Food Specialties, Kyoto

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When I saw something described on a menu as 'bracken jelly' I just had to sample it. It came with a topping of soya flour and was rather nice - quite a delicate flavour, but not too sweet.

It came with a serving of matcha green tea.

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I love eating Japanese sweets, with a cup of green tea. They're so good, because the sweet white or red bean paste melts in your mouth, and it's not Too sweet. They have a very delicate flavour. Also, aesthetic is very important in Japan, and the Japanese sweets are always in a design that matches the season at the time. The designs are simple and are supposed to 'suggest' at what it is, rather than be 'in your face'.

We started out with rolls of what looked like play-dough / plasticine. This was the ingredients we worked with. Made out of sweet white bean paste, and kept moist.

We divided them into equal parts so we could make 5 sweets.

I made a leaf (with dewdrop), a flower, another leaf (with caterpiller), a rabbit, and a frog. :-)
boy, it was a lot of fun. Made me feel so young again, like I was playing with play-dough, except these were really yummy and sweet to eat afterwards! (I know some kids are tempted to eat their play-dough creations...) haha.

Problem was, they only stayed fresh for one day, so I had to eat all of them, and felt a little hyper from sugar!

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I love Japanese food. The lunchbox "bento" is one of my favorites! It can be cheap and tasty in a plastic throw-away box from the convienience store or supermarket. Or, it can be in a lacquerware box from a classy restaurant. It contains sashimi (raw fish/squid) pickled vegetables, vegetables, fruit, rice, salted fish...etc. And presented so beautifully too. If you are lucky enough, like me, you may be invited to a tea ceremony, and have some powdered green tea whisked up for you, and then enjoy a special lunchbox afterwards.

Never to miss while in Kyoto is those yummy Green Tea Ice Cream (Mocha as they call it). They can be found in most streets. Prices range from 180 yen to 300 yen. You can also get them from Haagen Dazs vending machines and a small cup costs 260 yen. Did I say it's yummy?!

Japanese powdered green tea is called "Matcha".
At first, I was surprised to find Matcha Ice-cream..but when I tried it, it was surprisingly good. Matcha ice cream is sold just about everywhere with normal ice creams.
Also, the Japanese make Matcha noodles, Matcha in rice (very delicious!), Matcha Shakes, and Matcha Lattes.
My favorite cafe at the moment is a Matcha cafe that sells everything with matcha in it!
I recommend Waffles with Matcha ice cream and vanilla ice cream.
Wow, and you sure get a caffine high afterwards!
There are many cafes around central Kyoto that sell Matcha-flavored food! Try it!