Honmei choco,Giri choco,Tomo choco...

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

Today is Valentine's Day.
In Japan, women give presents like chocolate to men on Valentine's Day.

The chocolate is called differently depending upon a person who get it.

The chocolate which a woman gives a special man is called "Honmei choco".
The chocolate which a woman gives a man who has no romantic feelings is called "Giri choco".
The chocolate which two women give each other is called "Tomo choco".

Most women give "Giri choco" and  "Tomo choco" to people with the meaning of thanks.

I gave chocolates to my work colleagues with the meaning of thanks, too.
I think that the chocolate is good for a means of communication.

Happy Valentine's Day !!

Valentine's Day in Japan

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day.
The presents for Valentine's Day are sold in supermarkets and department stores in this season.

In Japan, women give presents like chocolate to men on Valentine's Day.
I think that it's a strange custom for people of American and European countries, because in general, men give presents to women on Valentine's Day.

This strange custom on Valentine's Day was changed by a Japanese chocolate maker in a commercial purpose.
But most Japanese women enjoy this event, because they can buy many kinds of chocolates.
Maybe Japanese men don't enjoy this event....

the famous confection of Dorayaki : Ganryu-yaki

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

I introduced "Dorayaki" before.
Various types of Dorayaki are sold in some areas as famous confections.
The one of some areas is Shimonoseki City, Yamaguchi Prefecture.

It is famous that Shimonoseki has Ganryujima.
Ganryujima is the historic place where Kojiro Sasaki fought against Musashi Miyamoto.

Today I'd like to introduce a well-known Shimonoseki confection "Ganryu-yaki".

This is Ganryu-yaki.
It is a kind of Dorayaki. 

It has the letters of "巌流焼"(Ganryu-yaki) branded on the top face of pancakes.
The origin of the name is the historic place, Ganryujima where Kojiro Sasaki fought against Musashi Miyamoto.

It is a pancake filled with white bean paste.
The white bean paste is refined sweetness.

It is so delicious and not too sweet.
Try it !

Unusual products of Dorayaki : White chocolate dorayaki

Hello.

This is May in Japan.

I introduced "Dorayaki" before.
Today I'd like to introduce one of unusual Dorayaki "White chocolate dorayaki".

This is an unusual Dorayaki,"White chocolate dorayaki".
It is sold at Koufukudo's shop.
Koufukudo is a Japanese confectioner chain and it has many shops in Japan.

The point unlike a normal Dorayaki is the pancake.
It is made of powdery cocoa.
So,the color of the pancake is black.

White bean paste is used for this Dorayaki.
This white bean paste is mixed with white chocolate.

This Dorayaki is a half foreign style sweet and it's delicious !!
It's so unique !!

Unusual products of Dorayaki : Nama-Dora

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

I introduced "Dorayaki" before.

Today I'd like to introduce one of unusual Dorayaki "Nama-Dora".

This is Nama-Dora.
Nama means fresh cream.
This Dorayaki filled with fresh cream and bean jam.
It seems like a kind of Western sweets.

This is Dorayaki with bananas.

It is like a cake!!
This Dorayaki is really delicious !!

Nama-Dora is very popular among young women.
I love it. too !!

Unusual products of Dorayaki : Ichigo-butter-dora

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

I introduced "Kabocha-butter-dora" last time.
Today I'd like to introduce one of unusual Dorayaki "Ichigo-butter-dora".

This is an unusual Dorayaki,"Ichigo-butter-dora".
It is also sold at Sakaeya's shop where I introduced before.
The blog article, please click this → The famous confection of Fukuoka,"Nanban Orai"

This product is limitation in the spring.

Ichigo means strawberry.
This Dorayaki filled with sweet strawberry paste and butter cream.

This sweet strawberry paste is not strawberry jam.
It made from sweet bean paste and strawberry syrup.

This sweet strawberry paste and butter cream match well.
It is good !!

Unusual products of Dorayaki : Kabocha-butter-dora

Hello.
This is May in Japan.

I introduced "Dorayaki" last time.
Today I'd like to introduce one of unusual Dorayaki "Kabocha-butter-dora".

This is an unusual Dorayaki,"Kabocha-butter-dora".
It is sold at Sakaeya's shop where I introduced before.
The blog article, please click this → The famous confection of Fukuoka,"Nanban Orai"

This product is limitation in the fall and winter.

Kabocha means pumpkin.
This Dorayaki filled with sweet pumpkin paste and butter cream.

The salt taste of the butter cream goes well with a sweet taste of the pumpkin paste.
It is very delicious.

It is a semi-Western style sweet!