by : Reiko Bread, Japanese Food

Shokupan Art – Watermelon
食パンアート（すいか）

NHK is a Japanese national TV station, and they now make a program called NHK World, which is broadcasted in English from Japan.

My husband really likes it, and we often have the channel on in the background.

The other day, they were making “Shokupan Art” (art on Japanese Pullman bread slices), and when I saw the watermelon version, I was intrigued.

They were using cream cheese as aspread, but I used homemade vegan mayo instead.

The “watermelon” is made with cucumber, strawberry jam, and black sesame seeds.

Surprisingly, this was not only cute, but also very tasty!

The strange combination of mayo, strawberry jam, and fresh cucumber somehow works.

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by : Reiko Bread

Rice (No Flour) Bread
生米ぱん

Making bread using rice flour has become increasingly popular with the jump in demand for gluten-free bread in the United States in the recent years.

It’s the same in Japan as well, but rice flour bread seems to appeal to not only gluten-free dieters but also to a larger population, mostly because of their all-time love for rice.

This bread is a new kind of gluten-free bread.

You don’t use rice flour, instead, you use rice straight up.

Very innovative.

Yes. Just like this.

The result was amazing!

It looks like bread, smells like bread, and tastes like bread.

And a good one!

It’s crispy on top, and the inside is so soft and moist.

It gets sliced well too.

You can eat it untoasted to enjoy the softness of the bread.

Or you can toast it too.

Absolutely delicious when toasted.

It’s crunchy outside and the inside has wonderful chewiness.

I followed this recipe (in Japanese).

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by : Reiko Bread

Cheesy Garlic Chive Bread
チーズガーリックチャイブぱん

Usually I know exactly what I want to do in the kitchen, but once in a while I need some idea.

The other day I knew I wanted to bake bread with garlic chive, but I wasn’t sure what I should pair it with.

When I asked for advice, my husband said “cheese.”

Hmmm, that’s not a bad idea!

Remember?

This is the garlic chive I used.

I don’t see this too often, but I really like it.

Just the name indicates, it gives really great garlicky flavor.

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by : Reiko Bread, Breakfast, Japanese Food

Sweet Black Bean and Butter Toast
黒餡で小倉トースト風

Sweet bean and butter toast is one of the specialties in Nagoya, where I’m from.

It’s super easy to make if you have sweet beans prepared.

Place sweet beans (usually Azuki, but this time I used black beans) and butter on a toast.

That’s it.

My Shoku-pan, Japanese Pullman loaf, was perfect for this.

And I just freshly made vegan butter as well.

You can of course dress it up with fruit or jam like this.

I topped it off with lingonberry jam.

The crispy/soft toast, sweet beans, fatty and slightly salty butter, and tart jam together.

It’s heavenly good.

But of course, you can keep it basic, like this too.

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