A Happy New Year, 2016‼‼‼

Well, I have to start this new year with apology...
I's already 5th after this new year started.

2015 closed with non-stop cooking of Osechi (Japanese new year box), and 2016 arrived with a big swollen finger tip on my right hand.

Because of that, I cannot use chopsticks for cooking and type with only one finger. What ever I do takes much longer than usual. I didn't realized the middle finger was so important.

What on earth happened?
I really don't know why my finger got swollen so much. Probably, the fightback from the largest prawn I used for the Osechi on the New Year's Eve.

I Never have any reaction to eating prawn, but the way finger reacted is exactly same as insect bite. I normally have really bad reaction to insect bite and need to go to see doctor for it.

I might have stung my finger with somewhere on Prawn's shell and got really painful later on on the New Year's Eve. Now my finger tip is 1.5 times as normal and cannot bend any more, and itchy but painful. GP told me it's too late to take anti-histamine, so I need to take anti-biotic for 7days. Anyway, he told me that it needs 3 to 4 days till my finger shrink to normal size. Until then, good old slow one finger typing.

Mmmm, let's try to keep things positive!


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Here are January Sweets.

Mame-Daifuku
Salty soy beans are mixed in Mochi. Chunky Adzuki Bean Paste is in the Mochi.
£1.20 each.

Zenai
Sweet adzuki bean soup thickened by Kuzu powder.  White round Mochi is cute in the soup. You can take away in a cup, too.
£1.50 per bowl.

Dorayaki
Pancake Sandwich with filling of smooth adzuki bean paste, chunky adzuki bean paste, green tea flavor or chestnuts and chunky adzuki bean paste.
£1.50 each.
Chestnuts has very few stock. after this stock are sold, it won't come  back till next autumn.

Toasted Daifuku Mochi
Please choose smooth or chunky adzuki bean filling.
Enjoy the hot melting mochi.
£1.20 each.

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Events in January

It's been "business as usual" since the 4th January. However, because of the school run, I need to leave the café at 2:30. I should be able to open till 3pm from next week. Please check with the white board on the shop window or on the phone. Sorry for the inconvenience.

15th January (Friday) is Small new year's day on Japanese Calendar, which is the end of New Year Cerebration Period. My hometown have a big bonfire on the day, but it may cause someone call police, if I do it in front of my cafe... so I am thinking something else.

I have been announcing the next Japanese style afternoon tea in January, but it will be postponed to early February. I will announce on a blog later on.

And... now! It's officially winter! even if it is not so cold, it's winter!
So, it's time to have Niku-man night and Oden night!!!
Let's do them soon.

Please tell me the date you would like to do those night.
First comes first served. (in the way, it won't happen unless someone request the date!!!)

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It's been miserable since Christmas, however, it is sure that the day time is getting longer!
Spring is just around the corner!!!

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!!!