Day 9: Let them eat cake!

Today was one of my the teachers I work with's birthday. She is actually my favourite teacher, and I call her my Japanese mother (It's ok, she met my real mother. They of course they had a fist fight, but it all worked out in the end). She really is though; she looks after me, takes me to the doctor, tells me what is going on, buys me souvenirs from her trips and teaches me about Japanese language and culture (Coming to a country like Japan where you don't know anything: language, culture or social norms really is exactly like being a baby again). So a Japanese mother is exactly what she is.

So how do you show your appreciation for your mother on her birthday? Thats right, with a cake. So i decided to make her a traditional british cake, with a twist.

Make Japanese mothers cake, Japanese mothers love cake!

Whats the twist? Well it looks like your standard Victoria jam sandwich cake doesn't it. Well, I decided as I am in Japan I would give it a Japanese twist. Instead of jam, I put anko (あんこ). Anko is a very Japanese food, it is red soy bean paste (Told you they love soy) it is sweet, but not as sweet as western pudding foods. It is in all sorts of foods in Japan including bread, donuts, sweets and many more I can't think of right now. So I thought why not? It went down a storm, Japanese people love anko.

I think this is how it grows, already in the tin

I had my evening class this evening so I went to ramen before that. Because Kelsey also teachers a class at the same place and time we go together so she joins me for my pre-teaching ramen. It really gives me the energy to sit and talk about English for an hour (It's a tough job, you need lots or carbs for sitting!). So we ate together. I decided to go for the kotteri-ramen, thats the thick soup one. I also thought I would branch out into more side dishes to give you a better understanding of the menu (I know you were upset at not knowing all about it).

See the gyouza sauce but not gyouza? Told you, Blasphemy!

So I had the breaded white fish. This is basically breaded cod, quite the taste from home. It's no chippy battered fish, but it will have to do for now. I used the gyouza sauce and it was delicious. I wolfed it down and then finished my bowl of ramen rather eagerly.

See, only 3 lines to finish it all!

So considering I found it a wee bit of a struggle to eat the ramen on Sunday and yesterday today was a breeze. I was gleefully eating it today, I was so hungry and it hit the spot perfectly. In fact I finished off Kelsey's for her too (She left some meat, and I think we have established how I feel about meat). So, maybe I'm getting my second wind, lets just hope I get a third one around the 20 day mark and I'll be bounding to the finish line.

Actually on second thoughts, there is no way I'll be bounding anywhere after that much fatty soup!

Tune in tomorrow to hear about the interesting noises of a ramen restaurant!