Fruit

Affordable fruit is one thing I miss about my hometown of Herefordshire. Back there we have fruit trees in the garden, orchards down the road, English Cox’s (an apple variety) in the shops that cost a fraction of these apples pictured. Bananas are cheap but lack taste, it having been bred out of them. To […]

Video: Joseph and *Twinkle*s trip to Yamaki Jouzo

In our first video podcast collaboration, *Twinkle* and I take you to Yamaki Jouzo, an organic farm located about 2.5 hours from Tokyo in Kamikawa-cho, Saitama (accessible by train to JR Honjo and then bus) [Google Map]. This video was originally going to be a Japan Podshow episode, but in the end we were unable […]

Japanese lesson, and cake

Been a funny day today. In some ways a little frustrating, as I spent about 4 hours trying to do the simplest bit of coding in MS Office Access, but failing. I’m hoping I have an early morning breakthrough tomorrow as I have every time I’ve run into a difficult problem with it so far. […]

My magnetic sweet tooth

Try as I might, I can’t give up unhealthy food. Since I decided to not eat Japanese processed foods, especially those containing a lot of sugar, I have been bombarded with presents in the form of some of the most delicious unhealthy foods one could hope for. We’re talking delicious caramelised biscuits, chocolate-cream packed buns, […]

Name that Root Veg

Ok then, here’s a little research project for you: what are these? They are labelled “Kogashira” in Japanese, and I have no idea what they are. Answers on a postcard, or in the comments section. 🙂 – EDIT – Thank you for the feedback, both to Bibi and to mum no.2 and her extended network. […]

Organic vegetables, Nelson Mandela, and your own thought processes

Ha. It’s another of those nights. Those nights when I go to bed, but feel so excited about everything and nothing that I have to get up again. Part of it’s the music, I know. I’m listening to Everything But the Girl – Walking Wounded. One of the few CDs I ever owned. Bought it […]