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| Wakame bud, Mekabu |
I posted a "foodie" quiz on Twitter (@libramuse) last night, "Identify the mystery food". You can see the original picture at the right and a full view of the sea vegetable "Wakame" below. We were given this monster strand by a good friend after her English lesson last night. The photo in the quiz is of "mekabu" which is the bud of "wakame" and the prize of the whole package. "Mekabu" is usually purchased in small packs at the market already processed and ready to eat with a little vinegar or soy sauce. It is touted for it's health properties, primarily it increases fat metabolism and helps burn off those "love handles". I can testify to this along with the benefits of green tea in the same, ahem, area.
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| A wakame strand straight from the sea |
I compare "mekabu" preparation with democracy in Egypt. It takes a lot of work to get it, then requires boiling to kill the really nasty stuff-then it changes color to a bright shiny green, yet you still have to cut off and discard the remaining bad parts of the old plant. Only after all this sacrifice and hard work is it ready for public consumption.
I know this isn't readily available in most markets, but if you are ever in a Japanese restaurant and they push a small dish of slimy looking green stuff in front of you, remember what your mother used to say, "Eat it, it's good for you!"
Itadakimasu!
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| Healthy and slimming Mekabu |
As some of you may know I have dropped a lot of weight over the last 6 months by adapting my lifestyle to my age. I can no longer pound down the beers like I did at a spry young 45 years of age. So when I do imbibe I go for quality over quantity. No more do I guzzle a gallon of "Lite"; so while in Tokyo yesterday I made a quick stop, before boarding the bus home, at a pub that specializes in Belgium beer and poor service(by Japanese standards). The beer you see pictured here was a cherry flavored brew with a 6% alcohol level. At ¥980 plus service charge that comes to about $12 a glass. It was good and I'll probably never have another, unless of course the "bubble economy" comes back and companies start picking up the bar tabs like they did in the late '80s. I get misty eyed just reflecting on those days.
