Archive for the ‘Tourism’ Category

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery-Junmai Daiginjo Yamada Nishiki

May 20, 2013

SN3O3888

The toji/brewmaster at Shidaizumi brewery in Fujieda City is of the Noto School, that is from Noto Peninsula in Ichikawa Prefecture.
Ichikawa and Shizuoka Prefecture sake arevery similar in concept and many are made for sake tasting competitions.

SN3O3887

Elegant presentation!

SN3O3889

plenty of explanations but this is the very top!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 40%
Alcohol: 15^16 degrees
Yeast: Shizuoka HD-1
Dryness: + 4.0
Acidity: 1.3

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fleeting, elegant. Rice
Body: Fluid
Taste: Soft well-rounded attack backed up by junmai petillant.
Abruptly turns to a very dry note at the back of the palate upon swallowing.
Complex:
Pears, hints of green apple, grapes. Late appearance of dry nuts.
Elegant and sophisticated. There is no point to drink it with food although it changes little.

Overall: A sake obviously conceived to be tasted on its own.
A great and so elegant aperitif when chilled.
But is eminently enjoyable at any temperature.
A sake to impress your friends or important people!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

About these ads

Shizuoka sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery-Sayogoromo Junmai Koshu Roman

May 20, 2013

SN3O3910

Morimoto brewery is not only “notorious” for its sake away from the general Shizuoka trend but it also produces extraordinary “koshu/old sake”!

SN3O3911

But the more extraordinary is that that particular koshu had been matured at room temperature for the last 12 years!

SN3O3912

And there were only 3 bottles left in the whole brewery!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 17~18 degrees
Bottled in 2001

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Golden
Aroma: Chinese old spirits, very dry, sherry
Body: Fluid
Taste: Strong pleasant dry attack.
Very complex.
Reminiscent of a dry sherry at first, but turns sweet on the palate before disappearing on a drier note.
Very fruity. Mandarines, apricot, loquats, dry persimmon.
Changes little with food although junmai petillant asserts itself.
So easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol contents.

Overall: A rare treat as usual!
To think that every year sees a new sake crafted to be left in the same spot for years and years!
Makes for the perfect aperitif although it would definitely make for a very dangerous proposition late at night!
For connoisseurs and gastronomes only!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/05/16): Two More Hoppy Spring Seasonal Beers

May 20, 2013

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Two More Hoppy Spring Seasonal Beers

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

May is our ‘tribute to the hop’ month and we are pleased to announce the release of two more wonderful hop-character seasonal brews: Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale and Belgian Pale Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale (6%):

Doug Benning was what we would consider a ‘founding customer’ in our Fishmarket Taproom. He first made an appearance the second or third weekend of our operation, visiting together with his wife, Miyuki, and fellow ‘founding customer’, Jason Block. That Doug was a curiously inquisitive and passionate person was revealed to Sayuri and me within minutes. That he was to be a life-long fan of the Taproom and Baird Beer, a future owner-partner in our business, and, most of all, an intimate and fiercely loyal friend, became apparent over the coming months and years.

Sadly, Doug passed away one year ago today, in a fashion as sudden as his life was intense. I understood Doug’s intensity perhaps better than most; we shared what my mother would have called ‘fire in the belly.’ We love Doug and Fire in the Belly is our beer memorial to him.

Fire in the Belly — Doug’s Red Ale is an explosively flavorful ale, richly malty with a bright hop character. The aroma is piny and pungent and comes courtesy of dry-hopping with two American varieties: Chinook and Simcoe. Doug, this Baird Beer is for you!

*Belgian Pale Ale (5.2%):

Pale Ale is the Pilsner of the ale world — myriad versions of it are brewed by ale breweries around the world. In this take, we ferment with our house Belgian ale yeast (a witbier strain) and incorporate a unique blend of fruity, grassy, herbal hop varieties (Galena, Santiam, Motueka, Styrian Golding, Saaz), all of which are used in dry-hopping. The flavor is fruity and full in the mouth, finishing with a very pleasant spicy dryness.

Both Fire in the Belly and Belgian Pale Ale are available for immediate release in kegs as well as bottles (360 ml).

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Roof Gardening in Shizuoka City #17 (including Kyoto visit)

May 11, 2013

SN3O3879

Flowering golden zucchini!

I was recently asked by a good Japanese friend of mine to re-design her roof garden she had built some ten years in the view of creating a tree and flower space above her new apartment building.
The plan is to transform at least half of it into a vegetable and fruit tree garden.
I may not talk about the many reasons behind this project as this is part of a confidential venture, but I can at least describe my work as a journal.
I certainly hope to share views with like-minded souls in Japan and abroad!

2013 May 10th

SN3O3883

The golden zucchini are presently flowering and there should be an early crop coming!
Watering did a lot of good to the potted trees on the balcony.

SN3O3884

On the other hand the paprika really suffered from the wind on spite of the improvised wind guards. I will give them time to see if they recover or if I have to replace them with backup seedlings.

SN3O3885

The new batch of baby leaves will be ready for harvesting next week.

SN3O3881

The lettuce will have to be regularly harvested as insects and slugs are starting their depredations. I started pulling out the sick ones that I will replace with radishes.

SN3O3886

The radishes around the corn are doing really well and create an amusing pattern.

SN3O3880

I started the harvest of silverberries in earnest.

SN3O3882

I dry freeze them for later use as a preserve in spirits.

2013 May 11th

SN3O3890

Very heavy rains today prevented me from working much on the roof garden.
The zucchini flowers are growing big.
I did some clean up in the intensive garden in the rain as slugs are coming out. Will have to continue tomorrow in more clement weather.

SN3O3891

The cabbage filderkraut seem to have adapted to their conditions although I will have to keep an eye on the new ones.
I potted up the fennel but did not water the seedlings as I noticed they were a bit too soggy.

2013 May 7th~9th

Roof Park in Kyoto!

SN3O3874

On the second day of my visit (in two different hotels) i noticed that my room on the 13th floor was ovelooking a roof park atop a nearby company building.
It was the only I could see in the whole city around me in spite of the many ground level gardens and parks in the city, which proves that individuals there are not so many keen on looking after a personal garden….

SN3O3875

I call it a park as there were no trees for shade and no culture being done.
The seating was laid under a canopy which must be still hot and cold depending on the seasons that can be extreme in difference in Kyoto.

SN3O3876

Actually there were small trees forming a hedge to provide some privacy.

SN3O3877

The lawns on the side and corner are actually moss beds.

SN3O3878

But the two contrasting designs were made of concrete and grass!

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ROOF GARDENING

Containerized: My Garden Blog
Gardens by Mike Palmer (Dorchester, England)
Best New York Gardening Blogs
Battery Rooftop Garden Blog (UK)
Green Roof Growers (Chicago)
Mitsukoshi Roof Top Garden – Ginza by Tokyobling’s Blog
NYCFARMER’S BLOG
The Tattooed Gardener
Town and Country Gardening
My Botanical Garden by Tamara
My Food and Flowers
Vienna Roof Garden
Leaf and Twig
Ekostories by Jack Yuen
My Food And Flowers
The Japans
Photography Art Plus
LOSTINTHOT
Spy Garden

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/05/10): 2013 Release — Saison Sayuri

May 11, 2013

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

2013 Release — Saison Sayuri

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

I am a big fan of Belgian-style Saison beers and so is my wife Sayuri. In 2007 I brewed this style for the first time as a birthday present for Sayuri. She liked it so much that we now brew it annually and release it on her birthday. Today is her birthday and we are pleased to release Saison Sayuri 2013.

Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Saison Sayuri 2013 (ABV 6%):

Saison means “season” and this family of beers is thought to have originated in Wallonia in southern Belgium. Saisons were brewed in the winter at farmhouse breweries for summer consumption by
thirsty farmhands. While there is no exact flavor profile or processing technique that define Saison stylistically, common traits exist (e.g. relatively pale in color, moderate in alcohol, refreshing in a dry or sour type of way, etc.). Often spices and ingredients uncommon to beer but otherwise readily available on the farm are incorporated. Saisons are thus typically Belgian in their funkiness and individuality.

Saison Sayuri is like its namesake — a fascinating admixture of down-to-earth simplicity and understated complexity. As with the 2012 version, this year’s Saison Sayuri is brewed with small spice-like additions of the peels and fresh juice of local aoshima mikan fruit from the local orchard of our carpenter and friend, Nagakura-san. The citrus character of the mikan fruit is complemented beautifully by bright fruit flavors imparted from three varieties of New Zealand hops (Motueka, Wakatu and Cascade). The result is a piquantly quenching brew that still manages a great, albeit understated, depth of character.

Saison Sayuri is available for immediate release in both in kegs and bottles (360 ml). It will be pouring from the taps of each of our Taproom pubs today, May 10, in honor of the birthday girl.

Sayuri and I will be at the Nakameguro Taproom tonight to celebrate her birthday together with the 5-year anniversary of the Nakameguro Taproom. Of course no Taproom birthday celebration would be complete without a special commemorative batch of Baird Beer. This year, our brewers are honoring the Nakameguro Taproom with NT-5 Wheat-Hop Ale. This is a hop-forward wheat-based ale that is dry-hopped with a unique combination of six hop varieties (Summit, German Magnum, Centennial, Citra, Saaz and Tettnanger). NT-5 Wheat-Hop Ale will be tapped at the opening of business tonight and is available on draught exclusively at the Nakameguro Taproom. We hope to see you there.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Weird Japan (32) Petanque on the Kamogawa River Bank in Kyoto!

May 9, 2013

SN3O3870

Now, what game are they playing?

No, you are not in Southern France or even New Caledonia if you prefer a nearer destination!
You are on the bank of the famed River Kamogawa in Kyoto!

SN3O3871

The Japanese, especially senior citizens have the knack to adapt traditional French and other countries’ games such as croquet into “gate ball”.
But I couldn’t hide my admiration when I espied those happy senior citizens spending their weekday afternoon playing petanque exactly like they back home in France!
And they were really skillful at it, especially the grand ladies who would put many a French matron to shame!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Weird Japan (31) Pain Clinic!?

May 9, 2013

SN3O3872

Just came back from a short stay in Kyoto where among the usual great settings i found a few interesting hidden sights!
Have you ever heard of a “pain clinic”?

SN3O3873

You will discover it on Karasumaru Street.
Dragon, my worst half, explained to me that the establishment meant they are a general practice hospital covering all sicknesses, hence the mention of “pain”!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Roof Gardening in Shizuoka City #16

May 6, 2013

SN3O3823

Lettuces growing!

I was recently asked by a good Japanese friend of mine to re-design her roof garden she had built some ten years in the view of creating a tree and flower space above her new apartment building.
The plan is to transform at least half of it into a vegetable and fruit tree garden.
I may not talk about the many reasons behind this project as this is part of a confidential venture, but I can at least describe my work as a journal.
I certainly hope to share views with like-minded souls in Japan and abroad!

2013 April 30th

SN3O3824

Carrots peeking out!

Heavy rains and strong gales predicted today before a long period of warm and dry weather.
The salads will soon have to be controlled in the intensive garden to leave breathing space for some late vegetables.

SN3O3825

Swiss chard!

SN3O3826

Golden Zucchini and Suyo cucumber before potting up.

Potted up the new batch of golden zucchini and Suyo cucumbers seedlings.

SN3O3827

Potted up!

2013 May 1st

SN3O3828

Finally said good-bye to the old lemon tree, of the Issun/一寸 Japanese variety with a healthy young common lemon tree.

SN3O3829

The old tree had been moved from the rim garden into a large pot with little regards for its roots and was not given any fertilizer and little water. The more for the pity because it was a big well-shaped specimen.

SN3O3830

Continued thinning/clarifying the various containers.

2013 May 2nd

SN3O3831

Tomatoes ready to be transplanted!

Spent quite some time potting up seedlings and thinning/clarifying the containers.
Transplanted the first tomato seedlings in the front right-hand side triangular raised vegetable garden.

SN3O3832

Instead of one seedling per support I transplanted 3 to each as I want to eliminate as many leaves and branches to the benefit of fruit.
オレンジチャロル/Orange Charolu Mini Tomato
ホワイトチェリートマト/White Cherry Tomato
千香ミニトマト/Chika Mini Tomato

The others:
グリーンゼブラトマト/Green Zebra Tomato
イエローアイコトマト/Yellow Aiko Tomato                     
ブラックチェリートマト/Black Cherry Tomato
Will have to wait as they are not all ready yet.

SN3O3833

I noticed more butterflies appearing in the garden. Beautiful they may be but their caterpillars are a real danger!

2013 May 3rd

SN3O3839

I prepared the back left-hand side triangular raised vegetable bed for the paprika, peppers and okra soon to be transplanted there.

SN3O3840

The blackberry is producing more and more flowers and some are already starting fruiting.

SN3O3841

I received a new batch of organic seeds from Tane no Mori Co in Saitama Prefecture in preparation for the fall and winter in particular and some late additions for the spring and summer:

Vegetables:

かぶ パールプルトップホワイトグローブ/Purple Top White Globe Turnips
フレンチブレックファスト ラディッシュ/French Breakfast Radish
ソラ ラディッシュ/Sora Radish
レッドロシャン ケール/Red Russian Kale
芽キャベツ/Brussels Sprouts
ズッキーニ ロンドデニース/Zucchini Ronde de Nice
赤ねぎ/Deep Purple Spring Onion
コールラビ アズールスタール/Kohlrabi Azure Star
コールラビ スーパーシュメルッツ/Kohlrabi Superschmelz

2013 May 4th

SN3O3844

The blueberries are fruiting very early!

The blueberries are already fruiting.

SN3O3843

Some fruit on the silverberry tree are turning red.

SN3O3845

I had to keep the Danksia Roses in check as they can grow up to 15 meters!

SN3O3847

Spent a long time thinning/clarifying the carrots in the back right-hand side triangular raised vegetable bed.

SN3O3846

The intensive garden is more and more looking like a lettuce bed, but the backup baby leaves are growing fast inside their containers.

2013 May 5th

SN3O3869

The first flower buds are appearing on the gold zucchini in their containers.
I planted loads of radishes around the corn to create a tasty motif!

SN3O3870

I tasted the red fruit of the silverberry tree but they are still too tart/tangy!

SN3O3871

Still keeping trimming the Danksia roses!

2013 May 6th

SN3O3872

I took the risk to transplant some of the paprika seedlings in the far left hand side triangular raised vegetable bed in spite of the strong wind.

SN3O3874

They were really suffering so I partially sheltered them from the wind behind planks.

SN3O3875

I wonder what I will find back from my three-day holiday!

SN3O3878

I found the first real blackberry fruiting!
I also noticed at least two kinds of bees hovering over the flowers! The best news of the day!
As they growing quick I sowed some more radish seeds here and there.
Will continue to do so until winter!

MEANWHILE, ON THE HOME FRONT………..

From 2013 April 30th~

SN3O3836

Garden jumble on our apartment balcony!

SN3O3837

Japanese apartments are small, and balconies even smaller, although we are well above average as far as apartment size is concerned!

SN3O3835

First seeds sown.

SN3O3838

Sowed mini radishes, golden radishes and lucolla on April 30th.

SN3O3834

The first shoots appeared on May 2nd.

SN3O3834

Took first photographs of shoots peeking through on May 3rd.

SN3O3842

Will have to thin/clarify the radishes soon!

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ROOF GARDENING

Containerized: My Garden Blog
Gardens by Mike Palmer (Dorchester, England)
Best New York Gardening Blogs
Battery Rooftop Garden Blog (UK)
Green Roof Growers (Chicago)
Mitsukoshi Roof Top Garden – Ginza by Tokyobling’s Blog
NYCFARMER’S BLOG
The Tattooed Gardener
Town and Country Gardening
My Botanical Garden by Tamara
My Food and Flowers
Vienna Roof Garden
Leaf and Twig
Ekostories by Jack Yuen
My Food And Flowers
The Japans
Photography Art Plus
LOSTINTHOT
Spy Garden

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Bandai Brewery-Izu Banyo Homare fuji Junmai Ginjo

May 6, 2013

SN3O3819

Bandai Brewery is a bit away from anywhere in Shizuoka Prefecture as it is located in Shuzenji the last stop along the private railway line starting from Mishima City into Izu peninsula.
Its brews are not always easy to find but they have increasingly become worth the search!

SN3O3818

All pink presentation for the ladies!

SN3O3820

The rice is 100% Homare Fuji grown in Shizuoka Prefecture!

SN3O3821

Junmai ginjo is increasingly becoming the norm, proving that the new rice has come of age!

SN3O3822

Rice: !00% Homare Fuji
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Light and fleeting. Fruity. Rice
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Fruity, dry and deep attack.
Well-rounded with only a little junmai petillant warming the back of the palate.
Soft and complex.
Nuts, almonds, coffee, dark chocolate.
Very easy to drink and soft on the palate.
Disappears fairly quickly ending on a sweeter note of dark chocolate.
Changes very little with food apart of an accentuated junmai petillant.

Overall: In the best sense of all a straightforward and eminently pleasant sake, very feminine in approach.
Can be enjoyed at any temperature at any time of a meal and away from a meal!
Bring it to a party and please everyone!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/05/01): More Spring Seasonal Releases

May 5, 2013

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

More Spring Seasonal Releases

Dear Baird Beer Enthusiast & Taproom Friend:

Welcome to May and to Japan’s Golden Week holiday season. We are excited to kick both off with today’s release of two terrific spring seasonal brews: Pawa-Hara Golden Ale and Hop Havoc Imperial Pale Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Pawa-Hara Golden Ale (6.5%):

Last year I learned of a new and interesting Japanese cultural construct which is essentially the polar opposite of bureiko jikan. Japanese call it pawa-hara which is short for “power harassment”. This is a situation in which someone on the top rungs of the hierarchical relationship ladder invites underlings out for a drink and a bite with the express intent of bullying and berating them. Alcohol, it seems, fuels this newly coined social custom too.

Well, if this is going to take place, we feel there needs to be a good beer suitable to the occasion. Our answer: Pawa-Hara Golden Ale. The recipe is pretty much the same as Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale, only a lighter (14.4 Plato) less potent (6.5%) version. The result is a beer of seductive but not overwhelming strength; ideal for buttering someone up for the lambasting to come!

Pawa-Hara is available in both kegs and bottles (360 ml).

*Hop Havoc Imperial Pale Ale (6%):

As you know, hops are dear to the hearts of the brewers of Baird Beer. We simply love hop character in beer. Last year we designated May as ‘Hop Madness Month’ and released sixteen different varieties of hop-forward beer to celebrate this beloved perennial plant. This year too we will be releasing several hop-centric seasonal brews during the month of May as a gesture of our love. We start off with a hop bomb — Hop Havoc Imperial Pale Ale!

We limit the release of Hap Havoc to once a year as it will take a complete year for the imbibers’ taste-buds to fully recover from the hop assault. The malt bill here is one that would constitute a strong pale ale (starting gravity of 13.7 Plato), but the hop charge is one you would find in a double IPA (85 BUs in the kettle and whirlpool and then double-dosings of dry-hops using a combination of Citra, Simcoe, Sorachi Ace, Centennial and Chinook). Put simply, this is Hop Madness!

Hop Havoc Imperial Pale Ale is available for immediate release in both kegs and bottles (360 ml).

Upcoming Taproom Events:
May is also the month in which we celebrate two important Baird Brewing birthdays — the Nakameguro Taproom will turn 5 on May 10 and Sayuri will be 26, I believe. We will be killing two parties with one weekend blowout at our Nakameguro Taproom (Friday, May 10 – Sunday, May 12). The birthday girl will be at Nakameguro on the 10th, drinking copious amounts of her birthday beer — Saison Sayuri. This year’s Nakameguro Taproom birthday beer is a unique wheat-based hop-forward ale that we call NT-5 Wheat-Hop Ale. It will debut on May 10 and be served exclusively on draught at the Nakameguro Taproom.

Please mark your calendar and plan to join us for a festive birthday weekend of great pizza and beer. You can learn more details about the weekend celebration as the date approaches by visiting the Nakameguro Taproom blog on our website.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Roof Gardening in Shizuoka City #15

April 30, 2013

SN3O3792

The carrots will have to be thinned/clarified soon!

I was recently asked by a good Japanese friend of mine to re-design her roof garden she had built some ten years in the view of creating a tree and flower space above her new apartment building.
The plan is to transform at least half of it into a vegetable and fruit tree garden.
I may not talk about the many reasons behind this project as this is part of a confidential venture, but I can at least describe my work as a journal.
I certainly hope to share views with like-minded souls in Japan and abroad!

2013 April 24th

Heavy rain all day.
I had a quick look at the garden as I was worried by the large amount of the downpour. So far so good, but I’ll have to wait for the answer tomorrow morning.
The carrots in their triangular vegetable raised bed are doing well.

SN3O3793

There will be a lot of baby leaves to harvest tomorrow.

SN3O3794

New flowers are coming out in the forward left-hand T-shaped tree and flowers bed.

SN3O3795

The corn is growing rapidly.

SN3O3796

The crimson clover is starting to cover large areas.

SN3O3797

The luccola are striving!

I will have to find a potted lemon tree to replace the grand ols one which has given out its last breath.
Actually there are still a few tree stumps to pull out as they will become pest nests. That includes an almost dead olive tree much maligned by termites.
I was wondering why the mint and seeds in all the elevated pots were late to appear. I discovered some sprouting here and there in the garden as the wind had apparently swept them out of their pots. Another lesson learned with the wind!
I shall start soon prospecting for vegetables to grow in the fall and winter.
I will also have to find out what flowers I could add, too!

2013 April 25th

SN3O3798

I will have to redo the green curtain!

The heavy rains of the past night did not create any damage.
On the other hand the bitter gourd/goya and suyo susumber on the keft half of the green curtain are as good as dead! Anyway I will replace them when it will be safe!

SN3O3799

I banked up the corn with more soil for better maintenance.

SN3O3800

The mixed salads I had sown in the containers are already sprouting.
I harvested the first mini radishes in the intensive garden!
I added seeds into the elevated pots containing lemon balm and thyme.
I will sow more seeds tomorrow in the mint pot.

2013 April 26th

SN3O3801

Swiss chard!

I sowed plenty of mint seeds inside their pot!
The Swiss chards are sprouting.

SN3O3802

The blueberries seem fine in spite of the lack of insects to help their pollination.
I thinned/clarified the carrots and Mannou leeks inside their containers.

SN3O3803

I had a hard time pulling out the two tree stumps out the rim garden behind the wooden bridge!

2013 April 27th

SN3O3804

Thinning/clarifying the carrots promise some back breaking work!

SN3O3806

SN3O3805

Salads are rapidly growing!

SN3O3807

from another angle.

I will have to stop harvesting baby leaves in the intensive garden soon and switch to the containers instead as I will leave the salad grow to a normal size for a different crop.
I will have to thin/clarify the carrots in their triangular raised beds very soon.
Tomorrow I’m planning to change one of the cabbage filderkraut with a healthy seedling.
I will probably wait until the second week of May to transplant the seedlings of tomato, paprika, pepper, okra and so on as the nights are still too cold.

2013 April 28th

SN3O3814

The tomato seedlings are doing too well and I will have to transplant them very soon!

SN3O3808

The chima sanchu seedlings before replanting

I transplanted the chima sanchu lettuce seedlings. They are very fragile though and I will have to protect them from the wind!

SN3O3809

The chima sanchu lettuce transplanted!

I thinned/clarified the Mannou leeks.
More flowers are blooming. I will have to find their names!

SN3O3811

Took some photographs of the garden for the record!

SN3O3812

2013 April 29th

SN3O3823

Transplanted more Cabbage Filderkraut in the front right-hand side triangular vegetable raised garden. Tomatoes and paprika/peppers will follow soon!
As for the intensive (salad) garden I will start letting the various lettuces take over!

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ROOF GARDENING

Containerized: My Garden Blog
Gardens by Mike Palmer (Dorchester, England)
Best New York Gardening Blogs
Battery Rooftop Garden Blog (UK)
Green Roof Growers (Chicago)
Mitsukoshi Roof Top Garden – Ginza by Tokyobling’s Blog
NYCFARMER’S BLOG
The Tattooed Gardener
Town and Country Gardening
My Botanical Garden by Tamara
My Food and Flowers
Vienna Roof Garden
Leaf and Twig
Ekostories by Jack Yuen
My Food And Flowers
The Japans
Photography Art Plus
LOSTINTHOT
Spy Garden

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Soba & tempura at Setsugekka Restaurant in Shimada City (Spring 2013)!

April 29, 2013

SN3O3610

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: High quality soba. Beautiful tempura. Great local sake

Soba and Tempura are two of the most representative foods of the Japanese gastronomy but it is not easy to find a restaurant serving both separately or together with equal skill and quality.
Luckily enough, thanks to an incredible wealth of fresh products, shizuoka boasts some of the best restaurants you could find in Japan.

SN3O3617

The other day we thought it was about grand time to visit Shimada and Setsugekka again. Actually, I wouldn’t mind visiting the establishment as they serve only seasonal tempura!
Incidentally as they take their holidays in Hawaii every year they can manage English!

SN3O3598

WE always inside the little cozy room by the entrance with a window onto the street!

SN3O3599

I ordered the menu with three different soba, all 100% buckwheat.

SN3O3600

The soba tofu which comes with the first drink! A real delicacy!

SN3O3601

The tray as it is served before the tempura are brought to you one at a time!

SN3O3602

The salt!

SN3O3603

The grated daikon!

SN3O3604

The chopped scallions and grated wasabi for the soba!

SN3O3605

Stick senior broccoli and hard mouth sardines tempura!

SN3O3606

The fish is also called “shirasu”!

SN3O3607

The slender stick senior broccoli!

SN3O3609

A beautiful tempura assortment!

SN3O3610

Sakura cherry blossoms, cuttlefish and spring onion!

SN3O3611

Brussels Sprout and Fukinoto tempura!

SN3O3614

Paprika and cauliflower tempura!

SN3O3608Cold yuzu soba!

SN3O3612

“Dark” soba!

SN3O3613Plain soba!

SN3O3615

The sobayu/soba boiling water to add to the rest of the soba sauce as a soup!

SN3O3616

Red grapefruit and fruit for dessert!

looking forward to the next visit in early summer!

SETSUGEKKA/雪月花
Shimada City, Hontouri, 2-3-4
Tel.: 0547-35-5241
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Monday and third Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking for lunch!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/04/24): Seasonal Release: Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale

April 29, 2013

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Seasonal Release: Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Have you told your boss at work lately what you really think of her? Do you need some liquid encouragement? We have it for you in Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale (ABV 8.5%):

The inspiration for this refreshing yet potent brew is the renowned Belgian classic, Duvel. The key attributes of Duvel are light body, high alcohol, and spritzy effervescence. We aim for the light body and strong alcohol through a high starting gravity (18 Plato) that contains a large amount of Japanese korizato and akato sugar (20 percent). High attenuation and natural carbonation through secondary fermentation in package provide the sprite, refreshing character. A touch of spicy-floral hop flavor and aroma (Sterling, Saaz, Styrian Golding) helps to round out the character.

Bureiko jikan (literally, “time for impertinence“) is a classic Japanese cultural construct: it is a moment when, generally fueled by alcohol, the strict bonds of hierarchical relationships melt away and individuals on the lower rungs of those relationships can let their true feelings and frustrations out without threat of later recrimination. It is a cathartic venting mechanism that effectively preserves the hierarchical system of relationships here. So, invite your boss or senpai out for a Baird Beer, order up a glass of Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale, and let it fly!

Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale is available for immediate release in both kegs and bottles (360 ml).

And if you need to work your way up to a Bureiko, just stop into one of our Taproom pubs for a handpump pull of a delightful session ale: Munich Malt Ale (ABV 4.0%). As the name implies, the base malt in this smooth mahogany ale is 100 percent German Munich malt. A generous addition of specialty caramel wheat malt adds body and color. The hopping is lightly spicy (Santiam) and softly fruity (Ahtanum). Munich Malt Ale is available beginning Thursday, April 25 exclusively at our Baird Beer Taproom pubs.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Roof Gardening in Shizuoka City #14

April 24, 2013

SN3O3748

The peas finally emerging!

I was recently asked by a good Japanese friend of mine to re-design her roof garden she had built some ten years in the view of creating a tree and flower space above her new apartment building.
The plan is to transform at least half of it into a vegetable and fruit tree garden.
I may not talk about the many reasons behind this project as this is part of a confidential venture, but I can at least describe my work as a journal.
I certainly hope to share views with like-minded souls in Japan and abroad!

2013 April 18th

SN3O3747

The broccoli sprouts are doing well. The bad surprise never materialized!

The backup seedlings for the bitter/gourd are doing exceptionally well. I will have to replace the sickened ones in front of the green curtain with them soon.
Now that the peas are doing well I will have to thin them out.

SN3O3753

In the intensive T-shaped garden all is growing well although some tiny insects are starting their predations…

SN3O3750

I thinned out the radishes in their container. It will be the turn of the spinach soon.

SN3O3749

The spinach coming out!

SN3O3752

The jasmine flowers are exploding everywhere.

2013 April 19th

SN3O3755

I decided to sow three types of mixed salads in containers placed beside the intensive T-shaped garden both for backing up the baby leaves and also to prepare lettuce through thinning and selection.

SN3O3754

From the other side!

2013 April 20th

SN3O3778

The Cabbage Filderkraut seedlings!

SN3O3776

The bitter gourd/goya seedlings!

I did well to prepare backup seedlings as they have grown almost twice the size of some I already have planted on the roof garden!

SN3O3775

The broccoli are growing without any problems and I find myself with two batches to eat up!

SN3O3777

The peas are growing so well that I had to thin out half of them!

SN3O3780

The carrots are coming out in the back right-hand side triangular raised vegetable garden.

SN3O3779

I will have to thin out the spinach in their container soon.
I acquired a Japanese hybrid apricot tree that I will plant tomorrow.

2013 April 21st

SN3O3781

Last night saw some heavy rain but the garden held well enough.
I planted the apricot tree nest to the currant trees in the front left-hand side tree and flower bed.

SN3O3782

The flowers of the blackberry tree are starting blooming.

2013 April 22nd

SN3O3784

I decided to replace the bitter gourd/goya in the far left container at the foot of the green curtain to find out if it would work. I’m trying to revive the replaced seedlings back in the seedlings nursery room.

SN3O3785

After transplantation.

SN3O3786

The snack N02 peas being so strong I transplanted five of them near the painted mountain corn in the back left-hand side T-shaped raised vegetable garden and one more in a solitary pot!

2013 April 23rd

SN3O3789

Victimized bitter gourd/goya!

The bitter gourd/goya are apparently still suffering from the cold wind as well as the suyo cucumbers.

SN3O3790

Desperate case for the cucumbers!

Very disappointing but a good lesson still. So it is back to the seedling nursery room where I started new seedlings for bitter gourds/goya as well that I will transplant next month when the weather has warmed up!
I also started a new batch of violet basil seedlings to replace the first ones which never materialized.
I sowed liberally green and violet basil seeds over the tomato raised beds just to see what would happen.

SN3O3787

The spinach before thinning!

The salad spinach seeds have done very well in their container and I had to thin them out.

SN3O3788

The first row after thinning!

SN3O3791

The first flowers are blooming on the blackberry tree!

RECOMMENDED LINKS FOR ROOF GARDENING

Containerized: My Garden Blog
Gardens by Mike Palmer (Dorchester, England)
Best New York Gardening Blogs
Battery Rooftop Garden Blog (UK)
Green Roof Growers (Chicago)
Mitsukoshi Roof Top Garden – Ginza by Tokyobling’s Blog
NYCFARMER’S BLOG
The Tattooed Gardener
Town and Country Gardening
My Botanical Garden by Tamara
My Food and Flowers
Vienna Roof Garden
Leaf and Twig
Ekostories by Jack Yuen
My Food And Flowers
The Japans
Photography Art Plus
LOSTINTHOT
Spy Garden

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Sushi Restaurant: New Concept at Sushi Ko-Miue in Shizuoka City!

April 22, 2013

SN3O3768

Service: Very kind and easy-going[
Facilities: Impeachable cleanliness. Superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive
Strong points: Unusual and happy combination of Sushi and French gastronomies. Shizuoka sake and even shochu!
Entirely non-smoking (extremely rare for a sushi restaurant!)!

Only a few weeks ago Chef Yukitoshi Oda/小田幸寿さん, formerly of Sushi Ko Sushi Restaurant opened this new sushi restaurant in an entirely new concept for Shizuoka: A traditional sushi restaurant combined with a French restaurant!
The establishment is divided into two distinct adjoining parts: a 8-seat sushi bar-counter where customers who are interested in sushi should sit and a room with holes built in the floor to sit easily under low tables where one should sit if he/she wishes to enjoy a combination of both cuisines or only French gastronomy. The kitchens, althoug tiny, are clearly separated and they don’t interfere with each other.
The food, naturally is top-class with a strong accent on local fish and vegetables in particular and of superb freshness. As for drinks, sake, beer, wine and even local shochu are available!

And the icing on the cake, it is totally non-smoking!

To cut a long story short let me show you what we had for dinner the other day, a combination set of both cuisines!

SN3O3758

The o-tooshi/snack coming with the first drink: naga-imo/long taro root and hotaru ika/tiny フィレflysくいd。
SN3O3763

Basashi/馬刺し/horsemeat sashimi coming into two varieties: lean and fat!

SN3O3762

The fatty variety.
Served with olive oil and grated garlic!

SN3O3760

Sashimi plate: kinmedai/Splendid Alfonsino, hotaruika/firefly squid and madai/true seabream!

SN3O3759

Minami magurao/South Pacific tuna, tachiuo/Scabbard fish, sayori/Japanese halfbeak, sakura ebi/cherry shrimp and hotate/scallops!

SN3O3764

Nanban-style deep-fried chicken!

SN3O3765

Japan and France meeting: maguro oshiri/tuna tail with cabbage, tomatoes and renkon/lotus roots!

SN3O3766

the tuna is also minami maguro and sauteed.

SN3O3767

Shizuoka City is famous for its succulent lotus roots!

SN3O3768

The sushi plate!

SN3O3769

Kuruma ebi/large prawn and minami maguro.

SN3O3770

Minami maguro and uni/sea urchin! The latter, a creamy beauty!

SN3O3771

Hime soba/buckwheat sprouts!

SN3O3772

Buri/Japanese Amberjack!

SN3O3773

The desserts are also a fusion concept: banana omelette/pancke and vanilla ice cream!

SN3O3774

Dekopon oranges with their jelly and sorbet!

You can bet this is only the first (actually second, but it is a secret!) visit!

Sushi o Miue/寿し幸実宇栄
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, kooya Machi, 13-6
Tel.: 054-221-3888
Opening hours: 17:30~indeterminate
Closed day not yet decided
Credit cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City


Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 992 other followers