Innie or Outie

So you live in an atypical environment and want to add a little of the local cuture to your St. Pat’s celebrations, or may be you just want to try something a little different. Here is an idea that might help you achieve that goal, matcha. Matcha is powdered green tea that is also edible. Below are several ideas that make use of matcha in interesting ways:

cheesecake

doughnuts

tiramisu

Here’s a creative idea for those who just haven’t found that right recipe for St. Patrick’s Day:

If you like celebrating St. Pat’s in a more traditional manner, a stew might be your idea of a lucky charm; or you might be a person who likes to make the most of a holiday by celebrating all day, beginning with breakfast. Or perhaps you are looking for a twist, like waiting till the end of the day to spring last minute surprises on family and friends with unique dessert ideas.

For many people, a St. Patty’s celebration just isn’t complete without some version of a shamrock. Could it be that you’re a gelatin kind of person? A great idea sure to bring a little charm to St. Patrick’s Day.

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Here is another popular local “fast food” known as tendon or tenpura donburi. The tenpura is placed on the rice and covered with a sauce. Also included in this version is pickled cabbage and pickled ginger.

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With St Patrick’s Day coming up, I decided to see what unique creations others have posted. To be quite honest, I was surprised that there seems to be a very limited number of ideas when it comes to this holiday. However, there was one site that I found crammed full of charming creations (albeit, some were not that unique). So if you are looking for ways to get green, here are a few ideas:

May be you could try a pot ‘o gold. Here is the recipe.

Perhaps you want to find what is at the end of the rainbow. This is the recipe.

Or you need a new take on that lucky shamrock. Yet another great recipe idea.

For more ideas on how to go green, check this featured section of Family Fun.com.

Although St. Patrick’s Day is still a few days away, someone is back in the kitchen and getting a little green:

Papa’s St. Patty’s Herb Pesce Dinner

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For this dinner, hubby braised new potatoes and basil, sautéed Russian Red Fish in olive oil, added asparagus, then smothered it all in herb sauce. The plate was accompanied by a small bowl of salad greens, sweet peppers, and red radish topped with Sesame Thousand Island dressing.

One of the favorite food items on island is tonkatsu, or deep-fried pork cutlet. This version is one of the entree meals of a local fast food chain. The cutlet comes with a sauce and spicy mustard to provide additional flavor. Also in the meal is rice, a small shredded cabbage salad, some pickled veggies, a scoop of potato salad, and a few strands of spaghetti. In addition, I ordered another one of the small salads available.

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Although there are many other types of Japanese food (such as tempura, soba, or a variety of grilled goodies), nothing seems to capture the imagination of the public as much as raw fish. However, the realm of sushi is no longer limited to being a specialty of gourmet restaurants. Some people prefer to make sushi to fulfill thier dessert desires, such as with these make at home cakes. Others can’t perceive the world of sushi without chocolate. And, of course, there are some people who go the other way around and make desserts to meet their sushi desires, as with this cake. Any way you look at it, when it comes to the image of Japanese food, sushi rules.

Local fast food chains aren’t limited to bentos. Like other establishments, they also serve a variety of entrees and side dishes. Here is a selection of ginger pork, accompanied with pickled cabbage, pickled ginger, regular cabbage, rice, and side order of salad:

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