If you have read my previous posts you may be picking up on my current love affair with Japanese culture. Well didn’t it make my day when my friend sent me the link for this years Montreal Japanese festival (MATSURI de Montréal). Saturday August 13th will launch this year’s festival at the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre of Montreal, (see website for details: http://festivaljapon.com/). While last year I missed it by a hair, this year I am eager to see all of the events. The event is from 12:30pm – 9:30pm, so try to come out and show some support. Perhaps we can even encourage a few booths to spread the word of bringing more Bento to Montreal! Update: I have also been informed that the store Collection du Japon will have a stand at Matsuri, so make sure to check them out and perhaps inquire about their bento boxes!
My newest great obsession has been the discovery of Edamame! ooOOoo what a discovery it was. Edamame is soybeans in their pod, boiled and salted. I first tasted these sweet jems at Dowtown Montreal’s Japanese restaurant KAZU (4$ for a big bowl of them), which if you haven’t experienced it yet, go now….no, stop reading and go NOW. It almost always has a long line up but the wait is so worth it (I suggest the delicious teriyaki chicken burger as well, or the pork neck (bring wet naps!)). Back to the soybeans, I should first say that I grew up on a farm that grew soybeans and corn, and yet we never had a meal with soybeans, and definitely not these salty green snacks– how I was missing out! 
Anyway, I went to the Korean grocery store and for $1.99 I picked up a relatively big bag of frozen soybeans in the pod (you can also buy them pod-less). Literally all that is involved is boiling water, beans, salt, and 5 minutes and you have the best salty snack. Of course they did not end up exactly like Kazu’s (nothing could), but they are not my the new food staple for my freezer.
So that is it for now, I hope you come out to the Montreal Japanese festival in August, and if you haven’t yet, I hope you get down to Kazu. Another post is coming soon about me recent obsession…the Beckoning Cat (a.k.a: lucky cat, fortune cat), and my next week my Bento hunt extends to Ontario. Until then :)!
Trinkets and Beads 