Mid-summer Japanese afternoon tea (sorry! such a short notice!!!)

Because of a reason, I am having only two sessions for this summer afternoon tea this Friday...

Yes, it's This Friday!!!! 
on 5th August!!!

16:00-18:00
or
18:30-20:30

Ichinno sara (1st plate)
Zaru soba with Vegetable tempura
Nino sara (2nd plate)
4 kinds of Mochi and Manju
San no sare (3rd plate)
2 kinds of Jo-Namagashi
(I will ask you to chose the sweets which is very Brighton.)
With Japanese tea or coffee
£10.00 pp

All are suitable for Vegetarian.
This time, 1st plates contains Soy, wheat or eggs. 
If you do want to change to Soy, wheat or eggs free, please let me know on the booking.
Each session is for 8 people maximum. Please book your seat as soon as possible to info@an-an.co.uk

I will look forward to seeing you there!

(The reason why it is so short notice is because... please ask me on email if you want to know the reason.)

July's sweets and events

Wow! It's a half of year finished already! ...well... and 5 days (sorry for the late update.)
Time goes by quicker and quicker...

What a month it was! June was fantastic!

cafe an-an had the second birthday and got into the third year!!!
I cannot thank enough to all my friends and family, of course, my favorite customers.
Some of them are from the days the cafe was run by previous owner.
It was lovely to talk about all the stories of opening this small cafe.

Hisako, who supported me through the second year, had gone to Japan to stay for a few months.
cafe an-an seems to have a bit of change, too.
We need to move forwards... please help me pushing my heavy back.

I am counting on you!!!

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July Sweets!

Strawberry Mochi　　￡1.50/each

　　As long as I can get tasty British Strawberries, I keep making this popular sweets. It doesn't keep so long. Please consume on the day you purchased.

Sweet Fish　　￡1.50/each

　　This sweets is another popular one from my cafe. Some of you are not fund of bean pasts, you should try this. Yuzu seasoned sweet Mochi is wrapped by fish shaped pancake skin. it looks sweet as it tastes. Please eat in two days after you purchase.

An-Mitsu  　￡2.00/cup

　　Fat-free & sugar-free agar jelly served with seasonal fruits and sweet adzuki bean paste. You can sweeten it more with Black Honey (KuroMitsu). Please keep it in fridge and consume on the day you purchase.

Daifuku Mochi　　￡1.00/each

　　Tsubu-an (Chunky paste), Koshi-an(smooth paste) or Yomogi Tsubu (Japanese magwort seasoned Mochi with chunky paste). 

Sanshoku (Three colour) Dango　　￡1.50/each

　　Three coloured sweet rice dumpling on a skewer. Please order in advance to steam on request. 10-30 min to be steamed.

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July's Events

This month an-an is going to London to sell a bulk of sweets. Two weekend events are at Japanese schools, but anybody is welcome during the sales. If you live close by, please pop in.

Saturday 9th July

Croydon Japanese School - Second-hand book sales 10:00-10:30 and 11:30 to 12:00.

You can also buy the second-hand Japanese books.

Saturday 16th July

Acton Maeda Gakuen - Summer Festival (Natsu Matsuri)

Taiyaki Machine will come to the ground with me. Watch how Taiyaki are made!!! 

Queens Drive Playing Field, Queens Drive, Acton W3 0HT

12:00-16:00

There is no parking space. Please park on the street near by or use Underground (nearest station is North Ealing Station. 

Saturday 23rd & 30th July

Summer Holiday starts!!! 

an-an will be open on Saturdays during Summer Holiday. 

Wednesday 27th July

Instead of opening Saturday, an-an is closed on Wednesdays during Summer Holiday.

I will put up the holiday calendar on this blog as well as on cafe window.

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Well, I was announcing about a new menu... cold noodles salad... However, I need to delay the plan. At the moment, I am a bit struggling to put things in order after my trusted helper, Hisako left.

It's not cancelled, but postponed a bit. I will let you know here again, so please keep watching this space. 

To improve the cafe service, I am renewing something new every month.

Have you noticed what in June?

It's the A-shaped signage on the pavement.  Isn't it lovely???

One of my customer helped me making this. 

Please spot something new this month!

June sweets and events

This month did not start very well... Although, it is an celebrating month of cafe an-an!!!

It started slowly with children's half-term. Then my health had gone down really worse to worst.
I could not move my neck and arms. My upper body and head was in pain and felt really sick at one point.

Now I am slowly better as I did some exercise including Pilates. The side effect of Pilates was still here on my tummy... my tummy muscle is screaming...

 Half term's bad weather had gone and summer again. Lovely sunshine.

It's finally SUMMER!!!

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Sweets of June

Ichigo (strawberry) Daifuku Mochi　　　　　　￡1.50 each
British Strawberry season has arrived! It's really tasty. Not only sweetness, I can taste refreshing sourness and juiciness.  It's the best strawberry Daifuku in the UK.

Warabi Mochi with Kuzu　　　￡2.00 each
Very summer sweets. Kuzu jelly is not sweet, so please sprinkle plenty of Kinako (Roasted Soy flour) and black honey. prepared on only Tuesdays and Fridays.

Waka Ayu (Young Sweet Fish)　　　　　　　　　　　￡1.50 each
Before the river fishing is open in July, we can see a lot of young sweet fish swimming up the treams. Those powerful young sweet fish is the model of this sweet. Yuzu flavored sweet mochi is wrapped by Dorayaki skin.

Yomogi (Japanese Mugwarts) Daifuku
This mochi is made with Yomogi, which is still used as herbal remedy, from Organic Japanese Vege farm Namayasai. My kitchen is filled with this very refreshing mint like aroma. Chunky Adzuki bean paste inside.

Thankfully, more customer puchasing Wagashi. If you are buying more than 5 sweets, could you please let me know in advance. As the cafe has very limited space and shop's temperature is very high in late afternoons, I don't make sweets in bulk.　if you like to purchase sweets more than 5, please ring or email (order@an-an.co.uk) the cafe to order two working days in advance.

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Events in June

This month, Wa cafe an-an is having the second birthday.
It's been a whole year since we did the first anniversary!!!

Those events I introduced as anniversary special became frequent occasions.
Have you tried Japanese Afternoon session or Okonomiyaki weeks?

Japanese says a good restaurant is trained by it's customers.

i would like to thank you all the patient customers. So, I would like to invite some of you to the special events.


Hisako is going to Japan to stay for a while for her son. So I need to do the events before hand.

Monday 13th June (! Wow, it's already today???)
an-an Birthday Cake Buffet
It's postponed to Friday 24th. 
But I will try to be there around 10am. Not necessarily have any cakes, though...


Thursday 16th & Friday 17th June
Japanese Afternoon Tea "Summer has come???"
I will make a lot of early summer sweets.
Do you have any request for the 1st plate? How about cold noodle?
The second and the third plates are as usual.
You can enjoy variety of Summer sweets on this occasion.

Please choose time and make a booking.
Thursday 16th : Morning session (10:00 - 11:30), Evening session (18:30-20:00)
Friday 17th : Afternoon Sesson (16:00 - 17:30)
Each session will have maximum of 8 people.
Children who take a seat will be counted as one.
Please book as soon as possilbe.


24th June (Friday)
an-an  Birthday Buffet - Bring your homemade cakes Buffet

Please bring your homemade cakes. It needs to be something you can proud of, as it will have your name on the display! You will be exchanging some tips of baking cakes.
If you are not good at baking cakes, don't worry! If you pay £5.00 to cover the baker's drinks.

I will keep eyes on the food safety during the buffet, however, an-an cannot take responsibility of sudden weight increase, and etc... Please consume cakes and sweets on your own risk!!!

There will be another blog to come soon.

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I am a bit scared of large events in July... but I want to enjoy this anniversary month with an-an's lovely customers.

Bank Holiday Monday

cafe an-an is closed on bank holiday Monday. Since I have no help this week because of the half term school holiday, service will be slower than usual. sorry for the inconvenience.

和カフェあん庵は、5月30日の祝日はお休みです。
今週はハーフタームのため、人手が足りなく、お待たせすることがあります。申し訳ありません。

Okonomi-yaki week again!

I have got so many requests for having Okonomi-Yaki as regular menu.
I cannot make it as regular, but I can make it as a regular event.

So, here comes Okonomi-Yaki Week, again!

From Monday 23rd to Friday 27th of May, I will serve Okonomi-Yaki as well as usual menu.

...AND, I will have Okonomu-Yaki Night on Tuesday 24th, as my husband can look after kids.

Starts at 7:30 and finish 9:30.

Okonomi-Yaki Night is Adult Only. This time you will have Teppan on the table to cook Okonomi-Yaki by youeselves. Its just like Okonomi-Yaki Bar in Jaapan. 

Please book your seat... yes, seat, as you may need to share table and Teppan with other customers. 8 persons maximum. Eat as much Okonomi Yaki and Yakisoba with one drink for £10.00. As an-an does not own the licence to sell alcoholic drinks, please bring bottles only for yourselves.

This time you can order small sides (£2 per item) along the Okonomi-Yaki. Chicken or Tofu gyoza, Edamame, Miso Soup, white rice, Kimchi Fried rice, etc.etc.

If you like to book seats, please go to this link. info@an-an.co.uk.

I will reply you asap.

Look forward to seeing you!

soy cooking

Here is another dish with Soy beans... I made a very traditional dish from Okara, soy pulp. 

Yes, Soy beans are very common ingredients for Japanese and cannot cook anything without it.
As you know, our cooking sauce are made from Soy beans, such as Soy sauce and Miso pasete.

We make Tofu from Soy beans.... Tofu is only made from Soy milk, which was squeezed juice from Beans.

Have you had any question where has all the pulp after squeezing soy milk?

We eat soy pulp in this way, for example.

My friend, who makes homemade Tofu gave me some fresh okara.

Carrots, mangetout, konnyaku (yum potato jelly) and dried siitake mushrooms are cooked in with soy sauce, mirin and stock from dried mushrooms and konbu seaweed. suitable for vege.

this will b served with lunch set menu today. if you have any allergy to any ingredients, please let me know.

May sweets and Events

What was the last month's weather???
My garden had some thin snow settled for a second. Then warm sun came out to melt and dried in next 5 min.

Aaaaagh! I fell asleep and now it's the 2nd May....
So now i need to announce today, Cafe an-an is closed due to the May Bank Holiday.
Sorry for this short notice. From tomorrow, it will be "Business as usual".


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Sweets from May

Sakura Mochi (Cherry Blossom Mochi) £1.50 each
Sakura had finished in Japan this year, but still full bloom to come here in the UK. Well, an-an is in the South Eeast England, so British Sakura should last a bit longer.
There are very short stock of Cherry leaves this year, but Sakura Mochi should be in the Cafe as long as I can make it.

Kashiwa Mochi (Smooth paste、Japanese Mug-wort & Chunky paste、Sweet Miso White bean paste ）　£1.50 each
the 5th May is "Children's Day" in Japanese Calendar. So I will start selling Kashiwa Mochi afer this May bank holiday. If you want to have sweets delivery on the Saturdays to Croydon Japanese School and Brighton Japanese Club, Please order by 5th to order@an-an.co.uk.

Ichigo Daifuku (Strawberry Mochi) £1.50 each
Yey! British Strawberry season is coming... (still greenhouse grown strawberries, but still very tasty!) Fresh Ichigo Daifuku will be on the Cafe counter on Mondays and Thursdays till October The number is limited, so the first comes first served. If you want to order more than a few Ichigo Daifuku, please order at lease 3 days in advance.

Sanshoku Dango & Mitarashi Dango (Three Colour & Dango with sweet soy sauce)　£1.50 eacg
These need to be with Cherry Blossoms. So I will carry on selling these a bit longer.

Dorayaki (Pancake Sandwich)　£1.50 each
Please choose the fillings of Smooth Adzuki paste, Chunky Adzuki paste or Japanese Green Tea& Bean Paste.

Daifuku Mochi　（Smooth、Chunky、Japanese mug-wort and Chunky Adzuki paste）　£1.00 each

Wow, this month cafe will have variety of sweets!

There is very limited shelf space for Wagashi at the counter, I recommend to order in advance... even from one sweets.

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Event in May

Thanks for coming to the Cherry Blossom Japanese Afternoon Tea. There are some people did not get the notice till last minutes and missed the event.　
This is the photo from the third plate. Next Japanese Afternoon Tea will be planned sometime in June. I will advertise well in advance next time!!!

So, here is the plan of May event....|

Nothing in the line!!!!!!! (;´･ω･)。。

For now, I am making a lot of Kashiwa Mochi for the Children's Day on the 5th May.
That's all....

Anyway, Cafe an-an's 2nd Birthday is coming in June, so I shall make a lot of exciting plan.　I shall make a lot of sweets, too.

I want to do the home-made cake buffet again on the Cafe an-an's Birthday. If the weather is good, I can have more people outside, too!

If you have anything interesting and exciting event, please contact me. Any suggestion will be welcome!!!

Now we shall enjoy the most beautiful time of year here. I really like walking around to see neighbors' front gardens.

Well, I know I need to make MY front garden a bit better...