food!

It sounds weird, but I have yet to find a food here that grosses me out.  At least anymore than it does in Canada.  Still don't like handling raw meat, of any sort, but I'm getting over it.  It took me just under a month to find cheese, three weeks to find milk, and I just found canned fish.  I like to blame the fact that I am being overwhelmed by stimulus.  Way too many things to look at and try to decipher without looking like a fool.  I already stand out enough, I don't need to stare at one package cover to try and understand it for over a minute.


Out of all the things in Japan that intimidate me, shopping is the worst.  Really, I go into a store, not knowing what 90% of the stuff is, and pick at random.  Mostly it's worked out for the best, I do now know what to look for to know if I can even make it.  But I did find this awesome fruit, and I have no idea what it is.

And for the record: in Canada, if you buy instant noodle in a cup or bowl, it often has everything ready, you just add water.  Or maybe one little packet that you add.  In Japan, they have three little packets.  And most of the packages assume I know what goes in what order.  So no, buying instant soup bowls and noodles can be far more sress than just buying pre-made convenience store food.  Which, if you like onigiri or Japanese sandwiches, can be very cheap.  Their mayo, also has some sort of seaweed taste in it.  I do not like nori, and I am trying.

Rice is everywhere, as one might expect.  I bought a new brand today (yay sales :D) and when I went to make it, I am sure it gave me different cooking times on the back for winter or summer.  I just don't see how that is possible.  Ambient air temperature shouldn't change the cooking time that much.  Unless someone can correct me:

夏は３０分・冬は６０分

but as far as I can tell, it says summer,: 30 min, winter: 60 min.


And that is just weird.