MOCHI Cake-Japanese New Year

Japanese New Year MOCHI Cake brings back a fond childhood memory.  Across from our home is TATAMIYA SAN - they are the TATAMI maker.  TATAMI is a special Japanese Flooring made from special straws.  The family is considered our 'block' leader because of their 'wealth'.  They also lead us in the MOCHI ZUKI on the Japanese New Year Day.  If you have never seen or involved with MOCHI ZUIKI, you might want to do some research on how this 'community' fan fare works out to ring in the new year.
Here at home, I used my sister's National brand MOCHI machine.  It is really amazing to watch this machine - after steaming the glutunous sweet rice, it starts to Pound the rice into this beautiful smooth MOCHI.
Reminder:  Work quickly and get some family members involved.  As MOCHI cools down, it hardens and become difficult to work with.  The Recipe is following the MOCHI machine's instruction.
So, here is my photo journal of making the MOCHI, an attempt with making the DAIFUKU Mochi, MOCHI CAKE, and MOCHI Senbei (Japanese cracker).

MANGOSTEEN

During the holiday, I came across Mangosteen, the tropical fruit I missed since I left S. Viet-Nam.

Unfortunately, it was disappointing.  Out of the six I cut open, only one was edible.  However, it was Good.
This is the photo journal of how the Mangosteen looks.  Definitely buy the mangosteen with outershell that is a bit soft to the touch.  Not rock hard.  The leaves and stem should be 'green' and not looking like dried wood stem like the ones I purchased.  Why did I buy it knowing all this?  Just hoping that they would be still good.
Double click on image to enlarge image and or to view extra comment noted.

FRESH PINEAPPLE TATIN II

For holiday dinner, this adds a beautiful compliment to the dessert.
Here is my photo journal for Fresh Pineapple Tatin II, 2010.

Note to myself:
Slice the pineapple even more thinner.  Arrange the pineapple in reverse image. 
Give that final touch with Maraschino cherries.

CHRISTMAS CIOPPINO DINNER

This is the photo journal of Christmas Cioppino Dinner.  The best part of this dinner is getting together with family and sharing all the joyful tidings of holiday season.  The best part of it all I didn't have to cook.  Just shop and my family cooked.
The Recipe is from Safeway seafood section.
Serving 9
The cost is about $18 per person.  $58 worth of Wild Dungeness Crab at $5.99/lb; $33.99 worth of U-15 Prawn; $21.99 Scallops; $15 Alaska Cod.  Served with Sour Dough Bread

 

 

MATCHA MILKY LOAF II

This is an attempt in baking the MATCHA MILKY LOAF #1 in 2010.  The first Matcha Milky Loaf was just as successful, but it sunk down during cooling.  This time it stood up tall and beautiful with the same recipe I got from the referenced web site. Angies' regular Hokkaido Milky Loaf  is baked beautifully.
Recipe from:  http://schneiderchen.de/237Hokkaido-Milky-Loaf.html

The important tip with this recipe is to make sure the dough is well kneaded to assure well developed gluten before it goes into 1st proofing.  I added 2 Tbsp of Matcha to the recipe.