This is genius - Japanese designers Nendo have created chocolate pencils to accompany desserts. The pencils come with a pencil sharpener that can then be used to grate the tasty chocolate filings over the dessert.
Delicious sounding stuff and available from Tokyo patissier Tsujiguchi Hironobu.
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You probably wouldn’t go all the way to Japan with the express intention of eating at KFC. However if for some reason you did, at least KFC in Japan offers the opportunity to eat a distinctively Japanese product that as far as I know you can’t get elsewhere - the KFC Onigiri.
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KFCs Mum’s Night Off advert promotes avoiding washing up and cooking by serving kids KFC in paper buckets for dinner which can then be thrown away. A noble time and effort saving idea, however why not go one better by eating the tableware once you’ve finished eating off it.
Japanese designer Nobuhiko Aikeawa of Rice-Design has created edible plates, bowls and chopsticks from bread for Orto Cafe in Fukuoka, Japan.
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Japanese actress Serena Kozakura recently had a conviction of destruction of property overturned when it was shown in a reconstruction that her large breasts revealed flaws in testimony against her. It was claimed she kicked a hole in a door and then climbed through, however the reconstruction showed the size of her breasts would have prevented her from doing so.
This highlights just one of the benefits of large breasts in Japan - With this in mind if ladies in Japan would like to increase the size of their boobs they would be best of, according to Yokoyama Corporation, tucking into a few of their mango flavoured F-Cup Puddings. (Incidentally I’m not suggesting Serena Kozakura committed the crime then wolfed down some of these puddings to then go on and claim her innocence.)
F-Cup puddings contain pueraria mirifica, which supposedly has knocker enhancing qualities. A month’s supply of these tasty marvels will only set you back about £10 (¥1,890) but unfortunately they are as yet unavailable in the UK.
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Having never made sushi before I’m not sure I’m the best person to write a “how to make sushi” style post. However lack of experience, success or ability didn’t stop Steve McClaren becoming England manager so it’s not going to stop me writing about making sushi.
For my first foray into sushi creation I thought it would be best to start with something at the simpler end of the sushi spectrum. With this in mind I decided to make hoso maki zushi (thin rolled sushi) with tuna, cucumber and takuan (a Japanese yellow pickle) fillings.
How to make sushi
First wash 300g of sushi rice and put it in a saucepan with 330ml of water, cover and bring to the boil over a medium heat. Then leave the rice to simmer for about 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes. Next up add 3 tablespoons of sushi vinegar mixture and stir into the rice. That’s the rice sorted which can then be left at room temperature whilst you get on with the next steps.
Take your sheets of nori and fold in half across the grain to break into 2 pieces.
Slice the tuna, cucumber and takuan into 1cm wide strips
Mix the sushi vinegar mixture with some water in a bowl. Use this dip your hands to prevent the rice sticking to them. Then take the rice and spread it over the nori leaving about a 1cm margin of nori along the top.
For the fish fillings you can put a bit of wasabi across the centre of the rice and then arrange the filling on top of the wasabi.
Using the sushi rolling mat you can, as the name suggests, roll your sushi.
Finally moisten a knife with the vinegared water and slice the long sushi roll in bite sized pieces.
The verdict
Whilst my hozo maki zushi look a bit on the scruffy side they were pretty tasty. I was a little bit over enthusiastic with the wasabi making the tuna rolls a bit on the eye-watering side, but all in all it turned out better than my very low expectations which sadly was not the case with Steve McClaren’s stint as England manager.
Unlike the UK, vandalism is not a popular past time in Japan. With this threat missing from the streets, vending machines are all over the place with an amazing one vending machine for every 23 people.
Mr Ikeda of Sapporo, Japan has since August 2005 taken a photo of the same drinks vending machine nearly everyday, diligently recording any changes.
This obsession is documented on his accurately entitled blog “I take a picture of the vending machine every day (or so). I’m very sorry“.
A seemingly pointless obsession resulting a truly original and brilliant blog. Hat’s off to Mr Ikeda.