Shabu Shabu

We usually get together with my mother’s family on New Year’s Eve and eat shabu shabu together. Since we weren’t able to gather this year due to COVID restrictions, we decided to have it for dinner on New Year’s Day with jut our immediate family.
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Shabu shabu with my family for dinner on New Year’s Day with beef, pork, green onions from my parents’ garden, mushrooms, enoki, nappa, shirataki, tofu, and udon.

Kanpai! (yuzu cider)

I rang in the new year with a glass of yuzu cider that I got from Tokyo Central…of course, in a blue glass to celebrate the World Series Champion Dodgers! 
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yuzu cider

Yuzu cider to ring in the new year at home in Gardena.

Yokan art

Every year on New Year’s Day, my sister cuts the pink and green yokan into shapes using my mother’s vegetable flower shape cutters and then hand-cutting and scoring leaves and other shapes. This year, in celebration of the Dodger’s 2020 World Series Championship win, she made carved their “LA” logo.

I think it was her best ever!
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New Year’s Day yokan decorated by June Magsaysay, including the Dodger’s “LA” logo in celebration of their 2020 World Series Championship win.

toshikoshi soba (soba with shiitake and negi)

Russ & I made toshikoshi soba for two with shiitake mushrooms and green onions for good luck in the new year.
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soba with shiitake and negi

Russ & I made toshikoshi soba for two with shiitake mushrooms and green onions for good luck in the new year while celebrating at home due to the pandemic.

Ozoni

My mother makes ozoni for breakfast on every New Year’s Day morning. Mochi with floral-shaped carrots and daikon, and nappa, nori, and green onions. 
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Bowl of ozoni made by my mother on New Year’s Day, 2021.