Chestnuts have never been a familiar food to me. Basically, I was only familiar with the song…you know, “chestnuts roasting on and open fire….”, and that’s where the relationship ended. When we moved to Tokyo, I had no idea we would be surrounded by so many chestnuts this time of year. Sometimes you can find vendors roasting them, which is always a treat. Buying a paper bag filled with steaming hot chestnuts on a cold, cloudy day is absolute perfection. The nutty smell wafts up from the bag and at least gives the illusion that you are warming up from the inside out. Scooping out the soft flesh and taking that first bite is an incredibly satisfying and comforting moment.

I’ve been a little shy of trying to make anything involving chestnuts at home, short of this soup I made a couple years ago. This year, I decided to put on my big girl panties and try something different. Different for me, anyway. After buying a bag of pre-cooked chestnuts (sorry, but at 39 weeks pregnant I just can’t justify putting myself through the stress of trying to roast my own) and letting them sit on the shelf as I tried to come up with some novel way to use them, I finally decided on kurigohan. Kurigohan is Japanese chestnut rice. The rice is cooked with saké, mirin, a touch of sugar and soy sauce. I used my rice cooker, which is a total lifesaver. If you don’t have one, get one. Immediately.

As I meandered around the internet researching various recipes, I noticed that some called for soy sauce and others didn’t. I opted to use soy sauce because it creates this beautiful crust on the bottom of the rice. The layer becomes a little crunchy and full of umami, which the perfect way to enhance the rest of the rice dish. Also, I didn’t actually see recipes that called for sugar, but I wanted to add a touch to bring out the flavor of the chestnuts and to contrast the salty soy flavor.

The result? A steaming hot bowl full of perfect autumn flavors that made the apartment smell wonderful. I decided to experiment, as I tend to do, by adding a non-traditional ingredient that I thought made this dish appropriate for upcoming holiday feasts. I added a handful of dried cranberries to the bowl and it was amazing! The best way to add the cranberries is to just toss them in the rice cooker with the rest of the ingredients for a little pop of tart flavor. Seriously- unbelievable.

If you have a rice cooker and can find either pre-cooked or vacuum packed chestnuts, it takes literally 5 minutes to throw this together (that obviously does not include the wait-time involved while the rice is cooking). You can make it without a rice cooker and by roasting your own chestnuts- take a look at the links below for help with that.

http://kyotofoodie.com/donabe-yakiguri-gohan/

http://www.lafujimama.com/2009/12/kurigohan-japanese-chestnut-rice/

http://www.foodbuzz.com/recipes/1513726-kuri-gohan-chestnut-rice-recipe

http://kanakoskitchen.com/2009/10/27/kurigohan/

Kurigohan

1 cup chestnut pieces

1 1/2 cups short grain rice, washed until the water is clear

2 teaspoons saké

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons mirin

1 tablespoon light brown sugar (optional)

1/2 cup dried cranberries (optional)

1 piece of kombu

In the bowl of a rice cooker, combine the rice, 1 1/2 cups water (equal to the amount of rice), saké, soy sauce, mirin, brown sugar and chestnuts. stir gently to combine the ingredients. Place the kombu on top of the rice. Close the rice cooker and cook according to manufacturer’s instructions.

When the rice is finished cooking, allow it to sit and steam for an extra 5-10 minutes.

Toss with a rice paddle or spatula and spoon into individual serving bowls. Sprinkle with black sesame seeds and serve immediately.

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).

The other day, I sat down on the train next to a man who had about 3 or 4 inches of space to his right. I was sitting on his left, uncomfortably smooshed between the aforementioned man and another, rather large gentleman. Usually, people are perfectly willing to scoot over so that seating is a bit more comfortably spaced. However, this man with the extra room did not seem keen to give me that small amount of space so that I didn’t have to sit with my shoulders scrunched up to my ears and my arms awkwardly wrapped around my bulging 6 months pregnant belly. After the 20 minute train ride, he finally got up and I was able to wiggle my way into the grooves of the blue cushioned seat for the remaining 60 seconds of my trip. The only thing that got me through that experience without completely freaking out was the thought of what I was going to have for dinner when I got home. Yes, food is healing in many ways.

In all seriousness though, Japanese food has been more healing to me now than ever before. I’ve been a much more picky eater recently, thanks to my pregnancy heartburn, and Japanese food has been the only constant variety of food that I can seem to eat on a daily basis. Even during my time in the U.S. this past spring, I spent a lot of time trying to find and prepare Japanese food in my parents’ kitchen in Minnesota. This is also when I realized that I don’t know even a fraction of what I want to about Japanese home-cooking. So, I’m working on that. These moon viewing noodles, or tsukimi udon, were a perfect addition to my slowly expanding repertoire of Japanese dishes.

Moon viewing in Japan happens mid-autumn, usually around the end of September or early October. These noodles are eaten around that time, with egg symbolizing the harvest moon. In a manner similar to that of hanami, or cherry blossom celebrations, moon viewing is a pretty big event. We have not quite reached autumn here in Tokyo, but since many of you reading this are enjoying cooler temperatures and fall weather, I thought you might appreciate this recipe.

In Japan, the egg is often served raw in the bowl of hot broth and noodles, but I prefer mine lightly poached prior to adding it to the bowl. Once the broth and noodles are made, the assembly of the dish takes only about 10 minutes, so make sure everyone is ready to eat right away, since these are not as good if they are too cold. I would suggest making the broth and noodles ahead of time (no more than 2 or 3 days) to save yourself some prep when you decide to serve this dish. The broth is simple to make and easy to store in the refrigerator. For the noodles, simply cook them, run cold water over them immediately after cooking, and store in a ziploc bag. When you’re ready to use them, just run more water over the noodles to loosen them up. The hot broth will heat the noodles through before you serve them.

Moon Viewing Noodles

Slightly adapted from Washoku by Elizabeth Andoh

For the Sanuki Sea Stock:

*You may wish to use regular dashi rather than the sea stock if dried sardines are hard to find. I still like to add the shiitakes to the broth for extra flavor. If you can’t find any of the needed ingredients for sea stock or dashi, try using light chicken broth or vegetable broth. The flavor will be different but still tasty.

4 cups cold water

8 dried sardines

3 pieces of kombu, about 4″x4″ each

5 shiitake mushroom stems or 2 dried shiitakes

For the rest of the dish:

4 teaspoons light soy sauce

2 teaspoons saké

2 teaspoons sugar

4 large eggs

12 ounces dried udon noodles

1 scallion, both green and white parts thinly sliced

In a medium saucepan, add the water, dried sardines, kombu and mushrooms. Allow to sit for about half an hour.

In the meantime, cook your Udon noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles. Cook for about 4-6 minutes for smaller noodles, a little longer for the thicker noodles. Drain and run under cold water. Set aside.

Place the broth over medium high heat until small bubbles begin to form. Turn the heat down to medium (or adjust accordingly) to maintain a low simmer. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and cover for 3-5 minutes. Strain the broth through a coffee strainer fitted with a coffee filter. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, saké and sugar over low heat. Stir until the sugar has just dissolved. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Prepare the serving bowls by dividing 1/4 of the noodles among each dish. Have these nearby so you can easily transfer the egg and broth to the bowls.

In a small saucepan, add 1 cup of the broth and 1/4 of the soy sauce mixture (a scant tablespoon). Bring to a boil. Add one of the raw eggs and poach for about 3 minutes or until desired doneness. Using a slotted spoon, remove the egg and add it to one of the bowls. Using a fine mesh strainer, pour the broth into the bowl being carefully not to break the egg. Repeat this process with the remaining 3 bowls. (You may also poach the eggs all together in water and simply bring the broth and soy mixture to a boil without poaching the eggs in it, though the flavor will not be the same.)

Garnish each bowl with the sliced scallion and serve with chopsticks and a spoon.

When Brad and I first moved to Japan, we stayed in a business hotel until we could find an apartment. This lasted an unexpected 3 weeks. The small room was furnished with two twin beds complete with their own buckwheat filled pillows. A TV with a screen no larger than 15 inches gave us access to BBC and CNN Asia. When work began for Brad, I was left to occupy my time in this strange place that I did not understand at all. Looking back, I cannot believe how shell-shocked I was just 3 years ago. And how today, Japan is, and always will be, my second home.

View from our hotel room:

On occasion, I would venture to a nearby grocery store (which today is part of our everyday routine). It was actually very scary to go alone at first. Everything was foreign. I couldn’t read the labels, I didn’t recognize much of the food on the shelves, and I had no idea what to do when I got to the cash register. I would usually walk out with some yakisoba or perhaps onigiri. My husband, who had lived abroad previously in Argentina, was much more brave than I when came to venturing out of our tiny hotel room. I remember one day he brought home a bento that included what appeared to be fried pockets of something. I was surprised when I picked one up that it was not crispy, like most fried food, but instead it was soggy. I bit into it and the flavor was slightly sweet and tangy. The fried pocket was filled with white rice. Thinly sliced pickled ginger was served as a condiment on the side. I would later learn that these little rice pockets were called inarizushi.

I can’t say that I loved it at first. The flavor and texture of the wrapper (made from fried tofu sheets) took some getting used to. But eventually this became one of my favorite snacks to pick up at the local conbini (convenience stores like 7Eleven or Lawsons). I love them so much that when I am back in the United States I crave them. I crave them enough to make my own. As opposed to walking into any konbini or grocery store, this required some more work. I had to make the 25 minute drive to Minneapolis to an Asian store for the fried tofu sheets. And of course I had to make and season the rice, season the wrappers, and assemble.

While this sounds like a lot of work, it is very worth it. If you can access the ingredients needed, you must try making these delicious bites at home. You can add sesame seeds or chopped pickled ginger to the rice if you’d like, but I prefer to keep it simple and serve the pickled ginger on the side.

The best recipe I’ve found is this one from JapanEats.tv. Click here for the recipe!

It’s taken some time, but I feel like my brain has finally made it back to the land of the living. For the past two months, I have felt a little overwhelmed for various reasons and that has done a pretty successful job of sucking the life out of my creative thinking. Fortunately, it gave me a chance to focus on some more traditional recipes which helped me baby-step my way to what I have to share with you today.

I’ve said before that the best ideas are often accidents. This is no exception. It all started when I was asked to make some ice-cream. I knew I wanted it to be something different. None of this chocolate-vanilla-strawberry stuff. I was getting nowhere productive until I came home from running errands to find an order that I had made a few days ago had arrived! I opened the box and took out white miso paste, udon noodles, and yuzu marmalade.

OK, I can work with this. (Well, not the noodles…)

It took me two seconds to decide that I was going to make miso ice cream! Yes. This was a good idea (that could potentially flop, but let’s not encourage negative thinking).

I began taking out the necessary ingredients for my ice cream when…gasp!…there was no sugar!

OK, it’s fine, you can figure something else out.

*Silence…blank stare at the cupboard…*

Then there it was- my answer to the problem- brown sugar! I had heard of brown sugar ice cream before, so why not?

A little mixing, a little heating, a little churning, and about 2 hours later I was ready to taste this new creation.

I timidly took a spoon and scooped a small bite directly out of the ice cream maker. I smelled it and it reminded me of the topping for an upside down cake. Toasty, buttery, and warm.

The flavor was, as I told La Fuji Mama on twitter, like salted caramel on steroids. Since white miso has a relatively mild flavor, it melded perfectly with the nutty brown sugar to create a flavor reminiscent of salted caramel but with an added umami depth that can only come from miso. It was perfect.

So, I made another batch just to make sure it wasn’t a fluke! I’ve made 3 batches now and it is most definitely NOT a mistake.

All I have to say is this: if you are an ice cream lover, you must make this. It’s exciting and different and perfect to get yourself out of whatever rut you may find yourself swimming in.

Brown Sugar-Miso Ice Cream

Makes 1 quart

1 cup whole milk

1 cup light brown sugar (you can also use dark if that’s all you have)

2 tablespoons white miso paste

5 egg yolks

2 cups heavy cream

Combine the milk, brown sugar and white miso paste in a medium bowl. Whisk to combine and break up the miso paste. If there are still chunks, don’t worry- they will break down when it is heated as long as you stir it well.

Pour the cream into a large metal or glass mixing bowl and place in the refrigerator.

Separate the egg yolks and put them in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Take the milk, brown sugar and miso mixture and transfer to a medium saucepan. Place over medium-low heat, stirring constantly. You don’t want to heat the mixture too quickly, so this step may take a few minutes. The milk mixture should not come to a simmer, but you may see 2 or three bubbles come to the surface, which is fine. The sign that it is done heating is that the sugar is completely dissolved and steam is steadily rising from the top.

Remove the milk mixture from the heat. Gradually pour the hot liquid over the egg yolks, whisking constantly to avoid the eggs scrambling. Return the liquid and egg mixture to the saucepan and place over low heat. Use a spatula to stir the liquid constantly until it begins to thicken and coat the spatula. This can take about 10 minutes. Again, don’t heat it too fast! Patience, grasshopper…

Now, remove the pan from the heat and take the cream out of the refrigerator. Pour the hot liquid into the cream, stirring constantly until the mixture has cooled down. Cover with plastic wrap and return to the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to overnight.

Take your ice cream base and put it in an ice cream maker. Follow manufacturer’s instructions.

When the ice cream has reached a soft-serve type of thickness, transfer it to a separate container and freeze for about 1-2 hours before serving.

Potato salad, in many forms, is a popular side dish in countries around world. I’ve always been a big fan- I love the creamy texture of the potatoes with the crispness of celery (or pickles in some cases). Potato salad is a sure sign that warmer months are upon us. I’ve always known potato salad to be a Midwestern/Southern favorite in the United States, but was shocked to find that it is just as popular in Japan. My first clue should have been the crazy obsession with mayonnaise. It’s amazing! If they can put mayo in it, on it, or under it, the Japanese will do it. Not that I’m complaining, but enough is enough. I can only take so much!

OK. Back to potato salad… So I was thinking about how much I love potato salad when it occurred to me that tonight would be the perfect time to whip some up. It had already been decided that we were grilling hamburgers, and so it seemed the natural side dish to choose. Instead of making the typical potato salad that my mom makes (and I absolutely love, for the record) I wanted to make it more reminiscent of the Japanese version. I found a great, easy to follow recipe on JapanEats.tv and got to work!

I made a few changes to the recipe based on the ingredients that I had on hand, and I didn’t peel the potatoes (because I like it that way) but it turned out quite well! And actually, you may want to call it a Japanese inspired potato salad. Although it does taste similar to what I’ve had in bento boxes.

What’s your favorite summer side dish? Does it have different variations from other countries? I’d love to hear your ideas!

Japanese Potato Salad

Adapted from JapanEats.tv

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

1 pound small red potatoes (or other small potato)

1  seedless cucumber, thinly sliced (just under 1 cup)

1/3 cup thinly sliced red onion

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon hot & sweet mustard or wholegrain mustard

salt and pepper

Cut the potatoes into quarters and place them in a large pot. Fill the pot with cold water until it just covers the potatoes. Add about 1 teaspoon of salt, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water begins boiling, turn the heat down and continue cooking until the potatoes are easily punctured with a toothpick or knife.

While the potatoes are cooking, place the onion in a bowl of water and soak for 3 minutes. Place the cucumber slices in a small bowl and sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, rubbing the salt in a bit with your hands. Use paper towels or a clean dish/tea towel to wring the extra water out of the onions and cucumber.

Strain the potatoes when they are done cooking and put them in a large bowl. Gently mash the potatoes slightly with a large spoon or spatula, keeping most of the potatoes in their original shape. Add the cucumber, onions, and a bit of salt and black pepper. Mix together gently. Add the mayonnaise and mustard. Stir until thoroughly combined and season with additional salt and pepper if desired.

The other day, we went to a Butoh performance with a few of our friends in Tokyo. Butoh is a style of dance that feels like watching a Picasso painting that has come to life. Very minimalist style with much room for interpretation, Butoh is a beautifully and refreshingly different type of performance. One that I never thought I would truly appreciate. I’m sure I would not like all Butoh performances, as some are grotesque and, as my husband described it, “Marilyn Manson-esque”. This does not exactly describe some of my favorite styles. However, the particular show we saw was calming in a sense. There was no speaking, little as far as a set on stage, and the movements were slow, steady, and graceful. Here are some clips from the same performance we saw: Sankai Juku. The majority of the music was lovely, with the occasional low buzzing noise. Didn’t care for that.

Attending this performance made me remember how important it is to experience something new every once in a while. We get so caught up in the everyday grind that the idea of seeing a show or exploring a new area of the city seems to float away. I guess that just goes to show that no matter where you live, you are susceptible to becoming “beige”. Everything is the same. A little splash of color on occasion is all we need to spruce things up!

This Uni Pasta is a great way to change the typical creamy pasta recipe. Uni (sea urchin) is a creamy, nutty flavored delicacy, especially in Japan. Really good sea urchin tastes of salt water from the ocean with a sweet hint of hazelnut. Seems strange, I know, but trust me. It’s like nothing else I’ve ever tasted. A sure way to impress your Japanese friends is to eat fresh uni. We often get asked two questions: Do you eat natto? NO! Do you eat uni? YES!

Don’t fret if you can’t access good, fresh uni. You can add something else for a little splash of color! Be creative. Find something that will enhance and liven up the flavor of the pasta that you perhaps would not have used on any regular day. Even adding a little squash or pumpkin puree is a great way to lighten up and add flavor to rich, creamy pasta dishes. Sprinkle a few toasted hazelnuts and few parsley leaves on top and you’re all set!

If you do decide to use uni, make sure to add it just at the end before serving. This will preserve the flavor as much as possible. If you can’t taste it, what’s the point, right?

Creamy Uni Pasta with Fennel Fronds

Makes 4 servings

1 pound spaghetti or angel hair pasta

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup cream

1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

zest of 1/2 a lemon

salt and black pepper

About 3 oz. fresh sea urchin

1/3 cup loosely packed fennel fronds or flat leaf parsley

Begin by cooking the pasta in boiling, salted water according to package directions.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until the garlic is fragrant and beginning to soften (about 2-3 minutes) being careful not to burn the garlic. Add the red pepper flakes and cook another 30 seconds. Reduce the heat to medium-low and add the cream, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook gently until heated through. Add the cooked pasta to the cream, reserving some of the pasta water. Toss the pasta to coat with the cream. Remove the pasta from the heat and stir in the sea urchin and fennel fronds, reserving some of the fennel for garnish.

Serve immediately topped with a piece of uni, fennel fronds and extra parmesan if desired.

There are some foods that, no matter what you do, are just not pretty. They are brown and mushy looking, lacking any vibrant colors or eye-catching patterns to reel you in like a fish on a hook. On the other hand, there are some foods that mystify with their beauty. Combine the two and you have “Beauty and the Beast”, as my husband put it.

I used my pickled lotus root from the other day as a garnish to some delicious, but not-so-pretty, short ribs. The short ribs were browned in a pan, placed in the bottom of my slow-cooker, covered with Japanese beer (Kirin), carrots, onions, 2 bay leaves and a sprinkle of herbs de provence. After nearly 10 hours of slow and low cooking, the ribs came out absolutely falling off the bone. There was nothing I could do to keep the meat fully intact as I removed it with my tongs. It just insisted on melting into beautiful shreds. And by “beautiful” I mean perfectly cooked…not visually beautiful. To make this dish appealing to the eye, I simply placed one slice of pickled lotus root on top with a few snow peas. The drastic contrast in color and texture helped make what is otherwise a pile of mush into something photo-worthy.

It’s wonderful when nature shows off a little with the creation of something as breathtaking, and imperfect, as the lotus root. Each lotus root is different- the holes are different shapes and sizes, form different patterns, and are never perfect. Before the lotus root is peeled, it looks a little rough around the edges. But as you dig deeper and find what is hidden inside, the oddities disappear. The imperfections and differences are what make them beautiful. If only we could look at everything…and everyone…with the same admiration and joy.

Japanese Beer Braised Short Ribs

Makes enough for 4-6 servings

3-4 pounds meaty short ribs

2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper

1 12 oz. can Kirin beer, or other rich-flavored lager beer

1 cup sliced carrots

1 large onion, sliced

2 bay leaves

1 tablespoon herbs de provence

2 tablespoons flour

In a large, heavy pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Meanwhile, dry the short ribs with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Brown the short ribs on all sides in the pan, about 1 1/2-2 minutes per side.

Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker. Add the carrots, onions, bay leaves and Herbs de Provence. Pour in the beer and set the slow-cooker on low. Allow to cook for at least 8 hours and up to 10.

Gently scoop the ribs out of the slow-cooker with a slotted spoon or tongs and place on a platter. Don’t worry if they fall apart- that’s a good sign! In a heavy bottomed pan, add about 2 cups of the remaining cooking liquid. Bring to a simmer. Gradually sift in the flour and whisk until the mixture begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper and pour over the ribs. Serve over brown rice and top with pickled lotus root and snow peas…or other naturally beautiful garnish.

Sorry about the title…couldn’t help it!

Pommes Anna is a French dish made simply of potatoes, butter, salt and pepper. The potatoes are very thinly sliced, layered, and baked to a blissful combination of crisp creaminess. It’s the perfect example of humble ingredients resulting in indulgent, flavorful dishes. Now, I can’t claim the genius behind making this mini-version. The credit for that goes to Naomi of Bakers Royale, a fantastic blog with a whole host of wonderful recipes. Her mini Pommes Anna can be found here.

The moment I saw her gorgeous photos, I knew I had to make this dish. But with a Japanese spin, of course. The first step was to use Japanese sweet potatoes, satsumaimo, in addition to small white fleshed potatoes. Then, I walked past a display of Kyoto red carrots. This is the perfect time of year for these beautiful roots and they are traditionally seen in Japan around the New Year. Their gorgeous red color and sweet flavor are similar to the familiar orange carrot, but slightly different. The flavor was perfect in these little 2-bite appetizers. And since Pommes Anna is basically the same color bottom to top, I thought a splash of red Kyoto carrot would be gorgeous!

Fortunately, the carrots were perfect. I layered them with the potatoes and put a few on the top for a splash of color. (Next time, I would add even more carrot slices, fanning them out so they are easier to see between the layers of potato.) With a leaf of chervil as a garnish, this is an ideal recipe for a holiday cocktail party. They are easy to eat as finger food and look beautiful on these bamboo dishes.

I used Naomi’s recipe, which you can find by clicking here. I didn’t need to change anything at all and it worked perfectly!

*You can purchase eco-friendly products like catering supplies and plastic plates from restaurantware.com and receive 10% off by entering the coupon code: tokyoterrace. For the dish used in this post, click here to purchase.

On Friday night we hosted a cocktail party. After an entire day of working, it seemed completely unreasonable to put together a bunch of food for 10 people but somehow, we pulled it off and were even able to relax and enjoy time with our friends. The spread included whiskey glazed chicken drummies, spring roll cups filled with spiced kabocha, pecans, and cranberries (recipe coming soon) with a dollop of whipped cream, and a big, heaping bowl of popcorn. Yep. We went for the classic snack food to help satisfy our guests’ hunger and save us some time. Our friends brought food to contribute as well. Pumpkin hummus made an appearance, as well as a beautiful Japanese chestnut cake. All in all, it was a successful and scrumptious evening!

After the party, I got to thinking about popcorn and how versatile it is. Caramel corn, Kettle corn, buttered popcorn, cheese popcorn…the flavors go on and on. Then I started wondering how I could add a unique twist that was all my own. The wheels started turning. Then I remembered when I was in the grocery store the other day and spotted powdered kabocha (Japanese pumpkin)! I had never seen anything like it before, so I was thrilled at my discovery.

I’ve been saving the little packet of joy for a couple weeks now. Until today when I had a flash of brilliance! OK, maybe not brilliance…but it was exciting nonetheless. What if I made a spice mix to add to popcorn? Ah, yes. A recipe is born! This popcorn is tasty enough to serve at a holiday party as a flavorful yet light appetizer. It would be perfect alongside a glass of champagne or sparkling cider. If you are looking for a stylish way to serve the popcorn, I would recommend using these pine wood cones (click on the link to order- type in “tokyoterrace” as a coupon code and receive 10% off!) from restaurantware.com. I just love the way the popcorn looks piled into the eco-friendly cones! Elegant and simple.

The process was simple- I took a bag of microwave popcorn (the buttered kind so the spices stuck to the popcorn) and added the spices directly to the bag when it was done popping. I just shook the bag around to coat the popcorn and it was done! Fast, easy, and full of flavor. If you love kettle corn, you’ll go crazy over this. The combination of brown sugar, warm cinnamon, all-spice and of course the kabocha powder, make a perfect addition to popcorn. Brad ate the entire bowl while I took the photos. The entire bowl. That’s a really good sign!

So, if you are hosting Thanksgiving and would like a light snack for everyone while the turkey is roasting away, this is the perfect choice. Serve it with a glass of champagne garnished with pomegranate seeds (click on the link for the cocktail) or cranberries and you’ve got the perfect holiday starter!

Kabocha/Pumpkin Spice Popcorn

Makes enough for 1 bag of microwave popcorn

2 Tablespoons brown sugar

2 Tablespoons powdered pumpkin (or kabocha)

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of salt

1 bag microwave buttered popcorn

Place the popcorn in the microwave and cook according to package directions.
Meanwhile, mix the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl using a whisk or fork. When the popcorn is done, pour the spice mixture in the popcorn bag. Roll the top closed (be careful- the popcorn may still be hot!) and shake it to distribute the spice mixture. It is important to do this with hot, buttered popcorn so the spice mixture sticks to the popcorn kernels.

Pour into pine wood cones and serve!

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