food

What’s in Our Kitchen: the Okinawa Version

Chuck and I both love to cook, and now that we find ourselves in a completely different culinary environment, we are eager to discover the ways in which we can concoct new recipes and experience new flavors. Of course, we also want to know where to shop for the best ingredients for the flavors we already know and love! For instance, I will never tire of Chuck’s deep dish pizzas šŸ™‚ TheĀ Commissary here is sufficient for some things, but it’s small and pretty boring. I will probably only go there for things like cereal, milk, pasta,Ā and someĀ meat. Luckily, the local grocery stores out in Uruma are a real treat! I don’t know what 95% of it is, but the 5% I do know is fantastic, fresh, and relatively local (even if the squishy raw seafood with eyeballs and tentacles on display freaks me out!) Better yet, we found aĀ farmer’s market within walking/biking distance, with all sorts of fresh fruits, veggies, and flowers. It was just a quick trip in the middle of a rain shower, so I didn’t take many photos, but I couldn’t resist snapping a quick pic of the pineapples adorned in pink ribbon below…

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We brought home our goodies and whipped up some dinner: seared tuna in a homemade ginger-soy-lemon-garlic sauceĀ servedĀ over a bed of fresh greens and accompanied by fresh avocado and tomato. Delicious, and healthy too! photo2 (9) We also got Japanese eggs, which are very large, brown, and don’t require refrigeration. In fact, the U.S. is one of the only countries in the world that refrigerates its eggs. We also treated ourselves to aĀ deliciousĀ item from the dessert section of the Japanese grocery store – the half-eaten chocolate log pictured below. WeĀ don’t know what itĀ is exactly, so Chuck calls it “Dragon Poop,” naturally. Appetizing, right? Right.

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In conclusion, I was particularly tickled to find out that while most Japanese produce is regional, they still import their oranges from the good ol’ US of A. I guess you just can’t beat Florida citrus! šŸ™‚

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Asian Food Porn 2.0

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Two delicious meals from our lunch spot in Kunigami-son, after our excursion to Hiji Falls and Okuma Beach. I don’t actually know what any of this is, but I’m guessing it goes something like this: Rice (or) Noodles + Meat + Veggies. Mix with delicious magical Japanese potion and serve šŸ™‚

Here’s a little Asian food porn for ya: Today’s lunch at Transit Cafe on the Seawall, which was comprised of tuna, avocado, seaweed, rice, a quail egg, sea grapes, and some sort of delicious sauce #yum

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Culinary Adventures in the Far East

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Earlier this week, our wonderful sponsors organized a group dinner at Yoshihachi, the area’s landmark sushi establishment. Apparently, Yoshihachi has been frequented by celebrities, athletes, politicians, and high-ranking military officials over the years, so of courseĀ we had to pay it a visit. Chuck and I hadĀ tried quite a bit of deliciousĀ Japanese food already, but this was our first authentic dining experience in many ways – most notably that we removed our shoes and sat on the floor before eating, and paid in cash yen at the door for our meal (no credit cards accepted.)

Our new friends insisted we try the blowfish. Rumor has it that it makes your mouth numb and tingly, and if you’re really lucky, it gives you some trippy dreams. Alas – Chuck and I experienced neither – but I’m still happy that we tried it. What was more interesting was the sea urchin. If there is anything that straight up tastes like the ocean, it’s a sea urchin. Delicious!

Mostly, my focus in trying all this amazing Japanese foodĀ is mastering the chopsticks. Chuck was already pretty decent, but I’m proud to say I’m slowly catching up to his expertise and may even surpass it! I’m kidding… I’m nowhere near there… but I amĀ definitelyĀ making progress. In a land where you can’t just ask for a fork, you learn to work with what you’ve got!

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American Bloat

While I was in France, I ate whatever I wanted. French food is heavy on all the currently ā€œtabooā€ food groups in this country (depending on who youā€™re talking to these days), to include dairy, grains, meat, fats, and everything in between. And I have to tell ya – my digestive system never felt better while I was over there!

I returned to the U.S., and while I surely love American food in all its glory, I am back to being bloated, irregular, and less energized. Itā€™s not because I eat breadā€¦ or because cheese is wrecking my digestive systemā€¦or because I enjoy red meat. I ate all those things in Europe. I know this is no secret, but it really is the fact that food in this country is SO overly processed. Even the packaged foods in Europe had smaller lists of ingredients, most of which I could actually pronounce. Everything is fresh and mostly local there. I ate raw eggs and beef for crying out loud (and lived to tell the tale.)

Iā€™m not one to judge the U.S. based on what other countries are doing. Iā€™ve never thought itā€™s a fair comparison – we are so much bigger and more diverse than most European countries. However, I do wish we could take at least SOMEWHAT of a hint from their dietary practices. Natural ingredients. A reduced reliance on corn. Cleaner, more humane livestock care. And perhaps the elimination of preservatives, dyes, and other miscellaneous ingredients that are banned everywhere else in the developed world except here! Of course, Americans could take a little personal responsibility and work on portion control, tooā€¦

I hate to be that Northern Virginia snobby white girl, and I probably wonā€™t have this opportunity on a military base in Okinawa, but I may have to start shopping organic (itā€™s a start!)

Two of my favorite culinary items from this past weekendā€™s Army/Navy Football + Christmas party are pictured above: jumbo spiral cut ham and chocolate chip cookie dough brownies! I also loved the mashed potatoes, but they arenā€™t quite as photogenic šŸ™‚

The party was a hit. It was pouring rain outside, but pretty much everyone we invited showed up. After the game (yawn), we played a rousing and hilarious game of Cards Against Humanity, and then played with the XBOX Kinect until our knees and joints ached. I never tire of Dance Central!! I looove that came, and of course – I always win šŸ™‚

This is our last week before we head home to Virginia for the holidays! Itā€™s pure admin before we go. Medical clearance for Japan, various appointments for government passports for Japan, random miscellaneous paperworkā€¦ you guessed it, for Japan. I feel so bad for poor Annie. Her past two Japan-centric visits to the vet were traumatic enough, but the worst is yet to come! Early January, she has to get a blood test that will require tying her up and restraining her, since they will take the blood straight from the jugular. They will ask me to leave the room šŸ˜¦

Probably a good idea, to be honest. Itā€™s gonna be heartbreaking!

Had the cutest little Southern lunch at the Swan Coach House in Atlanta. The chicken florentine and tea sandwiches were delish, as were the mint juleps. It was definitely a ā€œladies who lunchā€ kind of place, floral wallpaper and all, and even had one table full of women in ridiculously large hats and heavy pearls.

The Marine and the Soldier I was with fit in just splendidlyā€¦ Haha it was hilarious.

(at Atlanta History Center – Swan House)

“The art of dining well is no slight art, the pleasure not a slight pleasure.” (Michel de Montaigne.)

Belated anniversary #dinner collage #latergram #epicrestaurant