Book Review

I met a great awesome book at the library yesterday. It is called Meisende tsukuru komono to skirts published from Seibundoshinkosha in 2010.

ISBN 978-4-416-31009-0

Basically, I don't want to remake anything from kimono except sold in pieces because I just love KIMONO as it is. If it's cut into pieces and made into something else, I usually feel sad. When I see anything made of kimono fabric, I think of the sewist, especially antique kimono. But there is an exception! If there are some spots on the kimono that are not removable, or you can't unsewn and resew to hide the spots, there is no way you can't wear it. You need to either throw it away or remake something.

But when I met this book, I wanted to buy antique kimono just to make things out of it! (what a shame on me!). Probably I'll go find some kimono that have too many spots or torns for remake things. Otherwise, I want to wear it as kimono!

If you are interested in handmade with kimono fabrics, why don't you get this book?

Soybean Paste

Sorry, I've been lazy recently that I haven't updated my blog. Since I found my pregnancy in the late March, I've been feeling tired and sleepy all the time. But I can't help it. Every afternoon I try to put my daughter to sleep but I always fall asleep first!!

So, I can't sew much lately. I can't do much. Now, I can take care of my plants on the verandah...

Today here I want to show you my soybean paste, called miso. I cooked it in the beginning of February and let it rest until today. During the spring time, it is said it will only take 3 to 4 months to be done, but during winter, it'll take a half year!

I was going to open it some time in June or July but there is some good smell of soybean paste I felt today. So, I was like "I think it's ready! I can use it today!!," and I did.

I used this soybean paste in miso soup for today, and it tasted good. However, I thought it should be rested a little more.

Now, plums are ripe. I need to make sour plums soon!

Umeboshi Tea

Here are some hand made umeboshi.

Have you ever had an umeboshi in your life? It's a pickled plum with salt and shiso leaves. You'll feel it is suuuuppppeeeer salty if you have it for the first time. Some are mild and some are just salty. However it can be addictive!! Recently, I've been craving for something sour every day, and an umeboshi is the one. I am addicted but I should not take lots of it since it contains a lot of sodium. I know it but I can't help it!!!

Today I tried umeboshi tea at home. It was delicious. I put a little piece of an umeboshi(I didn't add whole... It'll be too salty.) in a mug and just pour hot water into the mug. How easy it is!
I felt warm and relaxed after I had it.
I followed the recipe from this site, and you can check out more ideas! But please note that it's in Japanese.

Anyway, if you are not scared to try umeboshi, or you like umeboshi, tri it out!
(none of my North American friends like it. Some Asian friends like it!!!)
Good luck! No, I should say "enjoy."

Fresh Pasta

Last night I made fresh pasta for the first time in my life!!! It tastes so much better than dried pasta.

This time, I tried this recipe published in Alessandra's blog that I've been wanting to make. I was scared to use flowers from florist because I don't know if it's organic and eatable or not. So, I picked up jasmine flowers that I'm growing on the veranda. It smells super good now.

Then, I picked up the flowers and tried to roll out the dough into flat shape. What was wrong with it? The pasta was thicker than it was supposed to be! Was it because I didn't use a pasta machine? Maybe... It was 1mm thick and was the thinest I could do.

Here is some cooked pasta. You can't see jasmine... Ouch.

Now, I should buy a pasta machine and make it again! But, the taste was good! I want to thank Alessandra.