December Newsletter

It's already the last month of 2015. December has come.
Scarely...  I feel time goes faster and faster year by year...

My family already had a cold and let me know the beginning of winter... I am only person who has not have any sign of cold, yet... touching wood, touching wood...
Well, it might be eating aduki bean paste so much, or might be drinking blueberry teas,

I will take a week off during Christmas holiday, so till then, I will work hard and get ready for the New Year!

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December Sweets

Satsuma Mochi (Mikan Daifuku)
Limited edition till Christmas!
Japanese winter fruits, Mikan, is wrapped by chunky adzuki bean paste and soft Mochi.
Cinnamon's spicy aroma will take you into Christmas!
(Sorry, No grape Mochi for now.)


Steamed Chestnuts Yokan
Although Chestnuts is not cheep this year, I will make a steamed chesnuts yokan with full of sweet chestnuts.

Chestnuts baked cake (Manju) & Chestnuts Dorayaki
As long as Chestnuts season is here, I keep making them.

Toasted Mochi
Choose from Chunky or Smooth adzuki bean paste. Please enjoy a different taste of Mochi.

If you take away,  please warm it up in a microwave for a few second before serving.

an-an's Christmas cake?
Maybe.... Maybe not....

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December Events and Holiday Opening Time 

3rd December (Thu)　
It was the last delivery from Namayasai, Organic Japanese Vege farm.

15th December (Tue)
The Deadline for application of Japanese style new year's bento box.
Please see below for the details.

22nd December (Tue)
Winter Equinox is on this day today, In Japanese old saying, if you eat Pumpkin (Kabocha) on this day, we will live through this winter healthily.

I will make pumpkin and Miso soup, Pumpkin Croquettes and Pumpkin sweets, too.
There will be also Amazake (sweet rice drink) to get warm!

24th (Thu) to 30th (Wed) 
Cafe is closed due to Christmas Holiday. Sorry for the  inconvenience.

31st December (Thu)
New year's Eve!!!
Open at 12;00 for New Year's Osechi Bento Box.
Close around 6pm.

Only Tenpra Soba (Buckwheat) noodle in broth is on the menu!!!
We do take away, too.

Cafe reopen on 4th January (Monday) on usual opening time.

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It's almost the deadline for the New Year's Osechi Bento Box!!!

￡18.00 each Please apply by sending English text to 15th December on Cafe Phone.number.07923 900344

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an-an wish all my customer, friends and family are fine to get through this festive season.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!

A report of Japanese Afternoon Tea

Belated report of the Autumn Japanese Afternoon tea held on 20th November. Thank you so much for coming!!!

I had so much fun of making a lot of traditional Japanese sweets!
Yes, this is my first impression after the tea party.

Recently, an-an cafe became quite busy for preparing and serving lunch all time. It is good thing, but I sometimes want to push myself making more difficult Japanese sweets. So I made the afternoon event to push myself to make what I want to all the time.

I did  one session before the usual lunch service and 2 sessions after the lunch service. all the sessions were fully booked quite early.

The reason why this afternoon tea is so reasonable?
it's because you are the judge of my trials.
well, it's same as a trainee hairdresser do haircut cheaply to the cut models.
I need more practice... so please don't hesitate to tell me your honest thoughts!

Here are some photos I served this time.
Theme was "Autumn Harvests", using pumpkin, sweet potatoes and chestnuts!

the first dish, Autumn Tenpura (battered veges and Buckwheat noodles). Veses are from Organic farm, Namayasai. They were so tasty!





second dishes


Chestnuts paste, Steamed sweets "kimishigure", Sweet potato & apple pie, Chestnuts Mochi

third dishes


Jounamagashi "chrysanthemum"、Squares "Pumpkin & Azuki beans

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there were so many point I need to review.

1. I should have taken more time to prepare. Believe me, I was so busy!
This event should have happened earlier, but I could not make enough time to make all the sweets.
I managed to do this before winter... in fact, it snowed on the next day...

2. I am not professional... making Tempura...
next afternoon tea, I won't try Tempura any longer...

3. Sweet potato & apple pie was not very Japanese?
I was going to make something more like Japanese traditional sweets using something else but tartlett. However, I could not make rice wafer in the end. Some guest told me it was too British.

4. at last, about, "chrysanthemum".


When I visited my long term online Wagashi teacher first time in this summer holiday, he told me how to. I needed to practice, but I just didn't have time to make such a time consuming sweets...

So I pushed myself to make time to practice this sweets. Acctualy, I could say this afternoon event is for me to making this sweets. Still not very good, but... Thanks all who ate this sweets! I am so proud! But it has never reached to the level I ant to!!! I just need to practice.

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I am getting ready for New Year's special packed lunch box from now on.
After the New Year, i am planning another tea party.

Please keep checking this blog if you are interested!

Do you fancy cooking Japanese tonight?

If so, please come to cafe an-an.

Here is a new corner in the cafe.

　

Japanese Curry Rue, Japanese Short Grain Rice
Miso Soup pouches, Dried Wakame Seaweeds
Katsu sauce & Okonomiyaki Sauce

You can buy them from here.

Almost all products are used at this cafe or for an-an wagashi (Japanese Sweets), so I can give you some advice about the ingredients.
Just only.... packages are large as catering size...

I will make a list you can order a week in advance.
For example, you can order a large bag of rice, frozen fish for sushi, etc.

Please ask more detail at the cafe.
Moreover! Parking in front of the cafe is free for an hour!!!

Here is a small price list of what you can buy from an-an cafe. (November 2015)

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Sushi Rice (Product of Itary) 1㎏￡1.80、20㎏￡30.00
Organic Brown rice (Product of itary)1㎏￡2.30、25㎏￡55.00
Curry Rue for catering (contains Penuts, so an-an doesn't use this product any longer) 1㎏￡10.00
Curry Rue (Current product cafe use) 240g　￡2.60
Soy Sauce１Ⅼ￡5.00
Dried Wakame Seaweed 50g　￡1.00
Frozen Edamame 500ｇ　￡2.00
etc.etc.

More products will be here soon.

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Chestnuts on the blackboard now.
Of course, Japanese sweets are full of chestnuts!
New menu, warm Yaki Daifuku (Roasted Mochi) is nice in cold windy day.

November Newsletter

After ”Trick or Treat”-ing in Witch's costume, it's already November...
October was really warm and we could go around pumpkin lit houses confortably without thick underwear. 

If you didn't see cafe an-an witches in action, here are some photos.
Thanks BOO for those lovely photos.
Pumpkin Tarts and spooky cupcakes were popular. Eye ball Yokan (white bean jelly in Green tea or Chocolate flavor) was also well received.

Unfortunately, this year's Halloween was on Saturday, so I could not open the cafe, but Next Halloween will be on Monday... I cannot help thinking about what to do next year!

This warm autumn brought tasty British Strawberries till quite late, but it has run out now.
...so, here comes chestnuts season!!!

I was going to put the photo of Chestnuts cake at the top of this  blogg, but I coudnot find the photo. ...I haven't taken photo of my sweets properly for long time. 
I need to make time for that very soon. I need to make some more effort to advertise an-an's sweets!!!

well, my customers know I don't want to make my cafe so busy. so, I shall do when I can do. So, please be patient. I am still making some autumn sweets!

Now, here is the list of this month's sweets.
(Sorry, some of them are available from 5th November.

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kinntuba (scares)　
Chunky Adzuki Bean paste or Pumpkin paste were boxed in pan-fried square butter. It contains wheatflower (gruten).

kuri-manju (Chestnuts cake)
Sweet pastry was baked with chestnuts and white bean filling. It contains wheat flour, eggs and milk.

Dorayaki Chestnuts
chestnuts pieces in chunky adzuki bean filling. it contains wheat flour and eggs. 

Kuri Daifuku (chestnuts)
chestnuts pieces in chunky adzuki bean filling. can be roasted and eaten hot on cold winter day. 

If you like to purchase more than 6 sweets, please make an order at least two day's in advanc.

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Events in November

Thursday 5th & Friday 6th November 
Before taking to Croydon Japanese School Book sale, I would like to put out some second hand Japanese books and comics on sale!
Comics and small novels are £1.00 each, hardback and larger books are £2.00 each.
If you are interested in, please come in. 

Saturday 7th November 
Croydon Japanese School will hold Second hand book sales. I have a stall to sell autumn sweets there.
its open to public only between 10:30 to 11:00. If you live close, please pop in.F

Friday 20th November 
Thanks for all the enquire. Here is the dates for Japanese Afternoon tea, finally!
I am so sorry for the delay, but it will be held on this day!!!

This time, I would like to use the most of autumn harvest, so I would like to serve Tenpra (veges in light batter) with rice or brown soba noodle.

I hope you can taste the best of autumn, such as chestnuts, pumpkin and sweet potatoes!

There are time you can chose as followes;
10:00-11:30
15:30-17:00
17:30-19:00

Each groups have 6-8 rooms to be booked. Please book as soon as possible, as places are filled quickly.

Please apply by mail, info@an-an.co.uk.

£10.00 per person with a choice of Organic Japanese Tea, English Tea or Coffee.
£12.00 per person with a choice of drink and Japanese Maccha (Fine Green Tea) will be served.

*between 11:30 to 15:00, Lunch service as usual. No afternoon service during the lunch time.

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Counting down to Christmas???

Never mind! an-an enjoys autumn first!

 I need to enjoy Bungger and Mash with Bonfire! 

announcement! Halloween at cafe an-an?!

Oh, I know it's not traditional Japanese thing. 
But, an-an is just likes festivals. 
So why not?

an-an will turn into a "Witch Cafe" only for the two days before Halloween.
How about a huge spider of Chicken Katsu Curry?
What's in Witches' lunch boxes?
The favorite desserts are Eye ball jelly with Strawberry sauce.

Never mind a bit too early....
If you are zombies, witches, mammy or ghost, please say "Trick or Treat?".
a free Halloween cupcake for our friends.
(when any meal is purchased.)

You will also find some pumpkin sweets.
Come and enjoy Japanese Halloween❤

Cafe is closed on Wednesday 28th October... due to School holiday.
Sorry for the inconvenience.

October newsletter!

Aww...I am so sorry for this late October newsletter!!!

As I mentioned the detail of Autumn Japanese Afternoon Tea and New Years meal box booking will be announced, some of you are waiting so much...

m(_ _)m

Please don't give up on waiting for meeee...

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These are the Sweets of October.

Usagi Manju

25th October is the second Moon festival (the 13th night moon).

Some people call this chestnuts moon festival.

I shall make Usagi (rabbit) sweets and Kuri (chestnuts) cake for this day.

Strawberry Mochi


This year is really good year of British Strawberries.

As long as I can get British strawberries, I carry on making strawberry Mochi... maybe.

Kimi shigure

This steamed cake has smooth adzuki bean paste inside. The outer is made of white bean paste and egg yoke. Please enjoy the rich but crumbling texture in your mouth. 

"Shigure" is the surface of dry cracked ground after a heavy rainfall.

The last week of October is Half Term!!! So I will prepare some cakes with pumpkins!!!

pumpkin croquettes and pumpkin soup.... Please come to find what you can eat!

On Wednesday 28th October, cafe an-an will be closed. 

Sorry for the inconvenience. 

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Japanese afternoon tea is postponed to the second week of November. 

Please watch here for more detail.

The price will be the same. 

£10/pp or £12/pp with matcha green tea.

Blunch session 10.00~

Afternoon session 16:00~

High Tea session 18:00~

*max number of each session is 8 people. 

*please book in advance by phone.

*The date will be announced on this blog.

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This is the photo I took on the other day from the top of my street. 

Fish scale shaped clouds are symbol of autumn. I am so happy to see this in such a magnificent view.

It's taken by my mobile with very poor photographic skill.

But I just want to share this photo with you.

Enjoy lovely autumn colours!!!

September sweets and Events

It's already September...

I really enjoyed a week of break in Japan. (I am still writing all about the trip. please bear with me.)
As soon as I came back, my usual commuting road is closed and I have to apology the opening hours of my cafe has been very limited.

From yesterday, the road is half opened and almost gone back to normal. I managed to deliver quite a bit to the cafe, business as usual, too!

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September is.... the month of Japanese Sweets' event on 19th.
I have decided to participate the large Japanese event, Japan Matsuri at Trafalgar Square in London!

Last year, it was soon after I opened my cafe, I turned down the invitation, but this year I am going there! It will be the last fight at London Japan Matsuri!!!

It's serious. I really want to look after my cafe, so I will work hard on my cafe only after this event. Anyway, I am not so young to do suicidal event.

However, there are so many new restrictions on this event, I won't be able to pay the stall fee only selling my sweets. so an-an will serve popular chicken katsu spicy Yakisoba.

You enjoy the atmosphere and dance on the stage. There are so many famous shops and restaurants take part in this event. It will be very busy, so please be careful not lose your children,...

Admission free.  It's start from 10 am and goods shops close at 6pm, food stalls close at 8pm. Normally, an-an's sweets sell out around 3pm, but this time, I will bring a lot of ingredients, so I can carry on making sweets till the end of the event. So you should be able to buy my sweets after your work and schools.

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Cafe is open as usual.

However, I don't think survive till the end of this month without break, I will take a day on the following week... Wednesday 23rd  is closed.

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Other Events

Tuesday, 8th September Second Hand Japanese Book sale
　　Time: 9:30 - 11:00 ＆ 19:00 - 22:00
The sales are held twice (in the morning and evening)
During the event, only drinks and snacks are sold.

There are so many books and magazines donated from Japanese toddler group, Ohisama-Ahaha, and an-an customers. 

As I have a bit of problem of storing, an-an will have a mini-book sale. There would be some book about Japan/Japanese in English, too. 

The sales will be all donated to a charity group... preferably, something children's and local... any suggestion? Other wise, I am going to send the donation to my hometown's charity, Takoyaki Camp, which is for Fukushima children to stay in Kobe & Akashi area for a month to enjoy their childhood. 

*Children in Fukushima are still suffered from the high level of radiation in some area. They are still not allowed to play outside...


Tuesday, 8th September  English/Japanese language exchanging session
　　Time: 20:00 - 21:00 (going to pub after the session?)

Let's talk about the books you find at the second-hand book sals. £3.00 per person with one soft drink and nibbles.

Saturday 19th SEptember (see above)

Tuesday 29th September Japanese/English language exchange.
　　Time: 19:00 - 21:00
Talk about jokes and illustrations.
£5.00 per person (with one soft drink and light meal)

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September sweets


Strawberry Mochi

Ohagi\


rabbit steamed cake

Tsukimi Dango
etc,


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Season changing period... my family have got a bit of cold.. 
Please take care of yourself
See you on  the one of the event.

Shoreham Air Show Crush エアーショウ 事故

Yesterday lunch time, a vintage aircraft crushed into a busy road. The aircraft was from Shoreham Air Show.

昨日昼ごろ、近くの小さな空港で毎年開催される航空機のお祭り、Shoreham Air Showにて、航空機がすぐ横を通る渋滞中の道に墜落するという事故がありました。

I passed the place just one and half before the crush to get to my cafe.

カフェを開けるためについ事故の1時間半前に通った場所。

I am still a bit shaky after I saw the pictures and videos.

映像を見て、震えが止まらなかった。


At that time, the road was very busy and slow due to people wants to get to the airport. I was there probably at least 15min to go through the traffic jam.

I keep thinking if ...

エアーショーの関係で、当所は結構な渋滞で、かなりのノロノロ運転。あの場所で15分ぐらいは止まってたんじゃないか。
もし…もう少し家を遅く出ていれば…

There is an announcement there are 7 people dead and more than 10 people insured.

I am so sorry who were involved in this incident.

現在7人の死者と十数名の重軽傷者が発表されています。
この事故に巻き込まれた人たち、本当にいたたまれない気持ちでいっぱいです。
亡くなった方たちのご冥福をお祈りいたします。

...July is gone... (Okonomi yaki night)

Here is a report about Okonomi yaki Night, which was held at my cafe in the evening of 28th July.
It started as a request from one of an-an cafe's followers on Facebook.


Here they are!

I really don't know how many of them I made.

It was a smaller size, but there were pork, beef, squid, octopus, prawns, cheese, modern, etc, etc.
And, some Yakisoba (fried noodle) and Kimchi fried rice!

Well, Okonomiyaki's looks are same with any toppings. So, the photo is the final stage of okonomiyaki night with Kimchi fried rice.

It was such a fun.
this night's members are people who  read my an-an page on Facebook. No connections among some of them. they would never meet unless they had interest in Okonomi yaki.

There were more people wanted join the night, but unfortunately my cafe limits to 12 people to sit. and two of them were in the kitchen most of time to help me! (Biiig thank you to Futoshi and Haruna!)

We talked about Japanese food so much! We will have more like this event in the future!!!
Food, especially Japanese food is connecting people!
Food is making people happy!
And that make me happy, too!

Probably, next event will be held in autumn with Japanese style afternoon tea.
I will make announcement on this page. so keep checking!

By the way, I have got a request of ice cream Mochi.
Is anybody interested in?

July is gone... (Japanese basil)

How shocking! July is gone!

I cannot catch up with the speed of days go by...

Thanks for those who came to see me in the event Summer Festival at Maeda Gakuen on 18th July.
It was lovely sunny day.

However, winds kept blowing through the school ground.

So we used Gazibo's wind shield (curtains on 3 directions), it was really hot inside. Of course, we needed to cook sweets using steamer and Taiyaki machine! Although we were in the shade, we almost dried out...

When I went to see my dear friends, Namino Kai, ...
                             



They gave me so many baby Japanese Basil.
They are growing well in my garden as well as my cafe. But, their pots are getting a bit tight...
If you want to be a mum or dad of these plants, please come to my cafe to pick up.

It's really easy to look after them. Once you change their pot with more soil, you really need is water and sun light. Don't give any plant food. when you are rinsing a bottle of milk, for example, you can give the gray water to them. don't over water them. that's all.

Use in salad, fry with chicken and soy sauce. If course, you can make Japanese style pasta sauce. eaten with sashimi (raw fish) is really nice, too!

I have given away/ sold some, but I still have around 15 of them.
If you want to enjoy Japanese summer flavor, come and take one... or two!

One night only izakaya (Japanese tapas bar)

It is the last day of an-an cafe 1st anniversary event. There were so many request opening in night time from customers in the last 6months. So I will do it!

さて、いよいよ、あん庵カフェオープン一周年記念企画、最終日に皆さんから過去6ヶ月で一番リクエストのあった、夜に居酒屋をします。

On Thursday 25th June, lunch service as usual till 3 pm.  Reopen at 5pm and Japanese tapas service starts. (last order at 9:00)

今週25日の木曜日に、お昼のサービスを3時で閉め、5時に居酒屋として再開します。(ラストオーダーは9時です)

an-an will serve something very common menu in izakaya tapas bar in Japan. 

日本の居酒屋で、定番のメニューを揃えてみました。

However, an-an does not have the license to sell alcholic drink, please bring your favorite bottles. You can also purchase some bottles at the near by off license. (No soft drink please)

ただし、あん庵はお酒を売る免許を持っていないので、お好きなアルコールのお飲物を持参ください。ソフトドリンクは持ち込まないでください。

Here are some of menus in the event

一部のメニューです。

Chicken gyoza dumplings 鶏肉の焼き餃子

Chicken karaage 鳥の唐揚げ

Kushikatsu (meat & vege) 串カツ

Corokke コロッケ

Nikujaga 肉じゃが

Fried bean cued stakes 厚揚げのステーキ

Japanese style salad (tofu, seaweeds or harusame noodle) 和風サラダ (豆腐、わかめ、そして春雨)

Onigiri (rice balls)おにぎり

... And more! 

Priced from £1.50-£3.00

お値段はわかりやすいお手頃価格です。

hope to see you on the day!

では、木曜日にお会いできることを楽しみにしています！

なお、混み合うことが予想されます。ご了承ください。

Japanese afternoon tea

As the first event of celebrate an-an cafe's first birthday, I would like to hold ...

Japanese afternoon high tea! 

It's start from 3 o'clock on Friday 19th. If you prefer in the morning, 10 o'clock slot is also available.

In Japan, there is a similar formal tea party called "Cha-kaiseki". However we are in Britten. I want to adopt Japanese sweets into British afternoon tea.

There are two reasons not to go traditional Cha-kaiseki.

One is plates and bowls... Cha-kaiseki needs so many various kind of small plates and bowls in different use. An-an only have dinner plates or side plates... And it's not easy to collect decent tableware for this event.

The other is in traditional Cha-kaiseki, you only can have one sweets at the end. But in British way, I can fill at least 2 plates with sweets.

However, still I want keep some aspects of Cha-kaiseki, it's vegan.

At first, please choose your favorite tea.

Sencha, roasted green tea (ho-ji cha), green tea with roasted brown rice (genmai cha), jasmin tea or other herbal teas...

The first plate is Vegan sushi... Equivalent to cucumber sandwich???

The second plate is for daifuku, manju and dango with various sauces.

The third plate will be the ornamental seasonal sweets for tea celemony (the photo is an example. They are hydrangeas.)

I won't spoil the fun to tell you in too much detail. 

I hope you will enjoy sweets with Japanese seasons.

£12 per person with Japanese Matcha green tea. If you don't want to have matcha green tea, it's only £10 per person. It's £17 worth of sushi and sweets ! If you like Japanese sweets, you cannot miss it!

If you cannot finish all, you sill can take away all on your plates. 

If it gets busy, I will ask share tables with other customers.

I only have 8 seats on each session, please make booking as soon as possible. Please don't forget to tell me which slot you want to come (10am, 3:30pm, 5pm or 6:30pm)

Please ring 07791137409 or order@an-an.co.uk for booking.

the second selebration of an-an cafe first birthday is on Thusday 25th. I open Japanese tapas bar for one might only! The detail is on the next blog!

Have a good day... Be happy, my friends!

June sweets and events

It's already weeks ago! 

Thanks for those who came to Sussex and The Big World Market.

The first day was really lovely weather and enjoyed the view to big open sea.

Then the blustery storm washed away the good feeling in the next morning... Needed a good few hours to lift myself... Well, all the people, customers and stuffs and friends, helped me to go on. 

Specially, I cannot thank enough to friends who came all the way from Eastbourne and even farther! 

Today I felt the beginning of summer! Sun and blue sky! 

But apparently, it will be cooler after rain tomorrow evening...

So, we have to take full use of this bright sun shine!!!

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Do you know an-an serve smoothies and milkshakes?

An-an have smoothies in 4 colors. See the past blog.

Iced coffee is also very popular! Don't forget to ask for iced Matcha milk tea . Both are very popular drinks back in Japan.

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Here are sweets from June.

Of course, the most popular one is the strawberry daifuku (Mochi).

This year's strawberries are really sweet and tasteful. The best ever!!!

Next line-up is kuzumochi.

Please use plenty of homemade organic roasted soy flour and homemade black syrup.

Kuzu flour is also organic. 

Dorayaki ( smooth azuki, chunky azuki or matcha green tea) and waka-ayu (a sweet fish) are also available. 

If you like to buy sanshoku dango ( 3 color dango on skewer), please ask at least 15 mins in advance. I will steam it on request. You can ring the cafe before come around.

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June's Events

Sunday 7th June the event finished. Japanese sweet making workshop. If you are interesting having the workshop, please contact. You need to gather at least 6 friends. A meal included.

Sunday 21st The Big Tea Party is going to be held at Brighton Dome studio theatre. It's a part of multi-cultural study and took such a huge subject... Tea! About 10 countries were appointed to present their culture and food related to "teas". Along with Japan, China, Iran, Asia and African countries are preparing exhibitions with serving teas and treats.

Tickets are still available from Brihgton Dome Studio Theatre (http://brightondome.org/event/7542/crossing_the_teas_the_big_tea_party/) £7.00/person.

Saturday 27th Huruhon ichi (second hand book market) at croydon Japanese school. 10:00~12:00. 

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AAAAAnd!

It's been one year since I opened this cafe.

It was amazing year! So I would like to hold some events to say thank you and reply to some of requests customers made in the past year.

"I want to try as much Japanese sweets as possible!"

Friday 19th - an-an will have Japanese afternoon tea party in Japanese style!

Have you had "high tea" in Japanese way? Probably not. So an-an will make it!

More detail comes in the next blog. Watch this space! (Booking necessary)

"Don't you open the cafe/take away in the evening?"

Thursday 25th - an-an izakaya (Japanese tapas bar) opens one night only!

Maid cafe style pancake in the morning. Lunch service is as usual.

.... 5pm Japanese tapas bar!

Howeve, an-an don't have license to sell alcoholic drink, so bring your favorite bottles

You can also take away lunch menu through the night. But if you want to sit and enjoy Japanese izakaya atmospher, please book a seat or two.

I will list up what will be available on the day.

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So, have wagashi and lovely month, my friends!

Sweets in May

Wow, the fist of May... may Day is already gone.
Shocking.
I am very unsettle these days... I just realize how fast time passes.

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But, I want to say, I had a lovely day today!
Although I was a half hour late for the cafe opening time, my old friend was waiting for me!
And, there were so many familiar faces! I was soooo happy that I could talk to my friends!
(a big apology if you needed to wait for your food as I was talking to you so much!!!)

So here is another excuse why i haven't written this blog very often...
Any extra time i have goes to do up my cafe currently. Of course, in the evenings and weekends. I became so good at using Electric drills and a circular saw instead of cooking utensils and frying pans.

Well,  I think I can show you some of more progress now! i will show you in the next blog!!!

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Here is a line-up of sweets in May.

this year's warm spring brought British strawberries a bit earlier.
Strawberry Daifuku Mochi have already been on the shop shelves.
£1.50 / sweet


I will try to make some everyday, however, if you need to purchase a big number (i.e. more than 3?), please let me know before 3 days.

Then, This sweet is also already on the shop shelves. It's Kashiwa Mochi, special sweets for the Children's Day on 5th May.
£1.50/sweet


You can chose Chunky Adzuki Bean Paste, Smooth Adzuki Bean Paste, and Miso seasoned White Bean paste. We have limited number of leaves, so it will finish as soon as I run out the leaves.

This time, Wagashi set of Children's Day consists of 2 Koinobori, 1Kabuto, and 1 Shobu Iris. I hope to hear your order very soon.

As soon as Children's Day's sweets finishes, i will start making "Young fish", dorayaki skin with Yuzu flavored mochi.
£1.50/sweet



I will try to have sweets as much as possible. However, i recommend to order in advance if you do not disappointed.

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Events in May
2nd May（Sat）Croydon Japanese School  till 12:00
　　　　　　　Brighton & Hove Japanese Club till 16:00
11th May（Mon）Hove Cornerstones Church (Ohisama Ahaha)　11:00-11:30
30th（Sat）‐31st（Sun）Hove Lawn Brighton & Hove Food & Drink Festival "The World Market"
　　　　　　　　For more detail;（http://brightonfoodfestival.com/events/sussex-the-world-market-2/）

It looks very quiet, but I also have an event I cannot announce here as I make some Wagashi for the World Tea project "Crossing The Tea" with ART:Sync Brighton(http://www.artsync.co.uk/). This event is not open to public, so I would be only very busy behind the scene around mid May time...

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I plan to take part in the Second-hand Book sale at Croydon Japanese School and Emigrants Festival in Worthing in June, Natumatsuri in West Acton on 11th July.

Yes, quite busy. I know...

Unless I make something in my kitchen, nothing is done. So I just do it.

Next project would be sending an artwork for the new menu with more Japanese like desserts, not only Wagashi!

an-an will come back to business at the cafe on Tuesday 5th! Please come to buy Kashiwa Mochi.
I just want to go away for a short break during this bank holiday weekend... somewhere far away....

It's April fools. So I am very serious today.

I cannot remember when was the last blog any longer...

Thankfully, my Japanese cafe is getting busier...
Busier it gets, my careless mistakes happens more. Even I cannot hide it any more.

For example, it happened yesterday.

"I did not know such a nice Japanese cafe here! It's lovely"
It was a lovely comment from one of the customer.

Then after nice conversation with her, I finished off her order, Mix Katsu lunch, with a nice touch half bottle of sauce...

When I squeezed the bottle of Katsu sauce, the dispenser tip came off! Then the half-filled bottle became empty and Kasts were immersed by the sea of sauce.

I tried to make a new one immediately, but she maybe did not have time to wait for another one, so she asked me for some rice in a new box to go with and paid the full amount of money...

She was too nice.  I really hope it didn't cause her high blood pressure...

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Therefore, I am going to have a seriously serious day today, as I normally have really foolish days on 364 days a year. (Is this sentence English, by the way???)

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So, here is one thing I am seriously working for these few weeks.

There was a request on FB a few weeks ago.
"I cannot forget Nikuman I ate in Japan! Could you make it?"
So, I answered, "I will try to make it before Easter".
And I am now in trouble.

At first, I thought it just like steamed Usagi （Rabbit) cake. Yes, I underestimated the complication of its recipe.

The problem is the skin part. When I gather the ingredients, I was shocked.
I found "Strong flour" and "yeast", among the usual list of ingredients.

I have to say, I am really really not good at baking bread. I can bake cakes, I can make Japanese sweets. However, I have never succeeded baking bread ... Yes, any form of bread, which contains strong flour and yeast.

Here is the first attempt.


I used normal flour, but it came out really brown from my steamer.
As Rabbit cake is quite yellow using non-bleached flour, I expected a bit yellowish colour, but not as brown as this.
I checked on internet and found if the steamer temperature was too high, it come out  yellowish...So, I tried to put lower temperature next.

Here is the second attempt.

a bit lighter colour, but still very brown.
The first one was very light and fluffy texture, but this one came out with really heavy texture.

I still have the meet mixture, so I will try till I get it right. (and I don't know how many times I attempted by now.)

There is only a day left till the Easter.
Can I win?

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Aghhh! there is no time to write about April's sweets and plan before going to Cafe!
I will write another blog tonight... if I still have some energy.

Oden Night report

an-an had "Oden night" as "English/Japanese Language Exchange" back in January.
Well, never mind that "food" is more focused than "languages" in this case.

It was really fun and tasty night!

I made Western Japanese style Oden (Hot pot) in a biiiig slow cooker. All the attendees enjoyed the meeting so much as well as Oden. (You may see some of the unfamiliar food in the hot pot... I will explain later.)

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So, the question would be what is Western Japanese Style Oden?

Here are the list of what's in it.

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Western Japanese use Beef Shin.

I guess only Western Japanese use this meet.

The stock is from only Kombu Seaweed. Very light soy flavor, too.

Then, we throw all the ingredients in the slow cooker and leave for a few hours.

Moori (Japanese white radish)、
Satsuma age (Deep fried Fish balls)、
Atsuage (Deep fried Tofu in blocks)、
Konnyaku (potato Jelly)、
Kombu (thick meaty seaweed)、
Eggs、
Chikuwa (Fish cakes in bamboo shape)、
Potatoes

I think that's all.
Well, somebody said only Western Japanese Oden have Potatoes, too.

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If you are interested in having an Oden night, please contact me.
This is for 8 to 10 people.
with One drink (soft drink or tea) and rice.
About 3 hours from 7o'clock.
For pricing and other detail, please contact me directly.

I need to order the ingredients from various places, so please leave prenty of time (at least 10 days) to the night you want to have the Oden meeting.

Fast and Furious February.(Part 1- Setsubun )

February is the shortest month in the year, yet events are full on.
So I just feel I need to make schedule properly, February finishes when I realised.

Tuesday, 3rd February 
It's Setsubun.
Hung a sardine's head on a branch of Holly at the front door.
Japanese people dress some one close up like an ogre and hit him/her with crispy roasted soy beans!
... and shout "Go out, Ogre! Come in, Happiness!"
Eat the soy beans, same number of your age.

(Specially in Western part of Japan)
For the evening meal, we eat a special fat (about 6cm diameter) rolled sushi.... per person.
The sushi contains 7 items inside the sushi rice and the black sea weed sheet.

This year, the happiness will come from West South West (Ehou).
So we eat the whole rolled sushi without slicing looking towards the direction.... and no talking till you finish the roll.

According to our belief, by eating a rolled sushi in this way, we can take in 7 happiness from the direction. Strictly no talking! If you speak while you are eating sushi, some of happiness in the sushi slip out from your mouth.

If you would like to buy the special Rolled sushi, please let me know as soon as possible.
Traditional Setsubun Rolled Sushi and Salad with prawns and Japanese omelet.(￡3.90/roll)

Image is borrowed from

 http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2142167190969361701/2142167246970418503

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