Our family’s traditions around Christmas and New Year’s Day include two annual family parties before Christmas and a separate gathering with friends around New Year’s Day. In between all of those festive commitments, we usually spend time with several other friends and relatives, but this year was completely thrown off due to a very unwelcome visitor: stomach flu.
Our bedroom looked like triage with sheets spread out across the floor in case of *accidents* (of which there were many) and to allow our sons to sleep wherever they felt most comfortable, which was primarily on the floor. We quarantined ourselves from December 19th through Christmas day and were finally all recovered enough to celebrate the New Year with close family and friends. But we didn’t get to see everyone that we wanted to see, including my sister and her family who returned to the mainland just after Christmas.
So, for me, this Christmas was bittersweet. For my boys, they got to enjoy opening presents in front of the half-decorated Christmas tree so no big deal. And when we look back at the pictures, we MAY not remember the frustration, disappointment and sheer EXHAUSTION of it all.
On New Year’s Day we went to the Otera for the traditional New Year’s Day service. We enjoyed my MIL’s konbu maki, which is her signature New Year’s Day dish instead of the traditional Japanese soup with mochi. Every year she makes enough to share with family and friends. And friends reciprocate with home-made mochi and other yummy foods.
The description of konbu maki says “Seaweed Wrapped Pork Rolls” which doesn’t aptly convey yumminess, but my MIL’s version really is so good. There’s a recipe here that seems to have all the ingredients she uses, although I’m fairly certain my MIL leaves out the MSG and uses chicken broth.
This is one of those dishes to add to the list (along with Oxtail Stew and Pig’s Feet Soup) of things I need to learn how to make from the people I know who make them (my MIL and my mom). There are very few restaurants (that I know of) that make a decent version of their dishes.
BTW, this ozoni looks so tasty! Donna posted her MIL’s recipe here. My husband says the mizuna is an acquired taste, but since I’ve never had it, I’d certainly try it, if given the opportunity. Maybe I should plan to make some next year, if I can keep the holidays drama-free!
