Ya, mon (Saturday, 4/20)

Usually when I travel I'm able to post along the road so that I can share my perspective as I'm experiencing my trip. This time I'm writing when I return so I already know how the story "ends." But, I wrote some notes along the way so I'll share my thoughts the best I can. Internet was available along the way, albeit at about $6/hour. Alisa thought that we shouldn't leave electronic breadcrumbs as we traveled under the radar.

What better way to kick off a terrific adventure than in a beautiful place with a wonderful friend. How fortunate I am to have a dear friend like Enith living in Jamaica. Enith met me at the Kingston airport and we went for a Jamaican breakfast including saltfish, ackee, callaloo, dumplings, yams, porridge, and amazing fruits. This was especially welcomed since I had gotten up at 4 am to get to the airport and flew in on Jet Blue (which only serves snacks).

We stopped in Devon House with its lush gardens, one of the beautiful sights around the city:

Then off to Enith's house where she completed preparing her family's traditional recipe for sweet potato pudding:

Preparations were underway by all of her neighbors for a celebration/memorial for Dawn Scott who had died several months ago.

The evening ended with friends sharing drumming, delicious food, sharing old memories, and creating new ones, and dancing to honor an amazing woman.

What a magical evening!!

Mochitsuki, Part II

I've written previously in this space about our family tradition of making rice cakes, http://peacefulroadwarrior.blogspot.com/2011/02/mochi-making-mochitsuki.html. Unfortunately, I don't have any photos to share of those days of yore when the family would gather at my grandparents' home right before the New Year to make rice cakes pounding the steamed sweet rice in a hollowed-out tree trunk with a big wooden mallet.

Here are some representative photos found on the Web.

Even though my grandparents' old tree trunk has since fallen apart, the tradition continues each year with my cousins now taking charge making mochi with a machine (actually, to keep up with the volume, they have three machines going concurrently). Here are my parents' generation (Nisei):

my generation (Sansei):

and the next generation (Yonsei) who provide much of the mochi-making labor force:

I was so inspired after going to Mochitsuki in Seattle, December 2012 that I wanted to share the fun with my New York City friends. So, we gathered for a Lunar New Year party to ring in the Year of the Serpent.

The preparation started several days ahead with washing and soaking about 8 pounds of sweet rice or mochigome (this is different from regular white rice). Then I made three batches of anko or an (sweet azuki or red bean paste) to make daifuku (mochi with anko filling):

Azuki an
2 c azuki beans
2 c sugar
1/4 t salt

Wash azuki and soak for 1/2 day. Cover beans with water and simmer until beans are tender enough to mash. Mash (or use food processor). Put in pan, add sugar and salt and cook slowly over low heat until firm enough to make a ball. Make little balls of an. Note: there are also microwave recipes for making an.


It wouldn't be a New Year's party without osechi-ryoori, traditional Japanese New Year's food.

So, I made kuromame (black soybeans):

and a radish and carrot sunomono or namasu:

makizushi:

 sekihan (azuki bean rice):

and assorted other good-luck foods: bamboo shoots (takenoko), lotus roots (renkon), yam gelatin (konnyaku), fish cakes (kamaboko), sweet potatoes (yaki-imo), shitake mushrooms and daikon:

Plus, guests shared some of their traditional foods and plenty of beverages. What a fun and delicious time. A new tradition has been started. Can't wait for the Year of the Horse!!!!

End Notes: Ireland

It's always good to return home. It's even better to come home with happy memories. I had been forewarned to expect lousy weather. So, how fortunate we were to have only one night of rain and a couple of misty or drizzly hours during an 11-day vacation. I was told that the culinary choices would be primarily meat and potatoes but found a wide variety of delicious foods and a vegetarian-friendly atmosphere. There seem to be lots of local food/sustainably farmed choices. Also, generally a culture of recycling, using locally sourced materials, etc.

A couple of final photos walking along Galway Bay.

The cloudy day didn't stop the intrepid swimmers:

Sunday was the National Hurling contest (equivalent to the Super Bowl or the final game of the World Series in the US How fun to watch the match between Galway and Kilkenny) with Galway fans. The Galway underdogs led most of the way then Kilkenny pulled ahead but Galway tied it up. So, life in Ireland will again come to a standstill as the whole game will be replayed again next week.

But, alas, I'll be on the other side of the Atlantic with my fond memories of a wonderful trip to Ireland and all the kindness and hospitality so freely given to me.

Cliffs of Moher

The weather has been fantastic in Ireland. Saturday was a cloudy but dry day for climbing the spectacular Cliffs of Moher on the west coast of County Claire. But, first a stop at the farmer's market. The vendor is selling everything bagels (to her immediate right)!

 Fresh bread:

 And, farm-fresh produce:

 Passed more beautiful countrside views:

 Statues in the plaza:

 And at storefronts:

 Then, on to the Cliffs of Moher:

 O'Brien's Tower at the Cliffs of Moher:

 View from O'Brien's Tower:

 The Cliffs of Moher:

 Cliffs of Moher:

Aran Islands

The weather has been amazingly nice here for over a week in Ireland...one rainy evening and a few minutes of rain up in Northern Ireland. So, we really couldn't complain about a little mist as we headed out to the Aran Islands. Besides, it didn't last for long and our outing was very pleasant on the remote, rugged island of Inishmore.

 The rocky island geography doesn't go to waste as the stone provide materials for the buildings and walls.

There are no sheep on the island any more (they are too difficult to herd as they easily jump over the stone walls but there are plenty of cows and goats.

The terrain is so rocky there are stone walls around fields of stone.

 Teampall Bhreacain:

Another stony field

 Dun Aonghasa:

View from the ferry