GRADUATION TIME

Rie and Yohei were in London for their graduation ceremony. We decided to celebrate with hotpot. I wasn't sure they would have made it to the UK after the earthquake. Yohei especially, being from Fukushima, had a lot of problems and his trip to London was "epic" to say the least.

Happy Rie :)


Yohei always cracks me up :)


Lyle joined us, too. He graduated as well. I still have a bit to go...

Hotpot! The left-side was the devil's brew... it was so hot most people couldn't eat it. Only Yohei and Kim could endure it. They must have guts of steel...

Here's me, Rie, Lyle and Yohei :)

Rie told me that Korean couples or friends take pictures like this... we were meant to create a heart-shape, but I left a gap... more or less... I need practice!

さびしくなるよ...

SIMO'S VISIT :)

This is the best pie I've ever had. Pork, chicken and apricots topped with stuffing. It comes from Jonny's dad butcher shop in Pontesbury, near Shrewsbury. If you are in Shropshire make sure you pay a visit to Hignetts of Pontesbury, est. 1919.

While I was cooking the guys decided to form a rock band...

Note the concentration...

Torakiki more and more resembles a stuffed animal...

It all proved too tiring for Gioia...

Old friends reunited!

Simo!

Another Simo :)

Isabel :)

Gioia and Simo, small sister / big sister...

See you soon :)

HELP IF YOU CAN :)

British Red Cross Japan Tsunami Appeal

FLOWERS AND WOODS

Beauty hides in the most unexpected places...

I have noticed this little cherry tree while walking through a depressing car park on my way to work (it is depressing because it is all bricks and cement in the middle of an estate and also because it is on my way to work).

Somehow it reminded me of the ending of Nagisa Oshima's film Gohatto... beauty poetically linked to evil and death...

Talking about films and Japanese cinema, last night I went to see Norwegian Wood.

I liked it although, in my opinion, it doesn't fully convey the emotions of Murakami's novel. It is undoubtely beautifully shot, but it possibly focuses too much on despair and doesn't portray other aspects narrated in the book. Maybe the changes to the plot took away a bit of the magic, especially if considering the main character, Watanabe. I still enjoyed it a lot. Ken'ichi Matsuyama was very good (and very cute, as always!).

:'(

CHEESE & PANCETTA SCONE ROUND RECIPE

Here is the recipe for the Cheese & Pancetta Scone Round, as promised. You will need:

• 2 cups of self-raising flour, sifted


• 40g of butter, cut into small pieces


• 1 cup of grated Cheddar cheese (I used mature, half-fat one)


• 70g of pancetta cubes


• 1/2 cup of milk


• 1/2 cup of water


• cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to hot (220C/ 200C fan). Place the flour in a bowl. Add the butter and rub in with fingertips, just like when making scones. Stir in half of the cheese and all of the pancetta. In a separate jug, combine milk and water. Make a well in the centre of the flour mixture. Pour in the liquid all at once, reserving 1 teaspoon.

Mix to a soft dough. Turn onto a floured surface and knead lightly. Press or roll out to form a 20cm round. Place it on a greased baking tray. Using a floured knife cut two thirds of the way through to make 8 wedges. Glaze with the remaining liquid. Sprinkle with the remaining grated cheese and a little cayenne pepper. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until scones sound hollow when tapped.

Dead easy and delicious. Try it :)

ON REMAKES... AGAIN...

Everyone knows I'm not a big fan of remakes. It's been a long time since 1969 and a remake of the classic "True Grit", although unecessary, didn't come as upsetting news. Still, having a soft spot for the original and having seen it with my dad at least a dozen times, I felt I didn't want to see the new version. However, I'm not an obtuse person, or at least I try not to be, and I really like the work of the Coen brothers... 'It could be an eye opener, you stubborn ass', I told to myself... Fortunately or unfortunately, I have to conclude that the remake doesn't have a patch (haha) on the original and my opinion on remakes remains unchanged... For a more thourough analysis check this article from the Guardian.