juice, water and sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the remaining ingredients and continue to simmer, turning the heat down to medium, for about 10 minutes. Strain the syrup into a bowl to cool. Transfer to a glass jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator.

I’ve been back in Tokyo for about a week now. The transition has been good so far, although I am not enjoying the heat one little bit. Mostly because it is keeping me from my normal routine grocery shopping trips and other such things. Fortunately, I am married to this very sweet man who will do the shopping for me so I don’t have to haul my neatly 6 months pregnant self out in the humid heat. Thanks honey.

I did venture out yesterday with hubs to do a little walking around our neighborhood. We went to a couple of stores, visited the new Starbuck’s when I got too hot to move, and went to a brand new grocery store to get supplies for our meals over the next couple of days. While things seem mostly back to normal now than they were in March, there have been some small changes that I have noticed. One of those changes is the plethora of food that is more clearly labeled to show it is from Hokkaido, Japan. Many people feel it is safer to buy food from Hokkaido because it was not affected at all by any of the radiation business. I really appreciate this since I’m trying to be extra (and probably too) careful while I’m growing this life inside of me. (I’m taking the little kick I just got as I typed that last sentence as a thank you from the little guy.)

For a while, the escalators were turned off at many train stations. They are back on now. I have noticed that the typically brightly lit vending machines are dark. And the amount of air-conditioning is much less than it would otherwise be at this time of year. Fortunately it is still used, just not as excessively.

While some things are different, others are exactly the same. As we walked through the grocery store, I came across one of my favorite things this time of year: figs. Huge, beautiful, and calling my name, the figs made it into the basket and home to my kitchen. I’ll definitely be buying more figs to make things like jam, cookies, and to eat fresh with a little ice cream. But today I decided to try something a little different. Fig and walnut bread sounded just perfect.

As the bread baked, the apartment began to take on the familiar smell that I remember from last spring. Cozy, welcoming, and delicious. I instantly felt calm and relaxed with the scents, sounds and tastes of home.

Fig & Walnut Bread + Muffins

Recipe adapted from Sugar & Spice

This bread is much like zucchini or banana bread. It has a heavier texture and is perfect with a simple spread of butter and a glass of milk. The bread or muffins freeze well for about a month. The muffins are especially great because they thaw quickly for a last minute breakfast.

3 eggs

2 ½ cups sugar

2 cups ripe figs, peeled and mashed

3/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup buttermilk (or use this substitute)

1 cup chopped walnuts

Beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the sugar and beat well. Add the mashed figs and the vegetable oil.

Sift the flours, soda, salt and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add the fig mixture alternately with the buttermilk and beat well.

Fold in chopped the walnuts.

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour in greased and floured loaf pans or muffin tins.

*I had to cover my bread with tin foil about 15 minutes into the cooking time because the top was browning too quickly. Keep an eye on yours in case you need to do the same.

After an 11 1/2 hour flight, a 2 1/2 hour train ride, and a 5 minute jaunt in a taxi, we arrived at the door of our Tokyo apartment on Wednesday. It’s been nearly 5 months since I’ve been here and it feels wonderful to be back. Back in my own kitchen, my own bedroom, my own home. Granted, life is completely different now that I am 5 1/2 months pregnant. Rather than riding my bicycle to the grocery store, I have to take the bus or walk. Which in this heat is just about one of the most miserable tasks. Still, aside from minor adjustments, I have never been so happy to be here. As we landed at Narita Airport, I watched out my airplane window as the ground grew closer and closer. I could see the neatly planted rice patties, the thick, lush forests covering the countryside, the canals and rivers that wind their way (in an orderly fashion, of course) through the landscape and the muted sunlight that placed its highlights in just the right places. I had never truly appreciated this scene until now. It was beautiful.

Once the jet lag has subsided, I will take more time to reflect on returning to Japan. I have so many thoughts that need to be shared. For now, I’d like to talk about food.

In the days before leaving for Tokyo, I spent a lot of time baking. Since I don’t have a proper oven here, I like to take advantage of my mother’s as much as possible when I’m visiting. My dad and I made, as we called them, “the best peanut butter cookies ever“. I felt like a little kid again, in a sense. Pressing a fork into peanut butter cookie dough to create that criss-cross pattern on the top, eating the first piping hot bite of a cookie right out of the oven, and spending time with someone you love immensely- it doesn’t get much better than that.

I also made these dulce de leche empanadas. I had made them a few weeks earlier and promised I would share the recipe here, but I had to get some decent photos first. My mom saved my life with these. I was having a miserable time with the dough. I had to make it more than once, which never happens with this recipe. It has consistently worked marvelously up until this incident. (I blame the fact that I am pregnant- that is really the only change. That can impact the success of a recipe, right?) When I felt like all I wanted to do was throw the dough against the kitchen wall, my mom hopped in and somehow made it work. You can all say a big thanks to her for the fact that this post is up!

These empanadas are the kind of thing you could throw together at a moment’s notice. They are perfect right out of the oven if you are serving them to guests, but they also make a delicious (though less impressive) snack when they are room temperature. Using the dough recipe from my Argentine empanadas, I simply fill them with a teaspoon of dulce de leche (which you can buy in the baking aisle by the sweetened condensed milk, or you can make yourself like this), and top them with a sprinkle of sea salt (you can use sugar if you prefer) after brushing them with lightly beaten egg white. A brief 15 minutes later, you have an ooey-gooey-oh-so-heavenly dessert that is perfection with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

So, with this recipe, I said good-bye to Minnesota (and its ovens), and hello to Tokyo (where the weather feels like an oven). More Japanese-inspired food is sure to follow here at Tokyo Terrace, so please stick around!

And by the way, if you haven’t done it yet, make sure to enter my giveaway for 6 free pints of ice cream! You still have time!