I have a special memory related to rhubarb jam. I'd never seen its jam until I went to the United States. I didn't even know what rhubarb was until then. It isn't popular at all in Japan.

Today, I'd love to write about my regret of rhubarb jam .

From 2011 to 2020, I traveled to the U.S. two or three times a year to learn American-style china painting. During those trips, I'd met lots of china painters, mostly Americans. I made friends with them and learned conversational English through them.

I especially loved going to the Michigan school because it had run by one of my closest American friends. I met her at a different china painting school in Arizona. I had gone there alone for the first time, even though I didn’t speak much English at the time. When I met her, she thought I was so brave. Since then, she has become like my American mom. The following year, I'd started going to her school as well. Every time I went back to the States, I stopped by her house and spent our time together.

At her school, we stayed at an accommodation which related to a church. There was a cafeteria where we had breakfast every morning. It was buffet style, and the food was always very good. We sometimes met priests there. One priest I met used to live in Africa. He enjoyed sharing his experiences there and it was fascinating to listen to.

When I first attended her school, I saw the rhubarb jam as one of the breakfast dishes in the cafeteria. It didn't look tasty jam and looked rather gross, so I didn't try it. My friend said, "Yumi, you should give it a try. It's really tasty.", but I stubbornly refused it. I'm not a picky eater, but I was a little bit nervous about having uncertain food in a foreign country. Every time I went back to the Michigan school, I saw the rhubarb jam, but I never tried it.

Years passed, and I saw fresh rhubarb being sold online a couple weeks ago. I thought now I definitely should give it a try. So, I bought some and made my own jam. I took step-by-step photos and have shared them here. It's quite easy to make: just cut the rhubarb into small pieces, add half as much sugar as the weight of the rhubarb, and simmer until it turns a reddish-brown color. Add a little lemon juice at the end—and that’s it!

When I looked at the finished jam, it looked exactly the one I had seen at the Michigan school. At the same time, I thought of my American friend.

I had my homemade rhubarb jam with my homemade yogurt because it was the way my friend used to eat. She was right! It was so good! I definitely need to tell it to her!!

If you are interested in my experiences in the States, you can read more here.

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