Jinja and Shoga: Life in the Land of the Rising Sun

Here's what I had for dinner a few nights ago: tako (octopus) and wakame (a type of seaweed), with karashi miso (spicy miso, it tastes like a spicy mustard, sort of). Stores here actually have healthy pre-made food, besides all the fried chicken, friend pork, friend you-name-it. And, if you go after 7 or 8 p.m. then anything left is usually half off. Which works out well for me, since I don't tend to get off work until 8 or 9 and am usually too tired to cook much if I haven't already prepared something earlier in the day! Yuki picked this up for me since he knows I love it (his company serves dinner in their cafeteria, so he usually eats there unless I happen to be coming home early). Not the best arrangement in terms of family dinner, but so far it's the best we can work out...and it makes weekend dinners something to look forward to!
It's still been a slow week, but I did do yet more baking this afternoon: flourless chocolate cake. I decided to surprise Yuki and leave it for him when he gets home. It's our 2-year wedding anniversary today! (For those of you who remember that our wedding ceremony was in February and are confused at this point: the paperwork and ceremony are completely separate here in Japan. So we filed the papers early in order to have the documentation to change my driver's license, etc when we went back home for Christmas that year). Sadly, we're not doing much tonight since Y. is still studying like mad for his upcoming exam at work (just over a week to go), but I figure at the very least we can have some wine and cake this evening!
The recipe is from Gourmet magazine and is posted on epicurious.com. Amazing Flourless Chocolate Cake
I've made it multiple times and everyone has always raved out it. A little goes a long way, so don't be fooled by the size, either. My picture doesn't really do it justice, especially since we don't have any fruit to top it with right now (that, and I'm obviously not very good at 'sprinkling' on cocoa powder; 'clumping' on is more like it), but here it is anyway.

Ok, looking at the picture again, saying that it doesn't do the cake justice is a slight understatement...this picture makes the cake look rather like something that came out the wrong end of the dog. Apologies to those of you who are grossed out right now, but it does, let's be honest. Still, if you need something quick, easy, and decadent, then this definitely your cake! Just don't forget the berries.