Cafe Gallery Hiyori 日和 in Shimada City, Kawane Cho!

June 30, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: kind, elegant and attentive
Equipment & facilities: Spotless clean overall. Superb separate gender washroom. Entirely non-smoking. Garden, private room, gallery and parking
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: great coffee, light meals and drinks in a superb setting. Can be rented for private parties and events.

Yesterday, thanks to my good friend Osamu Kurosawa who lives in Ieyama, Kawane Cho, Shimada City, I discovered a real jewel of a Cafe Gallery named Hiyori, lost in the middle of the nature in Mijiro, Kawane Cho, Shimada City!

Kazuko Sawada/澤田和子さん had this superb building created away from the city last year to provide a haven in the middle of nature with the dual purpose of a Cafe and a Gallery!

The architectural style is resolutely modern and artistic!

But in the winter the cafe is heated with a wood oven!

The place is open only on Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays from 11:00 to 17:00 but can be opened at later hours or other days on requests for private parties or events!

One of the reasons Kazuko established this Cafe & Gallery is that her own sister has a soba restaurant in the neighborhood!
She serves homemade lunches, snacks and cakes and very good quality coffee and tea!

The place, being a gallery, is full of exquisite art work!

The whole place inside is entirely non-smoking although one can smoke outside in the vast garden!

One can sit at tables or at the counter in the main room…

… or retire to a Japanese-style room with view on the garden!

All elegance and tradition!

Have a good look at the garden as you might be tempted to sit under the eaves!

But if you come with friends you might be tempted to sit at the counter to share a pleasant conversation with Kazuko, too!

For guests who wish for a more substantial drink, shochu and wine are available (sake will come soon, I hope)!

Be aware this is great tea country, too!

And coffee is truly delicious!

This was my first and too short a visit, so expect more reports soon!

CAFE GALLERY HIYORI 日和

Owner: Ms. Kazuko Sawada/澤田和子さん
428-0103 Shimada City, Kawane Cho, Mijiro, 3395-3
Tel.: 0547-53-3356
Opening hours: 11:00~17:00 on Saturdays, Sundays and National Holidays
Can be rented at later hours and other days with sufficient reservation.
Car park available
Entirely non-smoking
FACEBOOK

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-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

Ieyama, Osamu Kurosawa, Shimada City

Mr. Osamu Kurosawa’s Home in Ieyama, Shimada City! (Second Visit!)

June 29, 2014 dragonlife 2 Comments

Mr. Osamu Kurosawa, a very old friend of mine, decided after retirement as an officer at the Shizuoka Municipal Library to buy an old farm house in Ieyama, Shimada City for a meaningful life, now that he has plenty of time not only to really enjoy it but to make other people also share his pleasure.
Osamu is actually the recognized expert on Shizuoka, especially Shizuoka City, history and culture and has already published a number of books and papers on it.
He does not intend whatsoever to rest on his laurels and has embarked on a mission to promote the town he is presently living in.
Once again I had the great opportunity to meet him inside his home thanks to another good friend, also retired, called Shinzo Oishi who drove me all the way from Shizuoka City!

His house stnds by a green tea field in the mountains of Kawane where many other such houes are looking for new owners!

One of Osamu’s hobbies is to use local greenery to create all kinds of bonsai and landscape trays!

You will find plenty inside his home around the traditional Japanese-style hearth!

From another angle!

Natural artwork!

Even an old fry pan can be put to good use!

Osmau’s home is a real museum!Ancient earthenware sake bottles!

Fox gloves in ancient vase in front of an antique scroll!

Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu’s hollyhock crest (17th Century)!

I came well-armed with those two bottles of sake from Shizuoka City and Shimada City!

Osamu reciprocated with this extravagant bottle of Nanbu Bijin Junmai Daiginjo from Iwate Prefecture!

We shared the sake wit some simple but succulent local food bought at the sole local supermarket added with some beautiful vegetables prepared by Osamu!

Home-made Japanese pickles by Osamu completed a great country lunch and very enriching conversation!

We washed our fingers in water filled with wild Japanese pepper/sansho from a tree growing near Osmau’s home!

We did it in a very old lacquered bowl which was owned by Lord Tokugawa Ieyasu’s Family!

We had coffee later in a superb local cafe but this is for another report!

Do visit Osamu Kurosawa on his FACEBOOK blog as he is fluent in English and Sapnish!

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Appetizer, Japanese Gastronomy, Snack

Japanese Appetizer (O-Toushi/お通し): Marinated Tomatoes (Tomato no O-Hitashi/トマトのおひたし)

June 29, 2014 dragonlife 3 Comments

O-toushi/お通しis actually a bit difficult to translate.
In a Japanese (in Japan) izakaya it is an appetizer that is served with the first drink and that you pay for in general in lieu of a cover charge.
I have nothing against such a notion as it gives you a good idea of the chef’s skills!

Tomatoes, especially mini tomatoes are in season now.
Dragon peeled some red and yellow tomatoes and prepared them in OHitashi fashion/Japanese-style light marinade.
To peel them easily, she first first freeze them and then thaw them to make the job very easy!

She marinates them in Japanese rice vinegar, olive oil, a little vinaigrette and a little chili pepper.
She chill the lot in the fridge before serving them with a little fresh parsley!

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Beer, Beer Brewery, Shizuoka Beer, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Beer Tasting: Aoi Brewing-Australian Ale

June 27, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

At long last I can write my first tasting report of the newest craft beer brewery in Shizuoka City and Shizuoka Prefecture, namely Aoi Brewery!

I conducted it at Aoi Beer Stand where they serve all the brewery on the tap.
For the moment 4 of them are available and I started with the Australian Ale!

Served on tap
Barley, barley hops, live yeast
Unfiltered
Alcohol: ~5 degrees
Clarity: slightly smoky (normal considering live yeast and being unfiltered)
Color: Yellowish orange
Bubbles: fine. Short head
Aroma: Assertive. Oranges, bread, dry
Taste: Dry with a fruity attack. Refreshing.
Complex. Oranges. Citruses. Bread.
Starts mildly on the tongue and palate before lingering on with welcome acidity.
Being drunk for the tap, it was not that chilled, and this is for the best as it tends to reveal hidden facets.
Changes little with food.
Stays relatively mild all the way.

Overall: A craft beer for all seasons.
Does not need to be over-chilled, a very good point indeed.
The kind of beer you take time to drink at ease.
I would suggest to drink it in late afternoon when you’re not ready for a meal yet but need a solid and reliable drink to refresh yourself!

AOI BREWING

Temporary address:
AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK

Aoi beer is also available at Aoi Brewery’s two more restaurants in Shizuoka City, namely

420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koyamachi Naka Building, 5F
Tel.: 054-293-9331
Opening hours: 17:00~25:00 (Mon.~Thurs.), 17:00~27:00 (Fri & Sat.), 17:00~24:00 (Sun.)
Parties welcome (reserve!)
Credit Cards OK

and Mando:

Mando, Neo Japanesque Bar
420-0031, Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Gofuku Cho, 2-4-6, Mori Blg, 1F
Tel/Fax: 054-221-5103
Business hours: 17:00~26:00
Parties possible on 2F
Credit cards OK

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Dominique Corby, Le Cordon Bleu, Shizuoka agricultural products

M2 Labo Shizuoka Products Recipe by Dominique Corby at Le Cordon Bleu 1: Light Vegetables and Soy Milk soup, Onsen Tamago, Wasabi Espuma, and Amagi Shamo Chicken!

June 27, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

On Thursday 26th , 2014, I had the pleasure to attend to a special event organized by my good friend, Dominique Corby, Headmaster of the The Cordon Bleu French Gastronomy School in Tokyo and Kobe, who demonstrated his recipes with Shizuoka Products in front of famed magazines, media and gastronomes!

All the products used by Dominique Corby were forwarded by M2 Labo Co. in Kikugawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, thanks to their intricate agricultural network supporting the producers and products of Shizuoka Prefecture!
Amagi Shamo Chicken is extravagant meat produced by Horie farm in Shuzenji, Izu Peninsula. Vegetables were produced by Nagomi Farm in Fujinomiya City and the whole fresh wasabi were cultivated by Maru Ichi Farm in Utogi, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

I always make a point to come very early to such events to be able to catch pictures from the “Scene behind”!
I found Dominique in a very Japanese accoutrement!

The team!
Most of the food had to be prepared beforehand for the party on the 3rd floor following the demonstration on the 1st floor. That is when you a superlative team the likes of which Dominique has the luck to be graced with!

The vegetables used this time were organic vegetables grown in Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji and wasabi grown in Utogi, Shizuoka City!

The work table with the Amagi Shamo Chicken from Shuzenji, Izu peninsula!

Dominique had decided to prepare the chicken in the simplest way possible as to preserve its true taste.
The chicken is actually partly fed with wasabi leaves.
So, the chicken was cooked with wasabi leaves inside airtight bags so as to preserve all its aromas and tastes!

Delicate work!

The cooked chicken out of the oven!

A soup was being prepared with all ten organic vegetables and wasabi!

It was then filtered!

I was naturally offered to taste it!
A real soup of vegetables reminding me of Mom’s when I was a kind! You cn’t replace the true taste of vegetables!

Espuma sauce was prepared with wasabi stems and leaves cooked in soy milk!

Plenty of wasabi was grated!

I had the pleasure to taste the whole dish before everyone in a cup filled with the soup, a onsen tamago/Japanese-style poached egg, amagi shamo chicken and a dollop of freshly grated wasabi!

The demonstration was a collaboration between Dominique Corby and Tateru Yoshino of the star-studded Restaurant Tateru Yoshino in Tokyo!

Dominique working with the Shizuoka vegetables during the demonstration!

All the recipes for the photographers!

The official recipe presented in a Haviland plate for the magazines!

The extravagant presentation at the party with freshly grated wasabi!

Thank you Dominique!

M2Labo Inc., VEGI PROVIDER, Sync Foods
439-0006 Kikugawa City, Horinouchi, 110-1, 102
Tel.: 0537-28-7721
Fax: 0547-28-7724
HOMEPAGE

LE CORDON BLEU Japan, Inc
150-0033, Tokyo, Shibuya Ku, Sarugaku Cho, 28-13, ROOB-1, 1F
Tel.: 03-5489-0142
Fax: 03-5489-0052
Dominique Corby on FACEBOOK

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Shizuoka Beer Tasting: Orache Wind Valley Beer-Limited Seasonal Pils

June 26, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Shizuoka Beer Tasting: Orache Wind Valley Beer-Limited Seasonal Pils

The other day I had the chance to find one of the very few seasonal craft beers produced by Orache Wind Valley beer in Kannami Cho, Tago Gun, Shizuoka Prefecture (between Mishima and Atami)!

Wind Valley/Kaze no Tani/風の谷 is actually the name of the place the brewery chose to establish itself!

Announced as an “Extravagant Pils”!

Product: Orache Brewery Limited Seasonal Pils
Draught/nama Beer, unfiltered
Ingredients: Barley Malt, barley, hops. Live yeast.
Contents: 360 ml

Clarity: Very clean if somewhat a bit smoky (normal as it is unfiltered)
Alcohol: 5.5 degrees
Color: Deep gold
Foam: Fine bubbles. Very long head
Aroma: Assertive. Fruity. Oranges, bread
Taste: Very deep refreshing attack.
　　　　Complex. Oranges, persimmons.
Lingers nicely on the palate.
Disappears on a drier note with subtle acidity and orange peels.
Changes little with food.

Overall: Very pleasant and elegant. Fruity and dry with great balance.
Insistently calls for the next sip.
Although great with food, eminently pleasurable on its own, especially on a hot afternoon/evening!

ORACHE WIND VALLEY BEER

Orache, originally a dairy products company was the first to produce organic microbeers in Japan!
It produces 4 regular brews and seasonal ones, too.
Tago Gun, Kannami Cho (south of Mishima City), Tanna, 349-1
〒419-0105　静岡県田方郡函南町丹那349-1
Tel.: 055-974-4192
Business hours: 09:00~17:30
HOMEPAGE (Japanese only)

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Architecture, Shinto Shrines, Shizuoka City

Sengen Shrine in Hattori Honcho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City

June 25, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

The other day I was looking for another Shinto Shrine in Hattori Honcho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City. along the Warashina River and actually lost my way. That is when I discovered this small but ancient Shinto Shrine!

The torii gate.

Fortunately I met an old lady cleaning the place who told me this Shirine was called Sengen for a good reason: it is actually the original location of the big Sengen Shrine which was moved a long time ago to the center of Shizuoka City!