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....