Category Archives: Fuji City

Fuji City, Japan Tourism, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Kinomoto Shrine (木之元神社) in Yoshiwara, Fuji City!

September 17, 2015 dragonlife 1 Comment

If you come out the south exit of Yoshiwara/吉原 Station between Fuji/富士 Station and Higasi Tago no Ura/東田子の浦 Station walk to your left on the main street and after 5 minutes you will find yourself at the bottom of a typical small rural Shinto Shrine!

It is only a short way upstairs!

The torii/鳥居, sacred gate!

Kinomoto Shrine plaque!

The small roofed concrete hand-washing basin!

A short paved way to the shrine!

The left lion guard with its mouth shut!

The right lion guard with its open mouth!

A venerable stone lantern!

The “haiden/worshipers’ hall”!

The sacred rice straw garland, the bell rope and the money offerings box!

The whole shrine is well maintained!

Side view!

Another small shrine called Fushimi Inari Daimyoujin! The Goddess Inari looks after rice growers in particular!

The Honden/sacred hall closed to the public!

The roof decorations indicate that the shrine God is actually a Goddess!

Good-bye, Kinomoto Shrine!

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So Good Sushi Restaurant in Nice France
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rre.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: 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

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Festivals, Fuji City, Uncategorized, Yoshiwara Gion

Yoshiwara Gion Matsuri – Fuji City

June 15, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

A must-see by Tokyobling’s Blog!

Tokyobling's Blog

A couple of weekends ago I visited the massively fun Yoshiwara Gion Matsuri, in Shizuoka prefecture’s Fuji City. Like last year’s festival it was huge fun, from morning to midnight and I enjoyed ever second of it. I took these photos near the end of it, following the wonderfully decorated dashi, each crewed and representing a specific neighborhood in the city. Here’s the dashi of Sumiyoshicho and some of it’s very cool looking crew. These dashi are the pride of their neighborhoods and the people take great care of them, making sure they are in top notch condition for the annual festival. I heard somewhere that a typical prize for one of these is about 300 000 USD! Later on, walking down the street I came upon a dashi-seriai (山車競り合い), which roughly translates as “dashi showdown”! I think there were 5 or 6 of them, all drawn up in a…

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Festivals, Fuji City, Yoshiwara Gion

Yoshiwara Gion Festival Beauties

June 15, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Fantastic Pictures by Tokyobling’s Blog

Tokyobling's Blog

You might remember my post on the Three Bauties of Yoshiwara from last year: some exceptionally photogenic and devoted festival participants from the Yoshiwara Gion festival in Shizuoka prefecture’s Fuji City. Well, this year’s festival there were even more of them, and as energetic as ever! All of the dashi (mobile festival wagons or platforms) are wonderfully decked out and crewed by the most energetic members of their respective neighborhoods, but the dashi of the Rokkenchou (六軒町) neighborhood is just outstanding! It’s not all thanks to the beauties though, behind and below them there is a whole battery of drummers and flutists, not to mention the guy on the roof helping to navigate the wagon, or the men, women and kids in front that pulls it and help making sure that no stray tourists (or photographers) fall under the heavy wheels of the wagon! With young people like this, the…

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Festivals, Fuji City, Yoshiwara Gion

Yoshiwara Gion – Shizuoka Prefecture

June 15, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Superb Report by Tokyobling’s Blog!

Tokyobling's Blog

Today is the grande finale of the lovely Yoshiwara Gion Matsuri in Shizuoka Prefecture’s Fuji City. On the final day the main omikoshi of the local shrine will be handed over from neighborhood to neighborhood and afterwards the dashi parade starts up on the Yoshiwara main street as the different neighborhoods does their best to outperform the other’s in a friendly battle!

If you are in Shizuoka Prefecture today there really is no excuse to miss this once in a year event!

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静岡県, 観光, Fuji City, Japan, Japanese Culture, Kura, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism, Yaizu City

Kura: Japanese Traditional Warehouses in Shizuoka Prefecture 10

February 13, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Partly stone-built kura in Yoshiwara, Fuji City!

“Kura” (in Japanese 蔵 or 倉) means “warehouse” or “Storehouse”.
In traditional Japan, especially during the Edo Era, as most of buildings and urba/village structures were made of wood, fires were the bane of society by and large.
However well-protected a fire would consume a house or buildings and all its properties within minutes.
Hence a special building or warehouse was needed to protect goods and properties against such a catastrophe.
But erecting a storehouse solely made of concrete, stones and some metal cost a vast amount of silver and gold and only rich merchants and nobility could afford them. Even castles could not be built entirely of stone then.

This very old kura I discovered along the street leading to Bishamonten Myouhouji Shrine/Temple in Yoshiwara, Fuji City, has the particularity to have walls covered with chiseled stone slabs, an unusual occurence in our Prefecture!

Although the iron window and door curtains are very old it is still used as demonstrated by the recent water drain pipes!

Another unusual feature: a very small window not leading to the actual inside of the kura but into its foundation!

Looking at it from the side it is practically double-walled.
Very solid, indeed!

I discovered this small-sized cocncrete block kura south of Yaizu City JR Station!

It certainly looks old but the concrete blocks would denote its date just after WWII!

It is still used as a warehouse. After all Yaizu City is a trading and fishing port city!

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HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

静岡県, 観光, Festivals, Fuji City, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Festivals, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Daruma Festival at Bishamonten Myohouji Temple in Yoshiwara, Fuji City!-富士市吉原で毘沙門天大祭!

February 10, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Every year one of the three biggest Daruma Doll Festival is held in Yoshiwara, Fuji City!
This year it was held a bit earlier than usual on February 6=8th.
Daruma Dolls are hollow, round, Japanese traditional dolls modeled after Bodhidharma, the founder of the Zen sect of Buddhism. These dolls, though typically red and depicting a bearded man (Dharma), vary greatly in color and design depending on region and artist. Though considered omocha, meaning toys, Daruma have a design that is rich in symbolism and is regarded more as a talisman of good luck to the Japanese. Daruma dolls are seen as a symbol of perseverance and good luck, making them a popular gift of encouragement.
These are changed every year, making for a profitable business.
Read more information about Daruma dolls THERE!

Once you get off Yoshiwara JR Sation, next to Fuji JR Station take the exit on the left.
You will know you are on the right path when you see the flag sign!

Like in any festival in Japan you its importance by the length of road access lined up with all kinds of stands and shops!
They were many that day!
Actually if you had all shops leading to the Temple and the shops inside it, you’ll find around 600 of them offering their wares for three days to about 180,000 visitors to this Festival held since the Edo Era!

Okonomiyaki!

Takoyaki!

Taiyaki!

Goldfish scooping pond!

Hiroshima-style Okonmiyaki!

Going bananas!

More takyaki!

Snow crab!

Grilled ayu trouts!

Yakisoba!

Ball-catching pond!

Candied strawberries!

Dried shirasu and sakuraebi!

Yakitori!

Finally reached the stairs of Bishamaonten Shrine/毘沙門天!
Actually the grounds are teh locale to both the shrine and a big Buddhist Temple called Myohouji/妙法寺!

A monument offered by Izu Nagaoka Village!

The torii/Shrine entrance gate!

A solid crowd!

In Japan, even in such a crowd, it is not difficult to move around!

The daruma at last!

Their owners will paint the pupils of their eyes back home!

Can you see the monkey darumas on the left?

The whole place has become red!

Medium-sized darumas!

There were also farmers peddling flowers and bonsai trees!

These darumas seemed to be burning!

An inviting cat!

There were quite a few food stands on the premises, too!

This year is the Year of the Horse!

There were quite a few people around the dragon shrine!

The enormous Myouhouji Temple in the background!

Imposing roofs!

Back to the screaming dragons!

What were these people doing below the dragons around the incense burrning bowl?

They were imprgnating themselves with the sacred incense smoke!

A double Mount Fuji?

Postcard snow-capped Mount Fuji!

It was then time to go back!

A last colorful photo of daruma dolls!

A colorful tiger coat!

Hang on, still one more picture to take…

Mini darumas!

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Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Design, Environment, 静岡県, 観光, Fuji City, Japan, Japanese Culture, Manhole covers, Photography, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, Tourism

Manhole Covers in Shizuoka Prefecture 24: Yoshiwara (now merged to Fuji City)

February 7, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

kaguyahime/The Bamboo Cutter Daughter, considered by many as the most beautiful manhole cover in Japan!

The same. It is framed in yellow on the road to help firement find it at night as this is a fire hydrant manhole cover.
It is located in the middle of a narrow street at the bottom of Bishamonten Myoyouji Temple.
Apparently there is only one sample!
It was made when before Yoshiwara was merged with Fuji City as demonstrated by the crest!

Mount Fuji water access manhole cover!
This was installed after Yoshiwara was merged with Fuji City!

The same as above but half size!

A large Yoshiwara fire hydrant manhole cover!

Another double Yoshiwara fire hydrant manhole cover of a dufferent design!

A similar fire hydrant, but single and over a water tank access!

An older Yoshiwara rectangular fire hydrant manhole cover!

An old small Yoshiwara valve pit manhole cover!

Another small Yoshiwara valve pit manhole cover with a totally different design!

A very old ans small water access Yoshiwara manhole cover!

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レシピ, Bars, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 野菜, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Fuji City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Pasta, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, Wine

Wine Bar & Restaurant: Kichi To Naru Kitchen in Shizuoka City!

June 28, 2013 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Smiling, friendly and easy-going
Equipment & Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Very fresh local vegetables. Healthy and filling fusion bistro food. Wines served all day long

There is a new very welcome trend of new restaurants coming to town not only to please all budgets but also making a maximum use of local products ensuring freshness and taste at reasonable prices inside a modern and easy-going environment

The latest addition in Shizuoka City, Kichi To Naru Kitchen, is actually the third establishment opened by Kichi To Naru Co. which originally hails from Fuji City.

The place is extremely clean and comfortable tucked away from the heat of the summer and the cold of winter.

The gastronomy is markedly Italian-inspired although it is more fusion than anything else comprising typical Japanese and French bistro fare.

If you are on your own sit at the counter and enjoy the sight of young chefs working in an open kitchen!

Even at lunch the menu offers quite some choice.
For my first lunch I chose the Milky rice (risotto-style) with curry sauce and mushrooms cultivated by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City!

It comes with fresh greens and beans salad,…

and potage.

The milky rice risotto and (mild) curry sauce, a very Japanese concept!

I must admit that the milky rice risotto was a bit of discovery! It was perfectly married to the curry sauce!

For my second lunch I sampled the pasta with fried eggplants in mildly hot tomato sauce!

Very Italian in concept!

Very healthy and tasty al dente spaghetti!

And home-made tiramisu for dessert!

Expect more visits at tea-time and dinner!

Kichi To Naru Kitchen
Chef: Ryo Ogihara
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-Cho, 5-8, Miraie Shichiken Cho Bldg. 1F
Tel.: 054-255-5036
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00 (until 24:00 on Saturdays & Sundays)
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

Other establishments:
Kichi To Naru Kitchen
Fuji City, Takane Cho, 11-9
Tel.: 0545-57-0111

Kichi To Naru Izakaya
Fuji City, Urijima Cho, 108
Tel.: 0545-53-0187

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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!
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美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Fuji City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, 富士市

Japanese Gastronomy with Local Shizuoka Products at Korosuke in Fuji City!

March 23, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Service: Very friendly and attentive.
Facilities and equipment: Very clean. Superb toilets.
Prices: Reasonable.
Strong points: A great introduction to local products served with a very healthy concept. Private room available. Parking available.

Chef Koichi Satoh/佐藤高一さん opened Korosuke/ころ助 eight years ago in Fuji City and his fame has reached Shizuoka City where people do not get easily excited.
Today a good friend of mine was kind enough to drive all the way to share lunch with me!

You definitely need a car (or a taxi) to reach the place which is not easy to find, but the sign in the car park already gives you a good idea of what to expect: Portobella mushrooms by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City, Fuji no Jidori Chicken by Mr. Aoki in Fujinomiya City, Fuji Rainbow Trout by Mr. Kunugi in Fujinomiya City, Asagiri Kougen Beef (Wagyu) by Mr. Morimoto on the asagiri Plateau, Asagiri Yoguru Pork by the Matsuno Family on Asagiri Plateau, U no Hana Healthy Tofu by the Miwa Shop and so on!

It didn’t really look like a restaurant from the far side of the busy and wide thoroughfare!

But with the word “Dining” you couldn’t mistake it for anything else!

The privacy of the customers was certainly well protected!

Very interesting calligraphy!

Nobody seemed to be smoking inside and Mr. Satoh told me he intends to make the establishment non-smoking at all times from next month!

Local pottery on sale!

Mr. Hasegawa’s nationally famous Portobella Mushrooms!

A reasonably-priced lunch set considering the quality!
Individual plates and orders are naturally available but for my first visit the set lunch was the obvious choice!

Hot towels and a small salad!

These cute hot towel rabbits are not to be eaten!

The lunch is served inside an antique rice measure box!
What did we have then?

Plain rice seasoned with black rice!
Delicious and very tasty!

White miso soup with fish stock, egg whites, mizuna and daikon!

Top row:
Seared Fuji no Jidari Chicken sashimi from Aoki’s Farm.
Matsuno Family Asagiri Yoguru Pork Shabu shabu salad.
Tofu by Miwa Shop. Very nutritious tofu!

Middle row:
Deep-fried “kisu/Sillago”.
Sauteed Scallops.
Deep-fried Portobella Mushrooms from Mr. Hasegawa’s garden.

Bottom row:
Fuji no Jidori Chawanmushi.
Maguro no misoyaki/tuna grilled with miso.
Organic red shiso juice.

Coffee and dessert!

Baked sweet potato, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce!

Now, I’m definitely planning to come again for dinner with plenty of wine and Shizuoka Sake!

KOROSUKE
416-0954 Fuji City, Moto Ichiba Cho, 975
Tel.: 0545-653-450
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~23:00
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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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

Beer, 美食, Desserts, 酒, 野菜, 魚, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Fuji City, Fuji-Takasago Brewery, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Microbrewery Beer, Restaurants, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism, 富士市, 有機野菜

Fuji No Kuni Gastronomic Fair in Fuji City (September 2011)

September 23, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

On September 22nd another “Fuji no Kuni” Gastronomic Fair was held under the auspices of the Shizuoka Prefecture Economy & Industry Bureau at Maison De Anniversaire in Fuji City to support the local food and producers.

As the event started at 7 p.m. I arrived a bit early at Shin Fuji Station where I was greeted by a beautiful sunset!
As the site of the event took place high at the foot of Mount Fuji I did well to reach the Station at 6 p.m.!

Arriving early gave me ample time to greet some friends and acquaintances like Mr. Sano, owner of Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City!

It also allowed me to survey the dining room and have a look at the menu and appetizers on my plate before exchanging business cards with many another guest. Actually most guests, representing companies or coming as individuals, had some kind of direct relation with the economy and agriculture of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Incidentally, the appetizers were Mangenton ball in escabeche from Sanoman Co. and the chicken roulade was made with Koshamo chicken from Aoki Farm in Fuji City!

The beer that day was brewed by Stephan Rager at Bayern Meister Beer Co. in Fujinomiya City!

And the Japanese sake was provided by Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomya City!

A honjyozo called “Raku/楽/Enjoy Yourself!”

Guests including some celebrities taking their seats in all informality.

The MC of the day: Mrs. Kyouko Ishigami, a Shizuoka sake expert!

The dinner started with a vegetable and salmon trout jelly terrine and organic salad!

The salmon trout was bred by Kunugi Fish Farm and all the organic vegetables were grown by Mtsuki Bio Farm, both in Fujinomiya City!

Each producer involved in the preparation of the repast introduced their venture on the mike: Mr. Sano of Sanoman Co.

Beautiful mushroom soup with imo/taro. The mushrooms were cultivated by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City!

Madai/Seabream (brought from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City) poelee with a galette of sakura shrimps from the same harbour. The vegetables are of course from Matsuki Bio Farm and the bacon from Sanoman Co.

For a closer view!

Charcoal-grilled Izu Venison Roast from deer meat processed by the Izu City Food Processing Center!

Very French in concept! And delicious!

The representative of Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

The dessert!

Shizuoka Fig Millefeuille with blueberry sauce!

Financier!

A very interesting dinner indeed introducing all the good ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture!

I wonder where they are going to hold this monthly event next time!

Fuji City, Japanese Gastronomy, Mushrooms, vegetables, 富士市

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Recipes for Hasegawa Garden’s Portabella Mushrooms!

March 31, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

I was given a few enormous Portabella Mushrooms the other day among a batch of mushrooms sent to our office at Agrigraph.!

Mr. Mitsushi Hasegawa/長谷川光史さん

They are grown by Mr. Mitsushi Hasegawa in Fuji City at Hasegawa Garden/長谷川農園.

They were truly enormous!

To give you a better idea!

So, last night the Missus and I (well, more the Missus than I!) found ourselves busy devising recipes for them to be served at dinner.
For the first recipe, we agreed on steamed syu-mai style.
The Missus prepared a filling with minced chicken, chopped onions and carrots, the chopped mushroom stem, a little Japanese sake, salt and pepper.
She filled one Portabella Mushroom with it and covered the meat with syu-mai “skin strips”.

She steamed the whole, then. Interestingly enough, a lot of juices oozed out of it (she steamed syu-mai with the juices later!)!

We cut it carefully once out of the steamer.

Simple, juicy and very tasty!

For the second recipe the Missus decided to prepare it French/Italian style.
Instead of steaming it, she put the portabella Mushroom stuffed with the same syu-mai filling on a little olive oil on a non-stick pan but with nothing on top at first. She kept a glass lid over the fry pan so as not let juices evaporate. She fried it for a little while before adding some white wine and covering it with the lid again. Once the filling was cooked she placed cheese and tomato sauce on top and cooked it until the cheese has spread down to the bottom of the pan.