トッピングきんつば

Still tackling beginner's level wagashi before I move on to more advanced ones.The toppings are pine nut,raisins,walnut and candied orange peel.We Chinese always mix dried mandarin peel in red bean paste,so I guess candied orange peel would make a good pairing too.

I see. Chinese bean paste mixed dried fruits, I image 月餅. I think it's similar to Kintsuba and Geppei.
Topping is good idea, It's cute and delisious.

Hi Makiko!Thank you so much,the idea came from a wagashi book.
We have red bean paste sweets and pastries too,but rarely mixed with dried fruit,instead we use dried mandarin peel,陳皮.such a super match,I love this combination.I thought dried orange peel would make a good substitution!

Sweets like this are to be bought from okashi-ya san!
That looks so kintsuba, and the toppings looks so yummy ✨

My comment didn't come out right!
What I meant was: okashi like きんつばor カステラare something you bought from the shop...because no one makes them at home✨
You made it though! You're boundless Rick😊👍🏼if the is the result of what you claimed "beginner's level wagashi"we'd better be prepared for what you can produce on the more advanced one!(*^_^*)楽しみに待ってます✨

Sorry,I missed your message...
I realize the things I made are not something Japanese people make at home,but being in HK,all these delicious sweets are hard to find,and not cheap too,this one is relatively easy.The advanced level ones may not be in a while though..
Wagashi is like an art to me,it has a big part of Japanese food culture,I would like to know more about it.But I see how people make them,there are many detail works,I don't think I have the patience...let's see.
I love castella too,and I know it not easy too,I don't think I could ever make it as good as or even close to福砂屋.
Thank you for the compliment,appreciate it always!
I guess you have really adopted Japanese life after 26 years,you seems to know all Japanese culture... it's a good thing!It always amazes me to see people wanting to stay at a foreign country but refuse to blend in.
May I ask where you are originally from?Somewhere in S.E. Asia?

Hi Rick!
I'm from the Philippines 🇵🇭
Met & married my husband back in Manila✨
My first few years here were so stressful though...met no one who can speaks english (not even my Doctor when I got pregnant!), the different level of japanese language (you cannot greet/talk to your neighbors or school teachers the same way you do w/ you're family & friends) was confusing , the noisy noodle slurping is an assault to my senses(even now! I just mastered not to show reaction^_^)
Arrived here when I was 23, after spending 27 yrs now here? I can easily say I love Japan💕Their love for nature is amazing! kids know & appreciate even the lowly weeds 😊I do too now,I live たんぽぽ、スミレ&つくし✨I'm now collecting reasonably priced 焼き物& can't live without the こたつ(and mikan!) in winter (*^_^*)
Rick , are you a chef? What you create are awesome and loved you're version of the existing famous foods...don't worry, you can make those advanced level of wagashi...who knows? you're version might turn out to be even better too!✨You're kintsuba is just simply おしゃれ😍

Hi Sanntina!
What a nice story,met in Manila,relocated to Japan and happy ever after,I am sure you and your husband are glad to have each other!
Haha I totally get you about the language barrier.I also had to give up after a year and a half studying at Japanese language school,without much practice I just kept forgetting the old stuffs,and then the new stuffs came....now I am happy enough I could read the menus while I am in Japan.
I could picture how confusing it was for you,for us we share some of the Chinese characters,but for you there was a whole new thing to learn!
The slurping sound...I understand it's their custom,I don't mind that much,but I just couldn't force myself to do it.And well done,for everyone's interest,please continue and show no reaction to it!😬
But Japan is so easy to love,isn't it?I agree about their nature loving,also the culture,discipline,creativity,persistence,
attention to details,way of thinking,the list goes on and on!It's my intention to absorb as much as possible,to make myself a better person.
I am so glad you realize how great a place
you are living in!
I am no chef.I did worked in professional kitchen for a short while,but that was long ago.Cooking is my number one passion,and after many years of trial and error,happy to say I finally have a basic concept of how to make food tasty and efficiently at home.Still keep on learning,seeing all the master chefs make me think how impotent I am,but thank you for your very encouraging words!
And by the way,has anyone told you how beautiful you written English is?It's full of wit and I had such a pleasure reading it.All these years in Japan and it hasn't gone rusty,good for you!I am guessing you like to read a lot,possibly English literature too!
Well,thank you so much for telling me about you,I wish I could talk furthermore but I have to stop and get things prepared for tomorrow,let's continue soon!

Hello Rick,
Yes! my husband & I are happy we found each other and that we're still together! 😊
I studied japanese & took japanese cooking lessons (paid by my husband)before I came here. You see my parents were school teachers,they wont let me come here without knowing anything!
Oh yes, there are lots of nice things about Japan...the citizens are respecful,considerate & helpful ✨Japan is so clean ,segregated waste bins is almost a part of the scenery here.Transportation of any form are always on time (can't use them as an excuse for being late! except when there's calamity)
Everywhere you go,everything's organized ..have a problem? go to the city hall & they will make it disappear with ..yes...detailed instructions on where to go & what to do!they are amazing 👍🏼
You like the way I write? thank you!
I was born poor..not much money but we have lots of love & evryone in the family have a great sense of humor (I have7 siblings! 6 of us went to college...some got scholarships,some helped by rich relatives and me? I self-supported myself(school in the mornings,work until late at night) my parents believed that by finishing school, we'll all have a brighter future 😊which was true...all of us are doing better now✨
My english did got rusty! it was saved by my eldest son when he was in high school..I was his english-speaking partner at home..he talked better than me now though😅his 英検is level pre 1,he can also speak the russian language..so proud of him💕
Back in college I read Shakespeare & Austin..when I came here I read the english version of Genji monogatari & Wagaya neko!
I still read a lot, Tom Clancy and the likes now though:)
Thank you too!

Hi Sanntina,good morning!
Thank you for the write up,you are full of interesting stories!I would like to talk some more,but you see,I actually work as a hairdresser,and Christmas is busy time,supposed to be my day off today and I have to work😰,hopefully I'll come back to you tonight,if not then tomorrow!
Have a good day,see you soon!

Oh Rick! please don't feel oblige to reply evrytime...what with work,creative cooking & tons of other things to do, you must be buzy!
I just got carried away and told you my life story😅
You're a hairdresser! I wondered what you do for a living...must be something that needs creativity & well Im right😊
Have some friends back in college who became hairdressers...creative,generous & loving fellows...just wondering though why all of them are not sure or happy with their sexuality ! I love them all though💕and I missed their company ✨
Oh! here I go again prattling endlessly! 😅
Have to finish lunch & back to work.
Have a nice day too! ✨

No,I honestly love your stories,it's just this time of the year is crazy...
for me.I will write back whenever I could!
'All of them not sure or happy with their sexuality',I want find out why,we hairdressers in HK seems to be doing better...
Good night!

👆🏻

Sanntina,hi!
I am back!
From what you told me,I gathered you made a right choice coming to Japan,you had a good run,everything seems to work out great for you.Even you are always a full time housewife(?),you had accomplished a lot in a foreign country,you should be proud of yourself!
All those nice things you said about Japan,I couldn't agree more,I have been there almost 40 times,and I am still amazed by it.
I wish I could say the same thing to be home city,but I can't,and not much hope getting any better in the future too.May be one day I'll buy a little house at outskirts of Kyoto,spend some time there and do my stuffs,that's my wish.
I thought so,you are a well educated person,so well-read too,no wonder you write with such class.I also love literature,but I rarely read now.
Such a blessing growing up in a cheerful environment,sounds like a big happy family to me!And everyone had adequate education,truly admirable,I am sure you parents have taught you all the proper values!
What a clever boy you have in the family,he could master three languages!He must be thankful having an English speaking mother,to practice his English with!It's the most used language, especially in the business world.So how about Filipino?Does he speak it?
Yep,I am a hairdresser,been in the business for a long time,not so much creativity now(I get more when I cook),but I still get the satisfaction when everything goes smoothly.
So your hairdressers friends seemed to have some identity crisis,sexually...not an issue to the ones I know,it's been happily decided straight away!
Sanntina,it's really been a real pleasure knowing you,can't get enough of your stories,do drop me a few lines whenever you wish!
Have to prepare for work,see you around!

Hi Rick!
I'm not a full time housewife anymore,been working now for 19 yrs! I work on&off for a book-binding company...we make children 's books. That's where I really learned how to read & write 漢字characters ✨Yes,I'm happy where I am☺️
Wow! you'd been here lots of times...you must be loaded!!!😊It's not cheap to travel & stay here,even for a short one.Some friends & relatives asked for rooms! I only accommodate very close relatives, even them disrupts my quiet life pattern though 😅Their company is great ..but I can't work and have to guide,cook & feed them(asking for homemade authentic japanese cuisine,you know)
You're so generous! thank you..I am what you'll call "the invisible family member!" I am not that bright..If I didn't make a sound,nobody would notice me😂
Yes, we we're brought up NOT to do anything illegal! to be considerate & forgiving to others shortcomings😊
My son have an aptitude for languages👍My Mom & hubby's Mom insisted the kid master Japanese first..he mastered English in high school..Russian & a little bit of French in college.He can only speak a little Tagalog..He now blames me for not teaching him enough! Well, it was really my fault(I reasoned, teaching him English is better because as you say its the most used language) Im teaching him Tagalog now though..he can now say "Mom you're getting fat!!!"😬(lovable son huh!)
Rick,hairdressers in Manila are all gays! its a gay profession.Staight males becomes barbers (from what my brothers told me, some barbers are also gays too!)Here in Japan? male hairdressers are males! Japanese gays are mostly in drinking establishments , lots in the 芸能界too!Well, Filipinos are very accepting when it comes to the gay population..we have lots of them(one of my teachers back in high school was gay! acts like a man but we know he is gay😊)
See you!
Im going to attend a x-mas lunch party today..all Filipino..with some gays too:)))

Hi Sanntina!
Sorry I reply late.
That I didn't know,you work too!I see,in book blinding company,you must be able to master all the kanji!
I am not loaded at all.Just regular paid,however I don't need to spend much money besides traveling,but that's my real love.At the beginning,I come once a year,but recently 3-4 times a year,there are many budget airlines,I even wait for their promotion for really bargain tickets,my time is flexible too,I can go anytime I want.
Haha,I get it,it could be a headache having relatives from home staying over.That's why I always insist staying in a hotel no matter how close someone I'm visiting.
You son is funny,calling you fat in you native language!But good for him,it's most important to know a language of where he lives,then come the others.
I don't know how many dialects in Philippines,all I know apart from our first language,Cantonese,they are the ones I hear most in HK,even more than English!
I see,gay people work as hairdressers and straight ones are barbers,not the case in HK,there are many gays in hairdressing business but not all hairdressers are gay,I am very straight,never had a doubt😬!
Always a pleasure talking to you!Enjoy your parties,I guess you are busy preparing for new year too,best of luck!