Recent news and a little chestnut love from Japan

As Uchipu hinted in the comments section, I picked up a new addiction... I spent most of the weekend doing nothing but playing and trying to learn a new world... Dangerously addictive. I'm trying to be a cook in the game too, but it turned out to be much more difficult than cooking in real life. I'm such a creative mix-this, mix-that kind of cook that having recipes make cooking a whole lot more difficult...

I also found out via Sam that I won a Slashfood award! I've been so busy at work and at home, I haven't been keeping up with any of my blog readings - thanks, Sam!

I'm also fighting off something, which leaves me with little energy...

But I'm determined to blog today...

I hope this will be a little bit of inspiration for me...


Kurikinton is a Japanese chestnut dessert. While Kuri definitely means chestnuts, there seems to be some disagreement as to what Kinton refers to with two schools of thought. In both theories, 'Kin' stands for the golden hue of the chestnut dish. The 'Ton' can either stand for 'dango balls' or 'futon' - chestnut golden balls or chestnut golden futon.

The type of kurikinton you see here is a local specialty in the Gifu prefecture, right next to my home prefecture in Japan. Other kurikintons are usually mushier and messier with sweet potatoes added to the mixture. These that I grew up with are pure chestnut treats - no added water, just steamed chestnuts with some sugar that crumble oh-so-seductively in my mouth with every bite.

These Kurikinton treats were recently featured in my favorite comic book, Yakitate Ja-pan. It gave me such a craving for them that when my aunt asked me what I wanted from Japan, I quickly responded with 'Kurikinton!'

They were as good as I remembered them being. The scent of chestnuts vaporizes through oral cavity through my nose as these treats literally melt in my mouth. Despite its appearance, they are surprisingly moist with no hint of dryness. Naturally creamy, these seasonal treats are only available in the Fall, even in Gifu. Lucky me for having an aunt who came to visit me at just the right time of the year!