ournal

Cupboard Section
By Kate Eglan-Garton

THEJAPANESEWAY

prideourselvesinhavingawidediversificationof
Americancitizensfromallovertheworld.English,
German,AfricanandIrishareamongthemost
popularancestryline.Thisholidayseasonletus
includeanotherforgottencultureofpeoplethathas
beeninourlandsince1868.Quietandsubdued,but
alsohopingforabetterlifeforthefutureoftheirchildren,theJapaneseare
rarelyspokenoforevenacknowledgedasAmericancitizens.
TravelingbyboatacrossthewidePacificOcean

theJapanesethathadmovedtotheUS.Althoughthe

andlandingontheislandofHawaiiandalso,whatis

JapanesecitizensconsideredtheattackofPearl

nowthestateofCalifornia,theJapanesemigrants

Harborastrikeagainsttheirhome,thegovernment

camelookingforworkinthesugarcanefieldsof

didnotsharetheirfeelings.EveryJapaneseAmerican

prosperousplantationowners.Between1886and

citizenwasroundedup,men,womenandchildren,

1911,over400,000JapanesehadsetoutforAmericain

andplacedinconfinementfor11years,oruntilthe

searchofabetterlife.

endofthewar.Still,theystayedandconsidered

Ournationwasnotacceptingtothisnewand

themselvesluckytobeAmericans.

differentraceofpeople.TheJapanesewere

OnSeptember11,1956,PresidentDwightD.

considerednonwhiteanddespisedbymostsettlers,

EisenhowerannouncedaPeopletoPeopleProgramthat

andthegovernment.In1907,PresidentTheodore

wasdesignedtobringtheworldclosertogether.This

RooseveltforcedtheSanFranciscoSchoolBoardto

wasthebeginningofSisterCitiesInternational.Over

allowJapanesestudentsattendanceinpublicschools

time,thisprogramhelpedtoimprovethepast

inexchangefortheGentlemansAgreementwiththe

differencesofwarbetweentheUnitedStatesand

UnitedStates.ThisagreementstatedthatJapan

Japan.Today,thereare440Americancitiesthat

wouldonlyallowthemosteducatedofJapaneseto

participatewithcitiesinJapan.

cometoAmerica,whilethelaborersandpeasants
werenotwelcome.
AngelIsland,theWestCoastsmirrored
immigrationcentertoEllisIslandontheEastCoast,

owDoJapaneseCelebrateChristmas?Itmight
besurprisingtolearnthattheJapanesehavea
betterhandleontheChristmasspiritthanmost

Westerners.Thefrillsofdecorating,the

wasresponsibleforallowingpassagetoJapanese

commercialismofshopping,andtheunwrappingof

foreigners.Itisestimatedthatover300,000Asians

presentsonChristmasmorningaremoreorless

arrivedatAngelIslandandasmanyasthirtypercent

absentinmanyJapanesehouseholds.Instead,they

wereturnedaway.Comparethistimeframeof1910

focusonthejoyofbeingwithfriendsandfamilyand

to1940withEllisIslandwhereover12millionpeople

enjoyingtheircompany.Thetraditionaldishofthe

arrivedandlessthantwopercentwereturnedaway.

JapaneseistheChristmascakeandisenjoyedbyall

WorldWarIIbroughtanevenstrongerdislikefor

thatwanttogiveoftheirtimeandjoy.However,this

dessertismoreofaholidayfoodsincetheJapanese

ChristmasRecipesofJapaneseOrigin

donotcelebrateChristmasasanationalholiday.

3-Ingredient Oriental Cheesecake

Inrecentyears,theyoungpeoplehavecometo
treasureChristmasEveasatimeofcelebration,

Neversaythatthereisnoroomfordessertwiththis

mainlybecauseAmericadoes.Theydressupintheir

Japaneseversionofcheesecake.Lightandairy,the

bestclothesandheadtothemostpopularholiday

flavorwilltantalizeyourtastebudswithoutgiving

restaurantintown,KFC.Smallgiftsareexchanged

youanoverstuffedfeeling.Betterbringtherecipefor

amongthosedatingandthistimeisconsidereda

thecrowd.

celebrationofafuturelifetogether.

Ingredients:

WhynotbringapieceofJapanesetraditiontoyour

1cupswhitechoppedchocolate

homethisyearbytakingthetimetorememberwhat

8ouncescreamcheese

theseasonisallabout.Forgetthepastandfocuson

6largeeggs,yolksseparated

thehereandnow.Timemovestooquicklyanda

Directions:

celebrationwiththosethatyouloveisworthmore

Preheatovento350degreesF.

thanwhatamaterialgiftcouldevermean.Ifthe

Linebottomandsides8inchroundbakingpanwith

Japanesecanforgiveandembracetheirgoodfortune,

waxpaper.

socanwe.

Continuednextpage

Directions:

Warmchocolateuntilmeltedthenstirincream

Preheatovento350degreesF.

cheese.

Coatan8inchroundcakepanwithbutteroroil.

Addeggyolkstothemixtureandstiruntilcreamy.

Whisktogethereggsandsugarinmediumsized

Inaseparatebowl,whipeggwhitesuntilstiff

bowl.Placebowlinsidelargebowlthatisfilled

peaksareformed.Addaspoonfulofeggwhitesto

halfwaywithhotwaterandwhiskagain.

chocolatemixtureandstiruntilmixed.Foldin

Siftflourandbakingpowdertogetherandaddtoegg

remainingeggwhitesin2to3sectionsandfold

mixture.

gentlyaftereachaddition.

Meltbutterandaddtomixture.Mixalltogether

Pourbatterintolinedpanandplaceinalargerpan

gently.

thatisfilledwithwater.Thewaterlevelshouldcome

Pourbatterintopreparedcakepanandbakefor2535

halfwayupthesidesofthebakingpan.

minutes.

Bakefor40to45minutes.Turnovenoffandletthe

Removecakeandcoolonarack.

cakerestinsideoftheoverforanadditional15

Cutthecooledcakeinhalfhorizontally.Setaside

minutes.

whilemakingthewhippedcream.

Remove,coolandtransfertoaplate.Placeinthe

Mixcreamandsugartogetherbowlandwhipwell.

refrigeratorfor4hours.

Slice8strawberriesintothinpiecesandmixwithof

Garnishwithfruit,powderedsugar,orchocolate

creammixture.

shavings.

Spreadoncenterpieceofcakeandplacethetopback

Moreonthisdessert byKareenLiezE.Datoyat:

on.

www.hngn.com/articles/113826/20150729/easythree

Spreadtheremainingwhippedcreamoverthecake

ingredientjapanesecottoncheesecakerecipe

andtopwithremainingwholestrawberries.

video.htm.

Moreonthiscake:www.grouprecipes.com/107024/

japanesechristmascake.html.

Japanese Christmas Cake

ThisistheoriginalversionoftheJapaneseChristmas
Cake.Useyourimaginationwithotherfruitpiecesor
decoratethetopwithtraditionalChristmas
confections.
IngredientsforCake:
1/3cupflour
1/3cupsugar
tspbakingpowder
3eggs
1tbspbutter
IngredientsforWhippedCream:
2cupsheavycream
4tbspsugar
16wholestrawberries