Cafe an-an is 3 years old!!!

It's the 3rd Birthday of cafe an-an!

Thank you so much for all of your support! I would like to say thank you to all of you!!! To cerebrate the BIG milestone...

１）Cold Salad noodles will be served from this week.
２）A free small piece of birthday cake for everyone on Wednesday, 21st June.
３）Open on Sunday, 25th June lunch time! (possibly Okonomiyaki?)　Not on Saturday as informed on the last blog. sorry.
But, I hope to see some of you cannot come to the cafe during weekdays!

Most of all, this year's Birthday present to this cafe is a "Card Reader”！When you are paying more than £20.00, we now accept card payment. Until we are used to use the machine, payment takes a bit longer, so please please be patient.

Look forward to seeing you💛

June Sweets and Events

What a day!
Winds from Atlantic Ocean blow directly through the street of Cafe an-an... almost taking away tables and chairs!

This is always I moan...
My body cannot adjust to the change of temperature. Sometimes feeling soooo down.

I am not sure because of that, an-an is invited to the Healing Bazaar at West London. I will hold a small workshop making some seasonal sweets.
Wagashi contains a lot of nutritious ingredients and shaping in hands gives relaxation and satisfaction at the end having tea with it.

Well, I almost for got Japanese traditional sweets, Wagashi is made from the world of Zen.

I put the detail of the event. It is getting too close, so be quick if you are interested.

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Sweets in June

Strawberry Daifuku Mochi　￡1.70 each　(￡1.50 each at the cafe）

I cannot help talking about strawberries this time of year! It's the best!

Wimbledon Tennis starts means it's the season of British Strawberries. It's Strawberry & Cream on the side of the grass coats, but it's Strawberry & Mochi at an-an. ｗｗ


Kuzu Mochi  ￡1.80/cup
Using Real Kuzu from Japan. Cool and hydrating sweets in Summer.  As Chinese medicine use Kuzu, it has good nutrients and we believe it removes toxins from bloodstreams. Enjoy with a lots of Organic Soy powder, roasted by an-an, and Black Syrup.
This contains Soy Beans.

Waka Ayu (Sweetfish)　￡1.50 each

This is one of really popular sweets can go with not only Green tea but also English tea or Cafe Latte.
Mochi with Yuzu (Japanese citrus fruits) is wrapped by Dorayaki pancake, so some of you are not fond of Bean paste love this sweets. It looks cute, too.
This contains Eggs and wheat-flour, gluten.





Minazuki　￡1.50 each
Available from Mid-June. This sweets are for the event on 30th June, Nagoshi-no-Harai, started from Kyoto.
triangle shaped steamed mochi with aduki bean on top. This shape is for longing for health and warding off bad luck for another 6 months.
You can make it cool and enjoy.

Daifuku Mochi (smooth paste or chunky paste)　￡1.00 each

Sanshoku Dango  ￡1.50 each

Dorayaki（Smooth adzuki paste、chunky adzuki paste、Mattcha Green tea）　￡1.50 each

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Events in June

Thursday 8th June 　Okonomi Yaki Night　18:30～21:00

　　




Saturday 10th June　Second Book Market at Croydon Japanese School
                                     10:00～12:00　open to public
　　                               (11:00～11:45 not for public)
　　　　　　　I will prepare a lot of Summer Sweets.　

Saturday 10th June　Arbury Carnival at Cambridge
　　　　　　　　Time：11:00～17:00
　　　　　　　　Place：Cambridge Aubery Community Centre
　　　　　　　　　　　Campkin Road, Cambridge CB4 2LD
Yakisoba, Chicken Karaage? Many Japanese foods and crufts workshops! The profit will go to the Japanese toddler group in Aubery. If you live near there, please pop in!

Sunday 11th June Healing Bazaar　Speical No.4

As well as Wagashi Workshop, I will bring some sweets to sell, and seasonal sweets to be enjoyed in Tea ceremony.
For the detail, please go to this link.
https://healingbazaar.wixsite.com/events
If you would like to join the workshop, please apply from this link.
There are so many kinds of Healing you can try. Please pop in if you are interested in.


Thursday 15th June Okonomi Yaki Night　18:30～21:00
　
Monday 19th～Friday 23rd　Cafe an-an's 3rd Birthday week!
I am planning free birthday cakes and Japanese afternoon tea sessions during the week. I will issue another newsletter near the time.

Thursday 22nd June Okonomi Yaki Night　18:30～21:00

Saturday 4th June　Special Weekend Open💛Umm... I want to do something special though...

Thursday 29th June No Okonomi Yaki Night. Sorry for the inconvenience.  Lunch service business as usual.

Saturday 1st July　Summer Festival of Japanese Toddler Group, Ohisama Ahaha!.
　　　　　　　Place：Cornerstone Community Centre
　　　　　　　　　　Church Road,, Hove BN3 2FL
　　　　　　　Time：10:00～16:00
The profit will go to Ohisama Ahaha! There will be free Japanese class trial, Origami and Face Painting and, so on... Of course, you can enjoy Japanese lunch and snacks, too.
There will be another announcement near the date.

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I am really shocked to see what's on the list. 
well, my daughter's birthday do will be added on top of this list, too. 
I just don't have any moment to waste...

Then, an-an will come to West London again on 15th July, at the Summer festival of Maeda Gakuen.

Note:
I need to go shopping trip to Japan in Summer.
Cafe will be closed from 7th to 27th August. Sorry for the inconvenience... 
Once Summer holiday starts, I will open Cafe on Weekends. I hope it's ok...

May sweets and events

It's already half way of May!!!!
I am so sorry I thought I have published this English blog on the 1st day after I translated...
But it was still in the "Draft" box for 15 days...

To be honest, the last 2 weeks was to busy! I have been making sweets non-stop.
On top of that, My husband had been absent for a week in Germany for business... leaving two kids for me to chase their bottoms 24/7.

Anyway Okonomiyaki week was well received! now I know how much people love Okonomiyaki!!! I will do the Okonomiyaki week again sometime in Summer, so till then, please come to enjoy Okonomiyaki on Thursday evenings.

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May Wagashi sweets

Kashiwa Mochi　　￡1.50 each
Koshian (Smooth adzuki bean paste),
Tubuan (Chunky adzuki bean paste) with Japanese mugwort,
Misoan (Miso flavored smooth white bean paste)
* limited numbers left. as soon as the leaves are gone, this will finish.

Strawberry Daifuku Mochi　￡1.50 each
Popular one! British Strawberris are on season! They are soooo tasty in Mochi.
I try to make it everyday, but may not available if I could not find the strawberry in right weight and shape grown locally...
.＊please order in advance (2 days at least) if you would like to buy more than 5 on the day.

Wakaayu (Sweet fish)　￡1.50 each
Yuzu flavored mochi is wrapped in Dorayaki pancake.
If you don't like bean paste, this is the one! It goes so well with Coffee, too!
contains eggs and flour (gluten)

Dorayaki Pancake sandwich　￡1.50 each
Please chose filling from Koshian, Tubuan, Matcha Green tea.
contains eggs and flour

Daifuku Mochi　￡1.00 each
Tubuan or Koshian

Kusa Daifuku Mochi　￡1.20 each
Tubuan in Yomogi (Japanese Mugwort) flavored Mochi.
a hint of minty aftertaste.

Sanshoku Dango　1.50 each
Please give us 15 min. to steam after order at the cafe. If you are having meal first, please order with your meal.

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May events

Tuesday 2nd - 5th May
It was Okonomiyaki week!
Thank you for enjoying Okonomiyaki for lunch.
We will do this more in Summer!

Thursday 18th 18:30～21:00
Okonomiyaki Night
Please book table/seats. Seats are still available.

Thursday 25th 18:30～21:00
Okonomiyaki Night
Please book table/seats. Seats are still available

＆　There will be  a delivery of Namayasai(Organic Japanese Vegetable) at luch time. If you are interested in purchasing a box (please ask the contents nearer the time), please order at cafe or on line by Monday 22nd.

Monday 29th
Closed for Bank Holiday

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Cafe an-an will be 3 years old next month!!!
We would like to celebrate and thank to all our favorite customers!!!
What shall I do? is there any request???
Please let me know.

At the same time, I am planning to improve the shop front...
I hope you will see it very soon.
xxx

Tuesday 11th April

Cafe is closed today. Sorry for the inconvenience.
I had to go to London to get some stuff for the cafe yesterday, so I feel I have a proper day off at home with my children today finally.

Recently, I only write monthly newsletters, so I thought I shall write something more like blogging.

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On Sunday, the morning of Brighton Marathon, I had to leave home really early to catch the local people who cheer up the runners.

However, as I didn't have time to go shopping for my family, there was no loaf left in my house cup boards. So, I pulled out The Breadmaker (from Panas●nic, thought to be the best by Japanese), which was given as a Christmas present by my lovely husband 2 years ago.

I set all the ingredients and asked my husband to check if I pressed the right button to start baking.

I left house saying "Please enjoy once the bread is baked💛"
Well, such a capable wife, aren't I? ww








After I made so many cups of coffee and served a few cakes at my cafe, I received a text message with a photo from husband.

”What am I supposed to do with this? This is not what I expected..."

I, kinda, knew I am not good at baking. 
Well, I am so sorry I am a wife even cannot use Fully Automatic Bread Maker...
(ノД`)・゜・。

Cafe an-an is open tomorrow (Wednesday 12th) morning 11:30.

April sweets and events

Cherry Blossoms!
I found a Cherry tree, Somei-Yoshino, in a park near my home. Each flower is so big and gorgeous. This flour became the design of my Cherry blossom Tea set in my cafe.


So, Cherry Blossom Tea set is still available at my cafe.

Jo-namagashi (Yoshino-Sakura) and Petit Dorayaki with Sakura flavored bean paste + a choice of pot tea... this set only costs￡3.50!

Dorayaki contains gluten and egg, so mini-Hanami Dango can be chosen instead. (Suitable for Vegan)

Jo-namagashi seems to have a formal sweets to have in Tea ceremony, but you can enjoy it any time. You can also take away and enjoy under Cherry Blossoms.

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April Sweets

Sakura Mochi　　　￡1.50 each

Also called Domyoji in Tokyo area. However, this is "the Sakura Mochi" for Kansai (around Kyoto and Osaka) people. Smooth Adzuki Bean paste inside, and wrapped with a pickled cherry leaves, harvested in organic farm Namayasai. Please enjoy the aroma of cherry leaves.

Hanami Dango　　　　￡1.50 each
Well known as Sanshoku (tricolor) Dango　　
Green Dango with organic Japanese mugwort represenets grass, white one is air and pink one is cherry blossoms.

Mitarashi Dango　　　￡1.50 each
This is also one of sweets we want to eat under cherry blossoms. dango on skewers covered in sweet soy sauce. Tamari is used, so its gluten free. It contains Soy.

Daifuku (smooth or chunky adzuki paste)　　￡1.00 each
Kusa（mugwort）Daifuku　　￡1.20 each　
Organic mugwort from Namayasai is used. Please enjoy the minty aroma. with chunky adzuki bean paste

Dorayaki（smooth、chunky、Matcha green tea、Sakura(limited edition））　￡1.50 each
contains eggs and wheat flour, gluten

Easter♪
White Rabbit & Black Rabbit　￡1.50 each
White Rabbit with white bean paste with white (yellow?) skin. Black Rabbit with smooth Adzuki bean paste with Molasses flavored skin. Both are steamed buns, so Suitable for Vegan, but contains gluten.

Kashiwa Mochi　(smooth、mugwort ＆chunky adzuki、Miso bean paste)￡1.50 each
Ready from 24th. Miso bean paste contains Soy.

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April Events
This month, children are out of school for Easter Holiday for two weeks...
So, Opening hours are a bit (or a lot?) different from usual.
Please check here or Facebook page before setting off the trip to an-an.

Brighton Marathon is passing in front of the cafe on Sunday 9th!!!
I was in two minded, but now an-an cafe is open on this Sunday!

This time, I have a proper coffee machine, so if you haven't tried my coffee or Matcha Green Tea Latte, this is the chance!!!

Pan cakes and some other cakes are served as well.

It's already full of events for me...

5th May will be The Children's Day (Tango no Sekkku) so, I might plan something on the day.

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Weather is changeable so much in this season. please take care and enjoy this colourful season.

Brighton and Hove Japanese Club Open Day 2017

Thank you for coming to the sales at Brighton and Hove Japanese Club Open Day yesterday! As I guessed it was too busy to take any photos during the sales, so I borrowed some photos from Japanese Club's. Thank you.

You can see a bit of panicky feeling from these photos. ww
Almost all the time, there was a queue in front of us... (^_^;)

Most of sweets sold out before the half way of the sales... So sorry I could not make any more than those... (although I took more than 300 sweets.)

If you could not buy the sweets you were after, I will have the same sweets till the end of April at cafe an-an.

Cafe will be open on Saturdays till 15th April. Opening time will be extended on Saturdays, too. Please check before your visit.

And…。

There were a few customers asked about Strawberry Daifuku Mochi.
We are still waiting for tasty British strawberries in the market.
Till then, we still have a lot of spring sweets on sale. Please enjoy them for now.

The British strawberry season normally starts around late May to early June, but warm weather will bring tasty strawberry a bit earlier. Let's hope this spring will be a warm one.

March sweets and events

So, spring has comeーーー🌸
Well, I don't feel in that way as cold winds still blowing through the street in front of the cafe...
Storm Douris had gone with my cafe's outside tables blowing away into pieces...
On the other hand, snowdrops, crocus and daffodils are blooming brightly.

There are so many events in Japanese spring season.
So an-an is still really busy making sweets!!!

AND!
an-an opens on Saturdays! 
Please check below for the details.

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March Sweets

Uguisu Mochi(Nightingale Mochi)
Smooth Adzuki Bean paste is wrapped by soft Mochi. Sprinkled green powder is Green soy powder, which has flesh aroma.
This contains Soy.
￡1.50 each

Botamochi（Ohagi）
This really old and familiar sweets are made of half mushed glutinous rice and bean paste.
Specially, we commonly eat in this time of year for offering to ancestors, whose spirits are coming to see us from 17th to 23rd March.
an-an roast organic soy flour in-house.
Yellow Botamochi contains Soy.
Smooth Adzuki bean paste, Chunky Adzuki bean Paste or Yellow Soy flour (with smoothh Adzuki Bean pase inside) available.
￡1.50 each

Umenoka (Aroma of Plum blossoms)
White bean paste with Pickled plum juice is rapped by flower shaped Mochi.
￡1.50 cach


Hanami（Sanshoku）Dango
Pink is flower on tree, White is air and Green is lawn... This is the famous Sweet dumplings on skewers.
￡1.50 each

Dorayaki
Rich pan cake Sandwich. Please choose the fillings from Smooth adzuki bean paste, Chunky Adzuki bean paste or Matcha Green tea in white bean paste.
This contains eggs, wheat.
￡1.50 each

Daifuku Mochi
Mochi with Smooth adzuki bean paste or chunky adzuki bean paste.
￡1.00 each

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March Events

Thursday 2nd Okonomiyaki Night 18:30～21:00（last order）
                      fully booked, but take away available.
Friday 3rd      Girl's festival（Hina Matsuri）
　　　　　　　 Special Sushi for Hina Matsuri 3 pieces￡5.00

Thursday 9th Okonomiyaki Night 18:30～21:00（last order）
                      Booking seats highly recommended!
Saturday 18th Brighton and Hove Japanese Club Open Day! (Website）
　　　　　　　13:30～17:00　St. Paul's Primary School on St. Nicholas Road
Thursday 23rd  Okonomiyaki Night 18:30～21:00（Last order）
                        Booking seats highly recommended!
Friday 24th     Japanese Afternoon sessions
                        Please book seats in advance (8 people max in each session)|
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　　　　　　　　16:00～
　　　　　　　　18:00～
Saturday 25th Cafe is open on Saturday! 11:30～15:00 (normal lunch service)
　
April Events
Saturday 1st 　Cafe is open on Saturday! 11:30～15:00 (normal lunch service)

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I will work on Saturdays so much!!!
So, please pop into cafe on Saturday if you have never seen my cafe is in action!!!