Friday, January 1, 2010

A New Year's breakfast




Traditionally, most Japanese households serve ozoni on New Year's morning. It's a broth filled with vegetables, together with mochi--glutinous rice cakes. As a child, I used to dread coming to the breakfast table and coming face to face with my bowl of ozoni. And my mother reminding me to "chew the mochi really well because a lot of children and old people choke on it." Great....a hazardous breakfast.

This year, instead of our usual pancakes, I served French toast made with thick slices of Portuguese sweet bread paired with REAL Wisconsin maple syrup. I even dusted it with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. And after trying the real stuff, I can't go back to Log Cabin or Mrs. Butterworth's ever again.



Yes, I did make a small pot of ozoni--because it's tradition--and we chewed it really well.

Happy New Year to all!




*Edited to note: I didn't mean to make light of the fact that people have choked on mochi and there are indeed reported cases of death. I apologize if I've offended anyone who experienced this firsthand.

17 comments:

  1. OMGosh, this is the funniest thing I've read in a long time!Your french toast looks delicious-I'll have some of that!
    :-) Barbara

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  2. Happy New Year, Donna! Yumm! Breakfast looks so yummy! I missed the ozoni this year! I'm glad you chewed it well, lol! hugs, Teri

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  3. Your French Toast looks yummy, Donna, and I agree, there is nothing like real maple syrup. Loved your story today! Happy New Year!

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  4. Happy New Year to you sweet Donna! What a great story - I like traditions ! But this is too funny. By the sound of it I would prefer the french toast and it looks delicious! Yummy!

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  5. Your french toast looks so yummy, Donna, and with portugese sausage too - I can almost smell it while reading your blog. Yes, please chew the mochi carefully - my grandfather, who I never met, died from choking on mochi.

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  6. YUM! Can I come to breakfast at your house next year?

    Hope you had a wonderful first day of 2010!

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  7. Love your story DDD....looks so yummy except the traditional part..lol
    Happy New Year my friend
    xo,kathy

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  8. looks yummy! and yes, i've had that mochi-like stuff too in a broth before and almost choked to death. you gotta swallow that carefully!!!

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  9. First off, I'd like to say . . . CONGRATS on your winner over at Amy's!!! I luv her work and I'm sure you will be admiring her card for a long time!

    That ozoni looks yummo . . . haven't had that in a long time since my g-ma passed. I suppose the tradition can only continue if I do it! Have a good one and congrats again!

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  10. yum!! you are making me hungry, Donna! =) My best wishes to you and your for the new year!

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  11. Looks like a gorgeous new year breakfast feast Donna! We are big on toast in our household because it is the one thing that my hubby can cook without supervision!!! Jo x

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  12. Should have been at your place for breakfast. That looks delicious! Happy New Year friend! Doing Project 365 over at my blog. Check it out!

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  13. Happy New Year! Thanks for sharing your traditions! :)

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  14. Happy New Year Donna! I love hearing about different traditions and love your humor too! Your breakfast looks delish and there's nothing like real maple syrup. Your french toast surely deserves only the best!

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  15. Happy New Year Donna :D. I loved reading your story. I find traditions so interesting. Your french toast looks so yummy ;).

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  16. OH DONNA!! I am in STITCHES, well until I read the DISCLAIMER!! YOU ARE A HOOT and I LOVE the way you tell a story! I'm beginning to think that Ron should have been born JAPANESE! I think that he would LOVE that "soup", but OLD KAREN would LOVE the breakfast that you made this year........OH IT LOOKS SO YUMMY! I LOVE FRENCH TOAST.......NEVER have made it, but I can certainly EAT IT like there is NO TOMORROW!!!!!!! I'm learning SO MUCH from your SWEET BLOG. Can't you JUST HEAR ME LAUGHING, Donna??????? Tears are running down my face. Molly's BUGGING RON about a VACATION to Hawaii!!!! I don't want to SCARE YOU, just giving you a WARNING!! Lots of LOVE and HAPPY NEW YEAR to all of the Mikasa Family. LOVE and MORE, Karen xoxooxoxox

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  17. HeeHee... we normally have the ozoni on Chinese New Year! Yummy yummy breakfast!!

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