First update in 2015!

It is already March, but since this is my very first post in 2015 I would like to say "Happy New Year" to all my dear readers... well, maybe saying "Sorry" is more appropriate. :P

My quality of life has hit a record low in the first quarter of 2015, which explains the total abandonment of this blog. :( Hellish and I moved into our semi-permanent residence in Jan and then we had the CNY holiday in Feb. While these are things worth celebrating, the strenuous packing-moving-unpacking process and relentless rounds of CNY gatherings had sucked up all our time and energy before we could plan any celebration... 

Now that CNY is over, it's time for some nourishing activities... which means blogging and chado (Way of Tea) practice at home! Life is finally good again. :)

And I am taking wagashi class again. These sweets, nerikiri, were what I made in my last class. :) Making wagashi is truly a test of patience and fine motor function (I suck at both, sadly)... but it's exceedingly rewarding when you have successfully made a decent piece of sweet. Of course, the "likes" you get when you post pictures of your creations on FB are very strong reinforcers too. :P

As for afternoon tea review, I have plenty to write about!! The only problem is when I will have the time to write them all. Let's hope I can write my first review in 2015 this month!

More Wagashi Before Autumn Goes Away

It's getting colder and it's almost time to say goodbye to autumn. It's great that I managed to enjoy more autumn wagashi - with some of my best friends - before my favourite season slips away. :) 

I made kinton in my second wagashi class. It was such a pain to make the prickly spikes of the chestnut kinton on the left! No wonder wagashi is so expensive... the kinton on the right was much easier to make, and I would definitely make it again someday. It looks like sweet potato but disappointingly, it tastes nothing like sweet potato because it's made from white beans. :P 

I will be taking a break from wagashi class and also this blog because I will be busy till the end of 2014. Hellish and I are moving out from our apartment, then we will go to Scandinavia (yay!) for our much needed vacation. After our trip, there will be lots of Christmas gatherings... enough said. So see you in 2015!! 

Autumn

Autumn has arrived - finally something worth celebrating in the midst of depressing and plastic news. 

It almost seems sinful to write about food at this time of social unrest, and it's the reason why I have not published any new tea review lately. But now I am thinking, perhaps it is good to write rather than spending my time reading FB. Every day I read articles on the Umbrella Movement from 3 different newspapers in order to remain as objective as possible... and reading FB now feels like reading newspaper for the 4th time and makes my heart heavy. :0  I guess writing something completely irrelevant to politics may help restore my peace of mind. 

So, new tea reviews are on the way! Thanks for checking this blog despite the lack of update. :) 

Btw, these are the kurimanju (chestnut buns) that I made in my first wagashi (Japanese sweets) class.  Nothing beats chestnuts in autumn. Nothing.