Two years ago our son, Nicholas, flew to Japan for two weeks with some friends. It was a wonderful trip with extended stays in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, and Yokohama where they ate new foods, saw amazing sights, and experienced a different culture.
When Nicholas flew back home, a wonderful merging of schedules resulted in Nicholas and Jonathan being in Atlanta at the same time, so my husband and I (along with their baby brother) picked up our international traveler from the airport, checked into the Renaissance Concourse Airport Hotel, and the five of us stayed up late into the night hearing about Nicholas' adventures before he had to drive back to Arkansas the next morning. And as he talked, he passed out gifts--architecture books, Japanese Pokemon cards, anime and manga collectibles, and a Japanese cooking knife with NOVAJOSKY engraved in Japanese characters on the blade.
Nicholas learned a great deal about Japan on that trip, and we learned a great deal through him.
And we continue to learn.
This past Christmas, Nicholas gifted me a Bokksu subscription, a monthly delivery of Japanese snacks, candies, and teas sourced directly from centuries-old small family businesses. The bright orange box that arrives on my doorstep is filled with never-ending delights, and my afternoon cappuccino time now has a Japanese flair.
The theme for my first Bokksu box was Seasons of Japan, and a little booklet explained the various snacks and the regions from which they came. Nicholas suggested I first try the Hokkaido Red Bean Doughnuts which were absolutely delicious! Every day I tried something new--Matcha Chocolate Stick Cake (bittersweet chocolate cake), Stick Potato: Suppa Mucho Plum (crispy potato sticks with floral notes of plums), Edamame Senbei (edamame baked into a cracker), Black Sesame Taiko: Kumamon Design (pressed discs of almonds and sesame seeds), and Puku Puku Tai: Chocolate (giant red snapper shaped wafer filled with a chocolate mousse).
Then, just when I finished all the snacks, the next month's box arrived.
The theme for this month's Bokksu is Sweet Love and I immediately learned something new: In Japan, the women give gifts on Valentine's day and the favor is returned one month later on White Day. See? I love learning cultural facts like this! The first treat I tried was the Okayama White Peach Castella, a fluffy cake baked with Okayama's famous white peaches. So, so good and it paired most excellently with my cappuccino.
Tomorrow ... I have my eye on the Genji Pie.
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