Category Archives: 野菜

美食, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Eggplants Pan-fried with Ground Black Sesame Seeds

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Eggplants or Aubergines or Nasu/茄子 in Japanese are a very popular vegetable in Japan whose people have many recipes of their own that would satisfy many vegans and vegetarians worldwide.
These recipes are simple and the ingredients should be easy to obtain!
The present recipe makes use of black sesame seeds, that is roasted sesame seeds!
Apparently they are not so easy to find in Europe, which is a real pity!

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

Although we can buy ground black sesame seeds in Japanese markets, buy it whole and grind some just before cooking!
Great taste and flavor and so rich in nutrients!

Eggplants: 6 (long variety)
Ground black sesame seeds: 60 g
Japanese sake: 100 cc (1/2 cup). If unavailable use dry white wine!
Mirin/Japanese sweet sake: 50 cc (1/4 cup) If unavailable use very sweet white wine!
Soy sauce: 1 tab;espoon
Sugar: as appropriate
Water: 100 cc (1/2 cup)
Vegetable oil: as appropriate

RECIPE

Do not peel the eggplants.
Cut lengthwise in four, and then in halves across.
Remember that eggplants absorb oil so do not hesitate to use a lot of the latter!

Fry the eggplants.
When the eggplants have become soft and absorbed most of the oil, first add all the ingredients except the sugar and water. Fry for a while. Add the sugar and keep frying for a while.

Mix well and add the water. Turn the fire low and fry/cook until the juices have become very thick.
Switch off fire and let cool completely.

As this dish is very tasty cold, make a big batch and chill inside the refrigerator!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, Eggplants, 野菜, 茄子, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Eggplants Pan-fried with Basil and Amazu!

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Eggplants or Aubergines or Nasu/茄子 in Japanese are a very popular vegetable in Japan whose people have many recipes of their own that would satisfy many vegans and vegetarians worldwide.
These recipes are simple and the ingredients should be easy to obtain!
The present recipe is a bit of a crossover between Asia and Europe!
Amazu/甘酢 means sweet Japanese rice vinegar! If you don’t have any use rice vinegar and some honey!

Eggplants Pan-fried with Basil and Amazu/Nasu to Bajiru no Amazu Itame/茄子とバジルの甘酢炒め！

INGREDIENTS: (for 4 people)

Eggplants/Aubergines: 4
Rice vinegar: 30 cc(1/6 of a cup)
Cane sugar: 1 tablespoon
(If you use amazu, count 40 cc~1/4 of a cup)
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
Olive oil: 50cc (1/4 of a cup)
Basil leaves : 5~6 large leaves

RECIPE:

Cut all the eggplants in bite size pieces and fry in olive oil on a low~medium fire.

Fry eggplants until they have softened completely.
Add salt, rice vinegar and cane sugar (or amazu) and keep stirring and frying until juices have completely evaporated.

Once the eggplants have attained a stewed aspect, switch off fire, add finley chopped basil and mix.
Serve hot. Great atop freshly steamed rice!

You can also let it cool down and chill it inside refrigerator for a nice snack to accompany beer!

Once again, so simple!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Eggplants with Sesame and Soy Sauce!

10 Comments

Eggplants or Aubergines or Nasu/茄子 in Japanese are a very popular vegetable in Japan whose people have many recipes of their own that would satisfy many vegans and vegetarians worldwide.
These recipes are simple and the ingredients should be easy to obtain!

Eggplants in sesame and soy sauce/Nasu No Goma Shouyuu Abura Ae/なすのごま油醤油あえ

INGREDIENTS (for 2 people)

Eggplants: 4 comparatively small
Cornstarch: 2 teaspoons

For the sauce/tare/タレ:
Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon
Rice vinegar: 2 teaspoons
Soy sauce; 2 teaspoons
Leek (finely chopped): 1/4
Chili pepper powder: as appropriate

RECIPE

Peel the eggplants with a peeler

Coat the eggplants with cornstrach.
Steam the eggplants in a steamer or cover the dish with cellophane paper and cook in the microwave oven for 5 minutes.

Mix all the sauce/tare ingredients well in a bowl.

Puncture the eggplants with a thin fork or toothpick.
Leave the eggplants in the sauce bowl.
Turn the eggplants in the sauce well to let them absorb it as much as possible.
Serve lukewrm or at room temperature.

Easy, isn’t it?

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Traditional Gastronomy: Jisaku Restaurant in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Overall very clean. Superb bathroom
Prices: Expensive but still good quality/price ratio
Strong Points: Authentic Japanese traditional gastronomy. Rich sake and wine list. All the water used comes from own well. Main room entirely non-smoking. Smoking only allowed in efficiently separated rooms!

I sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to visit all the traditional Japanese restaurants in Shizuoka Prefecture or even in Shizuoka City!
Most do not advertise themselves much as their clientele is definitely upper-class with the understanding that most bills are footed by companies as executive expenses!

Even the traditional entrance will not tell you much as the privacy of the guests is of utmost importance!

At least the sign is obvious in its simplicity: 日本料理/Nihon Ryouri/Japanese Gastronomy!
Mind you, the wine served there is French!

Once inside you find yourself in a true Japanese surrounding and atmosphere!

I definitely recommend any connoisseur to ask for a seat at the counter in the blessedly non-smoking main room where you can observe the chef at work and admire the products!

The unobtrusive non-smoking sign at the counter!

The sake (many local brands available!) is served in carefully chosen earthenware flasks and cups!

A new menu is brush-written everyday, but don’t worry the owners are very kind people who will explain everything with a smile!

Young chef Mitsuru Nanjyou/南條満at work!

This is a family Nanjyou/南條 affair with young and talented Mitsuru/満 san preparing the food, graceful daughter Atsuko/温子 san under the eyes of smiling mother Sumiko/澄子 san!
Was it not for the superb quality of the food, one could easily think himself/herself in a traditional Japanese home!

You know that ladies are at work there as the place is absolutely spotless clean in spite of its (modern age) 40 years of history!
Incidentally, they still exclusively use water from their own well dug deep in the earth!

As it was my first visit I had a bit of a hard time choosing among the many beauties written on the menu!
But I certainly had no problem ordering one specialty which has made the place famous!

Goma dofu/胡麻豆腐/tofu made with sesame seeds (very hard work!) served with freshly grated wasabi!

Naturally, the next order was sashimi!

Aji/鯵/Horse Mackerel (front), Hirame/平目/Sole and Katuso/鰹/Bonito with grated wasabi, ginger, chopped thin leeks and shiso flowers!

Now, what are these?

Cherry tomatoes in Japanese or tomadillos in English. So sweet!

Now, what was next?

Amadai sakamushi/甘鯛鮭むし/Amadai seabream steamed in sake!

Served with tofu and vegetables! True Japanese traditional cuisine!
So light, tasty and healthy!

And served in such beautiful earthenware!

The Amadai/Amadai Seabream, an extravagant fish even in Japan!

Aka Karei Karaage/赤鰈唐揚げ/Deep-fried Red Turbot!

They naturally serve meat too, but for once I found it a great idea to keep to fish, so superb it all was!

Except for the bigger bones all was scrumptious and disappeared! Fish at its very best!

Gastronomy to please Westerners and Japanese alike!

Instead of dessert I ordered an extravagant Chazuke: Tai Goma Chazuke/鯛ごま茶漬け/Tea poured over a bowl of rice and sea bream!

Probably the most famous comfort food in Japan turned into a supreme dish!

Actually, I was coesced into dessert: home-made youkan/羊羹/sweetmeat jelly, another so traditional dish in Japan!

To be continued…

JISAKU/治作
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Showa Cho, 1-1
Tel.: 054-252-2021
Opening hours: 17:30~21:00
Closed on Sundays, National Holidays and First Monday of the Month
Reservations recommended!
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Cards OK
Main room non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Barbecue, bbq, 牛肉, 美食, 酒, 野菜, 静岡市, 観光, 魚, 豚肉, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

B.B.Q. Gastronomy in Shizuoka City!

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The notion of a B.B.Q./barbecue in Japan is slightly different from that encountered in Western countries.
It is certainly organized with more precision and good service in mind!

Team Kumagusu is a group of like-minded chefs and friends who endeavor to promote the products of Shizuoka through different events. This particular B.B.Q., in its third edition, is the culmination of their efforts.
The number of participants (more than 60 this year!) meant that they had to change the locality of the B.B.Q. for need of more space.

SATO is a space owned by a local timber and architecture company up in the mountains in Ashikubo, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City.
It can easily cater up to 100 people with great outdoors facilities complete with washroom and shower!

They even have wooden lodges for kid’s play!

A view of the company workplace.

Smokers are invited to indulge in their habit far away from the crowd!

First of all let me introduce the characters behind the event by starting with Team Kumagusu’s leader, Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健也, owner/chef of Uzu Izakaya!

Takahiro Nagashima/長島孝博 (and his wife), owner of Nagashima Wine shop in Shizuoka City, the main back-up of the event!

Kazutaka Takashima/高嶋一孝, owner and master-brewer of Takashima Brewery (Hakuin Masamune) in Hara, Numazu City.

Yuusuke Tozaki/戸崎雄介, owner-chef of Hana Oto Chinese Izakaya in Shizuoka City!

Junya Kimbara/金原純也, second chef at Hana Oto!

Takao Shimura/志村剛生, owner-chef of Narusei Tempura Restaurant in Shizuoka City.

Masataka Mochizuki/望月正隆, owner of Kanzawagawa Brewery (Shosetsu) in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City.

Toshiyaki Horie/堀江利彰, owner of Horie Chicken Farm in Shuzenji, Izu Peninsula, the only farm raising Amagi Shamo Chickens!

The day had started under in dry weather but overcast skies.

When it started raining all the charcoal bbq fires could be safely moved under the eaves of the building!

The ingredients of the day were published on brush-painted sheets of paper for all to see!
It certainly made for great reading!
I will send more precise pictures on request!

Red Ore Tomatoes, real fruits!

Organic green and yellow zucchinis from Biofarm Matsuki in Fujinomiya City!

Fresh wasabi roots from Sugiyama Farm in Umegashima, Aoi ku, Shizuoka City!

More organic vegetables!

Plenty of extravagant sake served by our two local brewery owners!

Shosetsu/正行き brand by Kanzawagawa Brewery!

Hakuin Masamune/白隠正宗 brand by Takashima Brewery!

Warm sake for the connoisseurs!

The brewers had even brought water from their own wells for all guests to drink!

Shigeru Sano/佐野茂治 preparing a salad of nagaimo, potato and lotus!

Mr. Keiji Sano/佐野佳治 of Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City who had contributed his own products to the even biding his time!

The guests starting enjoying themselves in earnest in spite of the rain outside. Note that the majority are ladies!

These ladies never miss such an event (I know them well!)!

Grating fresh wasabi for all these guests required a lot of wrist work!

Toshiyaki Horie/堀江利彰 demonstrating how to prepare his Amagi Shamo chickens for a BBQ!

The kids were invited to prepare the sweets of the day!

Extravagant rainbow trout sashimi from Kunugi Farm in Fujinomiya City!

Superlative leaf ginger from Kuno, Suruga Ku, Shizuoka City!

The vegetables, tofu and fish served while the meat was cooking!

The Amagi Shamo chicken cut and ready to be grilled!

Couldn’t wait to savor it!

Pork sausages from Sanoman Co.!

Truly extravagant dry ice-aged beef from Sanoman Co.!

I had pinched an Amagi Shamo chicken neck to grill all for myself! Actually I couldn’t resist the pleas of some friends and gave it away!

Takao Shimura/志村剛生 preparing the organic vegetables and chicken tempura!

Corn and onion tempura!

Now, who is this guy in his cups? LOL (a good friend of mine, actually!)

No need to say we shall meet again next year same place, same time with even more guests!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Izakaya: Takano in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities & Equipment: Old fashioned but clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Authentic traditional izakaya gastronomy. Local seafood and products extensively used. Local sake.

Takano is a venerable establishment which has appeared countless times on many a magazine all over the nation.
First opened in 1922 it is actually the oldest existing izakaya in the whole Prefecture!

Takano/多可能 (pronounce the last”no” short) is also the surname of the fourth generation although with different kanji/Chinese characters in the person of Susumu Takano/高野晋さん. Expats will be happy to learn that he speaks fluent English! (his hobby is rock-climbing!)

They even have their own crest!
Make sure to come early or book in advance as the place is crowded right from the moment the door is open!
There is barely space to move between counter, tables and tatami floors!

Open at 4:30 p.m. it is particularly full of patrons by 5:30 coming from the Prefecture Goverment offices and businessmen keen to confirm contacts around food and drink.
Interestingly enough the place is popular with single ladies of uncertain age!I wonder why…

There are of course many drinks to choose from but the sake exclusively comes from Haginishiki Brewery in Shizuoka City!

Even the bottles and cups come from the brewery!
Unusual and very positive collaboration!

The reason why Takano regularly appears on national magazines is that they serve authentic local food, sometimes very difficult to find such as the above raw shirasu/sardine whiting!

Their sakuraebi/cherry shrimps and vegetables tempura kakiage is a must!

The sake tends to disappear very quickly!
Do try the junmai ginjyou!

The sashimi is mostly local and only seasonal!

Aji/Horse Mackerel from the Suruga Bay!

Iwashi/Sardine and Katsuo/Bonito also from the Suruga Bay. Great summer fish!

Vegetable lovers will appreciate such servings as the Yaki Nasu/Grilled Eggplant/Aubergine!

Deep-fried onions!

Negima/Pork and leeks brochettes!

Tororoage/deep-fried grated yama imo!

More than half of the customers are regulars who sometimes come every night!
The reason is simple enough! They can expect seasonal food every day!

TAKANO
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koya Machi, 5-4 (5 minutes walk from Shizuoka JR Station behind Parco Department Store.
Tel.: 054-251-0131
Business hours: 16:30~23:00
Closed on Sundays and National Holidays

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Food, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Fujieda City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy with a Japanese Twist: Foie Gras Matured with Mirin White Lees, Chouchou Farm Kankankan Musume Corn Vychissoise at Pissenlit!

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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.

When it comes to French gastronomy in Japan, great chefs in this country have a welcome tendency to experience with local products and ingredients to create entirely new delicacies that would have gastronomes running back home, in France!

To cut a long story short, on Saturday last week I had to visit Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん to bring him a couple of souvenirs from my recent trip to France and I just could not escape the temptation to have lunch there in spite of my tired stomach!
For once I skipped the wine and ordered a home-made ginger ale concocted with local ginger!

Actually the very reason for opting to saddle myself with another great meal was the unusual offering on the carte blackboard menu:
杉井酒造さんのみりん粕に着けたフォアグラ！
Sugii Shyuzou san no Mirin ni tsuketa Fowagura
Foie Gras matured with Mirin (sweet sake) white lees (“mout” in French) brewed by Sugii Brewery (In Fujieda City)!
I was simply doomed!

While Tooru was preparing the composite salad (I certainly needed a lot of greens to counterbalance the foie gras!) I was offered a slice of one of his succulent cake sale/salted pound cake created with local organic vegetables!

I did order a “simple salad” and this is what I ended up with!

Seared bonito, home-smoked salmon, inca mezame potatoes and all kinds of local organic vegetables!

It also included tasty scrumptious mushroom and home-made sausage fillings!

Most organic vegetables came from Shizen no Chikara farm in Shizuoka City!

The important detail: the bed of soft couscous!

The star of the day!

The beautiful pain de foie gras with Hungarian foir gras matured in the white lees of mirin brewed by Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City and seasoned with coarse pepper!

The soft pancake made with inca mezame potatoes!

Fig jam and a true beauty of a vychissoise concocted with kankan musume corn grown in Iwata City by Chouchou Farm!
I had a hard time savoring the whole at a slow pace, I can assure you!

For once I just had to skip dessert!

To be continued… (expect more regular visits!)

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

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, 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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 野菜, 豆腐, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Vegan Japanese Gastronomy: Sweet and Sour Fried Tofu and Mushrooms

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For the pleasure of vegetarians and vegans tofu can be prepared as a hot and very satisfying dish all year round!
A typical example is Agedashidofu/揚げだし豆腐, tofu first deep-fried and then served in dashi.
As for the dashi use seaweed/konbu dashi!

INGREDIENTS: For 3 people

-Tofu: 2 standard blocks
-Cornstarch: as appropriate
-Shimeji mushrooms: 1 standard pack
-Enoki mushrooms: 1 standard pack
-Nameko: 1 bunch

Note: you can adapt with any ind of mushrooms.

-Seaweed/Konbu dashi: 600 cc/ml/3 cups
-Salt: a little
-Soy sauce: 3 tabelspoons
-Mirin/sweet sake: 1 tablespoon
-Japanese sake: 1 tablespoon
-Grated ginger: 1 tablespoon
-Yuzu koshio: a little
-Cornstach dissolved in water: as appropriate
-Grated daikon: as appropriate
-Chopped leeks: as appropriate

RECIPE:

-Wrap tofu in kitchen paper and leave it for an hour for excess water to be absorbed (about an hour).
-Place tofu on a dry wooden cutting board. Place a plate and weight on top and enough water will come out. Dry in kitchen paper.

-In a large pan pour the dashi, salt, soy sauce, mirin, sake, ginger, and yuzu kshio.
Bring to light boil.
Drop the mushrooms in.

-When the mushrooms are cooked to satisfaction pour the cornsatrch dissolved in water. Stir until you have obtained a smooth texture. Keep hot.

-Cut the tofu in adequate large bit sized cubes (you could have done it beforehand and take out excess water)>
Roll them in cornstarch. Shake away excess cornstarch powder.

-Fry tofu cubes in shallow oil until they have attained a very light bron color.
Take ou and pace in a dish.
Pour the sweet and sour mushrooms all over.
Decorate/season with grated daikon and chopped leeks.
Serve immediately!

You may also place the lot over freshly steamed rice!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Imo, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tororjiro, Tororo, Tourism, vegetables, Yam

Traditional Japanese Tororo/grated yam gastronomy at Chojiya and Culture at Chojiya in Shizuoka City!

2 Comments

Service: Friendly and informative
Equipment & Facilities: Old but very clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Traditional japanese food in a traditional environment full of history!

Chojiya/弔子屋 in Mariko, the 21st station of the Old Tokaido Highway made famous by Utagawa Hisroshige’s (real name:  Ando Hiroshige) wooden prints, has served traditional tororojiru, grated yam soup, for no less than 400 years! actually many think that the inn featured on Hiroshige’s woodblock print is Chojiya indeed!

Chojiya under the rain.

In 1596 Shojiya Heikichi/丁子屋平吉 established this tea house in the post town of Mariko to serve the many travelers using the Old Tokaido Route from Edo/Tokyo to Kyoto.
Before reading this article I strongly encourage you to visit their superb HOMEPAGE (English)! A window opened on the history of Japan and Shizuoka!
Great bilingual pamphlets are available for free, too!

History is all around you in this tradtional Japanese inn! take as many photographs as you wish but bear in mind this is a busy place!

You will dine under the benign protection of giant Hina Dolls! Such dolls are to celebrate the Girls Day on March 3rd and Boys day on May 5th, but they are on constant display!

Do not forget to visit the little museum at the entrance where you will discover a genuine ukiyoe wooden print!

A genuine ceramic dish showing a scene of Mariko in Edo Era!

Keep your cameras on the ready!

The tororojiru/grated yam soup that Mariko and Chojiya are so famous for!
I visited the place with my good friend, Patrick who loves the delicacy served on freshly steamed rice!

You pour it yourself on your rice!

And you savor it with chopped thin leeks! The perfect dish for a vegetarian!

The whole traditional lunch!

You will also have the opportunity to enjoy great local sashimi!

Local vegetables served as a traditional boiled vegetable salad!

Their dashi tamagoyaki is a must! Tamagoyaki is the famous omelet-like dish in Japan that all egg lovers must try once!

I’m not too keen on grated yam soup myself but the staff readily agreed to replace it with vegetables serrved as tororoage/vegetables deep-fried in tororojiru! Lovely and such kind and great service!

The menu is impossible to explore in a single day so I definitely plan to come again, especially as the whole establishment is non-smoking!

CHOJIYA
421-0103 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Mariko, 7-10-10 (Take the bus going to Fujieda from North Exit Platform No 7 at Shizuoka JR Station. Get off at Marikobashi Iriguchi stop!)
Opening hours: 11:00~19:00
Closed on Thursdays and last Wedenesday of the month
Entirely non-smoking!
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

美食, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Korean Cuisine, Korean Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Vegan Korean Recipe: Namuru-style Asparaguses

2 Comments

Fresh asparaguses, especially green ones, are still very much in season!
Here is a simple way to accomodate them Korean-style to please vegans and vegetarians!

INGREDIENTS: For 2 people

-Fresh green asparaguses: 5
-Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon
-Salt: 1/3 of a teaspoon
-White sesame seeds: 1 teaspoon
-Black pepper: a lttle

RECIPE:

Cut off bottom ends of asparaguses and peel off the bottom half.
Make sure to discard the peeled part as they tend to stick inside the palate!

Cut the asparaguses as in above picture in easy-to-eat size.

pour sesame oil in a fry pan and fry asparaguses.
Adding some sliced garlic then would be a good idea!

once the asparaguses have been cooked to satisfaction add salt, sesame seeds and black pepper and fry a few seconds.

Simple and delish!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

美食, Daikon, Daikon leaves, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Daikon Leaves, Imo and Miso Stew

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Here is another simple Japanese recipe to satisfy hungry vegans and vegetarians which also has the merit to be ecological and nutritious!

INGREDIENTS: for 4 people

-Daion leaves: all the leaves of 1 large daikon
-Taro, sato imo/里芋 (frozen or fresh and pre-boiled) 8~10 (peeled)
-Aburaage/fried tofu sheet: 1
-Miso paste (of your choice): 4 tablespoons
-Sugar: 4 tablespoons
-Sesame oil: a little
-Cornstarch: as appropriate

RECIPE:

Cut the daikon leaves and aburaage finely and frt in sesame oil until satsifactory.

Add enough water to dissolve the miso into a proper miso soup. Add imo.

Once the imo are cooked to satisfaction add miso paste, sugar. mix. last add cornstarch to attain the appropiate consistency.

So easy!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

美食, 野菜, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Food, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, vegetables

French Gastronomy Design by Touru Arima at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City (May 2012)

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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.

The other day, the Missus wanted to pay a belated (for her) visit to our favorite French Restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely Pissenlit, where Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん is busier than ever, what with creating a whole new range of organic jams with local produce and promoting good food at all levels in our Prefecture!
I have always been struck by the seemingly simple presentation of his dishes and I would like to share my views in this particular article!
Now, what did we have?

There were oysters on the menu!
When we debated how many we would order, we were told that one each would be more than enough, so we ordered one poelee and one in gratin!
The first one served poelee on a bed of local organic broccoli was truly enormous. I’m not lying, it was as big as the Missus’ palm!

Viewed from the other side!

You needed to cut it at least three times with fork and knife!
Absolutely succulent, a steak of the ocean?

The other served as gratin will give you an idea of the size with the very deep shell!
The sauce under the gratinee surface is ore a Mornay sauce than a Bechamel, a lot lighter and more delicate in flavors!

A view from a different angle will give you a little idea of the light and unctuous/creamy Mornay sauce!
The colors alone will have you tremble with impatience!

A true dish from Shizuoka Prefecture!

Touru calls it a warm carpaccio of bonito/katsuo topped with local organic greens.

The first picture was actually a back view. This is the front view!

A side view with the lovely mayonnaise to fully appreciate the incredbly tender bonito which had been lightly seared!

You can always expect Touru to come up with rarities!
Tablier du Sapeur!

The “sapeur” in French means a member of a special military engineer corps originally created by Napoleon who tended to copy anything Roman for his Legions.
These sapeurs used to wear a thick apron/tablier as part of their parade uniform!

They consist of veal stomach/tripes first separately cooked and then paneed in breadcrumbs!
Even the Missus who cares little for offal appreciated it!
I just loved it!

Here is another fine example of creating a superlative dish with offal: White asparaguses with Suruga Shamo Chicken livers and gizzards!

The raw and fresh enormous asparaguses were first poele before the offal was added to the same frypan!

Suruga Shamo is one of those extravagant shamo/軍鶏/fighting chickens/cocks raised in our Prefecture.
The offal was accompanied with some local bacon and organic greens for a last touch!

A true Shizuoka dessert?
Creme Brulee concocted with Shizuoka City Hon-Yama tea!
The strawberry and edible flowers are all organic from Shizen No Chikara Farm!

Another Green Fairy?
Certainly a dessert that JRR Tolkien and his Hobbits would have loved to sample!

Going for the kill! In my case!
An Italian grappa by Poli, a Marc de Bourgogne 1976 by Bernard Roy, a Vieille Fine de la Marne (Marc de Champagne) or a 15 year-old Cognac by Paul Giraud?
Well, I was born in Bourgogne, so you must have guessed!

To be continued…

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

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, 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

Bento, 美食, 野菜, 農業, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12/19): Fried Shirasu Rice Bento!

10 Comments

The Japanese are very fond of steamed shirasu/シラス, sardine whiting, which is a Shizuoka specialty, and often mix it with their rice.
I like shirasu but I don’t appreciate it as such when mixed with rice as the “fishy” taste is too strong for me.
The Missus has come with an easy solution: she fries it before including it to the rice!

Therefore the Missus fried some steamed shirasu she had bought at the supermarket in oil and spices and let it cool.
She steamed the rice, and once ready, mixed it with the shirasu and chopped green pimentos.
It does make for good colors and great dietetic balance!

Unfortunately you can’t see them, but the Missus laid three leaves of violet endive/chickory to use as vessels for the different ingredients of the side box!

She filled the top one with shredded carrot, thin-sliced apple and walnut. Even with dressing I considered it as my dessert!
She lined the middle one with basil leaves on which she placed three small pan fried rolls consisting of bacon rolled around cucumber for one of them and the other two rolled around fried chorizo sausages fo supplementary zip. She added boiled snap green peas/green peas in their pod for more color and fibers/vitamins.
As for the third endive leaf she filled it with potato salad also containing sliced black olive and cucumber.

As usual a very colorful bento.
Moreover, it was not only yummy but very well-balanced!
With all that praise heaped on her the Missus will become suspicious!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

美食, Daikon, Daikon leaves, 野菜, 農業, Food, Food Health, Furikake, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Ginger, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recupe: Daikon Leaves and Ginger Furikake

6 Comments

As I said many times it is a shame to throw perfectly edible and delicious fresh daikon leaves when you happen to find them!
Now if you also happen to have ginger roots, soft and fresh, you can produce an even better furikake/”sprinkle” for accompany any dish or use a great snack with beer or sake!
Bear in mind that the recipe can be adapted to any root vegetable leaves (if edible!)!

INGREDIENTS: for 4 people

Daikon leaves of one daikon
Ginger root: a small cube, 3x3x3 cm
Mirin/Sweet Japanese sake: 3 tablespoons
Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
Sesame oil: 1~3 tablespoons
Sesame seeds (grilled): as appropriate according to preference

RECIPE

-Chop daikon leaves and ginger root finely.

-Pour sesame oil in a frypan and stir-fry ginger a little first.

-Add daikon leaves, mirin, and soy sauce and stir-fry over medium-strong fire until all juices have evaporated.

-Add sesame seeds and serve!

Easy, healthy and very tasty!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 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

Beef, 美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Food, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Veal, 仔牛

French Gastronomy: Veal Liver 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.

Veal is not an easy meat to savor at restaurants in Japan as the Japanese farmers do not usually raise calves the way they do back in Europe or America to obtain a white flesh.
On the other hand veal in Japan is always a tender pink.
The Japanese have always had a special fondness for any veal and veal or beef liver is very much appreciated if somewhat rare.

When Touru Arima/有馬亨さん told me he had just received veal liver fom Fujinomiya City I did not hesitate!
The more for it that we don’t eat any at home! LOL

The veal liver had been sauteed the French way with vinegar and the sauce was prepared with Dijon seed mustard.
Just the way back home in my native Bourgogne!
But the vegetables were definitely Japanese!
The great wedge of bamboo shoot is of course local, slowly fried to a crisp, a very unusual way to cook it in Japan.
So tender inside and so crunchy on the outside! A treat!

Now, the small cabbage is a real organic cabbage harvested very young at Kitayama Farm in Fujinomiya City.
It did require some preparation, though!

Touru Arima/有馬亨さん boiled it a little first to be able to open it carefully. He then filled it with wild boar stew/ragout (the wild boar comes from Shimada City!). He closed the leaves back and sauteed the lot with the liver!
A French delicacy with four ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture!

A bliss!

To be continued…

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!

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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