Saturday, February 20, 2010

Ball...??



The balls in the picture above is one of Japanese traditional food called "Takoyaki." This food is very popular in my home country due to its pretty appearance and deliciousness. I made it with my best friend during carnival holidays. It was very fun! Ingredients are specific flour to make takoyaki, eggs, water, chopped leeks, minced leeks, and an OCTOPUS. "Takoyaki" means broiled octopus in Japanese.(However, takoyaki is kind of bread rolling chopped octopus.)



As "Takoyaki" is a traditional food in Japan, we have many opportunities to eat it during such summer festivals. It's very common to watch beautiful fireworks with eating takoyaki among Japanese.



Since it's not very difficult to make, my younger sister also makes it with my mother and me. I enjoy to cook everytime as it is very fun to make something with friends and family. My dream was to be a cook or patissier when I was small I hope I will be able to cook much better in the future.

Saturday, February 6, 2010

House made of sweets

Fabulous Sweets

Do you know Hansel and Gretel, one of "Grimm's Fairy Tales"? The picture below is a "Hexenhaus," which Hansel and Gretel went in when they got lost in a forest even though it was a trap of the witch, made of sweets including candies, cakes, cookies, chocolates, etc.



In Japan we sometimes make a Hexenhaus with family or friends on Christmas Day for fun. I have once made it with my three sibilings and we really enjoyed it even with its difficulty to shape sweets into a house.





How do you think what a beautiful rose in the picture below is made of?



It all is made of CANDY, surprisingly. It's a famous tachnique by skillful and mature patissiers.





Sushi and a flower arrangement in the pictures above are also made of candies.



In France there is a contest called Sucre D'Art, which is an exhibition of such candies. Around 18 century, to make beautiful figures of candies became very popular. Espcially, it is said that Pièce montée, a house made of candies, at that time was wonderful and fabulous.

There are of course many patissiers making unbelievable soft candies competitively.