Good afternoon, everyone. I hope your day is going well. I’m making use of this blog today in order to fight the after-lunch sleep crunch. As an ALT, I do not participate in student-teacher-parent conferences and… that’s what’s going on this week before Winter Break starts. My afternoons are totally and utterly free.

Here is a lunch I ate last week.

It consists of fried fish, rice, and miso soup. But this day was a bit special due to the presence of a Japanese dessert and Goody Rice (no, Goody Rice is not a thing. It’s just my thing).

• Japanese dessert: くずまんじゅう(kuzumanju); kuzu is a kind of plant that gives its roots to be dried and powered. When water is added, it creates a starch and then is used to surround a filling; in this case, matcha paste. It was a little too… プニプニ (poo-nee poo-nee, squishy) for my taste and I’m not a fan of matcha even though I can tolerate drinking green tea. Ashley Rating: 6/10.
• Goody Rice: 揚げ豆腐 (agedoufu) and corn; this is usually a relatively plain tasting Goody Rice but is decent where nutrients are involved. Ashley Rating: 6/10.
• Main dish: fried fish; I think cornstarch is the main boss in the batter. It wasn’t heavy like flour is. I can’t recall if there was seasoning or not. But c’mon, it’s fried fish. Fried anything is delicious! Ashley Rating: 8/10.
• Miso soup: 豚汁 (tonjiru); miso soup with vegetables, pork, and tofu. A typical tonjiru contains burdock root, carrots, and daikon. When made well, it’s my favorite thing to eat in the winter. Ashley Rating: 9/10