First Christmas

Our very first Christmas as our own unit couldn't be any sweeter as we kicked off our first tradition with home-made Christmas cookies and picking up our favorite holiday candies (Snickers/Twix/Milky Way Christmas fun pack for Vi and Palmer's peppermint bark for me!) on Christmas Eve.

Choice of cookie this year were these gingerbread guys below:

 Considering that we were so far from both of our families and many close friends, we decided these gingerbread guys would make perfect company during out little Christmas dinner feast :)

Next morning, we opened presents under the Christmas tree one by one (sealed with a thank you kiss between each present, hehe) and went on our merry way for xiao long bao (soup dumpling) lunch at Jin Din Rou. So simple, so nostalgic and just so yummy...!

After lunch, we walked along the Meguro river to get a little exercise in and to enjoy the unusually warm Tokyo December weather.

Once we got home, we cranked up the volume on our stereo system and switched between the classic Christmas podcast station and the Glee podcast until dinner was ready. So fun!

Finally, dinner is ready!

Dinner:
3 lbs of honey-apple glazed roasted boneless ham
Sauteed bacon wrapped baby asparagus
Buttered spinach with carmelized yams & pearl onions
Fresh mesclun salad with shaved parmigiano reggiano and cherry tomatoes
Sauteed rosti with organic portabellos

After clearing the table and putting the dishes in the washer, "Stand By Me" came on to the radio and so we slow-danced to that just before heading upstairs to watch our holiday movies, "Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole" & "The Holiday". And in between all of that, we thought we should take a photo of ourselves to send to all of you but unfortunately, we were not too successful :'(

Take 1 (Christmas tree & Us, but too blurry)

 Take 2 (Better, but not much of a Christmas tree)

O well, next year will be a better pic!

Anyway, while we really missed our families and friends, it was still a very fun and memorable Christmas day for us, filled with lotsa new traditions and love. 

<3

And it is our Christmas wish that all of you have a safe, fun & wonderful holiday too!

 

Hainan Chicken Rice - Yum

Funnily, only after moving away from Singapore did I attempt to make the famous Singapore Hainan Chicken rice and even more funny was the fact I learned the secret to the delicious recipe from a Singaporean restaurant here in Tokyo.
So happened that at this restaurant they encouraged diners to make their own chicken rice at home and helpfully illustrated the preparation steps on their disposable paper place mats.
Anyways, I nabbed one of the place mats and told Vi I'd try to make this at home and voila -- here's what I made!

Rice tasted just like the kind from the local S'porean hawker stall and the chicken was poached & iced, just like they also do in Singapore (except I used only the healthy white meat and no dark meat/skin). Only need to perfect the chili sauce and perhaps cook the chicken-ginger broth longer. All in all though, Vi approved and said I did a goood job, yay! :D

Thanksgiving Dinner

How we do Thanksgiving at the Hang house

 

 Menu

The Appetizers:
Fresh-baked Banana Bread

French Triple Cream Soft Cheese

Soft Creamy Pepper-Garlic Herb Cheese

Camembert Cheese

Salame & Water Table Crackers

The Mains:

Rosemary, Sage, Thyme & Butter Turkey

Honey Glazed Garlic & Herb Barberque Baby-Back Ribs

Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad

The Sides:
Caprese Salad

Sauteed Bacon-Wrapped Prawns

Seared Garlic NY Strip Steak with extra virgin olive-oil Rostii on toasted baguette slices

Poached & Sauteed Buttered Broccoli

Fluffy Butter-Milk Mashed Potatoes

Sausage, Cranberry, Apple, Celery & Garlic Crouton Stuffing

Puff Pastry with Boursin & Sauteed Mushrooms

Butternut Squash, Pepper, Sage, Butter, Onions over Fusilli Pasta

Cranberry Sauce

Turkey Gravy

The Desserts:
Crusted Apple Pie with Cinnamon Ice-Cream

Vi's famous Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie with Whipped Cream

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Takaosanguchi

These last few weeks, it's been rather busy. Busier than usual because it is not only the holidays but also year end for Vi. Still, we managed to get away for a day-trip last Sunday to Takaosanguchi with some of our friends and spent the afternoon chowing down at うかい鳥山 Ukai Toriyama.



After riding the train to the end the Keio line headed towards Mt. Takao and a short shuttle bus ride through the small hiking town, we arrived at our destination.
Once we stepped onto the property, one of the hostesses cordially led us around the main reception house, along the stepping stone path, over a dainty red Japanese garden bridge, past the shallow pond full of koi fishes and a mossy running mill until we stopped at a small cottage-like house that overlooked the quiet little stream. A single private dining room was all this house could hold and on three sides of the room, warm sunshine poured in through the windows down onto the tatami-covered floors and table. 

Since we had only arrived at the place at 3 pm, we were ravenous and decided to make this meal our late lunch and dinner. And although some of the courses I am not sure what it was, it was really very yum! Thank you for the treat boo!



So, if any of you come to visit  Tokyo--we'd recommend coming here for a breath-taking and tasty experience anytime of the year :)


http://www.ukai.co.jp/toriyama/index.html#english

The Holidays

For years and years, my family has placed enormous amounts of time & effort into the holiday of Christmas and it is with no surprise, I cannot help but do likewise.

From the artificial tree that my parents continually put up each year (and is actually older than me!), the stockings with each our names sewn on with sequins hung near the banister, the massive hubba-baloo of presents thrown under the tree (which all coincidentally had the same 2-3 designs of wrapping paper), the festive feast my mom spent hours preparing that featured one of my favorite roasts: honey-glazed ham, the house filled with constant music and song from either the stereo (because I am not ashamed to say Mariah Carey's Christmas album is one of my favorites) or my sister Joanna would play all the requested Christmas tunes on the piano, the new matching red & green outfits my family coordinated just so we could wear it together on that one day of the year, and the list goes on...

But this year, it's a little different. This Christmas, will be my and Vi's first Christmas together as husband and wife and I am so excited! Since the traveling has worn us down from the wedding, the schedule is tight for both Vi and I, and we want to make this Christmas our very own...we have done our best to slowly decorate our apartment to invite the spirit and cheer of the holidays into our home...

As a famous song goes, on the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me, a partridge in a pear tree. Or in this case, Vi bought and carried home a real pine tree for me! How sweet and difficult to do in Tokyo!

 Then, I made these floral arrangements for our Thanksgiving dinner party:

 And because I was eye-ing the poinsettia at the florist shop across our apartment all last week, he also bought me home an early Christmas present tied with a big red bow!

 Instead of a partridge(s) in our tree, I decided to pick out some reindeer ornaments instead and Vi chose this guy to be his first Christmas ornament: (looks like Prancer, right?)

 And this was my choice, Vixen

 Alas, our tree is *almost* done being decorated...we just need to go pick out the perfect star!

Sweet November

Along the streets where we live, meticulous holiday decorations have begun to go up (...including this extremely decadent Baccarat chandelier in our next door shopping complex!) and passers-by go along their way to and from work wearing thicker layers of clothing (no heavy jackets yet). Even in Tokyo there is a Starbucks at nearly every corner and they have also finally shelled out their infamous red cups and scribbled on their daily specials black board, "Caramel Eclair Lattes"(...not forgetting to also provide us with an informative illustration of a steamy Venti mug with 5 inches of fresh whip piled on top); and their teeny sized cafes are moderately filled with caffeine-addicts cozy-ing up with their warm cuppa deliciousness. Temperatures are still cool, having only dropped a few degrees but depending on the day, an added gusto of wind reminds us winter is drawing near. Within these last few weeks, leaves have gradually changed from a vivid green to bright yellow, then a burnt orange color before finally dangling off their twiggy branches as if rustic red colored Christmas ornaments.

So it is official, the winter holidays have arrived, the best of Fall has come to an end and we begin the official countdown to the end of the year :)

Before we say goodbye to November though, here were some of the pics we took!

First stop, Krispy Kremes at Ebisu Garden Place...just opened this month :P

 An adorable elderly couple that we aspire to be when we get wrinkly, old & grey ;)

Then, off to take a walk and some pictures by the Meguro River.
Although, trying to get Vi to take pictures with Clara is hard work...

 Vi would rather hang out with his Blackberry instead as you can see here:

Clara at the Meguro River

 Candid shot of Mr. Hang

Mrs. Hang

 Cooperative Vi and Picture-Happy Clara

Autumn Foliage series:

 Hanging out on benches and bollards...

 Vi back to his Blackberry...

Happy First Month-aversary!

I cannot believe it, but it's already been 1 month since Vi and I tied the knot! It seems like it was just yesterday or at least 1 week ago that we said our vows and walked down the aisle.

But I guess it is true, "time flies when you're having fun" and in love...

Realizing this, we decided it was time to change our Facebook status and make this relationship official...and permanent! (As you know, nothing's legit until it's confirmed on facebook...lol)

So to answer the question that has often been asked in this last month: "How's it feel to be married?" ...It's been incredibly wonderful being Mrs. Hang and I really couldn't have enjoyed it so thoroughly without my dear husband. I love you Vi and am so excited to get old and cranky with you!

Anyway, here are some photos from last night...inspired by Gordon Ramsay :P

Setting up the dinner table...

 

Breaking out our fine china...!

 Vi taking his seat first

Him being good and patiently waiting for me ;)

Butter fluffed hokkaido potatoes with pepper olive oil infused rosti and sauteed over-sized white button caps

 Oven baked organic spinach-baby portabella-ricotta cannelloni with a fresh-grated parmigiana and butter reduction sauce

 Spiced sausage, clams and onions in a white wine and butter broth

 Vi has tasted his first bites and is enjoying...!

But now, on to the main course: Beef Wellington

Australian beef tenderloin seared and smothered in English mustard, then layered with a coat of sauteed baby portabella, button cap mushrooms and truffle oil, afterwhich wrapped in Parma ham and finally rolled into a thin sheet of puff pastry and glazed.

This is the final product, ta-da!

Cade 2009 Sauvignon Blanc from Napa.
A gift from our wedding :)

Not home-made but still yummy, Vi's favorite mint-chip ice cream with chopped chocolate covered almonds.

By the time we finished dinner, I forgot to take a photo of us together (oops!), so Vi helped grab the camera but took one of me already changed into my jammies.

 Happy 1st month anniversary Vi dear, love you!