When I was little my dad used to make SPAM and eggs for lunch on the weekend. I didn’t know what SPAM was. I just remember seeing a rectangular piece of meat on my plate. It was salty, kinda rubbery and for awhile I just ate it because it was on my plate. Then I found my voice one day and I told my dad that SPAM was weird (since he wouldn’t tell me what kind of meat it was) and that I didn’t want to eat it anymore. He...
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Marukai Supermarket, a Japanese specialty foods store, is by far my favorite grocery shopping destination. One of the things I love about my move to Orange County is that it only takes me 10 minutes to drive to Marukai in Costa Mesa. When I lived on the Westside (Los Angeles) I had to drive to Gardena, which was a 30 minute drive, in order to get to the South Bay Marukai. It was one of those trips that warranted an invitation to my mom...
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When I was growing up, I remember Hinamatsuri, or Girl’s Day, as a special occasion that my parents celebrated every year. Hinamatsuri, also known as Japanese Doll Festival, is celebrated annually on March 3rd. The dolls are thought to fend off evil spirits and pray for the healthy growth and happiness of girls. When I was born, my maternal grandparents in Japan sent a complete set of Hina-ningyo (ornamental dolls) to my parents....
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