"OSECHI" in Manhattan.

"Blue & White Imari"
They are my prized antique Imari Plates. I use only once a year.
Colorful hand-painting and Gold accents are famous for Imari
but, I love those simple Blue & White IMARI-YAKI. 

"Ingredients for Osechi"

Mochi, Kamaboko(Pink & White Fish-cakes), Datemaki(Rolled Omelette).

Japanese-Yam, Turnip, Carrot, Japanese-Turnip,
 Satoimo(Sticky Japanese Potato), Chestnut, Leek, 
Scallion, Snow-Pea, Fresh & Dried Shiitake-Mushroom.

Happy New Year !  2010 is gone, 2011 has arrived .
This may be the first time I missed watching the Crystal Ball coming down at Times Square on TV. I may still see a repeat of it along with different kinds of celebrations of New Years in the rest of the world. 
Yes, we New Yorkers will not go to the Times Square to see it. Those crazy people you saw on TV were almost all tourists from somewhere else. From New Jersey to Asia or Long Island to Europe... We don't even go near by that area until the streets get cleaned. We all say to each other "Stay away from Mid-Town between Thanksgiving and New Years Day"
I was too busy preparing "Osechi".  It is the Traditional Food of New Year's Day we have in Japan. When I was in Japan, I was not so fond of this food, but we all had to have this food at almost every meal from New Year's Day to 3rd or 5th of January. 
Every family has slightly different take on it for variety.
In Japan New Year's Day is the Biggest Holiday, food-oriented Big Holiday. 
Just like "Thanksgiving" in USA. Instead of Turkey & Pumpkin Pie, Japanese eat Vegetables & Rice Cakes on New Year's Day.

This is how Vegetable Course of Osechi is served at the Table. 

"Osechi" is made mainly of vegetables and sea food, processed in such a way you can keep them in the kitchen for a few days. So, you don't have to cook meals for at least a few days. Most of family uses "Jubako(like a bento box)" to serve. When some parts of "Jubako" get empty you can refill.  This Box of food is often accompanied by "Sake' or "Zoni" during first few days of the New Year all over Japan. 
As I said before, New Year's Day is the biggest holiday in Japan. The celebrations will start New Year's Eve. There are many things to do from that night on.
In my family, traditions would start with our grandmother's "Soba" making. Around 3 o'clock in the afternoon she started making them from scratch. Then around 11pm we'd start having home-made Soba as "Toshi Koshi Soba". It means "Changing Year's Soba". Soba is the symbol of not-too-thick-but-long (life). Wishing the New Years brings everyone a Long Moderate Life. 
After that we went to "Shinto Shrine" to pray for a Very Happy Healthy New Year. 
There we often would meet our neighbors and friends.

"Vegetable Platter"

On the Big Plate, I served "Nishime (individually stewed Vegetables)"

Carrot, Konnyaku(Taro-Root Cake),Satoimo(Sticky Japanese Potato), 
Shiitake-Mushroom, Snow-Pea, Takenoko(Bomboo-Shoot).

"Stackable Imari Jubako"

Kuri-Kinton(roasted & mashed Japanese Yam with roasted Chestnut),

Kinpira(sautied Carrot & Turnip with Goma),
 Namasu(Daikon & Carrot Vinaigrette),

Kuromame(stewed Japanese Black-Bean).

"Protein Plate"

Roasted Turkey Breast with Pomegranate Sauce, Rolled Omelette,

Kamaboko(Pink & White Fish-Cakes), 

Shrimp with Parsley Shallot Myer-Lemon Vinaigrette, 

Seaweed Roll with dried Small Fish inside.

My mom and grandmother started making things for "Osechi" a few days before New Year's Day. Basically stewing and pickling vegetable. 
They would  finish dishes they can prepare ahead, so that they don't need to cook meals during the first few days of the New Year.  By doing so they can enjoy themselves to celebrate the New Year. Normally my mom used a stackable "Jubako" to serve the "Osechi", then kept refilling with those pre-cooked vegetables and sea food. 
And "Mochi"(Sticky Rice Cakes), which we eat instead of rice. This steamed and pounded Sticky Rice Sheets, cut into individual servings, come in many shapes. The most popular shape is rectangular. We eat them in many ways. "Tsukeyaki" is the simplest way. We roast them on the stove top then dip in soy sauce, then sometimes wrap with "Nori(seawead sheet)". In my family it was always accompanied by "Hakusai Zuke( lightly pickled Nappa Cabbage)".  
But for the New Year's Day we must have "Zoni (roasted Mochi in the soup)" with many vegetables and sometimes Shrimp or Chicken or both.
I believe, there is no standard for "Zoni".  Each family makes their own style of "Zoni", including what type of soup you will maker for it.  Although I've never had it, there is "Zoni with Miso Soup" in somewhere in Japan. 
In Kyoto, Mochi comes in a round shape in "Zoni".

"Pickle Plate"

Japanese Turnip & Cucumber quick pickle with Shiso Flowers. Yama-Gobo.

"Zoni" Final Couse of New Year's Day Lunch.

Mochi with Naruto (other kind of Fish-Cake), 
Shiitake, Leek, Spinach, Mitsuba.

Even though I'm living in NYC for a long time, my Japanese blood craves that food every year. It seems, as I get older that feeling is getting stronger.
So I started making "Osechi" over 10 years ago.  At the beginning, I made only a few things, such as "Kinpira Gobo" or "Namashu" and of course "Zoni".
Now days, most of things for "Osechi" you can buy pre-made at "Sunrise Mart (my choice of Japanese Market)".  But those commercially made things for "Osech" tend to be too sweet or too salty. So little by little, I'm making more things my own way with my "Osech Cooking Bible". 

My sister or brother, even my late mother, could never imagine that I'm making "Osech" by myself. After all, I never stepped into the kitchen to cook in my home.
I started to cook since I left Japan. I think, missing Japanese Home Cooking made me start cooking. Trying to remember how my mother or grandmother used to make those dishes for the New Year's Day. Trying to remember how those dishes tasted... 
Mind you, I never took a cooking class or watched cooking shows on TV before I started cooking. I'm a self taught cook, who is lucky to have a few pro or semi-pro chefs as friends. 
I know most of the people who will read this blog, will not try to make "Osechi".  
Or maybe already know how to make them. So this is only to show you how I served "Osechi" my way...