But one must not sustain solely on fried noodles and soup base. We know what you're up to. You're having ramen for dinner every night, in between marathon-ing episodes of Ghost in the Shell and Code Geass. Salad Pretz isn't really vegetables, despite what the name may say. With the aims of making instant ramen more exciting and, dare I say, healthy, let's take a look at some ways to quickly enhance your bowl of noodles.

Flavor Thy Broth

The broth is the most important part of ramen. Ramen shops are judged on the quality of their broths. I recommend you to not let the broth hinge on the soup base. You don't have to boil pork bones for hours; little things can make a difference and turn your broth into something worth savoring.

The use of miso paste can quickly impart a complex taste to the proceedings. It can be hard to dissolve miso paste in the pot, so you should stir it up in a bowl with a bit of hot water before pouring it into the broth. Because of the high levels of sodium in miso paste, you can cut back on the seasoning packet.

Another way to add flavor to your broth is to put in a squirt of toasted sesame oil. The intense flavor of sesame oil means a little bit goes a long way. A final suggestion would be to crack an egg into the broth and stir it in about 40 seconds before you take the noodles off of the heat. This creates an egg drop effect and thickens the broth considerably. Read on for more egg ideas.

Eggs Ideas

The egg is the MVP of ramen in terms of being able to be used in multiple ways to enhance instant noodles. Hard-boiled eggs are the easiest way to add protein and heft to a bowl of instant noodles.Sliced up, it adds a nice visual element to your bowl as well. With its softer yolk, a soft boiled egg offers even more pleasures. A fried egg is also a no-brainer, especially with a runny yolk that can be broken and mixed into the soup.

For the true egg mastery, you can even attempt the onsen tamago, or hot spring egg, otherwise known as a slow-cooked egg. This preparation is similar to soft-boiling, but it produces an egg that has silky egg whites with a firm yet creamy yolk. If a perfect soft-boiled egg is shooting for the moon, onsen tamago is shooting for the stars.

To make an egg hot spring style, heat the egg in water over low heat for 20 minutes. The water should not boil; you're aiming for a temperature under 160 degrees (a thermometer helps a lot). Yes, this isn't the most logical choice when looking for "quick" ways to spruce up your instant ramen, but give it a try, as the result is amazing. Take a look at the hot spring egg in the picture to the left. It looks so soft and delicate, and if you were to puncture the soft egg white, the yolk will burst forth in creamy goodness.

Greens and Protein

Here is where you can really make an impact on a lowly bowl of ramen. Give it some veggies and meat and the meal goes from collegiate slumming to something you'd actually feel good about eating. The amount of effort and time you want to commit to adding veggies is really up to you. 

If you have quick wilting vegetables such as Napa cabbage or spinach, it doesn't take long at all to incorporate some greens into the bowl. Frozen vegetables can also work well, as it can warm up at the same time as your noodles. Sweet buttered corn is another staple of ramen shops that you can easily duplicate with a can from the grocery store.

As for meats, you can quickly chop up slices of ham or Spam to add some meaty goodness with little thought or effort. Or you can take the time to prepare actual slices of pork, or chasu, like they do in the ramen-yas. Even leftover chicken can taste great when paired up with ramen noodles. 

Chewy slices of bacon, ground pork, etc. The mind reels with the possibilities. But to keep to the instantaneous nature of this meal, let's stick to ready-to-eat meats for tossing in the noodles.

Toppings

So you've got the base of your ramen noodles all ready. You could just dig in now, but one final step can kick your noodles into the stratosphere in terms of taste.

Furikake seasoning is a quick way to spice up a bowl of rice, and it can do the same for your instant ramen. A mix of sesame seeds, dried bonito, and nori, among other ingredients, furikake is highly versatile and adds a toasty taste to your ramen. In lieu of furikake, plain sesame seeds work just as well.

If you have sheets of seaweed lying around (don't we all?), toss a sheet on top. Anyone of these seaweed varieties will fit well on a bowl of ramen.

Another great addition is shichimi togorashi, a condiment found in many ramen shops in Japan. A blend of seven spices, togorashi is essentially a chili powder, but with added complexity from orange peel, sesame seeds, ginger, peppercorn, and bits of nori. A dash on top of eggs really kicks things up a notch.

One final thing! Sprinkle some chopped green onions or scallions to complete the for a bit of fragrance and crunch. Now you're ready to eat!

And Enjoy!

And those are my tips on enhancing instant ramen. Don't take this as necessary additions in order to make instant ramen palatable, because ramen is delicious in its own right. Think of this blog instead as a page of audibles that you can turn to to change it up at times. You can do just of the additions, or all of them at once. Remember, the essence of instant ramen is convenience.

Voila! You have a meal worthy of a ramen shop. Just don't let any ramen snobs read this. If you think these additions are too ambitious, feel free to stick to plain instant ramen, because it's fine as is. If these additions aren't ambitious enough, then it's time for you to do some stretches and start pulling fresh ramen. But for the rest of you, I hope you'll breathe new life into the humble bowl of instant ramen.

Iwako and its designers are reknown for their attention to detail and precision in manufacturing. This is especially important because the erasers are in fact "puzzle erasers," in that each eraser can be taken apart into separate pieces. Each piece is cast in metal molds so that they fit together perfectly. Try disassembling your pieces and putting them back together! It can be quite a challenge with some of the more intricate pieces, like the fire truck and the ducks. You can reassemble them with different colors to further customize your erasers.

Iwako often open up their factories for tours to group of young Japanese students. These lucky students get to look behind the curtain and see how Iwako's erasers get produced. The factories are about as close to a Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory as you can get in real life. The kids get to see the molds from which these cute erasers are formed. Iwako themselves say that they sometimes take suggestions from students and make the into actual eraers.

Iwako also takes great care to make erasers that are environmentally friendly and safe. The materials used in each eraser are lead-free, latex-free and non-toxic. They're even recyclable, though we find no reason why anyone would dispose of these erasers, even if done so responsibly. 

Inspiration can strike at any moment. Every eatery presents opportunities for new erasers idea. Food has been one of the more fruitful themes for Iwako. They have made eraser sets based on traditional Japanese food, sushi, dim sum, baked pastries, and fast food too. All of them look good enough to eat, but please do not eat, because Iwako erasers aren't food. The company seems to make food erasers based on the cuisine that is well known in Japan. With burritos recently making an incursion into the Japanese market, we hope to see a Mexican food set in the near future.

There is an indisputable charm in Japanese erasers. We commend Iwako's ingenuity to make everyday items all the more appealing by miniaturizing them in eraser form. The magic of Iwako erasers come from the intricate details in every piece. Look at the cherry eraser pictured above. The leaf marks are etched in convincing fashion, and the way the stems meet at the top is lifelike. And you can pull the cherry off the stem just like with a real cherry. It's oddly satisfying.

It's easy to take one look at Iwako erasers and immediately fall in love, consumed by the urge to collect them all. That's how I felt when I first saw these cute erasers at my local Japanese store. Not trying to tempt you, but if you're interested in starting a collection, we have themed erasers sets ready to purchase that are great starter packs. Pick up one of these massive sets and your collection is off to a good start at sixty strong.

Something about Iwako erasers compels people to want to share their joy with the world. These erasers, ostensibly made for students, are so simple yet the appeal is universal. Go on YouTube, type in "iwako erasers" or "japanese erasers" and you'll find many videos of people showing off their eraser collections, narrated by both adults and young children. 

We like seeing everyday objects shrunken down into miniature size. The novelty rarely rubs off. Make a mundane object like a toaster in miniature size and we woudn't be able to help but ooh and ahh at it. Come to think of it, there hasn't been a kitchen appliance eraser set released yet. Someone write Iwako to get on it! Until then, we'll just have to enjoy all the amazing erasers they have already put out. 

To make the full use of sesame seeds, we have to look towards the East and study how it is deployed in Chinese and Japanese cooking. Sesame seeds is suitable in both savory and sweet applications. Discover what this ingredient can do for your cooking and add a whole new robust flavor into your repertoire.

Super Sesame

As mentioned above, sesame seeds were first cultivated over 5000 years ago. It is one of the first crops to be pressed for its oil. Sesame has its origin in the subcontinent of India. From there, the seed spread to East Asian and the Middle East. For a small seed, sesame contains high amounts of calcium and magnesium, making it an mineral-rich option for healthy-conscious eaters.

Additionally, sesame oil contain two natural preservatives, sesamol and sesamin, that are known to fight free radicals, reducing the risk of cancer and other maladies. As you can tell by their names, sesamol and sesamin are compounds found only in sesame seeds. Behind its unassuming exterior, sesame seeds have quietly gained a well-deserved reputation as a superfood.

Beyond Oriental

For those unfamiliar with the ingredient, sesame is usually identified with "Asian" flavor. An Asian salad dressing is likely a sesame dressing. Sesame seeds is also widely used in Japanese cooking. It is one of the components of furikake, a rice seasoning topper. If you ever find rice a bit too bland, sprinkle some furikake over the top of it and be amazed at appetizing it suddenly becomes. The combination of sesame seeds, seaweed, and bonito flakes add a dose of tasty umami, making you wolf down whatever is in front of you. Sesame seeds are also found on the the popular California roll. When used in such a way, the impact of sesame seeds are subtle but pleasant. It does not overwhelm the dish, but takes a backseat instead and complement the other flavors while adding complexity and a toasty robustness to each bite. Being as such, there is no reason sesame cannot be used in more applications other than Asian cooking. Toss some in your pasta. Sprinkle it on your pizza. Put it in your oatmeal. It will taste good, not out of place, while bringing you its superfood benefits.

Black and White

Sesame seeds come in two varieties: black and white. There are little differences between the two in taste. Mostly an aesthetic difference, though some claim that black sesame seeds have a richer flavor. One observable difference between the two seeds is how they're used in cooking. White sesame seeds are used on savory dishes and as garnish, whereas black sesame seeds are sweetened and used in dessert. This is most likely due the fact that black sesame paste looks more dramatic, especially when oozing out of a mochi rice dumpling.

In addition to the seeds themselves, sesame oil also comes in two major varieties. Light sesame oil is pressed from untoasted seeds, while dark sesame oil is pressed from roasted seeds. Predictably, dark sesame oil has a stronger flavor, but it can overpower a dish with its intense nutty aroma. You may stir-fry in light sesame oil; dark sesame oil is more suited for making sauces.

Sweet Sweet Sesame

Black sesame plays a big part in Chinese desserts. One particular dessert that gives you a full frontal sesame taste is Black Sesame Soup. Yes, soups aren't known to be sweet, but the Cantonese tradition of tong sui (literally "sweet water") is one such sweet soup, and it simply works. Much like a hot chocolate on a winter evening, a hot bowl of black sesame tong sui warms the tummyh and soothes the soul. It is a comfort food of the highest order, and the sweet gritty texture of sesame paste plays no small role in that joy.

It is worth mentioning that sesame paste differs from tahini, a sesame condiment widely used in Middle Eastern and Greek cuisines. Tahini is made from hulled sesame seeds, whereas sesame paste as found in Asian cuisine uses whole seeds that are roasted prior to being ground. While tahini sits outside the scope of Asian Food Grocer, I can say it is plenty tasty on a gyro or as part of a creamy hummus. Goes to show that the appeal of sesame is universal, or global at least.

Now You're Cooking with The Power of Sesame

So you've got your sesame seeds, sesame oil, and sesame paste: the full complement of sesame goods. Now to start cooking with this new entrant to your cupboard. Start off easy simply by incorporating sesame seeds as a garnish. Think anytime you would add crushed peanuts or bread crumbs to a dish, and substitute it with sesame seeds. Just like that you've added a toasty and crunchy element.

If you have untoasted sesame seeds, you can quickly toast them for a stronger flavor by putting them in a skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. No need to grease the skillet. Once toasted, it gains a new level of flavor that bursts out when you bite into a seed.

Next, begin to incorporate sesame as the main flavor component of your dish. This is most easily accomplished through the use of sesame paste and sesame oil. Sesame paste is useful when making thick sauces. By combining chili and soy sauce into sesame paste, you have a savory sauce that will work wonders as a marinade or grill sauce. Similarly, sesame oil is great as the base for a vinaigrette or salad dressing. Simply replace the olive oil in most recipes and you'll end up with a stronger flavored dressing. For more ideas on how to use sesame in your cooking, take a look at all these recipes in our recipe section.

We hope that by reading this article, you have learned about some of the benefits and applications of using sesame seeds or sesame oil in your cooking. It is a highly versatile ingredient that deserves to get out of its relative obscurity. There was a reason why "Open Sesame" was the password to a treasure trove in Ali Baba and the Forty Thieve. Indeed, sesame holds the key to a world of flavor.

Pocky

Pocky is the by far the most iconic and popular snack to come from Japan. Is it any surprise that the cream-coated snack sticks makes it way into many anime series? Characters are seen in many anime series casually noshing on the ubiquitous cream-covered biscuits. 

Given its popularity, interesting activities have sprung from the consumption of this snack. Did you know that within each pack of Pocky, there are ample opportunities for romance? Much like the famous Lady and the Tramp scene with the spaghetti, Pocky lends itself to a smooch as well. Nicknamed the "Pocky Kiss," this ritual has been depicted in many an anime scene. Two people start biting at the opposite ends of a Pocky stick until their mouths meet in the middle. Try it out with a friend!

Konpeito

Konpeito sugar candy are a popular treat with an instantly recognizable look. The unique star shape and bright colors lends itself to being represented accurately in an anime, and these candies have been seen in Studio Ghibli movies anime series as well. Most famously, the candies were seen in this Spirited Away scene, in which black soot spirits pick up konpeito off the floor and scurry back into the shadows.

Konpeito does not have a distinctive flavor, as it is simply rock candy made from simple sugars. However, the process to make these candies is a long one. Each candy core tumbles in a large heated tub, slowly takes shape day by day as it crystallizes a layer at a time. It takes anywhere from seven to thirteen days to fully form a konpeito. Think about that the next time you pop one in your mouth and finish it in seconds!

Anpan

Anpan is a baked sweet roll pastry with red bean paste filling, topped off with roasted sesame seeds. Pan is actually a loanword from Portuguese meaning bread. The bun is a favorite of Gintama's Yamazaki Sagaru. Working as a spy, he eats anpans during long stakeout sessions, having them with milk to give him energy to focus on his mission. 

The anpan is even the subject of a anime superhero, appropriately named Anpanman. Having an anpan for a head means Anpanman never has to eat to nourish himself. In fact, he offers his head as food to feed malnourished people in need. If that isn't heroic, I don't know what is.

Melonpan

Melonpan, or Melon Bread, is named as such for the ridges baked into the cookie dough crust on the bread, which resembles the rind of a cantaloupe. This popular Japanese pastry is the favorite of the titular character of the series Shakugan no Shana. Shana starts off everyday with a breakfast of melon pan. She is often seen with a melonpan in hand, with its recognizable criss-crossed pattern on the crust. Melonpan does not actually taste like melon. Instead, the flavor is described as a bit lemony. The sweet yet light taste of melonpan makes it easy to get addicted to. If more Americans get a taste of this delicious bun, there could be a wave people running around craving for melonpan like Shana.

Dorayaki

Dorayaki is similar to a pancake, only difference being that it is made from two slices of  castella, a type of fluffy cake, sandwiching a layer of sweet red bean paste. So it's quite different, but it has the same flat, browned look. Dorayaki is called as such because it resembles a gong, or dora in Japanese. Dorayaki is a known favorite food of Doraemon. The blue anime icon gorges on the pancakes whenever he gets a chance, and he can be tricked sometimes when he is tempted by the sweet taste of dorayaki. Doraemon is almost as popular as Mickey Mouse in the international scene, but somehow the series has never been licensed for release in the US.

Ramune

Ramune soda is know for its bottles, which is sealed by a glass marble. Ramune, with its distinctive codd-neck bottle, can be easily spotted in anime. Animators seem to get a kick out of depicting the realistic motion of the marble held within the bottle. Check out this animation from the series Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi. Notice the air bubbles, meticulously recreated in anime form. 

Rather than "cracking open" a drink, you pop open a Ramune by pushing the marble into the soda with a plastic plunger included with every bottle. The Ramune bottle is as much a symbol of Japanese culture as the Coca-Cola bottle is to American culture. Seeing a bottle evokes in the Japanese memories of childhood and warm summer evenings. Children often try to break Ramune bottles to extract the glass marble within. 

Of course, there are many more instances of Japanese snacks being shown in anime episodes. Anime characters are after all living creatures in their own way, and they have to eat. It's understandable that many favorite snacks of the Japanese populous make it into their media. Anime is very much a reflection of the Japan's culture. Just as Mickey Mouse and Elvis caused those overseas to yearn for authentic American culture, so anime has done the same for Japanese culture. It has made Japan's snack items seem that much more delicious.

Has watching anime ever whet your appetite? Let us know what is your favorite anime snack in the poll below! Also, check us out at the upcoming Fanime convention for your chance to taste some of these awesome snacks. We'll see you then!

At its most basic, umami is a sensation. It is a savory mouth feel. At its most concentrated, umami will cause your mouth to involuntarily salivate. It is literally mouthwatering. People have described umami as being "meaty." In my estimation, it is what makes food taste good.

The taste was first isolated by Kikunae Ikeda, a chemistry professor in Tokyo. He noticed how the addictive taste of kombu, or seaweed, cannot be attributed directly to any of the four known primary taste. There is a certain savoriness that escaped description. He investigated into the matter by looking at the chemical makeup of the food and discovered seaweed has an abundance of glutamates, an amino acid. As it turns out, our tongues have specific receptor for glutamate, which cemented umami as a basic taste within the scientific community.

The taste of umami derives chiefly from the breakdown of protein, whether through the process of fermentation, aging, or drying. Such processes increase the pungency of a certain flavor to the point where the essence is felt both on the tongue and in the back of the throat. It is more of a complementary flavor, working to enhance other present tastes. Subtle in impact but noticeable when it is absent, umami is an intrinsic part of any Asian meal.

The foremost purveyor of the umami effect comes from a chemical that has become a bit of a bugaboo among eaters: monosodium glutamate. Yes, MSG. You may be asking, isn't MSG bad for you? Well yes, in the way sugar and salt can be bad for you. When consumed moderately, MSG is no more nefarious that the common sugar or salt. There has not been any conclusive link between MSG and headaches. Nevertheless, many people swear off the additive and Chinese restaurants go out of their way to advertise not using the additive. MSG sensitivity is a real phenomenon, but it's not nearly as widespread as it may seem. If you don't suffer any outward adverse effects from MSG, I suggest you embrace this wonder seasoning. Or at least embrace umami.

For those who want to steer clear completely of food additives, there is yet hope. Umami naturally occurs in many foods, like the aforementioned Kombu Seaweed. Among Western foodstuffs, parmesan and anchovies are particularly rich in glutamates and thus umami. Ripe tomatoes and mushrooms also contain large amounts of glutamate, making them good choices for vegans and vegetarians looking for that satisfying, meaty flavor.

Want to evoke umami in your own kitchen? Many of the Japanese food products on our virtual shelves offer umami in spades. Bonito Flakes are another great source umami, and are a traditional additive to dashi and miso soups. Sauces are another way to quickly infuse umami in your meals. Both Oyster Sauce and Fish Sauce have abundant amount of glutamates, making them lip-smacking choices for your dishes.

For quick umami fixes, check out some of our Instant Ramen or Instant Miso Soup. With this additional taste to acknowledge and wield in your cooking, may you reach new horizons in your cooking.

For more ideas on who to use your newly-grasped knowledge of umami to your advantage, head over to our Recipe Section. For example, you may harness the umami potential of miso paste by using it as a sauce component, as demonstrated in this delicious Marinated Pork Recipe.

You may have read this blog and still aren't sure what exactly is umami. Well, it wouldn't be any easier explaining sweetness to a martian. Just know that it exists and that it is in the food you crave and love. It is not a flavor of the month, but a taste to stay.

Race for the Ages

How were the twelve animals of the zodiac chosen? There are a good number of origin stories on how the twelve animals of the zodiac came to be. The most widely-told folktale tells of a banquet held by the Jade Emperor, the ruler of the Heavens and Earth. He invited all of the animals in his realm to the banquet, and a race across a river would determine which animals would get to be in the zodiac and in what order.

Looking at the 12 animals, there is a conspicuous lack of the cat. The dog is there, so why not the cat? There is actually a story to explain this. It goes that the cat asked the rat to wake him up on the day of the big race. The rat, being aware of the cat's speed, goes to the race without waking up the cat. Having been betrayed, the cat now spends its days chasing the rat as payback.

The animal that came in first place was surprisingly the smallest as well: the rat. Having tricked the cat, the rat now used its cunning to win the race by hopping on the back of the ox as it paddled across the river. The ox came in second, with the tiger in third, then the rabbit, and so on. The goat, monkey and rooster helped each other in getting across the river, so people under those signs have an affinity for each other. The dog finished 11th because it wanted to wade in the water and take a bath. The pig came in last after it took a break to enjoy a snack and nap.

Interestingly enough, the cat appears in the Vietnamese Zodiac, in place of the rabbit. As a lover of both cats and rabbits, I am slightly bummed that they aren't together in the same zodiac.

Due to the widespread influence of Chinese culture, neighboring countries have adopted the Chinese zodiac, with slight variations. In the Vietnamese zodiac, the water buffalo replaces the ox; similarly in the Japanese zodiac, the wild boar takes the place of the pig. Because the Chinese characters for certain animals do not take into account differences in genus, the rat will often be translated as mouse, and the sheep may be called goat or ram.

Influence On Our Lives

Horoscopes according to the Chinese Zodiac are quite similar to western horoscopes in that they are chiefly concerned with the personal matters of love, money, and health.The Chinese believed that many aspects of human life are governed by the interrelationship between the animals and their human counterparts. One major ways this plays out is in our compatibility in our interaction with others. Be it social, romantic, or business relationships, zodiac signs play a big part in whether people will get along. Check out the compatibility chart below.

Each of the zodiac sign have qualities that affect our personality, based on the demeanor of the animals. For example, people born under the year of the dragon are perceived as being natural leaders due to the strength and reverence for the animal of the sign. Rabbit people tend to avoid conflict, in accordance with rabbit's peaceful nature.

The year of your zodiac sign rolls around every 12 years (when you're 12, 24, 36, and so forth), and that year is known as 本命年(bén mìng nián), or "year of origin life." According to tradition, that year of your own sign is actually one of bad luck. During these crucial years, you have to be on your toes and make careful decisions. One thing people recommend you do is to wear red, a fortuitous color, as often as possible to ward off the bad luck. Another possible defense during this shaky year would be to wear lucky jade jewelry on the left side of your body. The catch is that the jewelry has to be a gift from another person; you cannot generate your own luck by buying yourself things, unfortunately.

Show Off Your Sign

Now that you've found out more about the significance of the Chinese zodiac, what's your sign? Keep in mind that the lunar calendar does not align directly with our regular calendar, so people born in January actually below to the sign of the previous year. Be sure that consult a lunar calendar to find out exactly which sign you fall under. Do you find the animal in some way reflect who you are? Please let us what sign you belong to in the survey below. If you would like to show off your Chinese zodiac animal sign, we offer cute items for that express purpose.

Rilakkuma, the popular San-X character, loves to dress up as other animals. For the recent Lunar New Year, he appeared in plush toy form with the character dressing up as the 12 animals of the zodiac. You can get the corresponding plush for each of your family member's zodiac sign for nice, soft way to display your Chinese zodiac alignment.

We also have zodiac animal mini mugs. Each of these miniature cups include an adorable illustration drawn in simple black and white that shows off the charm and personality of each animal.To see all of our Chinese Zodiac-themed products, simply type "zodiac" into our search bar.

There is a reason why the popularity of the Chinese zodiac animals has endured. On the whole, people are basically self-centered. We love to find out more about ourselves, and zodiac signs, whether the Greek or Chinese version, offers us an opportunity to analyze ourselves and those around us. Our fate on this earth will always matter to us, and because of that, the animals of the Chinese zodiac will remain relevant as well.

Young people tend to break out the Sake, the Frisbees, the guitars, and then use the opportunity to socialize. And why not- meeting your boyfriend or girlfriend under a perfect sea of spring flowers is a great way to kick off a relationship. Older people and families usually take out the cameras and go for a stroll around the parks or riversides to enjoy the incredible beauty of spring.

Now, everyone's got their own idea of what a good Hanami is, but here at AFG, we want to help you and your friends have the perfect cherry blossom viewing experience. So whether you're more interested in the socializing, the beauty of nature, or just want another excuse to eat delicious Japanese food, we've got you covered.

THE CHECK LIST

TARP. Make sure it's big enough for everyone there, and remember this is a Japanese holiday, so take off your shoes when sitting on the tarp!

SAKE. Alcohol is pretty important in Japanese culture, and it's been tied with Hanami parties for centuries- don't break the tradition. (So long as you're of legal age!)

CAMERA. You want to keep your precious memories, don't you? And the cherry blossoms are incredibly beautiful. You'll be kicking yourself if you forget this important item. Trust me, I've done it.

ENTERTAINMENT. We all love to sit down with some food and sake, but it's also very common to use the Hanami as a chance to play in the park. So have a pickup game of soccer, practice your guitar chords, or throw a football around. It's spring time, get some exercise!

FOOD. A hanami is usually based around a picnic, and food ranks pretty highly at those things. So we recommend foods that can be transported easily, that don't leave a lot of garbage to clean up, and that don't need a lot of prep time. Ramen and Miso Soup are probably a bad idea. Try these foods instead:

-Onigiri - A rice ball with a variety of possible ingredients inside, usually fish. These are pretty easy to carry around, and are fairly tough- no need to worry about throwing them in your bag with a six pack and some soccer balls.

-Sushi Bento - The maki rolls are the easiest to carry around with you, but sashimi or California Rolls would also make for a great treat. Don't forget the Soy Sauce and Wasabi!

-Kara-age and Yakitori - This is Japanese Fried Chicken, or grilled chicken on a stick. These are delicious when home made, but they can be bought at most Japanese restaurants.

-Sakuramochi - This traditional Japanese Dessert has sweet Red Bean Paste inside of a dumpling, which is then adorned with a salted Cherry blossom leaf. Definitely a taste of Japan!

-Candy and Snacks - What's a picnic without some delicious Japanese treats like Pocky, Pretz, or Wasabi Peas?

MANNERS! - Remember to say 'Itadakimasu' (Thanks for the food) before eating the meal, and 'Gochisosama' (Thanks for the food) afterwards. And remember, it's appropriate to pour sake for others, and let them pour it for you.

Rather than going out to expensive sushi restaurants, you can save plenty of money by preparing sushi right at home. The ingredients required are quite simple-nori, rice, and sushi vinegar makes up the foundation of most rolls. And don't forget sushi ginger, which is munched on between and after sushi courses as a palate cleanser.

The hardest part of making sushi is actually rolling it up. The process is made much easier with help of either bamboo mats or this nifty Express Sushi Magic device that makes producing sushi rolls a no-brainer.

The kind of sushi most people in America find palatable is the ubiquitous sushi roll, with its various ingredients wrapped up in rice and seaweed paper, or nori. The California roll is a popular roll containing imitation crab, cucumber, and avocado, wrapped inside-out style with the rice on the outside and nori on the inside. Check out our recipe to recreate this widely-proliferated roll. Other popular rolls include the Philadelphia roll, which incorporates cream cheese, and spicy tuna roll, made with a spicy minced tuna mixture.

The purest form of sushi, some may say, is sashimi, which is simply slices of fresh, raw fish. Understandably, people are apprehensive about eating raw fish, gourmet or not. But dipped in the time-tested combo of soy sauce and wasabi, a sliver of salmon or tuna can taste heavenly.

Another type of sushi is nigiri, a molded ball of rice with a slice of fish on top. You may also top nigiri with non-raw-fish ingredients such as tamago (egg) and unagi (eel). Nigiri is meant to be eaten with your hands. Pick up a piece, dap it with a little sauce, and down the hatch it goes.

If the texture of raw fish is too out there for you, there are plenty of cooked item that goes into sushi as well that will not break the rule of meatless Fridays. Braised eel, is a popular cooked sushi component. With a texture similar to fish but more fatty, eel is served grilled and topped with a smoky sauce that is sure to satisfies anyone's taste buds. You may also use cooked shrimp or imitation crab, but really, any ingredient is fair game.

It can be great fun to mix and match different ingredients when putting together your rolls. Experiment with different flavors, and above all, have fun! Do not give into sushi snobs who insist on labeling rolls as either "real" sushi or not. Sushi is meant to be an all-inclusive experience, so put in your personal touch to get the most enjoyment out of your cooking.

You may find eating fresh fish and sushi so delicious that you decide to eat it year round, long past Easter. Sushi can even be considered a kosher food, given the heavy dependence on fish rather than meat. With its range of flavors and utmost emphasis on freshness, sushi is a food for people of all creeds.

To record a message, simply press and hold the plush's right hand until you see a red light glow on its forehead, then speak into the doll. Press the right hand again to complete your recording. To play the message back, simply squeeze the left hand. You are able to re-record your message at any time.

Now it's fairly simple to record your voice message in the doll, but we have come up with many inventive ways to utilize this cool feature.. For example, you may record a heartfelt romantic message for your significant other for a birthday or anniversary. This approach will go particularly well with our Heart-Bearing Teddy Bears. By giving a cute soft plushie, along with a sentimental message, you'll score double the brownie points.

Another nifty way to use the recording feature of our plush dolls is to leave instructive messages for your children. Say for example "Lunch is in the oven! Love, Mom" or "Pick you up at soccer practice at 5PM!" Much fluffier than a cell phone message, wouldn't you say? In this way, everyday memos can become little gestures of love and care.

The line of recordable plushies encompases many type of animals. We have recordable raccoons, monkeys, and teddy bears, and even Recordable Doraemon Plushies. Yep, we have the beloved blue robot feline in recordable plush form! You are sure to find a plush doll to your liking.

If for some unfathomable reason plushies aren't your style, you can always add a voice message to any gift item with one of our Voice Recordable Cards. Just like our recordable plushie, these cards can record 12 seconds of sound for a replayable message. An added bonus of the card is that you can write down anything you couldn't squeeze into the allotted 12 seconds. How are you planning to use our voice recordable items? Whatever you decide, we want to wish you happy gift-giving!

PIZZA

TAKOYAKI

This is takoyaki, also called octopus balls. It's a piece of an octopus tentacle inside a ball of partially fried dough. It is then covered with your choice of sauce- the most popular topping seems to be mayonnaise and some kind of sweet barbecue sauce. People in Japan LOVE mayonnaise. The dough is really mushy, (imagine leaving a piece of bread in water for 10 seconds) and the octopus is super chewy. And while this DID taste really good, the weird texture was just too much for me. A lot of people love this, but I doubt I'll ever try it again.

KOROKKE

This is called korokke, a mixture of mashed potato and beef that is deep fried. You can find this stuff at convenience stores all across Japan- it's greasy, cheap, and sometimes you won't regret eating it 5 minutes later. Usually you do. However, THIS was the high class korokke- and it was AMAZING! A delicious flavor, minus the extra grease, with the perfect texture! It went great with beer and some S&B spices. Definitely wasn't cheap though.

NO IDEA

So I never got the name of this one, if you know, please tell us! It's tuna with a raw egg on top, with two strips of nori (seaweed) along the side. It was topped with sesame seeds and what looked to be green onions. We stirred it all up and treated it like dip, using the nori strips as potato chips. It had a weird texture, but was really delicious. We ordered it at an izakaya, which is sort of like a Japanese bar, but with private tables, and a lot of food that goes well with beer. Needless to say, it went well with the beer : )

CHIMAKI

Originating in China, and common across various Asian countries, this is called Chimaki in Japan. While there can be a number of ingredients, such as chestnuts, red bean paste, or even salted duck eggs, this one has rice and pork. It's been cooked and steamed inside a banana leaf, and tied with thread. I had a lot of trouble untying the thread that held it together- but it was worth it, this slow cooked meal was awesome. Very savory, with a rich meaty taste.

BONUS

I know that was 5, but I had to throw in one of my favorites. This is called Tanmen, think of it as ramen's healthier, more laid back brother. It's got a light broth, some al dente noodles, and a little bit of toknatsu (pork). But it's also got cabbage, spinach, and bean sprouts- it may sound odd, but it works very well. And unlike your typical authentic ramen, this is not greasy, and it's not heavy at all. Plus it's great for those who can't decide between soup and salad- have both!

So this has been a list of some of the most interesting food that I've eaten while in Japan. I've definitely seen weirder foods while living here, but haven't quite worked up the courage to try them. If you've got some odd Japanese foods that you've tried we'd love to hear about it!

Who doesn't love a great, home cooked meal? Fresh spaghetti with a hearty meat sauce. Pork chops and grilled onions. Garlic stir-fried rice with lots of veggies. (Anyone else getting hungry?) The only thing you need to make your masterpieces, aside from the food, is the cookware! Well, here at AFG we believe in the power of education, so we'd like to help teach you how to care for your pots and pans, and even make a few suggestions if you're looking to replace your old sets.

The old debate: Nonstick or Stainless steel?

It used to be a no-brainer. Stainless steel won the favor of many cooks because the pots and pans lasted longer, and could withstand greater abuse. But as the nonstick lining became stronger and more durable, choosing between the two has become a real dilemma for chefs everywhere.

Stainless steel, when properly cared for, will still outlive pretty much any nonstick cookware. But you have to use extra oil or butter every time you cook to keep the food from sticking to your pan and burning. Food that is burnt in your pan because of a lack of oil can char, warp, or even permanently damage the pan. The thinner the metal, the easier the pan is to kill- I once ruined a brand new stainless steel frying pan when I overcooked and burnt a quesadilla. Lesson earned.

Nonstick cookware has been around for close to 70 years. The benefit of nonstick is that you don't always need oil or butter when cooking, there is almost no scrubbing required when cleaning, cooking is very simple, and it's actually harder to kill your pans like I did with my stainless steel frying pan. So, with the nonstick you may have to replace the pan every couple years, but with stainless steel you'll constantly be using more oil or butter, and be exposing yourself to slightly fattier foods because of it.

Side note: The lining used in nonstick pots and pans is much more sturdy and reliable than it was in years past, but we still don't recommend using metal utensils on it. You may see professional chefs on TV using metal cookware on nonstick pans, but that's because they get a new set of pots and pans every episode! We recommend wood or plastic utensils, and of course, silicon is definitely the best.

Public Safety Announcement

No pan, whether it's nonstick or stainless, should ever be heated up without any contents inside. The cookware will quickly heat up beyond a safe temperature, (sometimes within a matter of only a few minutes) and the metal will warp, char, and become permanently damaged. This makes for an obvious fire hazard, as well as a waste of a good pan! So regardless of what cookware you go with, don't heat it up when empty. Even when you're cooking something that calls for preheating the pan, this shouldn't take longer than a minute.

It should also be noted that most pots and pans are designed to withstand medium heat from your stove tops. Always cooking with your stovetop on the hottest setting may shorten the life of the cookware.

But are nonstick pans safe?

People have, pretty much since nonstick became available, wondered if the coating on pots and pans was safe. The truth is that at VERY high temperatures (around 550 degrees F) the nonstick lining begins to deteriorate and smoke- this smoke has been known to cause strong reactions in birds, and cause headaches in humans. The only way to achieve this temperature on a normal stove top is to heat the cookware without anything inside- so as long as you don't do that, then there shouldn't be a problem.

Cleaning

Stainless steel and Nonstick cookware should be hand-washed, as dishwashers tend to clang items against each other, and you risk scratching the nonstick lining, or scuffing your metal. You should avoid using any porous cleaning supplies or metal sponges on the nonstick, as this may wear down the lining over time. If you have burnt food crusted onto your nonstick pan, just wash it with soapy water, and wipe the burnt food away with the spatula you used while cooking, it should slip right off.

And with your stainless steel, make sure to wipe away any leftover food with your spatula as soon as you finish cooking. When the pan is hot and the food is still hot, the food should come off much more easily, which will save you from scrubbing and slaving over your pot later.

Also, don't use harsh chemicals like bleach or ammonia on your cookware, stick to simple dish soap, soft sponges, and your hands.

Last Thoughts

The nonstick coating on cookware is much sturdier than it once was- many companies are even claiming that it's safe to use metal utensils on their items, but you should still be extra careful when handling your pots and pans. Any parts of the coating that you scratch away will cease to be nonstick, thus ruining your pan. Remember, if you take good care of your pots and pans, they'll take good care of you, and you'll have years of delicious meals.

We hope this blog was helpful, and we'd be happy to respond to any questions or comments. And please check out our Free Recipe Section if you'd like some delicious ways to test out your pots and pans.