"flying veggies"

This one sounds a bit too much like an old Monty Python skit. But I thought it conjured great imagery and as we come out of the golden-week holidays here in Japan/ and Cinco de Mayo in the USA--- thought I would share.

Mexicans mark "cinco de mayo" with flying veggies

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) - One of the few places in Mexico still celebrating Cinco de Mayo, thanks to an enduring family tradition, did so on Friday with a tequila-fueled fiesta of cannon firing, flying vegetables and forced haircuts.

It marks the defeat by Mexican troops and local Indians in the central state of Puebla of an invasion by a much better-equipped French force. A subsequent invasion succeeded in occupying Mexico City and briefly installing an emperor.

Firing homemade shotguns loaded with gunpowder, hundreds of men dressed as female Indian peasants with blackened faces, straw hats and embroidered blouses fought mock running battles against French invaders in white bloomers.

Cannon blasts on both sides gave signals for the troops to run at each other, pelting each other with vegetables and French-style baguettes while swigging beer and tequila. Captured foes were held down and given haircuts.

You can read more at Reuters.com

in search of scone

 

No I did not eat all three of these...

Friday was a day off, and I decided to drag hubby and tm along for some exploring in tokyo. A few years ago I found this great antique warehouse with a cool cafe. I really had a GREAT scone there- I had recently figured out that it maybe was near our apartment (I had lived elsewhere when I found it the first time by bus) So we set out to look for adventure and SCONES.

It was great. The shop is called Globe. And it is very different from most small antique shops in Tokyo. It is huge. 4-5 stories high. cafe downstairs and gorgeous outdoor garden area. I really felt like we had a little afternoon away in Europe or the UK.

We had a nice lunch and the VERY yummy scones above. From right to left. Rum Raisin, Plain, and White Chocolate Latte. I was the plain. (wanted to judge based on my scone searches in other spots- and needed to use the Plain one as a control)

I especially loved the whipped cream and marmalade they served with these delicious desserts.

Definately want to head back there again. ALso on the way home we went to a great little park, AND found a wonderful wine and cheese shop. I am sure that the shop will feature in future fancy glass posts.

GLOBE ANTIQUES/ Ikejiri 2-7-8. [on Mishuku-dori, just south of Route 246] Open 11am-8pm daily. Tel: 5430-3550. read more at Bento.com 

Eating by the Rules

One of the things that is interesting about living abroad is the various customs, rules and etiquette that varies culture to culture.

In Japan here are a couple of table rules- as spelled out by a Japanese person- (hence the cute grammar?!) My comments below each point...

1. Blowing your nose in public, and especially at the table, is considered bad manner.

It is OK however to snuffle, snort and make other noises to keep your nose from running! This is one that is always SHOCKING to foreigners who find the snorting noise MUCH more distasteful than blowing your nose!

2. It is considered good manner to empty your dishes to the last grain of rice.

in Some Parts of Asia this is NOT true. It is polite in China to leave the last few grains of rice- shows that you were given an excess from the generous host of the meal.

3. Talking about toilet related and similarly disappetizing topics during or before a meal is not appreciated by most people.

I would assume this one to be universal!

4. Unlike in some other parts of East Asia, it is considered bad manner to burp.

though I hear older Japanese business men do this ALL the time. And strangely, burping is rude but Spitting loudly anywhere on the street or even in a train station is A-OK!

5. After finishing eating, try to place all your dishes in the same way as they were at the start of the meal. This includes replacing the lid of dishes which came with a lid and replacing your chopsticks on the chopstick holder or into their paper slip, if applicable.

I like this one, very neat and tidy! easy for the host to collect the dishes and looks much better. But then I have been here for a long time, and perhaps this shows I am becoming acculturated in my host country.