Category Archives: 玉子

玉子, 美食, Eggs, 野菜, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Organic Rape Flowers and Egg in Meurette style at Pissenlit-Shizuoka City!

March 16, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

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.

Last Saturday since I needed to talk with Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん at pissenlit in Shizuoka City, I took the opportunity to eat a late lunch there.
In fact I was too late for the specials of the day which all gone by then…

Side view!

But I had noticed some beautiful rape flowers resting inside a bowl in the kitchen when I walked past the large glass windows which allow a full sight of the chef’s lair!
I asked if an “appetizer” could be done with them…
Right-O! was the reply…

A “riding” view!

The rape flowers were organic from Shizen no Chikara Farm in Shizuoka City.
Rape flowers, na no Hana/菜の花, also go by the name of Broccolini and Tenderstem Broccoli.
Actually I wonder if i should call them rape flowers at all also they are also of the Brassica Family!
Chef Arima simply gently boiled them, then fried with a minimum of seasoning.
He placed an enormous poached on top with a generous portion of wine sauce according to my homeland, Bourgogne, recipe for oeufs en meurette!
The egg comes from Mr. Hotta farm in Okabe, Fujieda City and are branded under the name of “Yuseiran/有精卵!

This is what happens when you cut across the egg, releasing a delicious golden flow over your dish!

This promises to be the best appetizer of the year!

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)
E-Mail: pissenlit2008@ybb.ne.jp
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India
Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, 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,
Susan at Arkonlite, 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), 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!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

玉子, 美食, Eggs, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Japanese Gastronomy: Omelet Ribbons for Decoration!

March 6, 2012 dragonlife 6 Comments

The Japanese not only make great tamagoyaki/omelettes but extensively use eggs for decoration, especially in sushi and salads.
One such decoration is omelette ribbons.

Here is the basic recipe that could help you with future ideas!

Japanese Omelette ribbons!

INGREDIENTS:

-Eggs
-Oil

RECIPE:

-Having beaten the eggs, sieve/filter them through a large piece of gaze (this is the little secret!) into another bowl as shown on picture above.
Organize yourself so as not to spill egg everywhere. Use large bowls and plenty of gaze!
No need to season the eggs as the thin size of the ribbons will facilitate the absorption of any environmental seasoning.

-Use a square or rectangular non-stick tamagoyaki frypan.
Pour and spread a small quantity of oil.
Pour the eggs into a thin layer.
Bear in mind that the oil needs not to be so hot or the eggs will “crackle”.
Also bear in mind that not enough egg will not spread evenly all over the surface of the frypan. Not enough or too much will end in failure. Practice will soon make you a master!

-One more reason the omelette ought to be thick enough is that, when you turn it over with a long chopstick as shown on above picture, it will not break up.

-Fry both sides.

-Spread the omelette sheet on a working table while you eventually fry more.

-First cut the sheet into wide strips/bands. Think about the eventual lenghth of your ribbons.

-Finally cut across into thin ribbons.

-Enjoy the fun of easy decoration later!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, 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,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, 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,
Susan at Arkonlite, 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), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

Bento, 玉子, 米, 美食, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/55): A Real Local Bento!

October 20, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

This time, apart of the seasoning the Missus has come up with the real local Bento using only ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture!

I have to say it was realized with the help of her own mother’s cooking and garden!

The rice she steamed for the bento is “Koshihikari” grown in Suntoh Gun in the Eastern part of the Prefecture!
The sweet pickled ginger were prepared by her mother. She seasoned it with golden and black sesame seeds.
As for the Shizuoka-grown red and green peppers she sliced them and stir-fried them before adding them to the rice.

The ingredients in the colorful side box were also all grown or bred in Shizuoka Prefecture!

She prepared two types of rolls with thin strips of pork belly wrapped around okra and thick leek before stir-frying them.
She placed them on a bed of lettuce with green lemon for design and seasoning!

The tamagoyaki were made “Bioran” eggs produced by Mr. Shimizu in Shizuoka City and very thin leeks. The kaki/persimmon come from her mother’s garden and the Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes are grown in Iwata city, in the Western part of the Prefecture!

It would certainly be fun to see what friends could come up with, using only local ingredients!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
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); Ohayo Bento

Chicken, 玉子, 美食, Eggs, 酒, 野菜, 茶, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Mushrooms, Pork, sake, sashimi, seafood, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Fruit, Supermarkets, Tourism, vegetables, wasabi, 山葵

Local Food at Cenova Department Store in Shizuoka City!

October 4, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

After 3 years in the making Cenova Department Store has been finished and went through a pre-opening gala today.
Formerly known as Shin Shizuoka Center, the crumbling store has been completely rebuilt into a brand new venture reminiscing better store in bigger cities.
I was curious about what local food they would offer and decided to investigate today since I had obtained an invitation, a rigmarole necessary for the day!

At least the entrance was grand enough and all the ceilings very high. No complain there!

I immediately went down to the basement solely dedicated to food and drinks. It certainly was as big as the other department stores in town and was divided into Shizutetsu Store, the building owning company’s own store and tenants.
I checked the tenants first!

Shizuoka Green Tea! Shizuoka Prefecture produces 45~50% of the total Japanese crops!

Cana, a great chiffon cake specialist from Yaizu City!

Korokuya Co. Is also a tenant at Shizuoka JR Station Parche Department Store.

Shizuoka-grown shiitake mushrooms!

Fresh wasabi roots from Izu Peninsuloa!

Shizuoka-grown “Akagara” satoimo/taro!

Shizuoka-bred Suku Suku Chicken!

Fish and seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture. The same company are also tenants in Parche!

Isaki/Chicken Grunt sashimi from Suruga Bay!

That was about as far as the tenants were concerned. Actually it was more than I expected.
I then moved to the Shizutetsu Store space.

Crown Melons from Fukuroi City!

All these vegetables come from Shizuoka Prefecture producers on contact with Shizutetsu Store!

The farm’s name and owner picture are all featured at this special stand. How about that for traceability!

Shizuoka Prefecture is also celebrated for its succulent mandarine oranges!

Not many people know that grapes were first grown in Shizuoka Prefecture in Japan!

The mushrooms grown by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City are famous beyond our Prefecture!

Shizuoka-grown Celebes Satoimo/taro!

Fish and seafood from 5 different fishing harbors in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Beautiful fish in the company of a whole wasabi, toot, stems and leaves. You won’t see that outside our Prefecture!

Shirasu/sardine whiting from Mochimune and Sakura ebi/cherry shrimps from Yui!

Katusobushi/Dry bonito shavings from Yaizu City!

Fujiyama Beef!

Shizuoka Aka Buta/Red Pork!

Nakata San Chi No Aijyou Buta/Nakata’s Love Pork!

Bioran Eggs by Mr. Shimizu in Shizuoka City are famous in Tokyo!

Now that’s nice surprise! Bayern Meister Beer Microbrewery Beer from Fujinomiya City!

Another boon! Tenjingura Microbrewery Beer from Hamamatsu City!

Plenty of sake from Shizuoka Prefecture!

A sake brand devised for the opening of Cenova by Hana no Mai Brewery in Hamamatsu City!

And more mandarine oranges!

All in all, I must admit I found more than I expected!
Next time I will investigate in more detail!

To be continued…
RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

玉子, 玉子焼き, 美食, Eggs, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Tamagoyaki

Tamagoyaki/Japanese Omelet: Basic Recipe & Presentations

September 7, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Tamagoyaki: basic recipe

I’ve been asked of late about the basic recipe for “Tamagoyaki”, or Japanese traditional omelette.
There are two ways of making it:
1) the slightly difficult one with chopsticks I’m going to explain today.
2) the easier one, but not traditional way, using European/American tools.

For the traditional recipe,you will need a long pair of chopsticks and a non-stick frypan. Traditional or not, the fry pan will have to be rectangular or square and of a size adapted to the number of eggs used.

Ingredients:
Eggs: 10
Dashi/Japanese stock: 180ml (9 tenths of a cup- A cup is 200ml)
Cooking sugar: 45g
Soy sauce: half a teaspoon
Salt: a pinch
Salad oil for frying

Recipe:

Pour in a bowl all the eggs, dashi, sugar and salt. Mix with a whisker. Do not mix to perfection. This will leave some beautiful white patterns in the omelette.

First heat frypan well. Pour in a little oil and wait until it starts “smoking”. Do not forget the whole process is done over a strong fire!
Get a piece of kitchen paper impregnated with oil handy for the next step.
First pour in half of the eggs.
As the omelette cooks burst any air bubbles open with chopsticks to obtain a uniform cooking.

Fold in eggs from the far end towards you little by little, bursting bubbles open at the same time.
Do not worry too much at this stage if you miss some of them. Try and proceed as quickly as possible.

Keep folding in at your pace until all eggs are rolled in.

Away from the fire, wipe the vacant space wit the oild paper, pour in a little egg.From now on the new egg layer should kept thin. Burst bubbles open as the eggs cook.

Fold each layer around the omelette by turning it aver towards you, let it slip away from you, brush some oil in, add a new layer of eggs, cook and fold, and continue until all eggs are used.

Remember that all should be done over a high fire. It would be easier to do over a low fire, but then the eggs will not be as light and “fluffy”.

Eat hot or cold. Can be cut in all kind of shapes for presentation, salads, or maki.

The Japanese also mix the eggs with raw shrimp of fish paste to attain an even lighter and thinner omelette.

Tamagoyaki: Presentations

As promised to Bill in Japanese Omellete/Tamagoyaki: Basic recipe 1 posting, here are some examples of presentation:
Above is a very popular way of cutting and serving cold, especially at sushi restaurants.

The accent here is not so much on the regularity, but on the colour, making it very home-style.