サルスベリ

9月に入ってもまだ蒸し暑さがありますが、夏から秋に咲くサルスベリをよく見かけるようになりました。色がビビットピンクで綺麗！

Crape Myrtle – It’s still hot and humid in September, but I’m starting to see a lot of Crape Myrtle, which blooms from summer to autumn. Their color is vivid pink, beautiful!

Written by Miki.

白桃のあんみつ

季節限定の白桃のあんみつを食べてみました。
これは想像以上に桃が美味しくてあんみつに入っていた桃のソースとあんみつが絶妙に絡んで美味しかった。

White Peach Anmitsu -I tried the seasonal white peach anmitsu. The peaches in this were even better than I had imagined, and the peach sauce in the anmitsu and the anmitsu went perfectly together.

Written by Miki.

Salisbury Steak

One of the nice things about living in Japan is that you can generally prepare any recipe in a Japanese kitchen… even though some of the kitchen appliances and ingredients may be different than what you are accustomed to. Case in point, these delicious Salisbury Steaks, prepared in Nagoya!

Salisbury Steaks in Onion Sauce
Salisbury Steak Serving Suggestion- plated with white rice

金魚

日本の夏の風物詩と言うと金魚も１つだと思いますが、昔は上流階級の富の象徴だったようですが今は、家で飼っている方も多いかと思います。
今回見たのは、どうやら高級金魚だそうで、見るだけで夏の暑さを忘れさせて優雅に泳いでいる姿をみていると涼しさを感じさせてくれます。

Goldfish – In the past, goldfish were a symbol of wealth for the upper class, but nowadays, many people keep them at home.The one I saw this time was apparently a high-class goldfish, and just looking at it made me forget about the summer heat and feel cooler as it swam gracefully.

Written by Miki.

和柄提灯

去年に引き続き今年の夏も夏祭りや花火大会が中止で物足りない夏ですが、とあるビルでは、和柄提灯と音楽と光のコラボでShowがあってました。和柄も一つ一つ意味があるんですね！

Japanese Paper Lanterns– This summer, just like last year, summer festivals and fireworks festivals have been cancelled. I guess each Japanese pattern has its own meaning!

Written by Miki.

Nagasaki Milkshake (milk se-ki)

This is a regional take on a refreshing drink that everybody knows. The original Nagasaki Milkshake (actually pronounced miruku se-ki) is actually a shaved ice topped with condensed milk and egg yolk. You can get them in cafes around the city. This treat is more like a desert than a drink. You are supposed to eat it with a spoon. One thing is for sure – Nagasaki locals love this treat. There is even a local girl band named after it.

The good news is that a delicious milk se-ki can be made without a shaved ice machine – here is a blender friendly recipe to try:

-8 TBSP (1/2 cup) 100% sweetened condensed milk

-2 raw egg yolks*

-6 TBSP (3/8 cup) cold water

-2 1/2 cups ice

-2 maraschino cherries

You will need a blender or a food processor that can pulverize ice to make this recipe.

Put the condensed milk, egg yolk and water in a mixing bowl and whisk together until smooth. Pour the mixture into the blender. Then add the ice.

Blend until smooth and the mixture is thick and frosty. It should be too thick to pour without clumping together.

Spoon into two frosted glasses, top with a cherry.

Serve with a spoon.

Serves 2

Note: Make sure that the egg, water and milk is closer to the blade and the ice is on top. This will ensure the ingredients are well combined when you run the blender.

*raw food products can carry dangerous bacteria. I suggest you use pasteurized egg that has not exceeded the published expiration date.