Children's day - Shobu and Sweets

I wrote about Children's day last 2 times, but let me explain once more for new visitor's :)

Children's Day is a Japanese holiday which takes place annually on May 5th, It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.
But also known as "Tango no sekku", Families with young boys put up "Koi-nobori" (carp stream) in their yard and display dolls called "Musya ningyo" patterned after historical warriors and heroes to pray for their health and success in life.

On May 5, we put the Shobu (Japanese iris) leaves in hot bath and enjoy the fragrant Shobu-yu (iris hot-bath) because of the traditional belief that the iris bath is a miraculous prophylactic against all kinds of sickness. 

 Sumo wrestlers in Shobu-yu

In ancient times, iris leaves were also believed to have the mysterious power of extinguishing fire and for this reason, in rural areas today, people still observe the custom of putting iris leaves on the eaves of their houses on May 5 as a talisman against the possible outbreak of a fire or presence of evil spirits.

Now, Special day always comes with special food!! 

Kashiwa-Mochi and Chimaki are one of the traditional sweets eaten on Children's day.

Kashiwa-mochi is a kind of steamed Mochi(sticky rice cake) made with Joshin-ko and Shiratama-ko wrapping sweet red bean paste inside. Each of them is then wrapped with Kashiwa (oak leaves). 

 Chimaki is a sweet rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves.

 I found a recipe for kashiwa-mochi! If you have interest, try it!!

My Wagashi Chronicles - Kashiwa mochi

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Children's Day - Musya ningyo & Kabuto

 I wrote about Children's day last time, but let me explain again for new visitor's :)

Children's Day is a Japanese holiday which takes place annually on May 5th, It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.
But also known as "Tango no sekku", Families with young boys put up "Koi-nobori" (carp stream) in their yard and display dolls called "Musya ningyo" patterned after historical warriors and heroes to pray for their health and success in life.

Today, I show you little bit about more "Musya ningyo"

Musha ningyo (武者人形：Warrior dolls) also called "Gogatsu ningyo" (五月人形：May doll).

A set of Armour, helmet and other things the samurai warrior of old carried during wartime are displayed.

Parents display the dolls wishing for their boys to grow into strong and powerful man like a samurai!!

But, whole "Musha ningyo" is pretty big, we just display samurai warrior helmet instead of whole doll these days.

Now, we have an another doll, called "Kintaro" , Kintarō is the childhood name of "Sakata no Kintoki" who was a hero in the Heian period. He having been famous for his strength when he was a child. It is said that Kintarō rode a bear, instead of a horse(!!) and played with animals in the mountains when he was a young boy. So, that's why we display "Kintaro" it represents strength and  healthy boy!

Why not make Samurai helmet by news paper?? 

Here is how... 

http://samuraikids.com.au/funstuff%20samurai%20hat.html

Don't forget to cut the news paper into the square!

I found a geeky one, it's Darth Vader Musha doll!!!!!! also Storm trooper!!!! OMG really?!

It's in Japanese, but you can buy these at here...

http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/musha_ningyou.html
http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/index.html
http://www.yoshitoku.co.jp/sw/S_trooper.html

I have small "Kintaro" decoration in my shop★

Kintaro and carp stream and origami helmet! All in one, very cute set!!

http://www.zakka81.com.au/?p=1237&preview=true

Children's Day - Koi nobori

Children's Day is a Japanese holiday which takes place annually on May 5th, It is a day set aside to respect children's personalities and to celebrate their happiness.
But also known as "Tango no sekku", Families with young boys put up "Koi-nobori" (carp stream) in their yard and display dolls called "Musya ningyo" patterned after historical warriors and heroes to pray for their health and success in life.The Koi-nobori is a legend that carp swim up waterfalls and become dragons! This represents the successful career. That's why we put up Koi-nobori :)These days we don't have any big space to put up Koi-nobori, so we made a little one☆
The biggest koi-nobori(for home) around 10m long!! Wow... (size image bottom right)
I have brother but we didn't have koi-nobori. Our school put up the many big koi-nobori for all the kids :)Also many cake shops selling a koi-nobori cake♥ If you visit Japan now, you can see many kind of koi-nobori!!

Koi-nobori printed, decorative Japanese hand towel at Zakka81☆
http://www.zakka81.com.au/?p=1134

Pumpkin Cheese Soufflé cake with hard caramel top

I made Pumpkin Cheese Soufflé other day. It's should be more fluffy but because of different type of pumpkins, it made my cake little bit wet. (I used Jap pumpkin.)
You can use sweet potato instead of pumpkin. More less moisture.

Soufflé is a steam bake cake, you need baking tin and some other deep tin.

** Pumpkin Cheese Soufflé **
18cm round cake tin

Ingredients
* 200g Pumpkin pure (Make from fresh pumpkin, steam or microwave until soft then put into food processor or juicer or just mushed it)
* 180g Cream cheese (Room temperature)
* 30g Sugar
* 3 Egg yorks
* 1 and 1/2 table spoons Fresh cream
* 2 Table spoons Corn flower
* 2 teaspoon White rum (Optional)

* 3 Egg whites
* 60g Sugar

Instructions
1. Preheat oven 160 degrees (Fahrenheit 320)
2. In the bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth
3. Add egg yorks, white rum, fresh cream and mix, when combined all of them add corn flower and mix well.
4. Make Meringue. In a clean bowl of your electric mixer, beat the egg whites until foamy. Gradually add the sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form.
5. Add 1 spoonful of meringue to pumpkin gently fold, then add half of remaining meringue to the pumpkin mixture and fold, and add remaining meringue and fold. Don't over fold it!
6. Pour into cooking papered tin(the cake will get taller than tin, set the cooking paper bit higher than tin). Wrap the cake tin base with tin foil if you use loose bottom tin (protect from water)


7. Put baking tin into water through tin (without pouring the hot water yet, you will know why later)
8. Pour pumpkin mix from above into the baking tin
9. Pour hot water into the water through now, about 1 – 1.5inch high (The pumpkin mix has weight if you pour water first then put your baking tin with cheesecake mix into the water through, water may overflow and the water through may get too hot)
10. Bake around 60 minuets, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

11. Let the cake cool completely before removing from pan. The cake will shrink but it's fine.
12. Leave it into the fridge for couple of hours before serve.


** Caramel top **
Ingredients
* 100g Sugar
* 3 table spoons water

Instructions
1. In the pan, put sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat
2. Gently swirl the pan once to even out the color. Continue to cook until the sugar turns medium amber. (Once the mixture begins to color, it will darken very quickly, so keep an eye on it.)
3. Pour above from the cold cake!

This original recipe from very famous Japanese cooking community site called Cookpad where you can find whatever you want to cook and bake!!
Original recipe from cookpad by HILO manma


Don't forget mother's day next month!!
Find some unique gift at Zakka 81 Japanese style☆
http://www.zakka81.com.au

Wall decoration challenge!! 2

I tried to make something for my wall on every month, but I missed last month! :( I thought its "easy peasy!" .... well, I'll do my best!

This month I made "Toilet roll art", I found this idea from Pinterest as usual.
I had collected the core of toilet roll since last month, It took long time to collect, specially live in here just two of us, my partner and me. Men doesn't use toilet paper not so much like girls!
Anway finally I had enough to make this!

Ta daaa~~!!
It's peacock inspired toilet roll art. I used acrylic paint to paint inside of the roll. It has glitter gold but hard to see in these photos...
You just need to cut the roll around 2cm wide and stick with glue!
How easy is that!!

And I made another one with left over rolls ...
That is.......

Cherry blossoms!!
Bend in the one side to make petals.I really LOVE this one. Just now, cherry blossoms season in Japan and I miss it so much!
But I can see my cherry blossoms at home every day ;)
I will make more when I got more toilet roll. This is very fun craft!!



Hey, do you know mother's day is next month!!
Find unique gift at Zakka81 Japanese style ☆

Easter Ideas! 2

Now, let's talking about food!
I found lot's of yummy, funny Easter foods!!

((Click the title or images to jump original pages))

*Spring chick Cupcakes ( From Martha Stewart)Baby chicks with their coconut feathers, nutty beaks, and confectionery details.... So adorable!!

*Easter Cupcake Baked in Real Eggshells (From Cupcake project)

Do you want to make "WOW!" to your families or friends? This is the one!! How cool is that!

*Hidden Surprise Easter Egg treats (From Kellogg's Rice Krispies)

Kids will love these crisp eggs!!

*Rainbow jello Easter egg ( From Thrive )Wow!! This is sooo fantastic! I wounder I can use real eggshell to make this... unnnn...
Don't worry, if you can't make this super rainbow egg you can make this...

* Easter Creamy Jell-o Jigglers (From kraft foods)This is mixing Jell-o and Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding! Easy!!

*Baa Baa Black and White Sheep Treat (From Southern Living)
Many smart people out there!! This is not cooking, just stuck together! Awesome!!
Here is another no bake treat...

*Un-Baked Cookie Nests (From Kitchen Simplicity) I think I will make this... What a nice little nest to fill up the joy!!

*Caramel Marzipan Easter Egg (From Baker's Corner )It's no baking as well. This is a great decorations for the cake!!
For the last....

*Devilish Chiks! (From Savoring time in the kitchen)Look these little peeps!! OMG it's so funny!!


★I got a lot's of new products from Japan!! Please pop into...
http://www.zakka81.com.au

Easter Ideas!

Easter is coming soon, 8th of April!! (from Good Friday 6th) Did you know that?
Are you going to do something? I'm not sure what we going to do. BUT I'll share some Easter decoration, food, craft ideas!!

Today I gonna show you great craft, decoration ideas.

((click title or image to jump original pages))

*Flower arrangement in eggshells (from Martha Stewart)It's very pretty!! Hollowed-out eggshells make naturally beautiful vases for tiny flower arrangements.

*Natural dye Easter eggs (From Creative Living)
Decorating eggs by attaching leaves before dipping them in dye from berries, herbs, onions and veggies... Beautiful!!

*Mosaic Easter Eggs (From Specialty Art Glass)This is very creative!! I really want to try this!

*Bunny Napkins (from Good housekeeping)
Wow!! How clever and cute!!! I do Origami(folding paper) but this is just great!

*Embroidery floss Easter eggs (From Crafts for all season)This one using water balloons but you can also use normal, big balloons!
What a fun!!

*Easter egg candy pouch ( From Simple as that)
If you are very busy, how about this? Great idea for busy mom!!

★Don't forget to get some presents!!
http://www.zakka81.com.au