Jet Programme Series: Food & Gratitude - Eden Aqui
Everyday I am full of gratitude and full of tasty food!
There are so many beyond stunning things about Japan, but by far my favourite has been the food! I’ve also found a befitting title for myself, a “Kuishinbo”; a person who loves to eat … a lot! There are so many savoury dishes to try; there’s sweet or spicy curry, white stews, udon, ramen, sushi, gyuudon, takoyaki, the famous Hiroshima okonomiyaki, onigiri, yakisoba, bentos of all beautiful kinds, and my favourite, omurice!
After you’ve indulged, one must end off strong with something sweet! As impressive as the previous list was, my greatest culture shock has been Japan’s array of sweets and decadent desserts. They’re even better than I expected! Glorious parfaits, fluffy pancakes, tarts and crepes that will drain your wallet! I’ve been more blessed (and a lot heavier) than I ever imagined! Moreover, they have many snacks similar to our own; I’ve found sugar sticks to rival kurma and a festive Japanese sweet that has the same old-fashioned “je ne sais pas” as toolum.
Each season heralds in a new array of fruits and vegetables, right now I’m indulging in persimmons and mushrooms, more than I ever knew existed.
Cooking in Japan is also “easy squeezy”, you can buy a variety of pre-seasoned meats, miso soups that hit the spot and easy stew or curry packs to whip together a quick meal. You can buy a plethora of sides such as tempura (deep-fried) anything; think fried pumpkin or eggplant, shrimp or caraille (no thank you), and the list goes on, you can even get meals that remind you of home, like an overly mayonnaised potato salad or red beans and rice!
Furthermore, there’s a new bread to try every week, some glorious like custard filled croissants and some a tragedy like sweet potato Danish rolls. If matcha is for you then welcome home, and you’d be surprised by how many coffees there are.
Japan also loves to “live for local”, so most foods are locally made or grown. For instance, their strawberry mochi is a real treat, their breakfast cereals are healthy yet delicious, and even the simplest things like a carton of fresh cow’s milk or the sunniest egg yolks you ever did see, are simple joys for your taste buds to enjoy daily!
Warning: when it’s finally your turn to revel in the “Land of the Rising Sun”, note that hot pepper is not a thing here, it simply does not exist!
Now, I have also shared some “trini” treats such as barfi, bobbies and Devon biscuits, which were quite sweet and unique in the words of my teachers and students. In the English-speaking society (ESS) competition my ESS club entered, they also talked about wanting to try “roti” and thinking our Christmas fruit cake was a chocolate cake, commenting how they’d love to try it as an adult!
My journey thus far has been very sweet, in all meanings of the word. Although I’ve yet to leave my beautiful prefecture of Hiroshima, I feel like I’ve already tasted most of Japan! I’m excited to get up every day, as with it brings the possibility to try even more heavenly foods! So, if you’re reading this, please hurry over to Japan and join me on my foodie adventure!
JET Series: Food & Gratitude (Go Beyond) (Japanese Embassy's Facebook)
JET Programme Series Archives