Monday, November 20, 2006
I have found it increasingly difficult to find certain items here in Tosayamada or even Kochi City. My major problem with this is that I'm either in too much of a hurry, these things are too small, or too insignificant to have them shipped to me via mommy-mail. The biggest thing that irks me though is that I know these things are here. I know they are in my town! Not only do I not need to go into the city to get them but they are here readily available, I just can't find them. I just don't know where to look.
It's like when I go to the grocery store, everything is arranged in such a way as to completely confuse me. The spices are in one section and the cakes and things are in another while there is a whole section devoted entirely to seaweed but yet baking items are scattered all over the store. I have yet to memorize the system. Every time I go to the grocery store I always scan every shelf, just to see if I find something new, and I always do! I found salsa the other day! And it's the real stuff!!! (Just very mild)
So, Nina, I hear you ask, what are these items that you're looking for? I'm sure, you continue, that I don't have to tell you that Japan doesn't bake the same way that westerners do and normal things to you are not normal for them....
はい！はい！分かったよ！Yeah, yeah, I got it, yo.
Cinnamon - I've found but only in small quantities
All purpose flour - people tell me it exists which I believe because the amount of white bread they have in this country is staggering
Brown sugar - I found some stuff that tastes about right but is actually white...go fig
Feathers - I went to three different craft stores and found none. I know they have them! Check out my costume at the English Conversation Halloween party!
Regular butter - I have yet to try their different varies of "fat" to know which one tastes right. I know they have it though
CHEESE - I'm fooling myself. They don't have it
Sprinkles - They have really expensive edible silver balls for wedding cakes but that's not exactly what I was going for.
Apple Sauce - "Is that like syrup?" my supervisor asked. Nope, I'm pretty sure they don't have such a thing here after a reaction like that. I did find a recipe online but with apples at $1.50 each and the recipe calling for 4 or 5, I think I'll live without.
Cookie Cutters - This is the straw that broke the camels back. Seriously, I know these people are nuts about crafts and cute little shaped cookies, rice balls, bread stuffs, ANYTHING. They're everywhere. So why can't I find them?!
I swear to you. I will find these things!
Ultimately, I think the problem is that I don't have a car to get to the better stores in the area. Drat.
Current Thanksgiving Total: 13~16 (Some "maybe"s have become definite "no"s