More Kit-Kat! :)

As some of you may know one of my favourite things about living in Japan was discovering new flavours of kit-kat chocolates. Japan has an impressive array of kit-kat flavours. I was actually told that every Prefecture has its own flavour but I only came across a handful of them.

Right before I left Japan I came across 2 new flavours: pomegranate and blueberry cheesecake, neat right? I have tied them both. The pomegranate one has very tangy taste that I have never associated with chocolate, the colour of the chocolate is also yellow and while it was a very new flavour for me, I did enjoy it. The blueberry cheesecake one was just way too sweet for me. It did however taste like cheesecake, but nothing like blueberry. I don’t have a very sweet tooth so I wasn’t a big fan, but I can see someone who enjoys sweet chocolate liking this one.

I’m not sure if the pomegranate flavour kit-kat is from a particular region, but I know the cheesecake blueberry one is famous around the Mt. Fuji area. Even the box is in the shape of Mt. Fuji. If interested in finding different flavour kit-kat one can go to any grocery store in Japan. Every couple of months based on the seasons, flavours will change. Foe example, in the spring you can find sakura (cherry blossom) flavour, or in summer you can find watermelon flavour.

Have you found any other interesting kit-kat flavours? Would love to see how many flavours are out there!

Blueberry Cheesecake flavour Kit-Kat

The top of the box.

Japanese presentation at its best. Mt. Fuji shaped box.

Pomegranate flavour kit-kat.

Kit Kat!

Today’s post has nothing to do with trips or places I’ve been to. Something I have become interested in while living in Japan is cooking and trying all different types of Japanese food. Whatever I see for the first time I put in my mouth. If I don’t like it I will avoid it at all costs. If I do like it, I will make an effort to research more about it. Either way I am willing to try everything at least once.

One of my favourite things in Japan is how seasonal the country is. Everything has a time and a place. In Spring everything is about cherry blossoms. Everything is cherry blossom flavoured, you see pictures of cherry blossoms all around and is the main topic of conversation among people. Summer is about trying to keep cool and lemon flavoured food (ゆず）is all the hype. In Fall the leaves change colours and people are more interested about matcha/green tea flavours. This matcha phase goes well into winter as well.

The chocolate kit kat goes along with the seasons in Japan and is pretty great! In spring we can find cherry blossom flavoured kit kat. I can’t quite describe the cherry blossom flavour as it doesn’t taste like strawberry or anything I have ever tasted before. Is cherry blossom flavour! My favourite is the matcha kit kat.

While introducing myself to a class I mentioned that I enjoyed eating kit kat and that I particularly enjoyed all the different flavours. Over the winter holidays one of them went to Kyoto and got me 3 boxes of different flavours kit kat. That something I should mention, Kyoto sells the biggest selection of flavours than any other place I have visited. I have kept an eye out but thus far Kyoto is the only place where I could find Japanese tea (お茶), matcha, cherry blossom (桜), cookies and cream, etc…

Below I have posted a picture of what the boxes look like. Definitely a fun change to the normal, regular kit kat I had become accustomed to back at home.

3 Different Flavours of Kit Kat. Green Tea, Tea and I believe Hazelnut, but not quite sure about the third one.

Green Tea kit kat.

Japanese Tea kit kat.

Hazelnut? kit kat.

Recipe #2: Red Chicken Curry

For my second recipe I made a red curry chicken (No pictures available because I ate it all before I could take pictures). I got over excited about my upcoming trip to Thailand and I found this red curry package of sorts at JUSCO and thought why not? It turned out much better than what I thought it would, especially after I struggled with the package and the red curry exploded all over the kitchen except inside the pot.

The recipe just asked for chicken the curry paste, and some veggies. I got pineapples, extra veggies, and I once heard that some people add cream cheese to their red curry, so I went for it too. It turned out really well, except it was as I should have known too hot for me. I guess is time to show my true colours and admit that I’m not one for spicy food… ooohh I can hear everyone now “but you’re Mexican!”… yes, yes I know I am Mexican and my last name should be spicy, but I just can’t really handle spicy food. Suddenly I realized that Thai food will be the death of me… oh oh.

Keeping you posted!

Recipe #1: Indonesian Fried Noodles

I was supposed to post this ages ago.. sorry!

Alright so I tried my first recipe (look at previous post): Indonesian Fried Noodles (Mie Goreng), and I gotta say… not too bad. The recipe asks for ramen noodles, whatever veggies you’ve got around, chicken and spices. All of which I could find at my local grocery store.

The instructions looked a lot more complicated than what it really was. All you need to do is boil the noodles, fry the veggies and chicken and toss everything together. That’s my kind of cooking. At first I thought I went a little heavy on the pepper, but after a while I thought it was rather good. I’ve made this a few times since and have played around with the recipe a bit. Overall I would say this is a keeper!

Keeping you posted!

My new cooking challenge!

Let’s just say that cooking isn’t my forte…

I have now been living in Japan for a little bit over 8 months and I must admit that my cooking skills have not particularly improved in the time I’ve been here. Sure I have never been too talented when it comes to cooking, but I figured that once on my own I would be forced to become the next Jamie Oliver, but alas that has not been the case. I have learned a few tricks around the kitchen here and there but I don’t think I would like to subject too many people into eating my creations.

With my mom visiting in exactly a month I have begun to panic because quite simply what am I going to feed her?! So I am going to challenge myself a little and try 4 new Asian cuisine recipes in the next 4 weeks. My goal is to be able to cook 4 meals; they don’t have to be ridiculously difficult. As a matter of fact the simpler, the better. So I will be looking around for a recipe to try this coming weekend. I will search it, make it, try it and give you my verdict.

I want to leave Japan being able to be self-sufficient when it comes to cooking. A lot of my friends around here are amazing cooks and when I asked them what their secret is they all said the same thing: practice. Also they all have their own style, so I’m going to find mine too… wish me luck!

Keeping you posted…