I hope the start of 2006 has been wonderful where-ever you are :) It is a chilly 6 degrees right now, but my sister told me Sydney is sweltering at about 43 degrees. Ah, which is better: freezing or boiling?!
I woke up at about 8am this morning and started to make the broth for Ozoni soup. I boiled some chicken pieces, took the bones out, added in flower shaped slices of carrot, green beans, grilled pieces of rice cake, pink and white fish cake, Japanese leek, and finally seasoned the soup with a little soy sauce, mirin and sake. The final touch was mitsuba (trefoil) leaves.
Next came setting out the Osechi Ryori (New Year food box) - it has two layers and because all the food is cooked, it can be eaten over two days. And then we added some sashimi (sliced raw fish) and some tsukudani (small fish and shrimp simmered in sweet sauce that can be kept for a few weeks). Finally, small glasses of ume (Japanese plum) liqueur, and "ta da!" New Year's Brunch! Well, kind of breakfast because it was only 9:30am. Hmm, I wonder why Japanese have the tradition to eat such heavy foods so early? I guess long ago it was kind of a once a year feast.
So we ate a little and then put the food box away again. It will be lunch AND dinner as well!
Not much to do today as we aren't going to visit a shrine so early. The postman just came and brought nenjajou (New Year greeting cards). Sending cards is another tradition for New Year, kind of like Australians send Christmas cards. The big difference is that the post office saves up all the cards and delivers them ALL on Jan 1. I'm amazed that the post office can usually find the correct recipient, even if the address is really strange. Go Japan Post!!!The top card you can see is the one I made to send out this year. Cards follow the Chinese Horoscope, so 2006 is the Year of the Dog.
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