Burdock

I have been having Burdock since the end of last year. One of the dish I made for New Year's day required burdock. When I went to Japanese supermarket, they sold three roots of burdock in one back. So I ended up buying three long burdock. (I am not sure if Japanese supermarkets still do but when I lived there, they usually sell vegetables in a bag so that we can't get amount we want.)
I used half root of burdock for a miso soup, I used one root of burdock for Chikuzen ni, braized vegetable with chicken and half root burdock for Sake Lees soup. I am cooking the last burdock with thinly sliced pork and egg. By now I feel I ate one year worth of burdock. I don't like the taste of burdock except burdock chips that my father often buys it for me when he goes to hot springs where it is often sold. I feel like I was attacked by burdock.
I am always surprised by some of my non-Japanese friends because they like burdock dish whenever I make. I guess it was my imagination that most people don't like burdock. In fact, I guess it is only me who don't like it around me. I definitely thought most western people don't like the taste but they enjoy Kinpira Gobo. Or were they just being nice to me who made Burdock dish. But they probably enjoy it because they haven't seen the vegetable? I am not sure.
Lately there are tons of Japanese restaurants in San Diego but when most Americans say they like Japanese food, I have to ask them what exactly they like because most of them they don't mean real Japanese but they mean Americanized Japanese food. I can think of only one person who can eat REAL Japanese food that my parents or grandma make, yes, it is you, Bere. Though Sake is getting popular, I don't really see people who really drink Sake a lot like they drink Wine. Still Asian food is Bizarre tastes? I think so. I guess Japanese people really love eating and cooking compare to other people.
I have been cooking Japanese food for a while now. I think Alex is getting tired of it, maybe... I will start cooking more western food soon since I don't have any Japanese veggies left in my fridge. I am wondering Alex has been munching on Synder's pretzels, Hot Buffalo Wing because he is sick of Japanese food and wants to eat western food...

Japanese sweet. I haven't made this for a while but since I had flour for making Mochi-like thing, I made this. It was too sweet for me. One small bowl of it was enough for me.

久しぶりにぜんざい作ってみました。ちょっと私には甘すぎました。いっぱいで充分でした。




ここ最近牛蒡ばっかり食べている。もともと私は牛蒡は好きではありません。年末に筑前煮を作ろうと日本のスーパーに牛蒡を買いに行ったら、３本１袋で売られていて、仕方なく３本買う羽目に。一本は筑前煮に、半分は味噌汁、半分は粕汁（後で酒粕入り味噌汁に変る）に使い、最後の一本は薄切りの豚肉と煮て、最後に卵で閉じたおかずにしました。もうすでに一年分の牛蒡を食べた感じです。しばらくは牛蒡は食べたくないです。私はよく温泉で売られている牛蒡せんべい以外は牛蒡は嫌いです。食べるときは健康のためを思って食べるくらいです。牛蒡せんべいを食べたときあまりにおいしく、牛蒡が嫌いな私は自分自身びっくりしました。お父さんが温泉に行く度に牛蒡せんべい買ってきてくれます。そしてアメリカまでわざわざ送ってくれるんです。感謝感謝です。お父さんありがとう。
いつも驚くのですが、私の日本人以外の友達はみんな牛蒡好きです。金平ゴボウを作ったときもおいしいと食べてくれました。お世辞だったのだろうか？筑前煮を作ったときも、牛蒡嫌いの私は勝手にあーちゃんもきっと牛蒡まずいだろうな、と思い、「これ、まずいでしょう。しかも牛蒡の匂いって、煮物作ると他の物に移るから嫌だよね。里芋とかも牛蒡の匂いしない？」と、恐る恐る牛蒡を指しながら聞いてみると、「そう、別にまずくないよ。美味しいと思うけど。」と普通の顔で言われてしまった。やっぱり私の勘違いなのだろうか、きっとアメリカ人は牛蒡が嫌いと思うのは。牛蒡のあの木の枝っぽい味がまずいと思うんだけど。しかも、味噌汁に入れてもすごい匂う。
最近日本食ばかり作っているので、そろそろ日本食じゃないものを作らないと。日本食は普段あんまり作りません。気のせいだろうか、あーちゃんが最近食後にお菓子ばかり食べているのは。ドライのプレツェルのホットウィング味。たぶん日本食に飽きているからだろう。
そして日本食やっぱり塩分が高い。気をつけなければ。