Japanese Night - Buta no Kakuni

Japanese night was a long time coming. I love so many dishes in this region that it was very difficult to choose an appetizer and dessert (indeed, we made 3 dessert items). Rob handled the entree like a pro, and overall, the night was a big success. Next week: Spanish!

Cubed pork belly seared with ginger, soy, sugar, and sake, then simmered for an hour until tender. Served over ramen noodles with the broth ladled over everything.

http://appetiteforchina.com/recipes/japanese-braised-pork-belly-buta-no-kakuni/

Japanese Night - Nikujaga

This beef and vegetable stew had myriad flavors. Every item - the carrots, peas, beef, potato, onions, and noodles - had distinct flavors that all complemented each other and interacted with the broth in different ways. It was too good to eat quickly.

Japanese Night - Mochi, Green Tea, and Green Tea Ice Cream

In the Japanese style, we went with a multi-faceted but balanced dessert. First, Krissy made some green tea ice cream that was creamy and thick and doesn't need an ice cream maker. She made sugar tuiles as a finishing touch. I made some mochi out of the same dough we used back on Chinese night, but not filled with anything. These were a little sweet, but mostly chewy and delicious. To finish, we had some green tea to round out the sweetness. Bonus picture: Rob and I kneeding the dough for the mochi.

Gamma World - Blood Money Ch 1 - The Ecstasy of Gold

Last week the party successfully completed their first adventure, Trouble in Canyon City. With that behind them, they began a new adventure...

Now that they're on the good side of the Mayor, the party has been given a permanent residence at the safehouse they were staying in last time. They also got a visit from one of the assassins guild's leaders, Kadash, thanking them for creating an advantageous position, but warning them to tread a little lighter when their business intersects. He also gave them a cool knife.

The party also went down to the iron district to flirt with the locals in hopes of getting good deals on weapons and ammo. Seamus was marginally successful. The ladies had less success, but no less fun. In the end the group as a whole found themselves low on cash but brimming with ammunition.

Then Gaia explained that a week prior, she had hidden a large amount of cash in a case on a merchant caravan, with the intent to come back for it later. Now that later has arrived, she'd like some help getting it. So the party signed on to work security for the same company and hope to intercept the other caravan on it's way back... 

German Night - Pretzel and Cheeseball

German night was an exercise in authenticity. It paid off, but we did take a hit in the appetizer department. Next week, Japanese!

Rob and Rachael spent all day making pretzels from scratch and got a case of recipe betrayal. So the store-bought rule came into effect. They did bring a very nice cheeseball!

German Night - Gruenkohl und Pinkel

For out non-German-speakers, this "Kale and Sausage" is a traditional north German dish, and it has the flavors to prove it. Rachael actually said it reminded her of her grandmother's cooking! Bacon + kale +  bratwurst + mustard = MMM. We served potatoes on the side that had been boiled and finished in butter and brown sugar.

http://germanfood.about.com/od/meatbasedrecipesandmenu/r/gruenkohl.htm

German Night - Apple Strudel

Old world-style strudel filled with apples, (rummed) raisins, spiced cinnamon, and buttered breadcrumbs. The crust was thick and had a great bite to it. We added a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it became the kind of dessert where your mouth and stomach have a fight over whether you're having another piece.