Shizuoka Manjyu Cakes

November 28, 2007 dragonlife Leave a comment

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These are other cake I recently discovered at Suruga Raku Ichi Store in Asty, Shizuoka JR Station (other article to appear soon). This time, it is a Shizuoka City Bakery, Tokai Seika who produced them:

“manjyu” in Japanese are cakes basically steamed rather than baked.
-The flat green one is “Tyatsuu”, made with tea.
-The green one is “Tororo Iri O Tya Manjyu”, made with tea and containing grated yam.
-The brown one is “Sumpu KO Manjyu” including sweetmeat (anko).
-The white one is “Sake Mushi Majyu”, majyu steamed in sake.
Don’t too many of them or you will need litres of tea to wash them down! LOL

Tokai Seika
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo Machi, 2-29
Tel.: 054-2452365

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Shizuoka Tea Cakes (2)

November 28, 2007 dragonlife 2 Comments

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This is another tea cake I recently discovered at Suruga Raku Ichi Store in Asty, Shizuoka JR Station (other article to appear soon). This time, it is a Shizuoka City Bakery, Toraya who produced it:

It is called: “Belgie-Wafuru (Macha)”. You have probably guessed it is a Belgian-style waffle topped with macha powder tea.
I found it light and eminently edible. Just enough sweetness tanks to included honey.
I’m sure North Americans would enjoy it even with coffee!

Toraya
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mabuchi, 2-7-3
Tel.: 054-2851488

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Shizuoka Tea Cakes (1)

November 27, 2007 dragonlife 2 Comments

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As everyone knows (do you?), Shizuoka Prefecture is the first producer of green tea in Japan. It is no surprise then to see different usages for tea. I recently discovered at Suruga Raku Ichi Store in Asty, Shizuoka JR Station (other article to appear soon) a couple of cakes made by Hamamatsu Bunmeidoo.

They appear as “castella”, one called “Chyattera” (Chya/tea + Castella), with half of it seasoned with tea, and the other one, “chya Mikan” (Tea + Orange), with some sweetmeat (anko type jam) and orange flavoured part in the middle.
Both cakes are very tasty, but not too sweet or cloy. Go very weel with a cup of hot green tea!

Hamamatsu Bunmeidoo
Hamamatsu City, Higashi Ku, Jian Machi, 1401
Tel.: 053-4620002

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Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Wasabi Dressing

November 21, 2007 dragonlife 2 Comments

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Shizuoka has claimed world fame for being the first to grow wasabi in the 17th Century (in yutogi, Shizuoka City exactly) and for producing more than 80% of the wole Japanese output, but people tend to forget that it can be put to many uses apart of using it for sashimi, sushi and the ubuquitous makisushi/rolled sushi!

One more great use has been initiated in Mishima City in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture: Wasabi Dressing!

It is not at all hot, but almost sweet and makes great accompaniment for any salads, on omelettes (Japanese or traditional) and mixed with sauces. I (and my better/worse) half ae still disovering more usages!

Definitely worth a try! Moreover it contains a crowd of healthy ingredients!

Wasabi Dressing
Kameya Co.
Mishima City, Heiseidai 5
Tel.: 0120369981
Can be bought in Asty, Shizuoka JR Station

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Shizuoka Izakaya: Takasagotei

November 14, 2007 dragonlife Leave a comment

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If you happen to be staying, let’s say for a single night in Hamamatsu City, near the JR Station, I would suggest you visit Takasagotei Restaurant on the second floor of Hamamatsu Sago Terminal Hotel just right of the JR station south exit.

As a hotel izakaya since the 1970’s they are definitely above the run of the mill level of the fare usually delivered in business hotels.

Their sashimi offerings are within the good level prevalent throughout the Prefecture.

I found their mushroom tenpura (vegetarians, please note!) excellent.

They also had an unusual “shirasu gyoza” (deep-fried whitebait dumpling), which would go well with a beer.

They also have the great merit to offer a large range of Shizuoka sake out of their long drink menu, which warrant a visit by other Prefectures’ guests:
Hana no Mai (Hamamatsu City: 2)
Hamamatsu-Tenjingura (Hamamatsu City: 1)
Senju (Iwata City: 1)
Doi-Kaiun (Kakegawa City: 1)
Oomuraya-Wakatake (Shimada City: 1)
Isojiman (Yaizu City: 1)
Hatsukamei (Shida Gun-Okabe Cho: 2)
Shosetsu (Yui: 1)
Fuji-Takasago (Fujinomiya City: 1)

Takasagotei
430-0926
Hamamatsu City, Sunayama-cho, 322-7, Hamamatsu Sago Terminal Hotel, 2F
Tel.: 053-4538686
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00

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Vegetarian Cuisine: Yasai Tenpura (2)

November 14, 2007 dragonlife 2 Comments

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(mushrooms tenpura)

I’ve come with some other morsels for vegetarians (I’m not, sorry, but I do commiserate!):
Above is a tenpura made with seasonal mushrooms in Takasagotei Izakaya in Hamamatsu.
Actually you could eat almost any edible mushrooms this way!

This particular fine (thin) leafy plant is called “Ashitaba”. It is quite common and very cheap in our Prefecture and all over Japan. It just shows how you cantry any leafy plants. There is no limit to it! I ordered the above at Oikawa Izakaya in Shizuoka City.

Now, this one is bit more exotic/ethnic as this is kimchee tenpura, which shows that tenpura knows no frontier. Crunchy, it has plenty of texture. Was served at Oikawa Izakaya in Shizuoka City.

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Cafe Scene

November 14, 2007 dragonlife Leave a comment

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Cafe Scene, an old favourite of mine since its foundation in 1989, is the type of Cafe difficult to classify.
The more pleasurable for it. Frankly speaking, I find myself in a dilemna as to what I should laud first:
-The music: great jazz allday long fromthe owner’s private CD collection. If you are a jazz fan, he will certainly come up with a favourite artist of yours.

The coffee: superb quality, each cup (all different, mainly Wedgwood), lovingly prepared in front of the customer if you sit at the counter.
-The coziness: an old wooden counter seating 9 guests on high wooden chairs and a table by the window, the perfect place for special compnany.

-The owner: Mr. Otsunori Uehara moved to Shizuoka City from his native Osaka in 1987 to open his Cafe the following year. A very mild man with the delightful renants of his birth place patois, he is always ready to engage in a pleasant discussion when not concocting one of his his great brews or absolutely extravagant breakfasts.

-The atmosphere: most customers are faithful patrons who help preserve an amosphere of calm excellence away from the bussling centre. Wood everywhere, bric a brac of all kinds (Mr. Uehara is a collector. Of what? I would be hard put to explain!). Looking around is a small adventure in itself.
-The food: you must try Cafe Scene breakfasts! I will not tell you more!
And keep an eye for the two daily cakes.

For the record:
Original coffees (3), Straight coffees (6: Brazil~Blue Mountain), Coffee a la carte (7)
Soft drinks (11), including a delicious 100% grapes juice
British tea
Ground coffee on sale, too
Breakfasts, especially popular and god value (350~700 yen, all inclusive)
Cinnamon Toast (vegetarians!) 600 yen

Cafe Scene
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Oote Machi, 45, (near Miyuki Street-Hontori Street intersection)
Tel.: 054-2733200
Business hours: 07:00~20:00 (from 08:00 on Saturdays)
Closed on Sundays

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Sakura Ebi Season!

November 14, 2007 dragonlife 2 Comments

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I visited Yui Harbour after interviewing Kansawagawa/Shosetsu Brewery to stop at a booth selling cooked sakura ebi/sakura shrimp just caught in the morning.

Sakura Shrimps are caught twice a year and this just happens to be the Autumn catch Season.
If you have the time, go or stop there around lunch, go to the harbour (10 minutes walk from Yui JR Station, buy and eat “sakura ebi kakiage” (a kind of sakura shrimp tenpura/200 yen) with a bowl of “kisetsu miso shiru” (seasonal miso soup/100 yen).
If you are hungry ask for the sakura ebi don (a large bowl of rice topped with a generous portion of sakura ebi kakiage/600 yen).
Do not forget this is the only place in Japan you can eat them that fresh from the ocean!

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Tea for food: Fugetsuro

November 3, 2007 dragonlife 2 Comments

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(from top middle, clockwise: Salted Cuttle fish marinated in tea leaves and rice yeast, Conger eel pike and urchin in green tea jellied fish broth, Tea leaves walnut tofu curd, Tuna simmered in green tea with tea leaves dumpling cake, Matutake mushroom cooked in tea leaves)

On Thursday, November 1st was held a Tea Dinner Party at Fugetsuro Restaurant, Shizuoka City, as part of the events organized for the World Tea Festival.
Apart of the usual personalities, that food was the main interest.
“Tea for food” was the them a opposed to “tea as drink”.

Mr. Hitoshi Yamada, Master Chef at Fugetsuro was asked to design a dinner for some 120 guests including tea in all dishes.

Including the first dish described above, the menu ran as follows (I let you judge!)

(Raw fish assortment: Tuna, seabream, sole, seasoned with fresh tea, edible flowers, salt and soy sauce)