Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/02/20): New Releases: Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale & Morning Coffee Stout

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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New Releases: Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale & Morning Coffee Stout

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

We are celebrating the debut of two unique seasonal brews (Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale and Morning Coffee Stout 2013) with two special Taproom beer events (Nakameguro Taproom European Beer Night and Morning Coffee Stout Brunch).

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale (6.8%):

One of the best aspects of working in the craft beer industry is the friendly spirit of cooperation that exists among brewers. This spirit manifests itself in many ways, none more indicative than collaboration brewing. Our most recent collaborative brew was in partnership with the Mikkeller guys (idiosyncratic Danish “gypsy” brewers of world renown). Brew day was December 10, 2012 at the Baird Brewery in Numazu. It was a fruitful one.

The charge from Mikkel was: “Let’s brew a distinctive beer incorporating as many fresh local ingredients as you can get your hands on.” Into the Heda orchards of Nagakura-san we went, scavenging five types of in-season citrus fruit (aoshima mikan, hassaku, kabosu, yuzu and lemon). In addition to the fruit, we brewed with three types of Japanese sugar (korizato, akato, sudakito) as well as raw wheat from Saitama. The hops we used were all fruit-accented varieties (Summit, Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, NZ Cascade, Motueka). We fermented the wort with our Belgian yeast strain and then krausened at packaging with our Single-Take Session Ale.

The result is a dry, crisp, and unmercifully tart citrus ale. It is draught-only and is debuting at our Nakameguro Taproom European Beer Night on Thursday, February 28. It will be available at our other Taproom pubs beginning Friday, March 1. If you are a craft beer retailer and wish to purchase one of the remaining kegs, please contact our friends at Whisk-e (importers of Mikkeller beer) as they will be the distributor (fukuda@whisk-e.co.jp; tel 03-5418-4611).

*Morning Coffee Stout 2013 (7%):

Each year at Baird Beer we combine our passion for stout with our love of coffee in the brewing of Morning Coffee Stout. This 2013 version is an export-style stout infused with freshly roasted (delivered still warm direct from the roaster of our friends at Arabica Coffee) organic beans from Mexico. We add these beans — whole, without grinding – directly to the stout in the conditioning tank in what amounts to a cold beer toddy extraction method. The result is a perfectly balanced flavor marriage between stout beer and java beans.

Morning Coffee Stout 2013 debuts Saturday, March 2 at 11:00 am sharp at all of our Taproom pubs in a special Morning Coffee Stout Brunch. It also will be available both on draught and in bottles (360 ml) at other fine Baird Beer retailing establishments throughout Japan beginning Saturday, March 2. If you enjoy both the flavors of stout beer and coffee, this is a beer not to miss.

Taproom Beer Events:
*Nakameguro Taproom European Beer Night (Thursday, February 28):

This is the kick-off party for the release of the Baird-Mikkeller Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale. We are taking it also as an opportunity to celebrate beers from Europe — the cradle of modern beer culture. In addition to the Fruitful Life Collaboration Ale, we will feature five European beers, all imported by Whisk-e, on tap. The selected beers are:

Mikkeller Sort Gul Black IPA
Nogne Brun Belgian
Thornbridge Saint Petersburg Stout
Brew Dog Dogma Scotch Ale
Brew Dog 77 Lager
A one-night only European Beer Card with punches for all six featured beers (sampler glass size) will be available for 1,800 yen. Patrons who complete the card will be awarded a special beer goods prize. Chef Joon is preparing a European-themed food menu designed to complement the beer selection. This is not to be missed! Doors open at 5:00 pm.

*Morning Coffee Stout Brunch (Saturday-Sunday, March 2-3, 11:00 – 13:00):

All of our Taproom pubs will open early on Saturday and Sunday (March 2-3) to host a brunch celebrating the release of Morning Coffee Stout 2013. Each Taproom will feature its own distinct brunch menu which will be served from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm. Bring the kids too — they are always welcome!

Morning Coffee Stout Brunch will also serve as kick-off of Baird Beer Taproom Lucky 7 Stout Month. During the month of March we will be paying homage to stout beers by releasing six seasonal versions of stout. The Stouts on the menu are:

Morning Coffee Stout
Midnight Oil Export Stout
Mama’s Milk Stout
Smoke & Fire Habanero Stout
Black Smoke Stout
Great American Stout
The lucky seventh stout is our year-round Irish-style dry stout, Shimaguni Stout. Each of the beers will be released on separate dates (to be announced as the month unfolds). Lucky Seven Stout Month cards will be printed and Baird Beer prizes will be awarded at the end of the month to patrons who have completed the entire card (which includes the seven stouts as well as an eighth beer, Luck of the Irish Red Ale, which will be released on St. Patrick’s Day). The cards can be used and stamped at any of our four Taproom pubs. The Taproom kitchens will be preparing specialty dishes throughout the month designed to enhance your stout drinking experience.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Cappucino: Teddy Rising Phoenix at Patina in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day. Interesting reasonable wine and cider list.

This time Saori san, the Manager at PATINA, Café & Brasserie really surpassed herself!
She told me she had practiced long and hard for this new cappucino!

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“Phoenix” in Japanese is called “Hoo/鵬” (“Peng” in Chinese, although the tales somewhat differ).

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Beautiful wings!

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Does a Phoenix have eyelashes? LOL

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It certainly refused to disappear until the last minute!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 11:00=22:00 (last orders, 21:30)
10:00~21:00 on Sundays (last orders, 20:30)
Closed on Tuesdays

BLOG (Japanese)
Non-smoking until 15:00
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

American Gastronomy: Quadruple Cheese Dog & Mushroom Melt Hamburger at Tequila’s Diner in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Shy but very friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Good general cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive but very good value
Strong points: Tex-Mex gastronomy of superior quality. Doubles up as bar in evenings

Since QUIZOXY seems to be so interested here are two more American specialties I had the pleasure to savor the past week:

1) QUADRUPLE CHEESE DOG

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knowing that the owner is bike fan I was wondering if this was a relic of one of his accidents…
Actually it got burnt by accident in the kitchen!

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The hot dog as introduced on the menu: Cheese Dog!

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Yummy-looking, isn’t it?

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A touch of class in the appetizers: Home-smoked duck and corn salad!

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The half-foot long sausage in the oven-baked hot dog covered with cheese and the French fries (as they say in the States!)!

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Now, the big difference is that the sausages are exclusively home-made, not some cheap canned stuff!

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I can assure that the sausage alone would be reason enough to visit Tequila7s Diner!

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Not to mention the spicy French fries!

2) MUSHROOM MELT HAMBURGER

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The mushroom melt hamburger as announced on the menu!

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WOW!
No real need to comment here!

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Another touch of class in the appetizers: Home-marinated sardine and coleslaw salad!

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Now that hamburger was just too big to eat with my hands. I savored it with fork and knife!

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A closer view of the hamburger!

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the mushroom melt!
I couldn’t resist eating it separately!

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For a closer view!

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plenty of fresh local vegetables to accompany the 100% beef patties!

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The last picture to show you the cross section!

To be continued… You bet!

TEQUILA’S DINER
420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 8-6 (near Aoba Park Street), ACT 7, 1F
Tel.: 054–255-7595
Business hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~24:00
Closed on Wednesdays
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

French Gastronomy and Art: Guinea Fowl and Taku Yamada Foyot Art Exhibition at Patina in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day. Interesting reasonable wine and cider list.

A large bistro has the advantage of plenty of space for use in an exhibition and Patina in Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku is just doing that helping out a young local artist to make a name!

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Artist Taku Yamada, manager Saori Kaneko and Chef Akiko Kondoh!

Taku Yamada is a painter who has the talent to use only a knife or sometimes a roller! His works do certainly a long look and what better to do it until March 4th while enjoying some succulent food or a relaxing drink!

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Even the menu was designed by the artist!

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And there was one item on the lunch menu I couldn’t let pass away: Oven-roasted guinea fowl!

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And while Chef Kondoh was concocting my lunch I decided to look around and take pictures to share it all!

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First the painting hung on the wall along the long hall leading to the restroom!

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Taku Yamada had a title for each but I prefer to impart my impressions!
Summer colors?

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Nature mosaic?

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Looking through a fire barrier?

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Rain through the mist?

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Flowers!

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Bi-lingual introduction and message of the artist!

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Meadows? (Inside the restroom!)

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Going back to the restaurant past the counter…

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A nova cloud in space? (Actually Taku told me I was not the first one to say so!)

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Sunset through a bay window!

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More flowers?

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Wine menu on the wall mirror! Saori’s idea!

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Daydreaming?

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The last two paintings and the mirror the bench tables!

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More flowers (roses?) among the antique objets!

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By then my lunch was ready.
I complemented it with a glass of Merlot wine!

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First of all a warm cockles broth consomme!

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The oven-baked guinea fowl (bred and raised in France!)!

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The whole leg and its grilled skin with a sweet a sweet vinegar and mustard sauce!

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Crispy bread and oven-baked Red Moon potatoes!

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More vegetables in Bearnaise sauce!

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And plenty of fresh leaf vegetables!

For the peace of mind and the health of the body!
You can’t beat it!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 11:00=22:00 (last orders, 21:30)
10:00~21:00 on Sundays (last orders, 20:30)
Closed on Tuesdays

BLOG (Japanese)
Non-smoking until 15:00
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Japanese Gastronomy: Mini Kaiseki Lunch at Kohaku in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and welcoming. Great explanations.
Facilities & Equipment: Very clean and great washroom
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Traditional and modern izakaya gastronomy. Very inventive cuisine with introduction of some Western concepts. Great seafood. Great sake list. Wine and other alcohols available. Intensive use of local products combined with ingredients from other prefectures! Curry Lunch Sets!

If you want to sample and enjoy a true Japanese lunch and still very reasonably priced the place is Kohaku in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City when Takashi Kawauguchi/川口貴士さん works all on its own (in the evening he gets help!) for the pleasure of his customers!

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So for 1,500 yen you can a full lunch in “small plates”!
Now, did I have?

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Cold kinpira of lotus roots, burdock roots and carrot!

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Deep-fried kuruma ebi/large prawn and chopped cabbage!

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Potato and marinated chicken salad!

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Home-made satsumaage/deep-fried fish paste patty!

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Sashimi of mizutako/local octopus and tuna akami/lean part!

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The specialty of hte house: Pork kakuni/Japanese braised pork!
Incredibly tender! Literally melts inside the mouth!

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And of course, home-made pickles/o-shinko, steamed rice and miso soup!

As you can see, no need to go an expensive famous place for fine Japanese food!

KOHAKU/旬彩こはく

420-0085 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-Cho, 18-1, PIVOT Shizuoka, 1F
Tel.: 054-221-0589
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~23:00
Closed on 2nd or 3rd sunday of the month

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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 (2013/02/20): Seasonal Release: Kiwi IPA

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Seasonal Release: Kiwi IPA

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The craft beer revolution that is in full swing today is spawning similar revolutions in ancillary fields. One prominent example is the hop growing industry. Spurred by craft brewers insatiable appetite for boldly flavorful and aromatic hop types, hop breeding and growing programs are proliferating like never before, and in places not historically known for hops. New Zealand is one such locale.

The character of hops, of course, is affected by the local climate and soil. The southern hemisphere hops from New Zealand are like none we have experienced from northern hemisphere hop bastions such as America’s Pacific Northwest and Germany’s Hallertau region. There is an exotic, tropical fruit like character to the hops of New Zealand which we are proud to feature in a special seasonal India Pale Ale that we are releasing today: Kiwi IPA.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Kiwi IPA (ABV 7%):

The concept behind this IPA is simple: highlight the character of New Zealand hops. To do so, we have incorporated four hop varieties, all of which were grown in New Zealand (Nelson Sauvin, Motueka, Wakatu, and NZ Cascade). We make four separate additions during the kettle boil, using a single variety for each addition, and then combine all four varieties in a fifth addition during the post-boil whirlpool. A final four-variety addition as dry hops to the post primary fermentation conditioning tank rounds out our hopping regimen.

The result? Wow! Come taste for yourself. Kiwi IPA is now pouring from the taps of all of our Taproom pubs and is available for immediate release (kegs and bottles) to Baird Beer retailing pubs, restaurants and liquor shops throughout Japan.

Upcoming Taproom Events:
*European Beer Night at the Nakameguro Taproom (Thursday, Feb. 28):

Most beer enthusiasts have tasted, or at least heard of, the idiosyncratic beers of Danish “gypsy” brewer Mikkeller. In Japan, the Mikkeller beers are imported by our good friends at Whisk-e who smartly facilitated a collaboration brewing between Mikkeller and Baird during a recent visit to Japan by Mikkel himself. The fruit of this collaboration will be unveiled during a special European Beer Night celebration at our Nakameguro Taproom on Thursday, February 28.

In addition to the Baird-Mikkeller collaboration beer (more details of which will be unveiled in an upcoming bulletin), we will be featuring five other European beers selected and imported with loving care by the Whisk-e team. A special stamp card with punches for all six beers will be available for purchase, with beer goods prizes awarded to those who complete the card that evening. Chef Joon is, even as I write, busy concocting a special European-themed food menu for the event. Mark your calendars — you won’t want to miss this. Full details will be announced early next week

*Lucky Seven Stout Month:

March is the month in which we select a week to celebrate the Stout beer style at our Nakameguro Taproom. Well, this year we have decided to dedicate the entire month of March to a celebration of the Stout, and we will do so at all of our Taproom pubs.

During the month, seven different Stout beers will be released and celebrated on different days (the entire schedule will be announced next week). The month will kick off with a two-day morning brunch held at each Taproom on Saturday and Sunday, March 2-3 (doors opening at 11:00 am) during which we will debut the 2013 batch of Morning Coffee Stout. So once again, mark your calendars. Full event details will be announced next week.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Italian Gastronomy: Winter Dinner (2013) at Soloio in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Pro and very friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Great overall cleanliness and superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Fresh local ingredients whenever possible. Both traditional and inventive Italian cuisine. Good wine list at moderate prices. Open late!

Some people might think I’m reneging on my origins (Bourgogne, France) since I tend to take quite a few repasts at the best of the Italian restaurants in town and prefecture…
Well, good food is good food, and though Western food might come out under the labels of various countries, it is actually more fusion food prepared with supreme ingredients more than anything else!
In any case I had to obey the orders of the Missus this time!
Now, what did Chef Takehiko Katoh/加藤武彦 serve us this time?

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Actually, it is not easy to order as an array of succulent antipasti misto are looking at you right in the eye!

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See what I mean?

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We tried to keep this antipasti misto order small enough but that is what came on the counter!

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The pork terrine is French. Talk of fusion gastronomy!

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It was then about time to look at the seasonal/winter menu extras!

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Napoli-style carozza! Raw ham wrapped around bread that had been seasoned with mozzarella cheeses and anchovy sauce before being deep-fried!

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Just can’t stop gobbling them down!

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The carozza viewed sideways to show the mozzarella cheese!

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More fusion food: Ris de Veau/veal swetmeats and mushrooms sauteed and seasoned with Marsa wine!

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The ris de veau so elegantly served and so delicious!

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The mushrooms are local, shimeji, and they contribute so much in taste!

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And then it was time for the fish: Kurodai/Black seabream from Suruga bay sauteed on its skin with herbs and served with local skillet fried vegetables. The vegetables in front are new taro/satoimo with their skins sauteed to a crisp!

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The black seabream and its herbs!

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Beautiful vegetables from the Chef’s garden!

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And of course the pasta!

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Home-made Tagliatelle with a ragu/stew of wild boar locally hunted!

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And the chestnuts and mushrooms were the perfect accompaniment!

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We had little space left for dessert, but……

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I just couldn’t resist a glass of Frangelico Hazelnut Liqueur!

To be continued… You bet again!

SOLOIO
420-0858 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 9-7, Kita, 1
Tel./fax: 054-260-4637
Business hours: 16:00~24:00
Closed on Monday
Credit cards OK
Private parties welcome!
Happy hour: 16:00~17:00: 1,000 yen set-3 appetizers plate and 1 glass of house wine!
Smoking allowed BUT Non-smoking until 20:00 everyday!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Cappucino: Teddy Bear Cappucino at Patina in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day. Interesting reasonable wine and cider list.

Everyone, or almost everyone like or has liked teddy bears!
And naturally Saori chan at patina just love them and could not resist concocting one for me thelast time I visited Patina!

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As for its gender I had some doubts as it is both sporting long eyelashes and a thin moustache (unless it is a smile!)!

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What do you think? LOL

More coming soon!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 11:00=22:00 (last orders, 21:30)
10:00~21:00 on Sundays (last orders, 20:30)
Closed on Tuesdays

BLOG (Japanese)
Non-smoking until 15:00
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Japanese Gastronomy: Winter Dinner at Uzu (2013) in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Excellent and very friendly. Very Japanese atmosphere.
Facilities: Excellent washroom facilities. Great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable.
Strong Points: Great sake from Shizuoka and Japan Great Shochu. Home-made umeshu. Mainly local products, especially organic vegetables.

Time had finally come to pay a visit to Uzu again to enjoy the food prepared by Chef Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健也 with mainly local products of a class usully found not in an izakaya but in a top-class Japanese or Western restaurant!
I already mentioned and will always point out that Uzu is the reference when it comes to all izakaya in Shizuoka Prefecture and far beyond!

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The menu always proves a little bone of contention with the Missus!

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The o-toshi/light food coming with the first drink: tsubugai/Small whelk with Yuuba/tofu sheets with garted wasabi grown by Mr. Sugiyama in Shizuoka City!

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The sake list featured “Kinmai” by Nefami Brewery in Gotemba City on the s;opes of Mount Fuji!

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A truly Japanese atmosphere!

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Kinmeidai/Splendid Alfonsino sashimi, a fish which has spread the fame of Izu Peninsula and Shizuoka Prefecture all over Japan and beyond!

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So tendar that flesh and skin melt inside the mouth. Note the local organic red daikon!

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The first sake disappeared quickly!
Next: Kaiun by Doi brwery in Kakegawa City!

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A different bottle and cup for each sake! Class!

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Oura Gobo/Very large burdock root, organic, and deep-fried in starch. A Vegan’s delight!

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Sashimi salad composed of local fish and organic vegetables!

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East meets West in the seasonings!

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Mackerel, albacore and other fish!

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Akagai/Blood Clam shellfish and fresh organic vegetables!

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Topped with dry seaweed!
So healthy!

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Renkonmochi tachiuo no agedashi/Lotus root cake and scabbard fish, deep^fried and served in soup!

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A very Japanese concept to combine sea and land product! So tasty and so healthy again!

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Deep-fried Mangenton pork from Fujinomiya City served topped with plenty of chopped scallion!

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Grilled Amagi Shamo Chicken, considered the best in Japan and raised by a single farmer in Shuzenji/ Izu Peninsula!

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A very Japanese way to finish the repast: home-made organic vegetable pickles assortment!

To be continued… You bet!

UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00~23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

French Gastronomy: Veal Ragout & Organic Vegetables at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Excellent and very friendly.
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom (mouthwash and toothpicks provided!)!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive, very good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products, especially organic vegetables and Shizuoka-bred meat.

Recently Shizuoka had added lamb to its seemingly inexhaustible supply of meat!
naturally Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん at Pissenlit French Restaurant in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, wouldn’t let go away unattended another opportunity to further research in our local products contributing to such a celebrated gastronomy in this country!

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Now, taking photographs of such splendid food can become a real challenge unless you barge in with cameras and helpers along!
This view from above should give you an idea how difficult it is to tackle!

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It would probably be best to take pictures from all angles to show you the care brought into the presentation!
And when we talk about presentation, we can only admire the appetizing colorful design!

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Take off the beautiful red daikon and you will discover the so delicious and tender lamb hidden under!

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And under the succulent wine and fond de veau (and others!) sauce you will discover a roulade of the lamb meat which hasn’t lost any of its original shape in spite of a careful and long cooking!

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And all the vegetables were local and organic, cooked to a damning precision!

Actually, I recommended the same dish to some very influential friends of mind a few days later!
That lamb will become a regular request!

PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Robert Yellin’s Newsletter: Hatano Hideo Exhibition

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Greetings from Kyoto!

It’s been quite some time since our last newsletter and we hope this finds you well; all is very well—and cold—here in Kyoto in this old illustrious home. It hasn’t snowed that much at all this winter, yet a few days ago we did get a light dusting and the gallery garden was magical. I do hope before the sakura bloom we get at least one more snow fall here in the ancient capital. And then comes magical spring, any season for that matter is magical in Kyoto, we hope you can visit us one day in person.

Hatano Hideo Exhibition

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Hatano Hideo

In the meantime though online now we’re having a ‘White As Snow’ Hagi exhibition by Hatano Hideo.

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Hatano(b.1971) creates Hagi pottery that is at both classical and very contemporary.
Hideo’s father is Yamaguchi Prefectural Intangible Property Hatano Zenzo, with whom he has studied, in particular about the beauty of Hagi’s warm glazes.
Hatano graduated from Tama Art University having studied sculpture, and then moved to Kyoto where he studied at the Kyoto Municipal College of Pottery Technology and also at the Kyoto Municipal Technical Research Institute.

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In 2001 his work was accepted for the first time at the Japan Traditional Arts and Crafts Exhibition, where he has shown nine times. He has also been selected for the juried Tanabe Museum’s Contemporary Tea Forms Exhibition (six times). His main exhibition venues are leading department store galleries such as Mitsukoshi and Tenmaya.
We are pleased to show 41 recent works by this rising Hagi star: http://www.japanesepottery.com/gallery.php

Other Works of Note

Other works of note on the gallery are also a Hagi work by the Miwa Hanako, in a work titled Jyo or Purification. The crystal form she told me is that of a snow crystal, you can view it here.

Another Hagi work by Hanako’s uncle, Kazuhiko, can be viewed here.

It was sad to hear that Miwa Jyusetsu passed away late last year at 103, Kazuhiko’s father and Hanako’s grandfather; one of the last, if not the last, giants of the 20th century, more about him can be read here in a past Japan Times article I wrote: click here.

And about Hagi in general: here.

Exhibitions on the Horizon

snow-in-the-garden

It seems the winter season has us longing for snow, and the only place we can find it on a daily basis is on Hagi works. Long ago in my original ‘Yakimono Sanka’ (Ode to Japanese Pottery) book I wrote a haiku that went, ‘Fuji’s pure white snow, melted on a body of clay, Hagi Sake cup!’ For some reason all the haiku I wrote that were in the Japanese edition were forgotten to be included in the English version. Haiku, which pottery can be a visual version, were written about Iga, Bizen, Ki-Seto, Shigaraki, and the Momoyama period.

Exhibitions on the horizon for us include Arimatsu Kuugen (Shino) in April, Iga’s Fujioka in the autumn along with Ajiki Hiro’s 99 Mandala Guinomi Part Two also in the autumn, in between we’ll be adding other exhibitions and update you via this newsletter then. Please note though that there are many ‘mini-exhibitions’ on the gallery often as well as works updated to the gallery many times each week, we invite you to explore the gallery pages at your leisure.

We thank you as always for visiting and supporting our gallery and the living potters of Japan, they are deeply appreciative as well.

Sincerely,

Robert Yellin (Robert@e-yakimono.net)

Robert Yellin Yakimono Gallery
Ginkakuji-mae-cho 39
Kyoto-shi, Kyoto-fu
JAPAN 606-8407
Phone- Int’l: 81-75-708-5581, fax: 81-75-708-5393
Within Japan: 075-708-5581, fax: 075-708-5393
hhtp://www.japanesepottery.com

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

French Cakes: Baked Orange & Cream Cheese cake at Patina in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and smiling
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: A true cafe where to relax and enjoy a good light meal any time of the day. Interesting reasonable wine and cider list.

Yes, I’m a sucked for fruit tarts and always be!
I just don’t know if I wll be able to keep pace,though!

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And the place to find them in Shizuoka City is Patina, a true French style bistro!

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Note that the oranges used in this particular tart are grown in Shizuoka!

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Although Chef Akiko Kondoh/近藤亜希子 is supremely versed in any French gastronomy, her pastry and marzipan would be enough to win prizes back in my home country, France!

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Do I need you to tell you why I keep the crust for the last bite? LOL

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The home-made vanilla and Calvados ice cream will have my American friends screaming for more (pun intended!)!

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The combination of a warm tart, cold ice cream, vanilla and raspberry sauce and raspberry on top of the oranges and cream cheese is so difficult to describe but so enjoyable!

More coming soon!

PATINA, Café & Brasserie
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho, 17-9
Tel.: 054-266-9500
Opening hours: 11:00=22:00 (last orders, 21:30)
10:00~21:00 on Sundays (last orders, 20:30)
Closed on Tuesdays

BLOG (Japanese)
Non-smoking until 15:00
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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: Aoshima Brewery-Kikuyoi Futsushu Muroka Shiboritate Tooki Genshu

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When Aoshima Brewery puts out a “futsushu/normal sake/non-premium sake”, it is a small event in itself!
In fact the very title shows it has got little normal about it!
“Futsushu” stands for “normal sake”, “Muroka” for “Unfiltered”, Shibroitate” for “Just pressed”, “Tooki” for “Winter Season” and “Genshu” for Unwatered sake”.
On top of that it is a “Gentei/Limited” sake!

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Plenty of explanations for a “Normal sake#!

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As I have already said it is a limited brand, and it could be the very last one as Aoshima San confided he might not make any more “futsushu” from next year as they turn to be more expensive than a premium honjozo!

Alcohol: 19~20 degrees
Bottled on 21st December 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color light golden hue
Aroma: Discreet end elegant. Alcohol. Rice
Body: Fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong attack backed with puissant delicious alcohol and petillant akin to a junmai.
Very dry in approach.
Complex: dry nuts.
Lingers for a while with alcohol warming up back of the palate.
Varies very little with food. Only get drier with more petillant.
Actually marries marvelously with any food, especially heavy izakaya fare.

Overall: For lovers of elegant but strong sake!
You have to told again and again that it is only a “futsushu/normal sake” as there is nothing normal about it!
This is when you realize the general level of the sake found in Shizuoka Prefecture! Just add on top of that that Aoshima Brewery’s Kikuyoi brand regularly appears on national magazines…!!!!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Fuji-Takasago Brewery-SOLEIL Daiginjo

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Sometimes, actually more often than thought, sake brewers do have a special feeling for wine and present their best sake in the same fashion!

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Fuji-Takasago brewery in Fujinomiya City goes as far as present it with a very special box for collectors!

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The Missus has already put her hands on that particular box!
Actually “SOLEIL”, meaning “SUN” in French, has been produced as very special brand every year and is naturally very limited.
Incidentally there is not a single mistake in the French label!

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Rice milled down to 35%
Alcohol: 15,5 degrees
Bottled in September 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Assertive. Fruity and dry. Alcohol. Banana, pineapple
Body: fluid, slightly sirupy
Taste: Strong pleasant alcohol accompanying fruity attack.
Nuts: chestnuts, walnuts, almonds, macadamia nuts.
Ends fairly quickly on a dry coffee beans,banana and dark chocolate note.
Elegant in spite of its fairly strong attack.
Complex with facets surging from nowhere.
Turns drier with food and takes a back step with heavy fare but marries well akin to a slightly dry wine.

Overall: Quite extravagant!
Mind you, it is a daiginjo created in a very peculiar fashion with rice milled all the way down to 35%, an extremely low level!
Probably best appreciated on its own like a fine mild/moelleux white wine.
Its very nutty taste would make would make for a beautiful liqueur slightly chilled.
Actually, I would recommend it instead of a wine to go with chocolate or cheese.
All in all, you couldn’t beat it as a nightcap in very special company!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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 (2013/02/08): Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2013 Debut

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2013 Debut

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

The hibernal rest is over. The big bear of the Baird Beer world, Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine, has forced its way out of our brewery cellars and has taken residence in the serving refrigerators of our various Taproom pubs. The pouring begins today (Friday, February 8).

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:

*Ganko Oyaji Barley Wine 2013 (ABV 10.5%):

Ganko Oyaji 2013, although identical in alcohol content to the 2012 version, sports both a revised grain and hop bill. To this year’s mash we added portions of rye and amber malt in place of pilsner and caramel malt, thus lessening the sweetness and enhancing the dry spice character of the wort. Once again we increased our hop bittering slightly (up to 90 IBU from last year’s 80) and we changed our blend of hops, this year combining the following varieties: Columbus, Warrior, Nugget, Summit and NZ Cascade. The result is a more pronounced hop character in terms of flavor, bitterness and aroma. As always, we krausened at packaging to produce a robust secondary fermentation and totally natural carbonation.

Ganko Oyaji is an ideal after-dinner or before-bed restorative. It promises to condition nicely for months and years to come. It is available for immediate shipment (bottles and kegs) to Baird Beer retailers throughout Japan.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

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