Birthday Twins

Well, they aren’t really birthday twins in the sense that they weren’t born on the same day. Birth-month Twins, then? 

We kept saying “Birthday Twins’ anyway, and was the main reason why we were all in Japan for a good amount of time. I met up with my sister earlier in the month to celebrate her bday and to embark on a sisters trip around the Kansai region of Japan. Sly, whose birthday was at the end of March, wasn’t able to fly out until later, at the very tail end of my sister’s trip. At least there was a little bit of overlap.

To celebrate the March birthday boy/girl, we splurged on a fancy Matsusaka beef dinner at Matsuzakagyu Yakiniku M in Osaka.

considered as the art of meat…gets its tasty reputation and virgin status from the special treatment the cattle is given… For several years all cattle is managed with the highest degree of quality and care…all cows are fed beer to create a healthy appetite, and given a body massage with a mixture of shochu. This particular treatment creates a smooth blood circulation throughout the body of our cows.”

In short, probably the best slices of beef we have ever eaten.

After the main course, our hostess surprised us with a slice of Mille Crêpe cake for the “Birthday Twins.” The cake, like the rest of the meal, was delicious.

When we returned home to Korea, I made Sly his traditional birthday meal: hot dog casserole. Every year I offer to make him whatever he wants for his birthday dinner, and every year, except maybe one, he requests the same thing. 

Bacon, hot dogs, pasta, cheese, sour cream, cream of mushroom topped on a layer of broccoli and peas. 

Now you can see why we only eat it once a year.

For dessert, Sly requested a pineapple upside down cake. I found this recipe (cooked in a cast iron skillet!). The photos turned out a bit dark, as if I burnt the cake, but it actually turned out perfectly. 

Happy Birthday to my sister, Sly, and to all my friends with March birthdays!

Sly’s previous birthdays: here, here, here, here, and here.