Birthday Tradition

Lesser known fact about the Japanese: they make the best pastries. They basically take the best of the best from France or wherever and make it even better. The fruit is sweeter, the whipped cream creamier, the cake lighter, etc. I don't know how they do it. Anyway, since we were kids, my sister and I have gotten a strawberry shortcake cake from the Japanese bakery for our birthdays almost every year (and usually when we strayed, it didn't feel like birthday cake - even chocolate). While growing up in California, we had to go to the special Japanese supermarket near our house. This year, living in Japan, I went to a great place around the corner. On this year's cake, the square of white chocolate in the middle says, "Happy Birthday, Miki-chan!"