Dumpling Dinner

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E5, 35mm, f/3.2, 1/40 sec, ISO800
“Gyoza and Har Gow” Cedar Park, 2026

Tonight we had two kinds of dumplings: Har Gow and Gyoza. And to go with that, yummy fried rice! 🥟 This a truly a comfort meal for Asian families.

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E5, 35mm, f/2.8, 1/40 sec, ISO800
“Har Gow, Gyoza, and Fried Rice” Cedar Park, 2026

First Attempt at Tamagoyaki

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/60 sec, ISO125
“First Tamagoyaki” Cedar Park, 2026

One of my small goals for this year was to make tamagoyaki. Surprisingly, I’d never actually made it on my own before, even though it’s a pretty simple way to cook eggs. Mariko gave it a thumbs-up, so I’m counting that as a win. 😄🥚

Two Great Dinners in a Row

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E5, 35mm, f/4, 1/13 sec, ISO800
“Deep Fried Goodness” Cedar Park, 2026

Here are a couple of recent dinners worth sharing. Tonight was all deep-fried goodness: korokke and aji-furai, with two carrot dishes and a fresh salad on the side. A perfect combination.

Last night was pan-seared salmon, baked gratin, salad, and rice. It was so filling. I was happily stuffed. 😋

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E5, 35mm, f/4, 1/17 sec, ISO800
“Salmon and Gratin” Cedar Park, 2026

Fresh Bread and Big Sandwich Plans

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E5, 35mm, f/4, 1/25 sec, ISO800
“A New Loaf” Cedar Park, 2026

Mariko baked a fresh loaf of bread today. It looks beautiful, doesn’t it? I picked up some sliced turkey and muenster cheese from the deli, so I’m very much looking forward to some top-tier sandwiches this week. 🥪😊

Great Packaging, Mediocre Candy

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E5, 35mm, f/5.6, 1/20 sec, ISO800
“Retro Candy” Cedar Park, 2026

I’ve been slowly working my way through the candy and snacks we picked up at Ohmachi Shop. The actual candy inside is pretty basic, just sweet pressed sugar powder, and not particularly good. But I feel a sense of obligation to finish every one. The packaging though is really fun, very retro Japanese, and each wrapper is getting glued into the daily pages of my Hobonichi. 😄🍬

Shrimp Pasta and Parmesan Placement Problems

Photo info: Apple iPhone 15 Pro, 6.7649998656528mm, f/1.8, 1/50 sec, ISO250
“Shrimp Pasta” Cedar Park, 2026

We had shrimp pasta for dinner tonight, with freshly grated parmesan on top. Our aim with the grater needs a little work, as you can see. Still delicious though. 😄

New Toshiba Rice Cooker

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E5, 35mm, f/2, 1/75 sec, ISO800
“New Rice Cooker” Cedar Park, 2026

We got a new rice cooker, the Toshiba 5.5-Cup, and it’s been great so far. I’ve already made a couple batches of jook using both short-grain and long-grain rice, and both turned out really well.

The old Tiger model in the second photo served us faithfully for about 15 years. It was still working fine, but the inner pot coating had started to peel, so it felt like the right time to move on. It also had a fully Japanese menu, which meant I was never using it to its full potential. We found a Japanese family to pass it along to, which felt like a good ending. I hope it gives them another 15 years. 😊🍚

Photo info: FUJIFILM X-E5, 35mm, f/4.5, 1/45 sec, ISO800
“Old Rice Cooker” Cedar Park, 2026