Monthly Archives: December 2010

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Oranges in Shizuoka City

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Shizuoka prefecture is not only known nationally and internationally for its tea and strawberries but also for its oranges.
We have so many here that Shizuoka City use them as ornaments!

If you walk around the moat of Sumpu Castle you will find orange trees planted in big pots along the pavement.
These oranges are winter oranges and will a couple more months to mature.
As nobody steals them, the birds usually take of them!
The same pavement is very popular with tourists and locals alike as it unveils some surprises along the way!

How about sitting and having a chat withose guys from another era? LOL

Unfortunately the present Sumpu Castle/駿府城 is only a 2-thirds replica of the grand castle which was burnt down in the 17th Century!
Incidentally, the old name of Shizuoka City wa Sumpu City!
You can also stroll inside a large park on the Castle, a great palce for relaxation.
I’ll see if I can find some fruit trees inside!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
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Kiwi Fruits & Agritourism at Kiwifruit Country Japan

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Masatoshi and Tsuneyo Hirano/平野正俊・常代 at Kiwifruit Country Japan in Kakegawa City.

“Let’s introduce the greatness of the nature, importance of agriculture and taste of the real thing! Let’s learn together! Discover the valuable life!” is Masatoshi Hirano’s motto, in his own words, for farm management.

Entrance to Kiwifruit Country Japan

Mr. Masatoshi Hirano (and his two sons, too) speaks fluent English, because he spent a long time researching about citruses in four different States in the US before starting agriculture at his parents’ farm. His family has seen a lot of history go by as he is the 19th generation!
Nonetheless, as a youngster he understood that tradition was one thing, and good farming management another.

Kiwi fruits across the parking lot!

This led him, originally against his parents’ disagreement, to enlarge the family enterprise and introduce new cultures.
One was that of kiwifruit which he started from a single spoonful of seeds he had brought back home!

Agritour programs in front of the shop.

Then for the last 21 years he has expanded the cultivated land to include the largest Kiwifruit Agritour Orchard in Japan, tea, organic citruses, organic vegetables, organic edible flowers, space for domestic animals (as food and pets), self service stand direct sale shop, a whole forest for kids and adults alike, a BBQ area capable of welcoming 500 guests, a campsite, onsite field classes for children and students and agritours for Japanese and foreigners.

Baby goat.

A pet sheep.

A　pet goat.

Pet rabbits.

Mischievous baby goats!

A baby pig, not a wild boar!

A peacock (there are two varieties, actually!)!

Kiwifruits, according to varieties (he grows 80 of them and conduct experiments on 500!), are either grown in an enormous greenhouse (which also serves as an BBQ and event space) or in open-air fields.

This kiwifruit tree wood is actually very popular with local artists!
Another great way to recycle nature!

Greenhouse-grown kiwifruit on display for practical information!

Kiwifruit varieties ready for sampling!

One can study about kiwifruits in Japanese and English while eating them!

Chickens for their meat and eggs.

More chickens!

And even more chickens! These are pets kept together with rabbits!

And more chickens. These always seem hungry!

The whole range of edible organic flowers and mountain vegetables/sansai/山菜 grown on site!

Organic shiitake.

Organic pumpkins!

Peaceful sheep.

Organic mandarines/mikan/蜜柑.

The grass and plants are left to grow naturally from the soil mixed with natural compost.

Another variety of organic mandarines.

Tea fields.

Vast open-fields of kiwifruit trees. Would you believe that Mr. Hirano pollinate them all by hand? A back and shoulder-breaking work!

A view inside the very old forest. It is actually crossed by a centuries-old path!

Small concerts are organized in that space inside the forest!

A kids’ heaven!

Look at these air-breathing roots. Now, this is an ancient tree!

100% organic potatoes sold at the shop!

Kiwis on sale at the shop.
One can eat as many as one wants onsite for a fee!

All kinds of varieties and packaged kiwifruit can be sent all over Japan directly from the shop!

These are the ones I took back hoe!

Obviously this is only the first of a long series of articles as the place will have to be visited every month by your servant or reporters from Agrigraph!

Kiwi Fruit Country/Experience & Learning Farm
Masatoshi & Tsuneyo Hirano
436-0012 Shizuoka Ken, Kakegwa Shi, Kamiuchida, 2040
Tel.: 0537-22-6543
Fax: 0537-22-7498
Free dial: 0120-014791
E-mail: wbs02626@mail.wbs.ne.jp
HOMEPAGE(Japanese, but phone calls can be taken in English)

Business hours: 09:00~17:00
BBQ (even by rainy weather) and tours possible on reservation.

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2010/12/28)

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Taproom Countdown Festivities; Hatsujozo 2011 Debut; Baird Beer 10-year Debut Commemoration Party

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

We will be ushering out 2010 and drinking in 2011, per our normal custom, with New Year’s Eve Countdown festivities at all two of our Taproom pubs: Numazu Fishmarket Taproom and Nakameguro Taproom (the Harajuku Taproom will be closed on New Year’s Eve). Event details follow:

Taproom New Year’s Eve Countdown Festivities:

Numazu Fishmarket Taproom Countdown Party (5:00 pm – 1:00 am or so; Friday, Dec. 31):

All-You-Can-Eat Mexican-Cajun Spicy Fusion Buffet @ 1,500 yen per person (5:00 – 10:30 pm)
Great beer, music and camaraderie
Midnight Debut of Hatsujozo 2011 Imperial Pale Lager (complimentary glass to all patrons for 2011 inaugural toast)
Reservations NOT required

Nakameguro Taproom Countdown Party (5:00 pm – 1:00 am or so; Friday, Dec. 31):

Sumptious All-You-Can-Eat Buffet @ 1,500 yen per person
Baird Beer: Numazu prices all night (700 yen pints and 500 yen half-pints)
Midnight Debut of Hatsujozo 2011 Imperial Pale Lager (complimentary glass to all patrons for 2011 inaugural toast)
Reservations NOT required
New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
Hatsujozo 2011 Imperial Pale Lager (ABV 7.3%):

At Baird Beer we mark the transition to each new year with the release of a special “First-Brewed” commemorative beer in celebration of the fresh possibilities represented by the turning of the calendar. Hatsujozo 2011 is what you might consider an Imperial Pale Lager. Brewed with a similar grist to our Suruga Bay Imperial IPA, Hatsujozo 2011 is different in that it is fermented with our Numazu Lager yeast. Also different is the hop regime, which is packed with European aroma varieties including Saaz, Tettnanger, Tradition and Hersbrucker. The result is a gloriously hoppy and strong pale lager which enjoys a perfectly balanced complexity of flavor.

Hatsujozo 2011 will be tapped at our Taproom pubs and at other fine Baird Beer retailing pubs at precisely 12:00 am, January 1. It also be be available in bottles (633 ml) early in the New Year at fine liquor shops throughout Japan. Consumer purchases and deliveries direct from the brewery (via our online E-Shop) will begin on Tuesday, January 4.

Baird Beer 10-Year Debut Commemoration Party:

As many of you know, Sayuri and I opened the doors of the Numazu Fishmarket Taproom for business in July 2000, without having Baird Beer on tap. The reason we were not pouring Baird Beer is that our brewing license had yet to be granted. Instead, I was serving Hoegaarden White and Guinness on tap and offering an array of bottled American and Belgian craft beers while Sayuri was cooking up her unique lineup of beer-inspired food dishes. Our brewing license was granted finally in December, 2000, paving the way for the debut of Baird Beer at the Numazu pub on the first day of business, January 2001. The first two beers which we served, pulling them as Real Ale from our British handpumps, were Fisherman’s Wheat Ale and Kurofune Porter. Well, we plan to commemorate the 10-year anniversary of that debut on January 2 & 3 (Sunday & Monday) with a festive celebration at our Numazu Fishmarket Taproom. Event details follow.

Baird Beer 10-year Debut Commemoration Party @ Fishmarket Taproom (Jan. 2-3, noon-close):

The original recipes of Fisherman’s Wheat Ale and Kurofune Porter have been excavated from the files and brewed and will be tapped on our handpumps at noon-sharp, January 2.
A special commemorative ale, creatively called Ten (which is a sort of Imperial Red Ale), also will be tapped and pulled from our third handpump.
We have matured a small portion of Berry Big 10-Year Brown Ale for six months in a virgin Japanese oak cask which we will tap on January 2 and pour gravity-style from the bar counter.
Sayuri will be in the kitchen recreating a host of her inaugural dishes, including Sayuri’s Original Nikumaki and Tako Marinate. Big brother Michiru also will be contributing a fun lineup of delicious New Year-style small dishes. Food prices will range from 300 to 800 yen.
Brewery Tours each day at 3:30 pm.
I will be there pulling taps and trying my best to look as youthful as if it actually were 10 years ago.
Reservations NOT required; New Year joy and enthusiasm required.
Taproom O-Shogatsu Business Hours:
The Numazu Fishmarket Taproom will be closed on Saturday, January 1 and then again on Tuesday and Wednesday, January 4-5. Normal business hours will resume on Thursday, January 6.
The Nakameguro Taproom will be closed January 1 – 3, re-opening with new business hours in the New Year on Tuesday, January 4. The new business hours are: Mon-Fri (5:00 pm to Midnight); Sat-Sun & National Holidays (Noon to Midnight).
The Harajuku Taproom will be open from noon until Takeshita Dori is empty and lonely from Saturday, January 1 through Tuesday, January 4 (normal business hours resume on Wednesday, January 5). If you are planning a trip to nearby Meiji Jingu or Togo Jinja, stop in and warm up with a pint, a skewer and some friendly service.
Happy New Year!

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

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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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’10/90): Snow Crab Sushi and Kiwi Bento

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Winter means that we can get a lot of Snow Crab/Suwagani/諏訪蟹 on the markets.
As I did some shopping last night for the Missus, I bought a big batch of them. Most of it went into a “nabe dinner”, Japanese pot-au-feu, but some was kept for our bentos today!
As for the kiwi fruits, I had the pleasure to interview the owner of the largest individual kiwi farmer in Japan, namely Kiwifruit Country Japan in Kakegawa City (report coming soon!).

The Missus prepared sushi rice and mixed it with snow crab, thinly sliced cucumber (Shizuoka-grown), pickled perilla seeds and chopped Italian parsley.
She topped the lot with more snow crab, olive and lemon.
A bit extravagant, I must admit!

As for the salad, she included mini-tomatoes and cress (both grown in Shizuoka City), with some celery leaves, chopped carrots and walnuts.
Plenty of fibers and Vitamin C!

For dessert, the kiwi fruit!
She peeled and sliced one of each of the 3 varieties grown by Mr. Masatoshi Hirano (he actually grows 80 of them!):
-Kousen/光線, yellow with a red center
-Kouryoku/香緑,beutiful green
-Tear Drop/ティーヅロップ, beautiful yellow

These are packed with Vitamin C and many other great nutrients!

Healthy, healthy, healthy, and delicous!

Related favorite websites:

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK)

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Ice Plants & Tomatoes in Yaizu City: Ooba Garden

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Mr. Hiroyuki Ooba/大場弘之, growing ice plants and tomatoes at Ooba Garden/おおば農園 in Yaizu City/焼津市

“Looking forward to diversify!”

Meeting 100 students in my classes at University does prove useful when I wish to discover new producers and farmers as in Shizuoka Prefecture some of these very students are bound to be the sons and daughters of local farmers!

One such student was kind enough to introduce to her father, Mr. Hiroyuki Ooba (51) growing ice plants and tomatoes in his farm!
He kindly accepted to pick me up at Fuijeda City JR Station last Sunday on a beautiful day.

Yaizu City and its surroundings being a very flat area we can admire Mount Fuji in the distance all day long!

Mr. Ooba is second generation farmer.
His father was mainly cultivating tomatoes and cucumbers before he took over.
He has since stopped growing cucumbers to concentrate on other green vegetables, always experimenting on new varieties and species.

Mr. Ooba apologized for the “messy” farm, but actually I found it very welcoming with those old pine trees at the entrance!

Well, this certainly looks like a real farm!
Many bicycles! Mr. Ooba has two daughters, the second one being my student and a son, the youngest of his children still at high school, but who already has decided to attend Agricultural university to follow in his father’s steps!

Mr. Ooba grows ice plants in greenhouses covering 6a and 5a, whereas tomatoes are grown in 3 greenhouses for a total area of 12a.

Mr. Ooba started growing ice plants/アイスプラント a couple of years ago, thinking that these African vegetables should be easy to grow in a hot environment. He was surprised to find out that they didn’t like heat much after all!

Enormous ice plants!

The Japanese eat only the top part of the ice plant raw which is crispy and are not interested in the larger leaves as they don’t cook them. on the other hand the plant grows quickly and can be continuously harvested for its top crispy young leaves.

Mr. Ooba allots some space for his own needs: Qing geng cai/チンゲンサイ and thin leeks/細葱.

He also grows and partly sells cabbages as the land is propitious to vegetables whereas trees such as orange trees are not really suited.
Incidentally a great part of Yaizu City farmland is dedicated to rice, which is of very good quality.

Mr. Ooba and his father have been growing tomatoes for about 40 years.
They used to grow Momotaro tomatoes, but Hiroyuki thought he was getting better results with Misora 64 tomatoes.
he grows between August and December and again between January and May. Between May and August he will grow some Momotaro tomatoes.

The cultivation system is nutriculture/養液栽培, a system that he found most practical over the years allowing for a better control and reduction of pesticides and artificial fertilizers.

For all the practicality of this system, cultivation is not that easy.
Plants have to be regularly trimmed and prunes.
One big tomato might look good (above picture) but all tomatoes after that big beauty will not develop properly.

You have to choose two sizes and the consequent technique according to consumer and market demands.
Either you grow them big and few as above or,

or clusters of smaller but more regular and abundant tomatoes!

I personally tend to like them in-between but I’m being selfish.
In any case we already agreed on a second interview next may when i will be able to find great quantities to choose from!

Messrs. Hiroyuki Ooba/大場弘之 and Hajime Matsuda/松田肇 of Six berry Farmers!

I found out that Mr. Ooba is actually a friend of Hajime Matsuda, one of the six merry Berry Farmers growing Toukun/桃薫, peach strawberries!
Funnily enough it was discovery for Hiroyuki!

The three of us shared a long constructive talk about future ventures.
Hiroyuki is seriously thinking of starting grapes and fancy pumpkins next year. great fun in store for me!

Although Mr. Ooba’s vegetables are sold in Yaizu City markets, direct orders are gladly accepted through the phoneor by mail!

Ooba Garden, Mr. Hiroyuki Ooba
421-0212, Shizuoka ken, Yaizu Shi, Riemon, 250-2
421-0212静岡県焼津市利右衛門２５０－２
Tel.: 054-622-2661
Mobile: 090-3839-7027
E-mail: rynca@live.jp
Mobile E-mail: lycoper@ezweb.ne.jp

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Producing Shizuoka Tea Bags on Order: Saikou Chaen Co. ltd.

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Asami Itoh/伊藤麻美 at Saikou Chaen Co. Ltd./彩香茶園有限会社

“Always trying to expand business onto new avenues”

Tea bags have been an established business for long in Europe and in the Americas, but Japan is only coming very slowly to accept the idea for its green tea.
This is a business opportunity with great potential but also fraught with risks as the Japanese do not easily forget their traditions even they are obviously narrow-minded.

Asami Itoh is a young entrepreneur who only recently joined her father’s long-established tea factory business to find new ways to expand the family business.

The compulsory “cleaning room” all visitors and staff have to go through.

She spent 5 years in Tokyo and Shizuoka studying and working in architecture and interior design. This experience proved useful when designing her own annex in her father’s company, Marufuku Tea Factory/丸福製茶.
It had to be conceived small, compact and in an absolutely clean environment.
Any visitor or staff must first go through the “cleaning room” where powerful air jets will take care of any dust or particles you might carry on your clothes.

A staff of 5 is looking after all operations including the transformation of tea into powder/funmatsu/粉末 (I was not allowed to take pictures of that particular process as they use a machine of their own concept), tea grading, blending and packaging.

Space had to be planned for the inclusion of 2 tea bags machines and more equipment for packaging.
Temperature and humidity have to be controlled very tightly, especially during the rainy season and in Autumn.
Static electricity is the biggest problem.
The place must be cleaned every morning mainly with vacuum apparels and everything has to go through one more and complete cleaning session every week.

Tea bags as they come out of the machine.

Green tea being blended with genmai/whole rice/玄米.

Tea sometimes does have to be treated the traditional way!

The final product as a package of tea bags!

All tea bags are made on order to avoid any waste and to provide best quality.
The competition is fierce and copying is inevitable, but the key of a successful business is quality and service.
As for the future Asami knows she still has plenty to learn including the English language for business expansion and the manufacture of Chinese Oolong tea for a new type of tea bags.

Do visit her official homepage/CHA-O and you will realize how much work is put into her venture! Great explanations and pictures to be discovered!

Saikou Chaen Co. Ltd./彩香茶園有限会社
420-0006 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Wakamatsu Cho, 94
Tel.: 054-253-8421
fax: 054-253-8413
Mobile: 09032504188
Free dial: 0120364188
Business hours: 09:00~17:00
Closed on Sundays and 2nd + 4th Saturdays

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’10/89): Healthy Sushi Bento

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The Missus is still obsessed with my weight and girth (although I would never be called “fat” back in France…) and is trying hard to reduce the calories I ingest.
Mind you, I don’t mind a bit, as the bentos she makes still turn out to be very much of my liking! LOL

So she was back with another favorite of hers, “te-mari zushi/small sushi balls”.
She made three kinds all started from the same steamed sushi rice:
-One with smoked salmon topped with capers and lemon. For this one she had mixed the rice with finely chopped Japanese cucumber pickles.
-One with home-pickled daikon called “beni kessho/red make-up (as for lipstick)” cut in very thin slices topped with violet kawairedaikon/daikon sprouts and with sweet umeboshi between the daikon slice and the rice ball. The rice this time was mixed with black roasted sesame seeds.
-One with raw ham. The rice was mixed with small pieces of processed cheese.

As for the “garnish box” she filled it with vegetables sticks for a dip sauce made of cheese mayonnaise: cucumber, carrot, beni kessho daikon, celery and small tomatoes.
Wedges of red and yellow apple for dessert.

I was very hungry come evening but it was a delicious bento!

Related favorite websites:

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK)

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Peach Strawberry: A First in the World! Toukun/桃薫

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Toukun/桃薫 Peach Strawberry!

Shizuoka Prefecture is celebrated all over the country for its superlative strawberries.
But the competition is fierce.
The only way to stay ahead of other producers is to come up with new products of quality.

Two years ago a group of six benihoppe/red cheeks (first grown in Shizuoka Prefecture in 2002) strawberry farmers in Yaizu City put their heads together and investigated for new possibilities.
They called themselves the “Six Berry Farmers” (in English) under the leadership of Mr. Hajime Matsuda/松田肇 (3rd gentleman from the left on the above photograph).
The Japanese Government, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in particular, actively sponsors research for new products.
Our merry band of Berry Farmers checked with the Kyushu-Okinawa Agricultural Research Center/九州沖縄農業研究センター in Fukuoka City, Kyushu Island, and found two interesting varieties for a new venture.
Incidentally, such research centers only do research and announce their results. It is up to farmers to check with them for new possibilities!
These two varieties were particularly interesting as they were not only extremely resistant to diseases, but also easy to preserve for a long time after harvest!

The Six Berry Farmers raise their own bees for pollination!

Ookimi Strawberries plants.

The first they chose was “Ookimi/おおきみ/Large Fruit Strawberry”,a very sturdy, bright red strawberry with a green bottom and a good balance between sweetness and acidity.

Ookimi Strawberries ready for harvest.

For a closer view! Beautiful and deep red color!

Toukun Strawberries ready for harvest.

Ookimi is a great strawberry and it has the merit to be rare in Japan as it is only grown in Saga (Kyushu) and Shizuoka Prefectures.
But our merry band wanted to try something even more unusual.

The Toukun Strawberry!

They decided then to grow the “Toukun/桃薫/Peach Fragrance”, a hybrid Benihoppe originating from a cross with a Chinese Strawberry variety.

Now, talking of rarity, you cannot do better: there are only 3,000 plants (kabu/株 in Japanese) shared in 6 locations!
Well, that is for the moment!
Things will change rapidly when gastronomes discover this beautiful strawberry of a pink-orange color with a strong peach aroma, a white and juicy inside, and a strawberry tasting like a real peach!

The Six Berry Farmers have designed their own style of elevated cultivation away from the soil and at a practical height for picking with pipes regularly providing water to the strawberry soil. Artificial fertilizers are kept to a minimum and pesticides have been greatly reduced with the introduction of pests-eating insects.

The soil under the strawberries is covered with sturdy vinyl sheets to help farmers move easily between rows and to keep any undesired elements away!

Very healthy plants!

Enormous flowers!

Tokun samples ready to be transported away!

For comparison:
the three strawberries in the middle row at the right are Toukun, all the others are Ookimi!

At “Nori” Italian Restaurant in Fujieda City.

The first step is creating a new variety.
The second step is to grow that variety.
The third step is to market that variety!
That is when the farmers need outside help. So Mr. Katsuyuki Ishimori/石森克往 of Agrigraph and I (I also work for Agrigraph) took Mr. Matsuda literally by the hand to introduce him, his colleagues, and their strawberries to a select few gastronomes of our choice: Nori Italian Restaurant in Fujieda City, Pissenlit French Restaurant in Shizuoka City, and Wine Bar whose owner is also a Fruit Sommelier (article coming soon!) also in Shizuoka City.
Moreover, we had Mr. Matsuda send samples to the best Patissier in Shizuoka Prefecture, Patisserie Abondance in Hamamatsu City.

These lucky few will be proud to say later that they were the first to serve them before they were even put on sale.

This is only a first article as I intend to interview all six farmers individually and the reactions from our gastronomes!

SIX BERRY FARMERS
Hajime Matsuda/松田肇
Junya Suzuki/鈴木淳也
Kousuke Takada/高田剛佑
Kazunori Kawamura/川村和徳
Takeo Ikegaya/池谷猛夫
Masahiro Masuda/増田昌弘

Contact:
Hajime Matsuda/松田肇
421-0213 Shizuoka Ken, Yaizu Shi, Habuchi, 774
421-0213静岡県焼津市飯淵７７４
Mobile: 09012934605
Tel./fax: 054-622-0915
Mail: six_berry_farmers@yahoo.co.jp

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Shizuoka Marine Products at Sushi Ko: Seabream and Cuttlefish

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Left: Tennen Madai/天然真鯛/Wild Red Seabream
Right: Aori Ika/障泥烏賊/Bigfin Reef Squid

Last night I had another occasion to visit my favorite Sushi Restaurant Sushi Ko in Aoba Koen/青葉公園/”Green Leaves Park” in Shizuoka City.
I go through many of my own traditional enquiries before choosing my morsels, and one of them is to find out what is on the “sashimi menu of the day”!

This was when I noticed two items labeled “Tennen/天然, meaning “natural/wild” from Shizuoka Prefecture, more precisly from the Suruga Bay:

Madai/真鯛/Red Seabream (English information, Japanese information)

The fish is not only served as sashimi, but being very fresh (actually alive in a tank at Sushi Ko!), it is also served with its skin in aburi/炙り/grilled style!
The flesh is extremely tender and almost sweet. No wonder it is so prized in Japan!

Aori Ika/障泥烏賊/Bigfin Reef Squid (English information, Japanese information)

Sushi Ko serves it in strips that have been indented at regular spaces for an easier bite and for a better exposure to taste.
The cuttlefish is in fact easy to chew and very tasty!

Notice the edible perilla/shiso/紫蘇 flowers and grated wasabi from Shizuoka, too!

Sushi Ko
shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’10/88): Oyakodon Bento

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The Missus disagreed technically with the term “oyakodon” as she sid it should be a sort of soft omelette in one piece. She didn’t agree either with the term”Soboro” as it is fine and sweet omelette powder.
She just called “Chicken and Eggs”! LOL

What she did was to first fry the small chicken pieces in sauce before steaming the lot with the rice with the chicken on top. She later mixed the lot and added home-pickled Japanese pepper seeds.
She then added scrambled eggs.

For a closer view. She added tiny slices of home-pickled daikon for tatste and looks.

The “Garnish box” was kept healthy and simple:
Spicy fried burdock roots chips salad.
-Rape blossom plants/Na no Hana/菜の花 and carrots salad with gomadare sauce/sesame dressing.
-Shizuoka-grown kiwi fruit slices and tomatoes!

Healthy and simple, I said?

Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK)

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Morimoto Brewery-Sayogoromo Tokubetsu Junmai Homare Fuji

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The great thing about Morimoto Brewery is the unpredictability of its sake!
All are worth tasting again and again every year as they show different characters and idyosincrasies.

This sake made with Shizuoka-grown Homare Fuji sake rice is another proof of their originality!

Morimoto Brewery: Sayogoromo Tokubetsu Junmai Homare
Fuji

Rice: Homare Fuji (Shizuoka-grown)
Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in October 2010

Clarity: very clear
Color: transparent
Aroma: Fruity, alcohol, custard, macadamia nuts. Sweetish and pleasurable
Taste: Very dry attack backed with a little pleasant alcohol and junmai petillant.
Fruity: custard, almond nuts, greens.
Disappears quickly with notes of coffee beans and dry almonds.
Sharpish, straightforward. Devised to accompany and complement food.
Changes little with food, turns only a little drier.

Overall: A very good sake for food, especially winter heavy food.
Contribute a dry note to balance heavy food.
A fine sake on its own, too!

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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
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Cream Cheese Tiramisu (Japanese style?)

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The Japanese are very fond of their cream cheese and cheese cakes, But they are also crazy about tiramisu!
Here is a simple recipe uniting both in a Japanese style!

Cream Cheese Tiramisu!

INGREDIENTS: For a mold 15 X 20 cm

-Cream Cheese: 200 g
-Fresh Cream: 200 g
-Sugar: 100 g
-Rum (or brandy): 1 large spoon
-Soft Biscuits: 150 g

Coffee syrup:
-Water: 100 cc/1/2 cup
-Sugar: 30 g
Instant coffee: 2 teaspoons

Finishing:
-Cocoa powder: as appropriate

RECIPE:

1- Pour the ingredients for the coffee syrup into a large cup and let heat in a microwave oven for 1 minute. If the sugar is completely dissolved, let it cool down completely.

2- In a large bowl drop the cream cheese and work with a spatula until smooth. If too hard warm it up lightly first inside the microwave oven for 30~60 seconds.

3- Add one third of the sugar to the cream cheese and mix well. Repeat the same process once again.

4- In another bowl pour the fresh cream and add the remaining one third of the sugar and beat up until 80% hard.

5- Add and mix the cream cheese into the fresh cream one half at a time and mix well both times. Add rum (or brandy) and mix well.

6- Line the bottom of a mold with one layer of biscuits (half of the total). Brush the biscuits with plenty of coffee syrup (half).
Spread evenly one half of the cream cheese over the biscuits.
Lay the other layer of biscuits. Brush plenty of coffee syrup over the biscuits and evenly spread rest of cream cheese over the biscuits.

7- Sprinkle plenty of chocolate powder over the whole cream cheese with a sieve. Chill well and serve!

Easy, ain’t it?

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Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2010/12/17)

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Holiday Season Release: Jubilation Ale!

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The year-end holiday season is upon us once again. As always we take this occasion as opportunity to recognize and celebrate the numerous blessings of life. As brewers, we like to eulogize these blessings in liquid form each December with the release of our special Jubilation Ale.

Jubilation Ale (ABV 7%):

This malty rich, festively red-hued ale derives its special character primarily from the addition of two wonderful local ingredients: (1) fully ripened and freshly picked figs (ichijiku) and (2) cinnamon twigs culled from a Japanese nikki tree. The full bodied character combined with the attendant alcohol strength will warm the flesh just as it brings jubilation to the soul.

Jubilation Ale will be available on draught and in bottles (633 ml) throughout Japan beginning Saturday, December 18. Consumer purchases of bottles direct from the brewery are possible through our online E-Shop: (http://bairdbeer.com/en/shop/).

Holiday Events at our Taprooms:
There is no place where you can better enjoy the jubilant spirit and warm camaraderie of the holiday season than at a cozy beer pub. And wonderful holiday cuisine? We have that for you also.

*Numazu Fishmarket Taproom:
Our chef will be preparing a gorgeous Christmas meal to be served both on Christmas eve (December 24 from 7:30 pm) and Christmas day (December 25 from 7:00 pm). The full meal costs 3,500 yen and reservations are required.

*Nakameguro Taproom:
Wonderful Christmas dishes will be served from December 23 (national holiday) through Christmas day. You can choose your dishes a la carte and match them with the beers of your preference. Reservations are not required.

New Year’s Eve countdown parties will be held on Friday, December 31 at both our Numazu Fishmarket and Nakameguro Taprooms (the Harajuku Taproom will be closed). Event details will be released early next week. The Harajuku Taproom will be open from January 1 for all of you who need refurbishment after an O-shogatsu visit to the nearby Meiji Shrine.

Happy Holidays!

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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-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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
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Miso Paste: Made Onsite at Miwa Agriroad

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Mrs. Yukiko Mochizuki/望月幸子 and Mrs. Kayoko Mochizuki/望月加代子

“We make miso onsite for better quality, safety and traceability!”

Wednesday is on of the days I usually reserve for on-field interviews. On Wednesday mornings, whenever I have the chance, I try to meet my old friend, Mrs. Natsuko Koyanagi/小柳奈津子 in Agriroad Miwa, in Miwa, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City.

As mentioned before, Agriroad Miwa is a market run in collaboration by the JA and local ladies to sell all kinds of vegetables, bentoes and processed foods prepared by more than 100 lady members.
There are quite a few of these locally-run markets in town and prefecture, and they are the best bet for freshest and best quality without mentioning the very low prices!

I had noticed for quite a while these big boxes of miso paste on sale at this market. At 650 yen for a kg, this is quite good value.

When I questioned Natsuko about it, she explained that it was made in turns by lady members inside the Agriroad Market kitchen between December and March!

Natsuko hiding behind her mask (she had just caught a cold! LOL)

Good miso should not be complicated to make.
The good thing about this particular miso is that it is not only fresh and free of all preservatives and whatnot found in mass-produced miso pastes, it is also safe, stable and traceable!

The big vat in which the soy beans are boiled.

What do you need, then?
Quantities will be also according to the size of your kitchen snd utensils, but the bigger, the better!
-Soy beans: 30 kg
-Rice: 30 kg
-Salt: coarse salt/arashio/荒塩. Natsuko actually uses rock salt form Nepal!: 12 kg
-Yeast/koujikin/麹菌: one standard pack (can be bought in specialized shops all over Japan)
-Water, water, and more water (lol)

The ladies of the day were kind enough to explain the process with plenty of smiles!
The soybeans are first soaked for a whole night and then boiled until soft. Keep some of the soybeans water when you want to adjust the miso paste humidity later instead of plain water!
Agriroad uses soybeans grown in Hokkaido.

At the same time wash, rince and steam the rice. Old rice, that is from the previous year’s harvest, is best.
Agriroad uses exclusively local rice and salt made in Japan.
Let the rice cool down just a little. Sprinkle the yeast all over it evenly and let ferment for one day and a half (break it and mix it a few times).

Mash the soybeans.

Pour the mashed soybeans, fermented rice, salt, and whenever wanted (use your eyes and tastebuds) the “juices”/soybean boil water (cold) and mix well.

And that’s it!
Pour the miso into jars or other vessels, close tightly.
Some people use it as it is, but is best matured for 6 months at room temperature in winter or in the fridge in summer.

This the basic and delicious recipe.
Natsuko mixes her own with yuzu/lime/柚子!

Agriraod miwa/アグリロード美和
〒421-2114 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Abeguchishinden, 537-1.
〒421-2114 静岡市葵区安部口新田, 537-1.
Tel.: 054-296-7878.
Fax: 054-296-7878
Business hours: 09:30~15:30 (from 08:30 on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays)

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’10/87): Two-Tiered Shrimp Sushi Bento

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It seems that after all, that cold of mine (ours) is going to leave me alone soon.. I certainly have the appetite to prove it!
The only problem is that the Missus keeps badering me on my waistline!
Anyway the colors in today’s bento seem to point out that she was in a comparatively better mood!

For the staple dish she prepared an easy sushi rice seasoned with finely chopped japanese pickles.
She made two tiers with each layer covered with boiled shrimps (without the “tails” om the first tier), small cubes of avocado and cheese and, thin bits of lemon and Italian parsley.

Plenty of colors again in the “garnish” box:
Boiled broccoli with walnuts and sprinkled with chestnut powder.
Red radishes and soft-boiled egg.
Salad of thin slices of red and yellow apples and cress.

Tasty and refreshing!

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