#National Tempura Day

[murderousink23]

01/07/2024 is Flag Day 🇮🇹, National Bobblehead Day 🇺🇸, National Tempura Day 🍤 🇺🇸, Harlem Globetrotter's Day 🏀🇺🇸

[alliterative-endlessknot]

It’s #NationalTempuraDay! Did you know that the name of this famous dish probably comes from Portuguese, not Japanese? Find out more in our video about the etymology of “Japan”!

[rabbitcruiser]

National Tempura Day 

Batter and deep-fry a wide range of foods, from prawns to vegetables, and pair with Japanese staples like donburi or soba for some delicious dining.

Tempura is a deep-fried dish that the Japanese have made for centuries. When did it originate? Let us find out through the history of National Tempura Day!

Learn about National Tempura Day

On National Tempura Day, we are encouraged to enjoy any sort of dish that has been made with tempura batter. This is a Japanese fare, with most people tucking into delicious Tempura prawns on this date! However, there are many things you can deep-fry in this batter. Seafood and vegetables are the most popular, yet there’s nothing stopping you from having Tempura chicken. We are sure that there are plenty of unique concoctions you can come up with as well. Deep-fried Mars bars are popular, so what about a Tempura version?

Tempura is a traditional Japanese dish. It was introduced in the 16th century by the Portuguese that were living in Nagasaki at the time. They used fritter-cooking to achieve the light batter. The batter typically consists of soft wheat flour, for example, all-purpose flour, pastry flour, or cake flour, which is combined with iced water. Some people prefer to use sparkling water to keep the batter light.

A lot of people will also add spices, oil, starch, baking powder or baking soda, and/or eggs, especially the egg yolk. Traditionally, this batter is mixed in small batches. Chopsticks are used to mix the batter, and it is only mixed minimally, i.e. for a few seconds. Any lumps are left in the mixture, and this – along with the cold temperature – is how the crisp and unique fluffy tempura structure is created when cooking.

Cooked tempura pieces tend to be either salted and eaten as they are or they are presented with a dipping sauce. Tentsuyu sauce is the most common sauce to enjoy with this batter. A lot of people serve it with grated daikon, which is a mild-flavored winter radish, and they eat it straight after it has been fried. You will also find that tempura is typically found in udon soup or bowls of soba in Japan, typically in the form of a fritter, shiso leaf, or shrimp.

It is also not uncommon for tempura to be used in combination with other foods. So, if you want to cook a tempura-inspired meal for National Tempura Day, there are plenty of main dishes for you to consider. As mentioned, you can add tempura to the top of udon soup. It is also typically served as part of a donburi dish, which is where vegetables and tempura shrimp are served over a bowl of steamed rice. You could also make a bowl of tempura soba, which is essentially tempura that is served on top of buckwheat noodles. Or, how about making your very own creation?

History of National Tempura Day

Tempura is made up of either seafood or vegetables that are battered, deep-fried, and enjoyed by millions of people across the nation. Portuguese Jesuit missionaries introduced the recipe for tempura to Japan during the sixteenth century (around 1549). It is believed that Portuguese Jesuit Tokugawa Isyasu, founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, loved tempura. Since the Genroku era (September 1688 – March 1704) tempura was originally a very popular food that was eaten at street vendors called yatai.

Today, chefs all over the world include tempura dishes on their menus using a wide variety of different batters and ingredients including the non-traditional broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus as well as dry fruits. Some meats, usually chicken and cheeses, are known to be served tempura-style in some American restaurants. For sushi lovers, a more recent variation of tempura sushi has the entire piece of sushi dipped in batter and tempura-fried. The word “tempura” comes from the word “tempora”, a Latin word meaning “times”, “time period” used by both Spanish and Portuguese missionaries to refer to the Lenten period or Ember Days.

The idea that the word “tempura” may have been derived from the Portuguese noun tempero, meaning a condiment or seasoning of any kind, or from the verb temperar, meaning “to season” has not been substantiated. The term “tempura” is thought to have gained popularity in southern Japan; it became widely used to refer to any sort of food prepared using hot oil, including some already existing Japanese foods. Today, the word “tempura” is also commonly used to refer to satsuma age, a fried fish cake that is made without batter. In Bangladesh, the blossoms of pumpkins or marrows are often deep-fried with a gram of rice flour spice mix, creating a Bengali style tempura known as kumro ful bhaja.

How to celebrate National Tempura Day

Celebrating National Tempura Day is easy. You gather up the ingredients necessary to create a tempura, be it a homemade recipe or one you found online, and make the dish to serve it with family as a happy dinner meal. You could decide to have tempura prawns or starter or you could opt for a main dish that incorporates tempura, such as the ones we mentioned earlier.

The great thing about this batter is that it is highly versatile and so it can be teamed with a wide range of seafood, vegetables, and meat. This means that you can have a lot of fun experimenting with different ingredients. Why not have a tempura cook-off with your friends? Or, you could host a Japanese-inspired dinner party?

Why not get some of your friends around for afternoon tea Japanese style? In Japan, tea ceremonies have been popular for many years. Combine this with some delicious tempura dishes for everyone to eat, and you’ve got the perfect lunch-time event. After all, it is always fun to do something a bit different, isn’t it?

The tea that is famous in Japan is pure Matcha green tea. We’re sure you may have even seen Matcha tea or Matcha lattes in your local coffee shop! Matcha comes in many different forms and grades. It is important to be aware of this when purchasing, as you don’t want to end up selecting the wrong product. Generally speaking, you have two key options to select from when buying Matcha – ceremonial Matcha and cooking grade Matchas.

Most people prefer to invest in ceremonial Matcha green tea, and this is because it is of the highest quality and it is suitable for everyday drinking. Of course, you can incorporate it into cooking too, but when creating a Matcha beverage it is even more important to choose high levels of quality. You won’t get better than ceremonial Matcha and this is emphasised by the fact that this Matcha is used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. This type of Matcha should be powdery, very fine, and boast a bright spring green shade.

If it has a slightly yellow colour and feels coarse, you definitely do not have ceremonial grade Matcha on your hands. Ceremonial Matcha is also delicious enough to be enjoyed on its own. You can simply mix it with hot water and consume it as it is; it does not need any sweeteners or additions. Another point worth bearing in mind is that you only need about half a teaspoon of ceremonial grade Matcha when making a cup of tea. You will need more than this when using a lower grade of Matcha. Therefore, while ceremonial Matcha may be more expensive to buy initially, it will last you a lot longer, and thus the costs even themselves out.

No matter whether you are going to host a traditional Japanese tea ceremony with your friends or an evening of fine dining, you will need to decide what tempura dishes you are going to create. The great news is that there are so many different options for you to choose from!

Let’s go through some of the most popular. If you’re looking for a veggie dish, eggplant tempura is a great choice. This is known as Nasu. Or, how about Ebi? This is shrimp tempura, and it is delicious! It is typically used as a topping for udon or soba noodles, yet it can also be enjoyed on its own. Don’t confuse this with Ebi Furai; this is another type of fish, yet it is deep fried with panko batter, which is a lot heavier.

Some other options include tempura shiitake mushrooms, Ika, which is squid tempura, and Hotate, which is tempura scallops. If you are feeling really adventurous, you may want to consider Anago, which is salt-water eel. They have a sweet taste and a soft texture.

Source

[subby-sab]

Today is 7th of January.

Today is Orthodox Christmas Day, Old Rock Day, National Tempura Day.

[ami-ven]

Happy National Tempura Day!

[svt-rei]

-> REIKO :: PROFILE

BASIC INFO !

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

NAMES ->

BIRTH NAME — Takashima Reiko

KOREAN NAME — Kim Rina

HIRAGANA — たかしま れいこ

❪ ★ ❫ NAME MEANING ->

REIKO: from japanese origin, 礼 (rei) meaning "courtesy" and 子 (ko) meaning "child”. Thus, the name Reiko can be interpreted as a child who embodies courtesy and kindness.

RINA: is a feminine name of Korean origin similar to rena, meaning "beloved; joyful; melody".

NICKNAMES ->

nini ❪ by carats ❫, reini ❪ by seventeen ❫, Korea's ambassador ❪ by the korean & international public ❫, human chanel ❪ by carats & public ❫, rina ❪ by parents ❫, sweetheart (by parents)

❪ ★ ❫ BIRTHDATE & LOCATION !

BIRTHDATE — december 3rd, 2000

AGE — 22

ZODIAC SIGN — Saggitarius

BIRTHPLACE — sanya , tokyo, Japan

HOMETOWN — shibuya, Tokyo

RESIDENCY — sanya, tokyo❪ 2000 - 2002 ❫, Shibuya, Tokyo ❪ 2002 - 2014 ❫, seoul, south korea ❪ 2015 - present ❫

NATIONALITY — japanese

ETHNICITY — korean

★ LANGUAGES ->

japanese : 100%

korean : 85%

english : 60%

!! PHYSICAL DETAILS ->

HEIGHT — 164 cm ❪ 5'4" ❫

WEIGHT — 47 kg ❪ 120 lbs ❫

BLOOD TYPE — O negative

HAIR COLOR — black ❪ naturally ❫, black ❪ currently ❫

EYE COLOR — brown

!! CLAIMS ->

face : jennie ❪ blackpink ❫

vocal : kyungjoo ❪ pixy ❫, shannon bae (ex- pledis girlz),

rap : joy ❪ red velvet ❫

dance : yumi ❪ choreographer ❫.

!! GENDER & SEXUALITY ->

GENDER — female

PRONOUNS — she / her

SEXUAL ORIENTATION — pansexual

RELATIONSHIP STATUS — single

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

->  CAREER

NAME ->

STAGE NAME — Rei ❪ pronounced RAY-ee ❫

HANGUL — 레이

ORIGIN — since her name is of japanese descent, she wasn’t completely sure if she'd like using her full name yet, At the same felt uncomfortable with her korean name. so she settled for a nickname of hers.

!! INDUSTRY -

COMPANY — SM entertainment (2012-2013) pledis entertainment ❪ 2014 - 2020 ❫, hybe labels ❪ 2020 - present ❫

TRAINEE PERIOD — 2 years, (2011 -2013) 1 years ❪ 2014 - 2015 ❫

DANCING PERIOD — ballet ❪ 2006 - 2015 ❫,pointe ❪ 2007 - 2015 ❫, hip-hop ❪ 2012 - 2015 ❫

!! SEVENTEEN ->

DEBUT AGE — 14 ❪ seventeen ❫, 19 ❪ solo ❫

GROUP — seventeen

SUBUNIT — vocal unit

POSITIONS — main vocalist, visual, face of the group, sub rapper, maknae

REPRESENTATIVE EMOJI — 🐻 / 🥳

REPRESENTATIVE COLOR — light yellow

INDIVIDUAL FANDOM — koko or koko's plural.

RANKING ->

vocal : 9 / 10

rap : 7 / 10

dance : 10 / 10

visual ❪ korean standard ❫ : 9 / 10

stage presence : 8 / 10

acting : 8 / 10

producing : 5 / 10

songwriting : 6 / 10

choreography : 10 / 10

leadership : 7 / 10

public speaking : 9 / 10

overall ranking : 88 / 100

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

--> PERSONAL

MBTI ->

enfp-t, the campaigner

DESCRIPTION — Campaigners (enpf's) are true free spirits- outgoing, openhearted, and open-minded. with their lively, upbeat approach to life, they stand out in any crowd. even though they can be the life of the party, Campaigners don’t just care about having a good time. these personality types run deep as does their longing for meaningful, emotional connections with other people.

EDUCATION ->

KAIS Elementary & Middle School ❪ 2005 - 2014 ❫, Hanlim Multi Art School ❪ 2015- 2018 ❫, Seoul National University ❪ 2019 - current ❫

PHOBIAS ->

astraphobia ❪ fear of lighting and thunder ❫.

ALLERGIES ->

N/A

LIKES ->

pickles, exercise/working out, simple games, organizing, art, driving,

DISLIKES ->

relish, clutter, mustard , creepy settings, onions, horror games, humidity, being interrupted, the days where she simply cannot focus.

FAVORITES ->

color : yellow, pink & black

food : ice cream, hashbrowns, tempura, kimchi, taco triangles, tonkatsu, blueberries, purin, apples and caramel combo.

drink : strawberry sprite, strawberry flavored drinks, dr. pepper, dalgona coffee

movies : pirates of the carribean, knights of the zodiac, spirited away, drive my car, my neighbor totoro, the world of kanako, 20th century girl.

tv series : sweet tooth, euphoria, love & death, death note, the after party, the summer i turned pretty, emily in paris.

number : 7

emojis : 🥳🤷‍♀️😧😘🤍🤩🫶

season : winter & summer

[gravessyard]

Walking Remedy

Notes from the crypt: surprise shawtyyyy! bet you were expecting something from the queue but it was me! with a piece! when I first started this piece it had around 2k words and at the time I was pleased with it. Well, I returned to it earlier this evening and decided that I was indeed not pleased with it and then bulked it tf up to 5k words. Eat up babes <3

Tags: GN!Reader, lots of lore, angst with a happy ending, mentions of death, slow burn maybe?

Summary: You danced a little too closely with death after acquiring your unique gift, and revelations are made.

 You stared blankly at the assortment of innocent looking foods in front of you; healthy servings of onigiri, Sakura tempura and rice cake soup. Thoma sat across from you with an open notebook, pen waiting to note down your results as he stared at you expectantly. Ayato sat beside him, sipping his boba drink loudly as he also stared, expression unreadable. The tension in the air ran a shiver up your spine, even though the estate was the safest location you could stay in, you couldn’t help but feel as though you were under the piercing gazes of predators on the hunt. The silence dragged on while you thought back to how you even got roped into doing this kind of thing in the first place;

 

Being friends with the traveler opened many doors in your adventuring career. As a resident of Sumeru, your hunger for knowledge was what drove you to learn more about the other nations in Teyvat alongside their cultures and people. As someone who grew up in the rainforests with the rangers however, you often hungered for the strange plants you came across in the wilds, it was a habit you unintentionally picked up from a long eared old friend. That habit ended up becoming your greatest weapon after many arduous years of trial and error, much to the dismay of your ranger friends. Many times, you almost faced death only to be pulled by its clutches thanks to Tighnari and his quick thinking, yet even as he scolded you to high Celestia, nothing could stop you from rushing headfirst back into danger for the sake of knowledge. At the near cost of your friend’s sanity, you ended up either blessed or pitied by the gods as you grew an immunity to the poisons you consumed, but that simply fueled your desire to go out and learn more. Your travels first began in the city of contracts, as it was the chasm you entered when you left Gandharva Ville, the vast destruction was both intimidating and appealing to you. You only managed to make it out alive by being miraculously found by a Millileth soldier, who was quite shocked to see you wandering aimlessly around while shoving Qinxing flowers in your mouth. You were escorted into the city that you ended up spending a few months in, becoming acquainted to its people, culture, and food thanks to the soldier who found you, and eventually welcomed you into his home. Having a roommate who was native to the lands helped immensely in your studies, as he had maps of the region and connections to people if you had any questions he could not answer. To this day you still keep in touch with him, even after the countless times he had to drag your hallucinating ass to Baizhu in tears when you ate something that would most definitely kill someone who lacked your gift.

 

By the time the traveler had made their way into Liyue for the Rite of Descension, you had memorized every plant that was and was not safe to consume. It was what first introduced you to the traveler and Paimon, who were in the wilds of Guilin Plains searching for plants and berries to eat. Like a true forest ranger would, you graced them with your knowledge and a friendship blossomed. You joined their adventure not long after, being their guide into the city where the Rite of Descension took its wild turn. Before the turn of events, Liyue felt like a second home to you, with its many characters and personalities. You were good friends with Hu Tao, who caught wind of your strange gift and insisted you visit her at the funeral parlor so she can feed you many “strange and mysterious” plants that you ended up easily naming anyway. From her, you were acquainted to Zhongli, who was more than concerned that you were allowing his boss to eagerly feed you plants that are known to be poisonous, but he quickly became curious and intrigued when you explained that you can consume them without harm because its literally what you do, you eat dangerous stuff to study them and somehow gained immunity. Zhongli couldn’t help his intrusive thought one day when he invited you out to tea at Third Round Knockout, pushing a cup that was previously poured towards you. You made a show of sipping at the tea, immediately picking up the poison it was laced with and in the next second your head slumped against the table, shocking not only Zhongli but the other patrons at the tavern. The older man was by your side in an instant, hand on your shoulder and your name on the tip of his tongue before he saw you shake with laughter. Zhongli went through a flurry of emotions but was relieved when he saw how happy your little prank made you. In the end, you both agreed that there was no malicious intent, and you even gave him a small lesson on the type of poison he tried to use. From Zhongli you met Childe, who you were a little on the fence about since he was associated with the Fatui, so you never went further than an acquaintance relationship with him, even after he tried to subtly get closer to you. You ended up having to threaten him with poisoning *his* food since you were a walking encyclopedia of death, and you knew exactly what can’t be detected by the tastebuds if baked into a delicious pastry that you just so happen to have with you. You walked away oblivious to how much you turned him on with that threat.

 

Your relationships following the events of the Rite of Passing went all kinds of ways. Your relationship with Hu Tao was the one that suffered the least, the only damage was your lack of appearance since you were with the traveler fighting battles and facing gods. Through the quest you learned that Zhongli was actually the “deceased” Archon of Geo and you may or may not had dipped to gather your thoughts, having been overwhelmed with the revelation. It was a lot to think that Liyue’s archon was dead when in reality he was your friend who played a poison prank on you and listened intently when you were giving him extensive lessons on the various poisons Liyue offered and their symptoms. You were starting to wonder if maybe all the years of eating deadly plants was starting to take an effect on you when Zhongli, the ever so wise, sat beside you. The traveler and Paimon were only starting to notice your absence before you and your former archon friend reappeared with an air of reassurance between you both. Childe’s relationship with you was what suffered the most, you practically cut him out of your life and ignored his existence after the fight at Golden House and him summoning Osial, the scariest ocean monster you’ve ever seen, and had the displeasure of fighting. You still remember breaking his nose at the city gate, furious tears rolling down your cheeks as you screamed at him over his fuckup, not giving him a chance to speak as you described the sheer terror you felt of having to face something that monstrous, thinking that you were going to die without having fulfilled your dream. You never gave him a chance to apologize after you reminded him that he was the one who made you feel all of that, and with a final empty threat, you walked back into the city to join the traveler into the next chapter of their adventure. Your tears were easily brushed off as tears of missing your friends, which was a half-truth anyway as you hugged your two closest friends and bid them a farewell, promising to return and visit.

 

On the Alcor, the traveler talked to you about their time in the city of freedom. You listened intently as they talked about their battle with Dvalin, the friends they made along the way and how the city really has a different feel than Liyue. You couldn’t help but ask about the flora of the nation, which they sheepishly admit they weren’t paying too much attention to anything that wasn’t a sweet flower or mint. Arriving in Ritou started your next adventure, one that really tested your desire for knowledge as it took a few months before the shackles of Inazuma were released. You knew the nation was closed off, but after being told you can also get a travel’s permit with the traveler to ensure you don’t get kicked out, you knew it was a deal you couldn’t pass up. You forgot to read the fine print that was you’d later have to fight tooth and nail against the nation’s archon to free them from their oppression and only then, can you freely roam to eat your stinkin’ plants. In those months, while your first focus was to help the traveler find a way to meet with the archon, you still managed to sneak in late night sessions of flora eating. You apologized many nights for waking the traveler up with your incessant note taking, furiously writing down your new studies, new entries that you can’t wait to relay to Tighnari. Like the traveler, you became quick friends with Thoma, the handsome housekeeper of the Yashiro Commission. His good looks were so effective you forgot to inform him that you’re here to study poisonous plants, so when he came across you one night hunched like a gremlin and about to shove another plant in your mouth, one he knows is deadly, you felt like you were a guilty dog being scolded.

 

“[Name]…. what’s in your mouth—NO DON’T CHEW FASTER, SPIT IT OUT RIGHT NOW”, his screaming caused you to choke, only furthering his panic and he nearly broke your ribs while performing the Heimlich on you. That night you became acquainted with the Kamisato siblings, since Thoma manhandled you to them so you can get the best medical care. It was quite embarrassing to explain to a half asleep Ayaka and Ayato that no, you were not currently dying, yes you did eat a deadly plant but if someone can tell Thoma to stop panicking then you can explain why you weren’t actively dying. Ayaka was still a little confused, Thoma’s vibes were rubbing off on her and she wanted to insist that you still get care, but Ayato had an amused smile on his face, why are all the men on this island handsome? By sunrise, you had a clean bill of health and was in the middle of your life story with the trio, hot cups of tea in their hands and mixed expressions on their faces. Thoma looked the most intrigued, asking questions here and there, Ayaka looked horrified, her hand never strayed too far from her chest as she clutched her fake pearls, Ayato’s expression was the one you had the most trouble reading. He seemed intrigued, but it also seemed as if he was studying you himself, pulling some strings in his mind and forming a plan of how to keep you forever, it wouldn’t be bad for the Yashiro Commission to have a personal poison tester after all. Your friendship with the Kamisatos only grew from there, being invited to outings or to be their plus one to festivals, it was easy to fall into a comfortable lifestyle with them. So, when the time came that you and the traveler were asked to help abolish the vision hunt decree, you agreed without hesitation. For you it was a win-win; the nation will be free and thus you can freely travel between the islands to further your deadly plant studies! Your memory becomes hazy after that, as if everything happened all at once, despite it fleshing out over the span of a few months.

 

You subconsciously thumb over a scar on your lip as you stared blankly at the assortment of innocent looking foods in front of you; healthy servings of onigiri, Sakura tempura and rice cake soup. The birds chirp outside as Thoma sits across from you with an open notebook, pen waiting to note down your results as he stared at you expectantly. Ayato sits beside Thoma, sipping his boba drink loudly as he also stared at you, expression unreadable. The silence began to stretch on for another 3 minutes before you shiver and reach out to begin taking bites out of the assortment of food you were offered. It’s been about two months since the nation was freed, thanks to mostly the traveler. You were tired, worn and ragged from the war you came back from, but it didn’t stop the feeling of peace you felt at your core as you chewed on a rice cake.

 

“… It’s safe”, you mumbled, sneaking a second bite in before pushing the dish back and picking up an onigiri to chomp on. Thoma scribbled away in the notebook, nodding to himself as Ayato sets his drink down to watch you eat, a smile on his face. He was taking advantage of the free time Inazuma now has by asking you to be his personal food tester, it was a request he knew he couldn’t ask back then since you were busy with the vision hunt decree, but it was still a request he was itching to have you fulfill. He watched the way your face contorts with concentration, the way your eyes dart left to right as you chew, the way your brows knit tighter and relax slightly only to tighten up again and the way you tilt your head while you work magic in your intriguing little brain. There was something about the way you fearlessly try to pick out death from the flavors that has Ayato mesmerized, his smile growing fonder when your eyes light up, he knew that by the second bite you eagerly took from the onigiri that you found what you were looking for. “Oh, definitely poisoned… Where did they find the flora for this I wonder”, you ponder to yourself, missing the look Thoma gave to Ayato before the commissioner began to speak. “Worry not, we know exactly who sent that, so we’ll ask for you”.

 

By the beginning of the third month of freedom, the traveler was ready to continue their journey, and as it so happened, they were heading to Sumeru next. You smiled sadly at them, as much as you wanted to join them, you weren’t ready to return to your home nation just yet. They nod in understanding, squeezing your hand and telling you to finish what you had to do here and to meet them in Fontaine instead. There was still a lot of flora eating to do in Inazuma, and while you walk the traveler towards the boats that return to Liyue, you can’t help but sniffle out warnings about the various flora they should avoid if they want to reach Gandharva Ville alive and meet with Tighnari. “He’ll fill you in on the rest”, you hug the traveler and Paimon before sending them off, staying at the port until you could no longer see the boat and started your way back to the estate. Staying with the Kamisato siblings was like living in a completely different world; truth be told it was akin to living like royalty, you were still trying to get accustomed to letting the retainers pick up after you when you’ve gotten so used to picking up after yourself. It was under the insistence of Ayato and Ayaka that you began rooming with them, “The least we can do is offer you a much more comfortable abode while you continue your studies here”, Ayaka would beam at you, and you lost the will to fight against both her and her brother, moving the little equipment you kept with you to one of their spare rooms. Thoma loved having you around, you were very knowledgeable and never passed up opportunities to spread your poisonous wisdom during his housekeeping classes, he considered it extracurricular that could potentially help someone someday. Of course, you were as careful as you could be while staying with them, often warning the siblings and the retainers not to eat or drink anything you may have previously consumed because you often test the effectiveness of poisons through food and beverage. The idea of you becoming a personal poison tester for the estate only became more serious when a maid suddenly fell ill after consuming a pastry meant to be gifted to Ayato, and after your confirmation that it was indeed laced, you’re reminded that the sibling duo are often in danger of instances of unknowingly consuming poisoned offerings, so after contemplating heavily on it, you approached them and agreed that perhaps you could extend your stay and help trace back any poisoned goods and bring the perpetrators to justice.

 

Struck with a craving for something sweet on your way back to the estate you approach the stall that Tomoki was usually standing besides, your instincts on high alert when you saw a person you didn’t recognize standing in his place. It’s not unusual that Tomoki would miss a day or two, but something seemed off about this person, making your hackles rise despite the friendly smile you greeted them with. “Hello! Is Tomoki not in? I’d like some dango milk”, you inquired cheerfully, throwing in a curious head tilt for good measure while you inspected the suspicious figure. “He’s out sick, but he left plenty of milk to go around. Hey, aren’t you that hero that saved the nation?”, the person asks, reaching behind the cart to grab a bottle of milk and you notice its one that wasn’t part of the displayed bottles. You swallow thickly yet your smile didn’t waver as you dropped a few mora in their awaiting hand and take the drink offered. “Oh, I wouldn’t call myself a hero, but I definitely helped the traveler! Now I’m just a humble researcher studying the flora of this nation”, you chuckle, quickly thanking the person with a bow and hurrying off. You felt a cold chill run up your spine from the interaction, something felt seriously off about both the “merchant” and the bottle you were given so you took a detour to Komore Teahouse, pausing before the entrance. “… Hisashi?”, you call out, nearly jumping out of your skin when the man practically appears beside you, kneeling with his head bowed. Ayato had previously spoken to you about the Shuumatsuban, his secret ninja force, they’re fiercely loyal to the head of the clan, so when he informed you that you would be given permission to utilize them if you were in danger, warmth filled your chest.

“Inform our lord of the suspicious vendor attending Tomoki’s stall, something feels off about them”

“Right away, my liege”, and as quick as he appeared, he disappeared while you entered the teahouse and occupied one of the rooms. Retrieving your notebook from your yukata sleeve (you mastered the Kamisato Art of hiding shit in your sleeves), you opened to a fresh page to have on standby in case your intuition was right and you set to work, popping the bottle open and taking a healthy gulp. Sweetness coats your tongue, the texture a little thicker than you remember, your face scrunches when an air bubble pops and a powdery substance sticks to your tongue and throat, making you cough out what was in your mouth. “Whoa, don’t choke on it”, Thoma’s entering the room with a tea tray in hand, quickly setting it down and pouring you a cup. Before drinking the liquid, you scrape off the wet powder from the back of your tongue for further analysis and gratefully drink the tea that the retainer brewed, cleansing your palette. “Hisashi told me everything, Ayato is looking into that suspicious vendor you saw at the stall, and I figured I’d keep you company here just in case”, he beams at you and its like looking at a guardian angel. “Thank you Thoma, you’re such a lifesaver”, you chuckle while licking the finger with the strange substance on it, and all at once it hit you, the bittering numbness that was a surefire sign of poison. It appears to work quickly too, unless the little bit you consumed earlier was just now starting to kick as your hands refuse to pick up your pen, and at both yours and Thoma’s surprise you’re falling stiffly to one side, muscles as rigid as rigor mortis.

 

For the first time in a long time, Ayato is scared when Thoma bursts through the estate with you in his arms, the way you’re frothing at the mouth and your eyes were rolled back made him think you had finally met your poisonous match. He’s frozen, only able to watch as doctors follow in behind Thoma, thanks to his quick thinking he was able to gather a few to work on saving you. “…lord…. My Lord! Ayato!”, he’s pulled from his panic at the shouts of his retainer, who’s tugging on his sleeve, ushering him out of the room to give the medics more space. For the first time in a long time, he felt powerless at the mercy that was you and your dance with death, there was nothing he could do except pray to the archons that the best doctors Inazuma could offer will help pull you away from the clutches of death you’re currently struggling against. He’s been pacing outside of the door for hours now, waiting and listening in on the commotion that’s on the other side of what separates you to him. Its another half hour before Thoma is called into the room, and Ayato bites his tongue at the annoyance that courses through him, he wanted to see you, why can’t he be by your side? “I understand, I’ll bring them right away”, Ayato hears the voice of the pyro user and seconds later he’s rushing out of the room and beelining to yours, with the head Kamisato hot on his heels. “Thoma, are they alright?”, his voice cracks as he asks, his heart pounding harder in his chest when his retainer doesn’t respond right away, but instead begins to hand some dried herbs to him, a silent plea to hold them while he gathers some more in his arms. “Come on my lord, they’re gunna need these”, he’s out of the room in a few long strides, Ayato catching up to him quick and following him into the room you’re being held. He releases the breath he didn’t even know he was holding when he saw you sitting up against a pile of pillows, looking very weak but very much alive given the gentle smile you’re sending the two men.

“They’re very lucky they have gained such an immunity, its what was staving off the powerful poison in their system”, one of the doctors informs the hydro allogene, yet he barely processed it as he approached you slowly, setting the herbs down and reaching over to cup your face gently.

“If it wasn’t… For Thoma… I’d have –“, you’re shushed before you could finish the sentence, Ayato isn’t sure if his heart could handle you actually saying you could have died. He presses his lips against your forehead, concern once again flowing through him when he feels how clammy your skin is. “Are you alright?”, he asks softly, worried lilac eyes meeting with yours as you lift a trembling hand to cup over his.

“I need to make an antidote, which might take some time… But I should have enough here to keep the poison at bay in the meantime”, you pat his hand reassuringly, and even though Ayato’s anxiety goes through the roof when you’re thrown into a coughing fit, he has the utmost trust in you and your ability to be able to come up with a solution.

 

It's a tricky process, considering you were basically banned from stepping foot outside of the estate and if you needed a specific kind of plant, Ayato would send Thoma or a Shuumatsuban member for it. The suspicious vendor responsible for actually almost killing you was apprehended by the Tenryou commission for questioning, and to your surprise you learned that they were a spy sent from Snezhnaya to take out the “traveling heroes of Teyvat”. You’re internally grateful that the traveler was no longer in Inazuma to have experienced what you have, you have no doubt they wouldn’t have been as lucky as you. Still, you send a letter to them in Sumeru with the details and a warning to be careful, along with a report of the poison, its symptoms and a “tbd” beside antidote to be sent to Tighnari, you can already hear the forest watcher begin to lecture you about the risk you took in gathering this new knowledge.

“[Name]? The herbs you requested have arrived”, Ayato knocks on the door gently before entering, a bouquet of herbs delicately wrapped in parchment resting against his arm.

“Thank you, lets hope this batch will be successful”, you pull out your notebook from underneath your pillow, flipping to the latest page that’s full of scribbles and crossed out equations that failed. Ayato sits on the edge of the bed, setting the wrapped herbs down and reaching over to grab the mortar and pestle that was on your bedside table and the glass of water that awaits beside it. This had been your routine for the past few days, you’d test out a combination of herbs, wait a day and the doctor on call would check on your condition to determine if it was effective against the poison. Like clockwork, Ayato watches you mumble to yourself and pick off small pieces of herbs to throw into the mortar before using the pestle to grind it into a powder to mix into the water. The taste is horrendous but you chug it down regardless, praying to the archons that it actually works this time.

“How do you feel?”, Ayato asks, scooting closer so he can examine you as if you’d instantly be healed.

“Like I’m full of water”, you snort, closing your notebook and slipping it back under your pillow before looking at the man in front of you. His eye bags have gotten darker, it must be either from work piling up or your current state. “I think it’s gunna work this time, so I can hound you to take better care of yourself”, you frown at him, reaching over to rub a thumb along one of his eyebags and he sighs at the action, eyes closing and head leaning more into your open palm.

“I’ll worry about that when you’re not on the brink of death”, he shoots you a sly smirk, chuckling at your pouting face and pressing a kiss to your palm. Your cheeks flush. “I must confess something to you”, his voice is uncharacteristically shy, his sly smirk wiped away and his cheeks beginning to tint, the air suddenly growing tense and you could feel your heart begin to quicken.

“I must confess… That I love you, [name]. I’m ashamed that it took me witnessing almost losing you to realize my feelings, but they’re real and I’ll no longer deny them. Would you… Do me the honor of being mine?”, his brows are furrowed, you realize that concern is not a good look on him, you prefer to see him with his blinding smile, prefer to listen to the teasing lilt his voice takes when he pokes fun at you. Staying in the Kamisato estate made you realize a few things; you were still trying to get accustomed to letting the retainers pick up after you when you’ve gotten so used to picking up after yourself, Thoma is a literal walking ray of sunshine, Ayaka enjoys Chazuke in private, and you fell in love with Kamisato Ayato.

“Ayato… I was yours the moment I was asked to move in”, the smile that greeted you was ethereal, even in the dim lighting of your bedroom he looked heavenly, cheeks a rosy red that reached the tips of his ears and adoration in his gaze that you mirror in your own. He leans forward, intent on stealing a kiss from you until you press a hand to his lips, a giggle falling from you.

“Wait, I’m poisonous, remember?”, you snicker, Ayato chuckling against your hand before he laces his fingers with yours, opting to press his forehead against yours instead.

“I suppose I can wait a little longer for that then”.

 

Ayato is pleased when the doctor monitoring your condition confirms that your latest concoction is highly effective in combating the poison and was currently flushing your system, you should be fully recovered by dinner time. You’re shocked, not only did you manage to fight against a rather powerful poison you also threw together an antidote all by yourself, eat your heart out Akademiya researchers. A celebration is thrown for you at the estate following the good news, the evening full of good food, good friends, and good vibes. You’re in the middle of recounting a story of a similar incident that you experienced while in Sumeru, one where Tighnari was the one who threw together an antidote in hopes you didn’t go to the light when Ayato excuses you from the group to pull you outside to the garden illuminated by moonlight.

“What’s this? Did the Yashiro Commissioner miss me that much even though he saw me this morning?”, you tease, laughing when Ayato simply pulls you into his arms like a child clutching their favorite bear. While the celebration was full of mirth, the process of actually throwing the party was time consuming and tiring, so you didn’t get to spend much time with your boyfriend until now, arms wrapped around each other under the full moon.

“Is it a crime to miss my beloved? I feel like I haven’t seen you in far too long”, he’s chuckling against your neck, lips pressing gentle kisses against the skin and moving up along your jaw until he presses a kiss on the corner of your mouth. Your flurry of giggles is like music to his ears, he’d sit through a million boring meetings if that meant he could come home to you and your addicting voice.

“As it so happens, it is. You’ll be charged accordingly I’m afraid – your innocence will cost you one kiss”, you move your arms from his waist to around his neck, one of his hands rests on your hip while the other tilts your head up.

“Oh? Well, for you, I’d be happy to pay”, he whispers against your lips before he takes your breath away with a sweet kiss, literally because he tastes like milk tea.

Epitaph: the Ayato brainrot is real y'all lmao cant wait to bring him home, any Ayato havers have any advice for team comps and artifacts? insert eyes emoji cause I'm on pc rn aljslkjd

[livelysonletour]

We spent Friday with a tour company that likes to go off the beaten path, called We Hate Tourism Tours (we’ve learned that the Portuguese have a very sarcastic sense of humor). They took us to the Mountains of Sintra and beach dunes of Cascais, sites of Portuguese royalty escapism during historical hardships.

We were two of six on the tour group, but the other 4 wanted an exclusive tour in German without any pesky English. So they split us up and we spent the entire day with our tour guide, Mannu, handcrafting a personalized tour.

In the mountains we visited Miradouro de Santa Eufémia, Sintra National Palace, Palace and Park Biester (Cat will add a part 2 with more pictures from the palace), and Palace and Park Montserrate. The mountain would naturally be bare granite, but it's ideal climate encouraged the Portuguese to plant forests of pine trees (lumber for Portuguese ships) and cork trees (cork for wine bottles). The palaces of Sintra were royal retreats especially during the hot summer months and the Castle of the Moors (the right most red arrow below) still stands from the 700s.

Mannu took us to Pão Saloio (roughly translated to Hillbilly Bread) for a classic rural lunch of breads, chorizo, pork belly, cheese, olives, and tomatoes and Cat was introduced to Green Wine - wine made with grapes that are not fully ripened due to the weather conditions of Portugal. We knew it was going to be good when we saw a group of police officers hanging around smoking and having their coffees.

Our last stop on the mountain was the western most point of continental Europe, Farol do Cabo da Roca (the left most red arrow below and pictured below).

We made it way down to the beachy dunes of Cascais. Cascais was a retreat for some King I forget the name of who sought to get away from the throngs of people following him all the time so he went to the village or fishermen as he thought the smell would keep the bourgeois away...

After many stops admiring the waves (Mannu was a surfer and could not believe the conditions on the day), we circled back to Lisbon where we had a lovely dinner of tempura green beans, steak, cod, clam rice, truffle mashed potatoes and another glass of green wine for Cat. I struggled to stay awake during dinner, so Cat only made two pit stops for shopping as we walked back to our airbnb.

I was asleep by 8 :)

[curatorsday]

Sunday, January 7, 2024 - National Tempura Day

Striving to get my Five A Day.

Happy National Tempura Day!

[wilsweb-asientour]

Tag 20. 23.07.2023

Sensō-ji, Taito City. Wir quartierten uns zum Frühstück in ein Café ein, um (A) Kalorien einzunehmen und (B) ein paar administrative Sachen zu klären wie z.B. Unterkünfte in Kyoto und Osaka, Planung für Wilsons Semester in Stockholm und Abbau des Emailhaufens. Wir holten danach im Supermarkt Mittagessen (wieder gebratener Reis, dieses Mal lecker) und setzten unsere Laptops im Hotelzimmer ab.

Es ging dann zum Sensō-ji Tempel, der älteste buddhistische Tempel Tokyos. Wieland, warst du auch damals da? Uns gefielen die vielen kleinen Läden im Vordergrund und irgendwie, obwohl wir von Menschenmassen umzingelt waren, herrschte Übersicht und eine gewisse Ruhe. Insgesamt ist Tokyo äußerst ruhig, obwohl inzwischen >30 Mil. Einwohner Tokyo ihr zu Hause nennen. Im Nachgang ging’s über den Sumida Fluss zum Ushijima-Schrein, mitten in einem idyllischen Park ausgestattet mit Teich, Riesenkrähen und Karate-Rentern.

Wir fuhren dann drei Stationen Richtung Westen, um an den Ueno-Park zu gelangen, wo der Sonntagsmarkt wortwörtlich bebte - eine tolle Atmosphäre. Wir hörten uns Live-Musik an, beäugten die Essens-Stände und bestaunten den Shinobazu no Ike Teich (ca. 1km Durchmesser!) mit 2m hohen Seerosen. Langsam bummelten wir dann durch den Uenopark, wo Baseball gespielt wurde, Richtung Nationalmuseum Tokyos. Da alle Attraktionen schon 17:00 Uhr zumachen liefen wir aus dem Park raus und mäanderten über die Kappabashi Dougu Straße, wo wir in verschiedenen Geschäften Halt machten, auf die Hoppy Street, eine Touristenmeile mit traditionell japanischen Restaurants. Hier zogen wir ein Ticket fürs Kura Sushi Erlebnis im 4. Stock eines. Kaufhauses für 21:00 Uhr.

Wir warteten eifrig in einem McDonald’s mit Cola und Milkshake, liefen dann wieder zum Sushirestaurant hoch. Am Tisch angekommen staunten wir über den Selfservice, das Sushi kam nämlich am Band zum Tisch (wie das Gepäck am Flughafen). Auf dem unteren Band gabs vorbereitetes Sushi und auf dem oberen kam das eigenbestellte vom iPad. Wir aßen insgesamt 20 kleine Teller auf, welche aus folgenden Sushis bestanden: Thunfisch, Jakobsmuschel, Lachs, Lachsrogen, Shrimp Tempura. Pro Person gaben wir 13,00€ aus, für deutsche Verhältnisse also ein Schnäppchen. Letztlich ging’s mit vollen Bäuchen nach Hause zur Formel 1 GP in Ungarn per Streaming. Einen guten Start in die Woche euch allen! Wunderschön zu sehen, dass Mama, Papa und T&T sich mit Dima in London getroffen haben! Viele liebe Grüße, Wilson & Webster.

Day 20. July 23, 2023

Sensō-ji, Taito City. We settled into a café for breakfast to (A) ingest some calories and (B) sort out a few administrative matters, such as accommodations in Kyoto and Osaka, planning for Wilson's semester in Stockholm, and tackling the email pile. Afterward, we picked up lunch at the supermarket (fried rice again, but this time it was delicious) and returned to our hotel room to drop off our laptops.

We then went to the Sensō-ji temple, the oldest Buddhist temple in Tokyo. Wieland, were you also there back then? We liked the many small shops in the foreground, and somehow, despite being surrounded by crowds, there was a sense of order and tranquility. Overall, Tokyo is incredibly calm, even though it's now home to over 30 million residents. Afterward, we crossed the Sumida River to the Ushijima Shrine, situated in an idyllic park with a pond, large crows, and karate-practicing retirees.

We then traveled three stations westwards to reach Ueno Park, where the Sunday market was bustling with a fantastic atmosphere. We listened to live music, checked out the food stalls, and admired the Shinobazu no Ike pond (around 1 km in diameter!) with 2-metre-tall water lilies. We strolled leisurely through Ueno Park, where the youth was practising baseball, heading towards the Tokyo National Museum. Since all attractions close by 5:00 p.m., we left the park and wandered through Kappabashi Dougu Street, making stops at various shops before reaching Hoppy Street, a tourist spot with traditional Japanese restaurants. Here, we got tickets for the Kura Sushi experience on the 4th floor of a department store, scheduled for 9:00 p.m.

We eagerly waited at a McDonald’s with cola and milkshake, then walked back to the sushi restaurant. Once at the table, we were amazed by its self-service, as the sushi came to the table on a conveyor belt (similar to luggage at the airport). On the lower belt, there were pre-made sushi plates, while the upper belt delivered our custom iPad orders. We enjoyed a total of 20 small plates, including tuna, scallop, salmon, salmon roe, and shrimp tempura sushi. We spent €13.00 per person, which is a bargain compared to German prices. With full bellies, we finally returned home to stream the Formula 1 GP in Hungary. Wishing you all a great start to the week! Great also to see Mum, Dad and T&T meeting up with Dima in London! Warm regards, Wilson & Webster.

[murderousink23]

Here's yesterday's days: Flag Day 🇮🇹, National Bobblehead Day 🇺🇲, National Tempura Day 🍤🇺🇲, National Fruitcake Toss Day 🇺🇲, Harlem Globetrotter's Day 🏀🇺🇲

[alliterative-endlessknot]

It’s #NationalTempuraDay! Did you know that the name of this famous dish probably comes from Portuguese, not Japanese? Find out more in our video about the etymology of “Japan”!

[rabbitcruiser]

National Tempura Day 

Batter and deep-fry a wide range of foods, from prawns to vegetables, and pair with Japanese staples like donburi or soba for some delicious dining.

Tempura is a deep-fried dish that the Japanese have made for centuries. When did it originate? Let us find out through the history of National Tempura Day!

Learn about National Tempura Day

On National Tempura Day, we are encouraged to enjoy any sort of dish that has been made with tempura batter. This is a Japanese fare, with most people tucking into delicious Tempura prawns on this date! However, there are many things you can deep-fry in this batter. Seafood and vegetables are the most popular, yet there’s nothing stopping you from having Tempura chicken. We are sure that there are plenty of unique concoctions you can come up with as well. Deep-fried Mars bars are popular, so what about a Tempura version?

Tempura is a traditional Japanese dish. It was introduced in the 16th century by the Portuguese that were living in Nagasaki at the time. They used fritter-cooking to achieve the light batter. The batter typically consists of soft wheat flour, for example, all-purpose flour, pastry flour, or cake flour, which is combined with iced water. Some people prefer to use sparkling water to keep the batter light.

A lot of people will also add spices, oil, starch, baking powder or baking soda, and/or eggs, especially the egg yolk. Traditionally, this batter is mixed in small batches. Chopsticks are used to mix the batter, and it is only mixed minimally, i.e. for a few seconds. Any lumps are left in the mixture, and this – along with the cold temperature – is how the crisp and unique fluffy tempura structure is created when cooking.

Cooked tempura pieces tend to be either salted and eaten as they are or they are presented with a dipping sauce. Tentsuyu sauce is the most common sauce to enjoy with this batter. A lot of people serve it with grated daikon, which is a mild-flavored winter radish, and they eat it straight after it has been fried. You will also find that tempura is typically found in udon soup or bowls of soba in Japan, typically in the form of a fritter, shiso leaf, or shrimp.

It is also not uncommon for tempura to be used in combination with other foods. So, if you want to cook a tempura-inspired meal for National Tempura Day, there are plenty of main dishes for you to consider. As mentioned, you can add tempura to the top of udon soup. It is also typically served as part of a donburi dish, which is where vegetables and tempura shrimp are served over a bowl of steamed rice. You could also make a bowl of tempura soba, which is essentially tempura that is served on top of buckwheat noodles. Or, how about making your very own creation?

History of National Tempura Day

Tempura is made up of either seafood or vegetables that are battered, deep-fried, and enjoyed by millions of people across the nation. Portuguese Jesuit missionaries introduced the recipe for tempura to Japan during the sixteenth century (around 1549). It is believed that Portuguese Jesuit Tokugawa Isyasu, founder and first shogun of the Tokugawa shogunate of Japan, loved tempura. Since the Genroku era (September 1688 – March 1704) tempura was originally a very popular food that was eaten at street vendors called yatai.

Today, chefs all over the world include tempura dishes on their menus using a wide variety of different batters and ingredients including the non-traditional broccoli, zucchini, and asparagus as well as dry fruits. Some meats, usually chicken and cheeses, are known to be served tempura-style in some American restaurants. For sushi lovers, a more recent variation of tempura sushi has the entire piece of sushi dipped in batter and tempura-fried. The word “tempura” comes from the word “tempora”, a Latin word meaning “times”, “time period” used by both Spanish and Portuguese missionaries to refer to the Lenten period or Ember Days.

The idea that the word “tempura” may have been derived from the Portuguese noun tempero, meaning a condiment or seasoning of any kind, or from the verb temperar, meaning “to season” has not been substantiated. The term “tempura” is thought to have gained popularity in southern Japan; it became widely used to refer to any sort of food prepared using hot oil, including some already existing Japanese foods. Today, the word “tempura” is also commonly used to refer to satsuma age, a fried fish cake that is made without batter. In Bangladesh, the blossoms of pumpkins or marrows are often deep-fried with a gram of rice flour spice mix, creating a Bengali style tempura known as kumro ful bhaja.

How to celebrate National Tempura Day

Celebrating National Tempura Day is easy. You gather up the ingredients necessary to create a tempura, be it a homemade recipe or one you found online, and make the dish to serve it with family as a happy dinner meal. You could decide to have tempura prawns or starter or you could opt for a main dish that incorporates tempura, such as the ones we mentioned earlier.

The great thing about this batter is that it is highly versatile and so it can be teamed with a wide range of seafood, vegetables, and meat. This means that you can have a lot of fun experimenting with different ingredients. Why not have a tempura cook-off with your friends? Or, you could host a Japanese-inspired dinner party?

Why not get some of your friends around for afternoon tea Japanese style? In Japan, tea ceremonies have been popular for many years. Combine this with some delicious tempura dishes for everyone to eat, and you’ve got the perfect lunch-time event. After all, it is always fun to do something a bit different, isn’t it?

The tea that is famous in Japan is pure Matcha green tea. We’re sure you may have even seen Matcha tea or Matcha lattes in your local coffee shop! Matcha comes in many different forms and grades. It is important to be aware of this when purchasing, as you don’t want to end up selecting the wrong product. Generally speaking, you have two key options to select from when buying Matcha – ceremonial Matcha and cooking grade Matchas.

Most people prefer to invest in ceremonial Matcha green tea, and this is because it is of the highest quality and it is suitable for everyday drinking. Of course, you can incorporate it into cooking too, but when creating a Matcha beverage it is even more important to choose high levels of quality. You won’t get better than ceremonial Matcha and this is emphasised by the fact that this Matcha is used in the traditional Japanese tea ceremonies. This type of Matcha should be powdery, very fine, and boast a bright spring green shade.

If it has a slightly yellow colour and feels coarse, you definitely do not have ceremonial grade Matcha on your hands. Ceremonial Matcha is also delicious enough to be enjoyed on its own. You can simply mix it with hot water and consume it as it is; it does not need any sweeteners or additions. Another point worth bearing in mind is that you only need about half a teaspoon of ceremonial grade Matcha when making a cup of tea. You will need more than this when using a lower grade of Matcha. Therefore, while ceremonial Matcha may be more expensive to buy initially, it will last you a lot longer, and thus the costs even themselves out.

No matter whether you are going to host a traditional Japanese tea ceremony with your friends or an evening of fine dining, you will need to decide what tempura dishes you are going to create. The great news is that there are so many different options for you to choose from!

Let’s go through some of the most popular. If you’re looking for a veggie dish, eggplant tempura is a great choice. This is known as Nasu. Or, how about Ebi? This is shrimp tempura, and it is delicious! It is typically used as a topping for udon or soba noodles, yet it can also be enjoyed on its own. Don’t confuse this with Ebi Furai; this is another type of fish, yet it is deep fried with panko batter, which is a lot heavier.

Some other options include tempura shiitake mushrooms, Ika, which is squid tempura, and Hotate, which is tempura scallops. If you are feeling really adventurous, you may want to consider Anago, which is salt-water eel. They have a sweet taste and a soft texture.

Source

[more-than-a-princess]

@from-across-the-stars​ asked:  Gundham approaches the princess with intent, a man on a mission with a hard glint in his eyes as he comes to a stop before her with a flutter of fabric behind him. "I have...a proposition for you, my dark queen. You said once before you do not wish a shield, yes? That you wished to protect yourself, and not rely on others? I know you hold skill in the arts of blackpowder and steel, but what of more primitive combat? One is more likely to engage in a battle of fists than much else in this accursed world, after all." Something Gundham seemed to know all to well... //sorry saw you wanting a thread where someone teaches sonia to punch and gunnie is more than happy to help uwu

Unprompted IC asks - Accepting from mutuals!

For a moment, Sonia thought her fatigue had her hallucinating: since when did Gundham Tanaka use the gym at Hope's Peak?

In her case, it was much more obvious: beyond keeping her mind sharp and her etiquette polished, the Princess of Novoselic was also required to remain fit and in shape. One, to counter all of the fried and sweet foods she enjoyed, even more now that she'd come to study in Japan (tempura! karaage! Every themed café she found the time to try!). And two, because royal protocol demanded it. Every member of the family needed to set an example for the nation, and that included maintaining a level of health and fitness to help defend the country if necessary and stave off infirmities brought on by laziness and obesity.

Still, she hit the stop button on the treadmill once she was sure she'd spotted him. The weather hadn't cooperated that day so taking her run outside was out of the question, so Sonia had resorted to the treadmill, running for as long and hard as she could. That is, until Gundham had sauntered in, just when she thought she'd had that particular gym to herself. And for good reason: Sonia didn't let anyone see her in her current state. High-waisted leggings, a crop top, her blonde hair clumsily thrown into a high ponytail with a few pale strands sticking to her forehead, and her face flushed a deep rose from the exertion of her exercise. It wasn't exactly very becoming of a princess to look so disheveled and breathless. A military uniform would be acceptable...but not this.

And curse her if she wanted her friends, she wanted him, to see a certain image she wanted to portray. Someone who was capable and didn't show fear, for example.

"Th-that's correct," She panted, attempting to breathe steadily as she stepped off the machine. Reaching for a white hand towel draped over one of the supports, she dabbed at the sweat on her cheeks, nose, and forehead. She could do that much: not drip sweat all over him. "I prefer to protect myself when able. Though it's said that it is inappropriate for a princess to participate in fisticuffs: guns are acceptable, though. They are both a military necessity and a gaming pursuit."

And it was an easy way to explain the various weapons stashed about her dormitory at Hope's Peak, her elegant bedchamber in Novoselic Castle...and pretty much every living space owned and occupied by the Royal Family. If anyone tried to break in, Sonia was merely seconds from grabbing a pistol secured behind a headboard or beneath a bed frame, and that didn't include the guns stowed away in various, far more hidden enclosures. Or the designated weapons closet her dorm had been outfitted with before moving in: a Novoselic requirement the school had no choice but to allow.

It didn't make for the friendliest conversation topics, Sonia thought, so she'd omitted it in favor of her occult interests and Gundham's animals. Far more appropriate, she'd decided, than her vast amount and proficiency with various things that could be shot or exploded.

"I'm not sure if I'm more likely to encounter a firearm or more...primitive combat, as you call it," She admitted, brushing some of the flyaway hairs out of her forehead. They plastered themselves to the rest of her haphazard updo. "What exactly did you have in mind, Tanaka-san? Do you possess combat skills I have yet to discover?" Hesitancy had been replaced by Sonia's far more typical traits: intrigue and curiosity. Two things she had in abundance, especially when Gundham was concerned.

[togtok]

Country Overview Japan is a country located in eastern Asia, consisting of four large islands and several small islands, in the western part of the Pacific Ocean.

Japan is a parliamentary system led by the prime minister, and the political system is divided into three powers, that is, the legislative power, the executive power and the judicial power are respectively exercised by the Diet, the Cabinet and the courts.

The capital of Japan is Tokyo.

Japan is a highly developed modern country, is the world’s third largest economy, automobile, steel, machine tools, shipbuilding, electronics and robotics industries in the world’s competitive advantages.

Japan has complete power and telecommunications infrastructure, convenient transportation facilities such as highways, railways, aviation and sea transportation, a large market, and sound laws and regulations and credit systems.

Japan is a mountainous island nation, 75% of which is mountainous and hilly and lacks natural resources.

Japan’s climate mainly belongs to the temperate maritime monsoon climate, four distinct seasons, wet and rainy summer, winter is relatively dry and cold.

The population of Japan is about 126 million, mostly Yamato, with a small Ainu minority and other ethnic minorities.

The official language of Japan is Japanese, and the writing system mainly includes Hiragana and katakana.

Japan’s traditional culture has been influenced by Chinese and Western cultures, forming a unique cultural system.

Japan’s food culture is also very rich, famous Japanese food such as sushi, ramen, tempura and so on.

In general, Japan is a country with a high level of modernization and a rich cultural tradition.

National Currency The Japanese yen is the official currency of Japan, established in 1871, and is often used as a reserve currency after the dollar and euro.

Its banknotes, known as Japanese bank notes, are legal tender in Japan and were created on May 1, 1871.

The Japanese yen is the name of the currency unit of Japan, issued in 1000, 2000, 5000, 10,000 yen four kinds of banknotes, 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, 500 yen six denominations.

In particular, yen notes are issued by the Bank of Japan (“ Bank of Japan — Bank of Japan Notes “) and yen coins are issued by the Government of Japan (“ The Nation of Japan “).

Exchange Rate Here are the exchange rates of the Japanese yen against the US dollar and the Chinese yuan: Yen/Dollar exchange rate: Usually around 100 yen per dollar.

However, this rate fluctuates according to market supply and demand and global economic conditions.

Exchange rate between yen and RMB: Usually 1 RMB is less than 2 yen.

This rate is also affected by market supply and demand and global economic conditions.

It is important to note that exchange rates are dynamic and it is recommended to consult a professional or check the latest exchange rate information before a specific transaction.

Important Holidays Important festivals in Japan include New Year’s Day, Coming of Age Day, National Foundation Day, Vernal Equinox Day, Showa Day, Constitution Day, Green Day, Children’s Day, Sea Day, Respect for the Elderly Day, Autumn Equinox Day, Sports Day, Culture Day, and Hard-working Appreciation Day.

Some of these festivals are national holidays, and some are traditional folk festivals.

Among them, New Year’s Day is the Japanese New Year, people will carry out some traditional celebrations, such as ringing the bell on the first day, eating reunion dinner, etc.

; Coming-of-age Day is a celebration of young people over the age of 20, when they wear kimonos and participate in local celebrations; National Day is a holiday to commemorate the anniversary of the founding of Japan, and the government will hold ceremonies to commemorate the founding of the country, and the people will participate in the celebration.

In addition, traditional solar terms such as the spring equinox, autumn equinox and summer solstice are also important festivals in Japan, and people will perform some sacrificial and blessing activities.

Children’s Day is a day to celebrate children.

People hold various activities and gifts for children.

The Sports Festival commemorates the opening ceremony of the 1964 Olympic Games held in Tokyo, and the government holds various sports events and commemorative activities.

In general, there are many important festivals in Japan that reflect Japanese culture, history and traditional values.

Whether it is a national holiday or a traditional folk holiday, the Japanese people celebrate in a variety of ways to express their awe and gratitude for life and nature.https://www.togtok.com/c/3

[brookston]

Events 1.7

Holidays

Charlie Hebdo Day (France)

Distaff Day (Medieval Europe)

Estelle Reel Day (Wyoming)

Festa del Tricolour (Tricolour Day or Flag Day; Italy)

Flash Gordon Day

Harlem Globetrotter’s Day

Hydrogen Bomb Day

I'm Not Going To Take It Anymore Day

International Programmers' Day

International Silly Walk Day

Invisible Pain Day

Jupiter’s Moons Day

Limestone Day (French Republic)

Millard Fillmore Day

National Alaskan Malamute Day

National Bobblehead Day

National Job Hunting Day

National Nicholas Cage Day

National Old Rock Day

National Pass Gas Day

National Plagiarism Day (Ghana)

National Run-For-Your-Life Day

No Pants Subway Ride Day

Old Rock Day (a.k.a. Roc Day)

Pioneer’s Day (Liberia)

Remembrance Day of the Dead (Armenia)

Tommy Johnson Day

Tumbes Anniversary Day (Peru)

Usokae (Bullfinch Exchange Day; Japan)

Victory from Genocide Day (Cambodia)

World Day of the Postage Stamp

Food & Drink Celebrations

Jinjitsu (Festival of Seven Herbs; Japan)

Nanakusa no Sekku (Festival of Seven Herbs; Japan)

National Tempura Day

1st Sunday in January

Ati-Athan Festival begins (Philippines) [1st Sunday through 3rd Sunday]

Feast of the Holy Family [Sunday after Xmas]

Second Sunday of Christmas [2nd Sunday after Christmas]

Trappist Beer Day [1st Sunday]

Festivals Beginning January 7, 2024

Carnival of Limoux (France) [thru 3.17]

Golden Globe Awards

Independence & Related Days

Bascal (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Constitution Day (Ghana)

Empire of Agber (Declared; 1998) [unrecognized]

Matthew City (Declared; 2016) [unrecognized]

Feast Days

Albert Bierstadt (Artology; Saint)

André Bessette (Canada)

Baptism of the Lord (Christian)

Bl. Widukind, Duke of Saxony (Christian; Saint)

Canute Lavard (Christian; Saint)

Charles of Sezze (Christian; Saint)

Council of the Holy Prophet John the Baptist (Romania)

Distaff Day (a.k.a. Saint Distaff’s Day; Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Easter Day (Sudan)

Feast of Sekhmet (Ancient Egypt)

Felix and Januarius (Christian; Saint)

John the Baptist (Eastern Orthodox Church)

Justicia I: Themis’s Day (Pagan)

Koshogatsu (Shinto Goddess Izanami)

Lucian of Antioch (Christian; Saint)

Merelots (Remembrance Day of the Dead; Armenian Apostolic Church)

Nativity of Christ (Orthodox Christian)

No Knitting Day (Pastafarian)

Numa (Positivist; Saint)

Orthodox Christmas (a.k.a. ...

Bozic (Serbia)

Christmas (Russia, Eastern Europe)

Christmas Remembrance Holiday (Armenia)

Coptic Christmas (Egypt)

Craciunul Pe Stil Vechi (Moldova)

Eastern Christmas (Sudan)

Genna (Ethiopia)

Krishtlindjet Ortodoske (Kosovo)

Leddet (Coptic; Eritrea)

Palestinian Martyrs’ Day

Pascal Dagnan-Bouveret (Artology)

Raymond of Penyafort (Christian; Saint)

Rudder Rabbit (Muppetism)

Russ Meyer Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Say No To Knickers Day (Pastafarian)

Sekhmet (Ancient Egyptian New Year's)

Synaxis of John the Forerunner & Baptist (Coptic)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Fatal Day (Pagan) [2 of 24]

Perilous Day (13th Century England) [5 of 32]

Prime Number Day: 7 [4 of 72]

Shakku (赤口 Japan) [Bad luck all day, except at noon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 1 of 60)

Premieres

Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2), by Pink Floyd (Song; 1980)

The Avengers (BBC TV Series; 1961)

Bad Day at Black Rock (Film; 1955)

The B.B. Beagle Show (Hanna-Barbera TV Pilot; 1980)

The Birthday Party (Disney Cartoon; 1931)

Boston Cooking-School Cook Book (Cook Book; 1896)

Building a Building (Disney Cartoon; 1933)

The Butcher of Seville (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1944)

Cannery Woe (WB LT Cartoon; 1961)

Changes, by David Bowie (Song; 1972)

Crossroads of Twilight, by Robert Jordan (Novel; 2003) [Wheel of Time #10]

Empire (TV Series; 2015)

Fame (Film; 1982)

Fred Ott’s Sneeze (Early Short Film; 1894)

Hare-Brained Boris or The Dumb Bunny (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 246; 1964)

Henry V, by William Shakespeare (Play; 1605)

Homeless Homer (Oscar the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1929)

Hooch Coochie Man, recorded by Muddy Waters (Song; 1954)

The Hustler, by Walter Tevis (Novel; 1959)

The Image of the City, by Kevin Lynch (Science Book; 1960)

Lion Hunt (Terrytoons Cartoon; 1938)

Little Quacker (Tom & Jerry Cartoon; 1950)

The Lone Stranger and Porky (WB LT Cartoon; 1939)

Mckeesport on the Prod or The Pennsylvania Poker (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S5, Ep. 240; 1964)

Mules and Men, by Zora Neale Hurston (Folklore; 1935)

Paranoid, by Black Sabbath (Album; 1971)

The Pelican and the Snipe (Disney Cartoon; 1944)

Pop Team Epic (a.k.a. Poptepipic, Anime TV Series; 2018)

Pretenders, by The Pretenders (Album; 1980)

Robinson Crusoe Isle (Oscar the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1935)

Saturnin, by Zdeněk Jirotka (Novel; 1942)

The Shanty Where Santa Claus Lives (WB MM Cartoon; 1933)

Spitfire Girl, by Jackie Moggridge (memoir; 1957)

The Spirit of ’43 (Disney Cartoon; 1943)

Start Mater, by Gioacchino Rossini (Opera; 1842)

Suddenly Last Summer, by Tennessee Williams (Play; 1958)

Werewolf of the Timberland (Animated TV Show;Jonny Quest #17; 1965)

Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist (TV Series; 2020)

Today’s Name Days

Raimund, Valentin (Austria)

Ioan, Ioana, Ivan, Ivanka, Ivayla, Ivaylo, Ivet, Kaloyan, Vanya, Vanyo, Yoan, Yoana, Zhan, Zhana (Bulgaria)

Lucijan, Rajmund, Zorislav (Croatia)

Vilma (Czech Republic)

Knud (Denmark)

Hirvo, Kanut, Nuut, Susi (Estonia)

Aku, August, Aukusti (Finland)

Aldric, Cédric, Raymond (France)

Reinhold, Valentin (Germany)

Gianna, Giannis, Ioanna, Ioannis, Jeannette, John, Prodromos, Yanna, Yannis (Greece)

Attila, Ramóna (Hungary)

Luciano, Raimondo (Italy)

Juliāns, Rota, Zigmārs (Latvia)

Julius, Liucijus, Raudvilė, Rūtenis (Lithuania)

Eldbjørg, Knut (Norway)

Chociesław, Izydor, Julian, Lucjan, Walenty (Poland)

Ioan (Romania)

Bohuslava (Slovakia)

Raimundo (Spain)

August, Augusta (Sweden)

Alda, Aldea, Alden, Aldo, Aldric, Canute, Knut, Knute, Millard, Miller (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 7 of 2024; 359 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 7 of week 1 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Beth (Birch) [Day 13 of 28]

Chinese: Month 12 (Jia-Zi), Day 26 (Geng-Wu)

Chinese Year of the: Rabbit 4721 (until February 10, 2024)

Hebrew: 26 Teveth 5784

Islamic: 25 Jumada II 1445

J Cal: 7 White; Sevenday [7 of 30]

Julian: 25 December 2023

Moon: 17%: Waning Crescent

Positivist: 7 Moses (1st Month) [Numa]

Runic Half Month: Eihwaz or Eoh (Yew Tree) [Day 13 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 18 of 89)

Zodiac: Capricorn (Day 17 of 31)