the story of the mackerel and a concerned foreigner

Posted on March 25, 2012 by Marjorie

Fish is highly essential in a pregnant woman’s diet because of the DHA and omega-3 fatty acids which are crucial on the brain development of her unborn child.

Not all fish is safe for consumption of pregnant women however. Shark (who would ever eat a shark???!!!), tilefish, tuna and king mackerel were the constant names mentioned in almost all books/websites I came across, highlighted as the types of fish which SHOULD be avoided owing to their high mercury content.

As I have this image that these types of fish were big ones, I made a mental note to just eat small ones.

Thinking I needed more intake of fish, we decided to have lunch at Ootoya where my favorite grilled fish meal is.

I asked hubby what was the name of the fish I was eating. To which he answered that it was called “Saba”. I asked what was its English name. But hubby didn’t know. I just shrugged it off and continued in eating my fish. I find it really delicious and I was eating it with much gusto, happily thinking as well that baby is having a good dose of omega-3 fatty acids.

As usual, hubby finished eating first and excused himself to go to toilet.

Now, the people on the table nearest us were two guys – one a silent Japanese and the other a western guy who did most of the talking. He wasn’t eating as well. It was only his Japanese companion who was eating.

A minute after Hubs left, I heard the western guy said “it’s none of my business but I’ll say it anyway”. I found this weird but of course it’s also none of my business if he acts weird or not. And then in a flash he was already standing in front of me and saying something to me. Because of my surprise, it took me a while to understand what he was saying.

I had to shake my head to clear it from the shock and asked him to repeat what he was saying (for the third time):

it’s mackerel. The English name of what you’re eating – it’s mackerel.

When he saw that I finally understood what he was saying he then went back to his seat.

Meanwhile I had already recovered from my shock of him approaching me. But now I have a different worry. That i wasn’t supposed to eat what I was eating.

So then I called out to him.
Me: you helped me a lot in here. I wasn’t supposed to be eating this fish Thank you.

Guy: why not? Why are you not supposed to eat it? (yes he’s pretty confident)

Me: Because pregnant women aren’t supposed to eat mackerel.

Guy: Oh….. Well, congratulations anyway.

Me: arigatou. (smiling)

I still finished my fish though because I realized I’d be eating it for the last time for the next six months.

Thank you stranger, for intervening which could be life saving. I’ll pay it forward next time. Hubs and I had a good laugh about it later on but really sometimes, it helps to care even when supposedly “it’s none of your business”.

milkfish (bangus)!!

Posted on March 24, 2012 by Marjorie

I’ve been craving for one soon after my pregnancy started. There were times I wanted bangus so badly the idea of going to Philippines just to eat the food I want to eat has been floating in my head.

We finally caved in and bought a pack of marinated bangus in the Asian store, disregarding our earlier hesitations that it’d be packed with preservatives. Checked the packaging and there wasn’t any – only vinegar, garlic and salt. There were also similar packaged bangus I saw before in malls in Manila. So we bought it.

And it was as good as I have fantasized it to be. Yes, “fantasize” is the word.

In between “oishis”, hubs peppered me with questions such as where does milkfish thrived and if it’s only in the Philippines. From what I know, milkfish is abundant in the Pacific area but that milkfish is farmed in many fish farms in the Philippines. And oh yeah, milkfish is the Philippines’ national fish (pambansang isda) haha.

So good. I think we’d buy another pack soon.

recovering appetite

Posted on March 18, 2012 by Marjorie

Hubs’ family sent us a package which includes a box of tofu which are packed akin to milk.

The tofu is so silky and smooth and soft!

I tried to cook adobo but of course the moment I’ve put the tofu in after the pork was cooked, it’s an altogether different dish already because of the texture that the tofu gave. The dish’s soup though, before simmering all out seeped its way into the tofu, lending the tofu a very delicious adobo taste. It brought a smile to my face every time I had a mouthful of the tofu. It’s so silky and creamy and smooth and literally melts in the mouth. Knowing the health benefits of tofu makes that smile even bigger.

Apparently though, as I later realized, my appetite is finally back. With fewer pregnancy sickness (morning sickness is clearly a misnomer since it sometimes lasts up to midnight so I’d rather call it pregnancy sickness) bouts now, and with the bitter taste less frequent now, I find myself having the appetite.

And so that was why right after having dinner, I requested a very surprised hubs that we cook pancakes. He couldn’t believe that I’d have the stomach still for pancake right after our dinner; he’s worried that I’d vomit again. But the yearning is just so strong and after a couple of minutes of lambing, he finally relented.

Thing is, I am not very confident with cooking pancakes. All my tries before we’re total sloppy failures. And hubs hasn’t had the experience ever to cook pancake. But I was really bent on having pancakes so we tried to experiment.

We ended having a very good bonding time. Thankfully we had all ingredients in the cupboard and fridge – pancake mix, eggs, butter – and all we just need to do is follow the instructions. Hubs even followed the step on cooling the pan a bit by putting it on a wet cloth after heating it up – if it were only me, I would have had omitted that step. The effect is a perfect pancake, the first decent looking pancake I’ve EVER made.

The taste was really good!!! We bought a good pancake mix. Although I still long for the day that I could make a pancake mix from scratch and not instant just like how mama and papa used to do it for our snacks when we were young. Those pancakes were just so good!!!

Above all though, because of the unexpected pancake craving, we had a fun and memorable time in the process. Happy.

freeze-dried miso soup

Posted on March 13, 2012 by Marjorie

Was nursing a very bad sore throat ever since Saturday. Last night however, the coughing got nasty. And for every cough i’d double up because my belly would hurt as well. Felt like some nerves went taut inside my belly and it was just so painful. Of course this got me worried for baby.

The cough and the pain went on till morning prompting me to decide to take the day off, following the doctor’s advise to just lie in bed whenever my belly hurts.

Hubs bought me bottled water and oranges and some bacon for the fried rice I had in mind. He was really a dear – he had to go out once and then come back before heading back out again for office. Thankfully it was still early.

Had the fried rice for lunch. But we haven’t thought about dinner. Thankfully we still have eggs so I noshed on two hard-boiled eggs; which are actually my favourite recently.

One other thing I was thankful for. Last weekend, Atsushi’s family sent us a package of good-quality Japanese food: nori which were in cans and not just in plastic, tofu which are boxed like milk which was just soooo good, and freeze-dried miso.

Just add a bit if water. Tadaan! Perfect complement for my eggs.

Being pregnant and conscious of food intake as I am, I had to research a bit on freeze drying. Thankfully, no preservatives involved. Read here for some interesting very short read.
I checked the salt content and considering all my food intake today, I was surprised I still didn’t make the minimum required of 1500mg (US standard).

Will share the delicious tofu we received, next time.

ichiran

Posted on March 12, 2012 by Marjorie

It’s very rare that Hubs suggests we eat ramen whenever I ask him where we’ll have our late night dinner. Hence whenever he suggests so, I almost always say yes.

My favourite ramen place is Yoshimuraya in Yokohama but that is still a station and a 10min walk away, hence we decided to go for Ichiran, the closest one and my second favourite, at least within Yokohama and Sakuragicho.

Ichiran, which serves tonkotsu ramen (pork bone broth), is quite unique from other ramen places however. For a number of reasons.

Back when we’ve just discovered the place, we were laughing on how it felt like we were having an exam. After ordering on the machine right at the entrance, once seated, you have to fill up a sheet for the kind of ramen specs you want to have.

Once you’re done answering your sheet, you can then “submit” it to the staff so they will cook your ramen the way you want it too.

Almost always, I have the firm noodles, half-clove garlic, no scallions, only half serving of their secret sauce and with pork of course. Would have wanted eggs but theirs is only half cooked so me and baby can’t eat it. I was also a nori monster before but I found myself not liking its smell now that I’m preggers. 😀

Once your ramen is done, they’ll leave you be as they close the bamboo curtain for your privacy. And indeed you can’t get any more private what with the cubicle for each customer. It’s really like taking an exam!

いただきます‼

From their poster, Ichiran also have a branch in Manhattan, New York. But after having ramen in Manila and Singapore and it being far from the real Japanese thing, I’m not sure if the Ichiran in NY tastes the same as the Sakuragicho Ichiran. 🙂 Even the ramen in the Ippudo in Kyushu, where the original Ippudo resto is, is different from Yokohama Ippudo!

my sweet potatoes

Posted on February 18, 2012 by Marjorie

I’ve always loved sweet potatoes ever since we were kids and we’d snack on it. Goes without saying that I associate them as well with happy childhood memories. That and the other merienda food that our parents prepare for us for the 3o’clock snacks.

But when I tasted the Japanese sweet potatoes, I was even more hooked! They were just so creamy and sweeter. They’re usually sold around here, roasted, sitting atop very hot stones. Holding hot sweet potatoes on a cold winter (they are more usually sold around here during the cold season) is like a happy thing, making you smile like a kid with his cotton candy.

And oh, did you know that sweet potatoes are considered super food? They’re rich in Vitamin B6, Vitamin C (which is not just for a healthy immune system but also plays an important role in bone and tooth formation, digestion, and blood cell formation; helps accelerate wound healing, produces collagen which helps maintain skin’s youthful elasticity, and is essential to helping us cope with stress), Vitamin D for a happier sun-shinier you, Iron for more energy and better red & white blood cell production, Magnesium the anti-stress and relaxation mineral, Potassium to help regulate heartbeats and nerve signals, Carotenoids for better eyesight.

For the more thorough details on the benefits of sweet potatoes, click here.

Every now and then, I’d buy sweet potatoes when we do our weekly groceries. When earlier, I saw a big pack of small sweet potatoes, I just had to buy even when it was a big pack because the small sizes would make it easier to cook and consume. I don’t have to cook everything all at once.

We were surprised though when we peeled our potatoes after I had it steamed.

It’s violet!

It being violet, it probably doesn’t have the carotenoids usual in their orange counterparts. But they’re still sweet and creamy alright and probably still contains all the vitamins and minerals sweet potatoes have. Will boil more, tomorrow. 🙂

On Chocolate Hill

A chocolatey journey, with Yui!

Category Archives: food