Osechi (New Year Dishes)

Happy New Year!

We thank all the world for tremendous support for Tohoku last year following the earthquake.

May 2012 be a happy and wonderful year for you.

I cooked Osechi (New Year dishes) yesterday.(at full speed)
The top left is "Kazunoko",the herring roe,
It means prosperity of family.
It is necessary for Osechi.

The top right is shrinps. It means longevity.

The middle is "Kamaboko",boiled fish paste.
The pink paste means "to protect yourself from harm".
And the white means purity or cleanliness.
Pink and white are lucky colors for new year in Japan.

And the bottom is "Datemaki",
a rolled omelet mixed with fish paste.
This means culture,evolution.
Each food is necessary for Osechi.

 This is "Nishime", vegetables and chicken stewed in a soy-flavored broth.
It is really time-consuming to cook...
because root crops such as carrot,lotus roots,burdocks take so much time to stew.
I usually use a microwave oven to boil root crops.
It is very convenient.

 The top is "Kurikinton".

These are the paste of sweet potatos and yolk,honeydew,and fresh cream.

They are good. This means a fortune.

And the bottom left is "Tatsukuri",fried anchovy.

This means a good harvest this year.

And the bottom right is grilled salmons.

As you see,each foods in Osechi has its own meaning for the new year.

Every supermarket is closed until January 3,

We can't go shopping now,

so we eat these dishes to stave off starvation=D=D

This is Japanese wreath for New Year. (This is my house)

In New Year,

almost every house hangs this kind of wreath in front of the house.

With best New Year wishes.