Ping-Yuen's Tiramisu Recipe

I saw Japan's sunset on the day I flew off. The 'Land of the Rising Sun' is indeed setting for me.

The past year working and traveling Japan had me realised that I managed to pluck meself out of my comfortable-zone of Christchurch, and tried out a country in which I neither speak its language nor embrace its culture.

Nonetheless, I am back to where I first started, albeit with more experiences to share and stories to tell when I catch up with friends and family once again. Have been slowly watering meself with sports since I came back. Sweet sports... (one year sitting on a rollie blue office chair facing a computer 14-15 hours a day is not the most ideal exercise whilst working in Japan).

Other than that, me and Boi got some ingredients from Countdown last night, and I made some Tiramisu using Ping-Yuen's recipe. Although the recipe was originally provided by his sister, I will just call it PY's recipe anyway for short. By the way, I forgot what type of cream I should buy when shopping in Countdown so I took the liberty to call dear PY in Singapore while he is at work, demanding whether I should get normal cream, lite cream, thickened cream or whipped cream to make the Tiramisu.

Yes, I am THAT demanding while PY patiently described to me what type of cream I should get, and each consequence of using the different types of creams.

HISTORY

I learned my first tiramisu-making with Ping-Yuen end of 2004 (my closest male friend if I could put him in that category). In fact, I would say that we are more than friends, as we have attained a higher level than mere friendship. Since then, I have only made it twice (once for my parents, the other time for my sis).

This time round, I am determine that Boi has some share of this wonderful recipe. So I made 8 crystal glasses of Tiramisu, full bodied in coffee and D.O.M. liquor, Mascarpone cheese and cream as well as the soaked biscotti. Photos as above.

Thanks again PY!

Hokkaido Flower Power

Got a ferry (return - for JPY17,400 - SWEEEEET... normally it would have cost JPY60,000 return flight).

I was set to spend 20 hours to Hokkaido in a ferry each way, considering it will save me more than 400 bucks. With my imagination that the "ferry" would be the Penang-style type of open-aired thingies where passengers are sort of lump together with the vehicles.. I was surprised when the "ferry" turned out to be a small cruise ship (Shin-Nihonkai) minus the swimming pool and casino.. but with restaurants, cafes, spa and bath, theatre room...I was stoked. Chucking up on board was no longer a problem.

My sole purpose visiting Hokkaido was for the flower fields. Went with MM (a Louisiana dude met through a mutual friend) who so happened want to visit Hokkaido too. With my talkative travel companion in tow (whom I have learnt how to tune him out when I am tired of listening to him ... hehehe.. sorry, Mike, but I am sure you must have think that I am a very rude person), I managed to fulfil my purpose with 5 days out of 6 raining when we were there.

The gorgeous laid-back country-side was a sharp contrast to ugly Osaka, and it was also 10 degrees cooler as compared to Osaka, ranging between 16-24 degree Celcius.

I have never seen so much flowers in such a short span of time. Poppies being my favourite.

HIGHLIGHTS:

When Mike and I asked for directions, people tend to tell me in Japanese, thinking I am one of their kind. I have to point to the white dude next to me, and politely request that they speak to him instead.

The Ditch Crawler - I HAVE to take this photo as evidence that my travel companion happily crossed a 2-feet ditch by crawling on 2 logs. No one will believe me if I didn't take that photo.

Yes, yes.. he is American.

Photos of down South

Caught a flight with my temp flatmate to Miyazaki - SouthEast of Kyushu, Japan 2 weeks ago, and rented a car driving to Aoshima island...although the weather was HOT, burning through my slippers and all, we saw the horizontal rocks with little craters on them, formed by volcanic lava whatever you want to call it. I actually thought they were fake man-made cement stuff at first.

Drove the coastal Phoenix and Horikiri Pass...almost looked like some sort of place in America with the white souvenir shops and palm trees, blue skies...along to Nichinan.

Returned the car, caught a train to Kagoshima. It was prob more than a 3 hr train ride...I napped away happily with the occasional sleepy glance at the scenery through the train window. Then suddenly, my flatmate went "SHIT!"

I awoke with a start, and we realized that our last ferry is at 4 pm leaving Kagoshima port to Yakushima, and not 6.45 pm (the latter being the ARRIVAL time in Yakushima). Well, since we have missed it, we might as well enjoy Kagoshima and take the first ferry the next day instead.

YAKUSHIMA
One word - Awesome!

The skies so clear, the locals are so nice (i.e., our minshuku Habu-san made us tea and send us coffee in the morning despite us not having that need)... ahhhh we have the whole minshuku to ourselves since no one else were there. The local eatery (Hiro) which we somehow found, hidden in some corner serves the best Ikan Bakar I have ever eaten...

The cedar forest (Mononoke (?)) was so mossy and green, with creeks and waterfalls, wild deers and monkeys in families as well....we took the baby trek being 3 hr return, and I havent's sweat so much in the past month until now...

The beaches were so gorgeous!! Yups. In Japan. The water is so clear and the bead-like sand glistens in the sun....no wonder the turtles find Yakushima one of their spots to lay eggs. Too bad we didn't have more time on this fantastic island though.

Yakushima being the climax of our trip, the rest of it (driving north of Kagoshima to Takachiho Gorge) was kinda like... yeah.. whatever... hehehe. Dropped by at Marc Chagall cafe in Yufuin, drove round Beppu and Oita....Somehow, Yufuin, Beppu and Oita weren't as beautiful as when I visited them last year during fall with MdM and Nancy.

All in all, the highlight of the trip down South is definitely Yakushima.. HIGHLY recommended.

Peace out.