Category Archives: Gastronomes

Baird Beer, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/04/17): Annual Release: Temple Garden Yuzu Ale

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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Annual Release: Temple Garden Yuzu Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

We have been avid fruit beer brewers for over a decade now. It all started with the first crate of mikans handpicked and brought into our original Fishmarket Taproom brewery by the carpenter, Nagakura-san. Since then we have been incorporating local, in-season whole fruit into our brewing regimen every chance we get.

Temple Garden Yuzu Ale is one of the staple brands in our seasonal fruit beer brewing schedule. We are pleased to announce today’s release of the 2013 version.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Temple Garden Yuzu Ale 2013 (ABV 5.5%):

Yuzu is a Japanese citron fruit the aroma of which is gorgeously spicy and the flavor lemon-like tart. This sprite, snappy ale is fruited with yuzu and hopped in a complementary way with a combination of NZ Motueka, US Cascade and US Santiam varieties. Small additions of wheat and rye to the malt grist help accentuate the piquant and aromatic character of the yuzu fruit. We add the fresh fruit in two forms (as peel shavings and as freshly squeezed juice) and at two separate stages (one at wort production before primary fermentation and one during beer maturation before packaging and secondary fermentation). Thus, we achieve a nuanced depth and complexity of yuzu flavor as well an exquisite fruit bouquet. Temple Garden Yuzu Ale is a perfect spring libation.

Temple Garden Yuzu Ale is available for immediate release in both kegs and bottles (360 ml). It begins pouring from the taps of our Taproom pubs on Thursday, April 18. Be sure to come in and enjoy a pint while quantities last.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fujieda City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Shidaizumi Brewery-Nyan Cup Junmai Ginjo

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Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City has the particularity to be the first to produce a sake in a cup with the name “Nyan/Pussy” character painted on the glass cup.

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Both the name “Nyan Cup” and the design are registered copyrights! The fact it is directly “painted” on the cup make it impossible to copy!

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Yes, this cute design is copyrighted!

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And it is certainly not a cheap sake!

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Although the marketed price is ridiculously low!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki 100%
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: 0
Alcohol: 15.8 degrees
Contents: 180 ml
Bottled in February 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Dry and fruity. Rice, white lees, banana
Body: Fluid
Tasting: Very fruity attack backed by junmai petillant.
Elegant and complex.
Lingers on very little and departs on a very soft note.
Pears, melon, almonds, hints of banana.
Changes little with food but for a little more pronounced dryness.

Overall: Absolutely extravagant for a sake cup sake. I would venture as far as to averring it is arguably the best sake sold in a cup in japan!
It would make for the perfect souvenir/present to a sake-loving lady! Now, if she does like cats, you’ll become a darling!
The soft elegance will appeal to any true sake lover. Almost sweet by Shizuoka standards.
Don’t bring too many with you! Danger! LOL!
I personally consider it as a great aperitif lightly chilled!
Next time I go to France, I’ll take a bunch with me!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

BULA KANA in Fiji
Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 農業, Food, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Fruit, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Dessert: Green Unripe Peaches Tart 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.

Peach growers in Japan proceed through a lot of thinning (fruit pruning) in early Spring to keep and develop only the best fruit. But all those unripe green peaches are not wasted and find their way into many recipes!

Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん at french Restaurant Pissenlit in Shizuoka City has found a great way to accommodate them as a scrumptious dessert!

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Green unripe peaches tart!

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Toru cook the small green peaches in compote first and places over marzipan inside a tart made of pate sucree and coats them with a thin layer of translucent jelly of his own.

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The beautiful caramel ice cream and creme anglaise make for the perfect marriage!

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And the Shizuoka-grown organic flowers are not only beautiful but edible!

i forgot to mention that I sampled with beauty with coffee during a short visit to talk business with Toru!

My waist line is going to scream but I don’t care!

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Iwata City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Senju Brewery-“Kiwami” O karakuchi + 20 Honjozo

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The toji/brew master in Senju Brewery, Iwata City, is the only Echigo School toji in Shizuoka Prefecture and it shows when creating limited brews!

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This is a very dry sake even by Shizuoka dry standards!
Incidentally “kiwami/極” means “very good”!

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At + 20 it must be a record here or very near it!

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Rice milled down to 65%
Alcohol: 14~15 degrees (low alcohol)
Bottled in March 2013

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Fragrant, dry, oranges, banana, pineapple.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very dry attack but very fruity and easy to drink.
Warms up back of the palate in a gentle but insistent manner.
In spite of the elegant fruitiness the dryness tends to conceal the multiple facets of this sake which nonetheless appear on the tongue and palate once the dryness has receded.
Oranges, nuts, chestnuts, hints of coffee beans.
Lingers on only for a while.
Marries beautifully with any dish or food without interfering with the latter, almost taking a back seat.

Overall: An intriguing and very dry but still gentle sake.
Its multiple facets are difficult to catch, which entices you to the next sip and glass.
For dry sake lovers, be they ladies or gentlemen!
In spite of its dryness it is very elegant and soft as the alcohol level is somewhat low by Shizuoka standards.
Makes for a mysterious love affair with dark chocolate!
I personally think you could eminently enjoy it on its own at any temperature or with any food, be it a vegetable appetizer, a meat stew or a dessert.
A sure value!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Bars, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/04/05): Spring Seasonal Releases: Second Strike Apple Ale & Basil Brown Ale

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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Spring Seasonal Releases: Second Strike Apple Ale & Basil Brown Ale

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Welcome to spring. Life’s budding renewal is evident all around us here in Japan. It’s a great time to be alive! As brewers we celebrate this gift of life with Beer. Today we are releasing two spring seasonal treats that highlight nature’s varied and abundant bounty: Second Strike Apple Ale and Basil Brown Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Second Strike Apple Ale (5.5%):

The concept, together with the succulent Nagano prefecture apples, for this brisk and refreshing fruited ale, brewed for a fourth consecutive year, was provided by our friends at the Harajuku-based company Alias. In order to highlight most effectively the wonderful all-natural flavors of our Nagano-grown red apples we incorporate only base malts in the grist and we mash long and low in order to maximize fermentability and achieve high attenuation. This renders the beer dry and a touch cider-like. The hopping is low and neutral (15 IBUs from two additions of low-alpha Vanguard hops) so as to not interfere with the apple character. We add the fresh apples, sliced and minced, to the wort twice (once during the boil and once in the whirlpool) and to the green beer once (in the conditioning tank before packaging and secondary fermentation).

Second Strike Apple Ale begins pouring from the taps of our Taproom pubs today and is available for immediate shipment (kegs and bottles) to Japan-based Baird Beer retailers.

*Basil Brown Ale (5%):

The hop is the herb that garners all the glory in beer today. It was not always thus. There was a time long ago before the hop that beer (often known as gruit) was spiced and flavored with a panoply of herbs. Craft brewers world-wide are today busy revisiting these traditions of ex-hop herb brewing.

We are no exception. Fortunately for us we have amongst us a passionate herb home-gardener in the person of draught beer manager Chris Madere. Last year, if you recall, we used some of Chris’ home-grown dill in our Dill Porter. This year, the botanical beer man brought me a bag full of garden basil, sun-dried. What’s a brewmaster to do but formulate a beer recipe?

Basil Brown Ale is the result. Aside from the nice illiteration in the name, I liked the idea of combining the soft, bready, caramel-accented notes of an English-style brown ale with the spicy and slightly minty herb character of the basil. Subtlety and nuanced balance, of course, are the key. This we have achieved with Basil Brown Ale!

Basil Brown Ale is a small-batch real ale which is being poured exclusively through the handpumps of our Taproom pubs. It won’t last long so make haste to the Taproom nearest you.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Culture, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Eating on the cheap in Japan: Maccaroni in Shizuoka Railway Station!

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Returning from a short business trip to France last Tuesday it struck me that life had become more expensive in my home country than in Japan!
This was more acutely felt when I walked past some restaurants inside (big) Shizuoka Railway Station, especially when their food is regularly shown outside with very fine plastic models often offering a more trustful image than pictures on menus!

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I thought it might be a good idea to talk about the cheaper but still good food available in this country and Shizuoka. I will try and show you a few examples in the days to come. After all not anyone can afford great sushi everyday!
The place I’m introducing today is called Maccaroni with 2 “C’s” and is an “Italian” restaurant cum cafe.
It is very easy to find in one of the alleys in Asty building leading to the entrances to the tracks.
As for prices count 120 yen per Euro or 94 yen to the dollar (that might change a little in the future as the Euro is falling down!)

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A pint of beer costs between 390 and 490 yen and (small) glasses of wine for 290 yen!

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Mozzarella cheese, Basil and tomato sauce spaghetti for 790 yen and Bolognese style spaghetti in stewed sauce for 840 yen.
All prices are tax included.

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About 20cm wide pizzas:
Margherita for 940 yen and Chorizo and meat sauce for 990 yen.

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Oven-baked casserole of escargots and mushrooms in garlic and basil sauce for 820 yen, large oven-baked cheese-stuffed eggplant for 720 yen and and Italian raw ham with Grissini for 790 yen.

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Antipasti misto salad. seafood spaghetti and soft drink for 1290 yen.

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Tomato, mozzarella cheese Caprese salad for 720 yen and and fresh fish carpaccio for 620 yen. Now, that is cheap even in Japan!

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For the beer lovers:
Fish and chips for 720 yen, seafood fritters for 620 yen, fried potato and onion rings for 720 yen.

Coming soon with another place in the same area soon!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism, 寿司

Sushi Restaurant: Dinner at Sushi Ko (Spring 2013) in Shizuoka City!

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Sushi “Charlotte Cake”!

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake and shochu

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Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん at work!

The beauty of true great sushi is that it follows the seasons and the sea catches.
It is not that evident in the large metropolises where sushi is more or less “disguised”, but here in Shizuoka with a constant and abundant supply to complement seafood coming from other shores we are never short of new discoveries and truly extravagant sushi gastronomy and this at comparatively reasonable prices!

To cut a long story short let me have the pleasure to show you what Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん served us during a “short visit” the other day!

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Sazae/Turbo Shell salad as a snack with the first drink!

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Anago yaki/grilled conger eel served basted with its tare/sauce!

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Of course served with plenty of freshly grated wasabi from Utogi, Shizuoka City!

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As it is! So fresh and delicious!

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Shirako yaki/Grilled cod sperm sacs!

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With a texture similar to foie gras!

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Chef Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん’s specialty: Sushi Charlotte Cake as as an imitation of a French Charlotte Cake!

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The little details that show the great attention!

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The cake itself conceived with salmon and tuna strips!

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Extravagant ikura/salmon roe topping!

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Exploring the insides of the “cake” with avocado, cucumber and so forth!

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Hotate/Scallops nigiri sushi!

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One of my favorites: Tachiuo/Scabbard fish sushi nigiri lightly seared, topped with momijioroshi/daikon with chili pepper and seasoned with ponzu!

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A favorite everywhere in Japan: Negitoro Maki/Roll containing grated tuna and chopped scallions!

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For a closer look!

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Now, what’s inside this small pot?

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As a hot “salted” dessert: Chyawanmushi/Japanese-style steamed salted pudding!

To be continued…. You bet!

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Baird Beer, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, 酒, 観光, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/03/20): Lucky 7 Stout Month’s Newest Release: Black Smoke Stout

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Lucky 7 Stout Month’s Newest Release: Black Smoke Stout

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

All stouts share an obvious common trait: they are black in color. They also share a more subtle one: namely, a slightly smokey character. Both of these common traits derive from the use of highly kilned malts and raw grains in the brewing of stouts.

Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Black Smoke Stout (6.5%):

In the case of Black Smoke Stout, we build upon the subtle smokiness derived from the used of highly kilned black malt, as well as roasted wheat and barely, by adding an additional and completely different source of smoke character — German 2-row base malt that has been dried (smoked) over a beechwood fire.

The intertwining of these two separately derived smoke characters is so complete that it is impossible to distinguish where one begins and the other ends. The overall impression that Black Smoke Stout will leave upon the drinker can be described in just a few words – silky, velvety-smooth smoke.

Black Smoke Stout begins pouring from our Taproom taps today (Wednesday, March 20). It is available for immediate release (bottles and kegs) to all Baird Beer retailing outlets in Japan. For those of you drinking a Black Smoke Stout at one of our Taprooms, be sure to get your Lucky Seven Stout Card stamped. You will be only one stout away (Great American Stout) from completing the card and earning yourself a free Baird Beer shirt.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Ecology, Environment, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, wasabi, 山葵

Wasabi Grower: Masahiro Sugiyama/杉山昌弘 in Umegashima, Shizuoka City!

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Masahiro Sugiyama/杉山正浩!

Shizuoka City, in Utogi for that matter, is the birthplace of wasabi. But the city itself is very large, the second largest city in Japan, area wise, and wasabi is grown in many other spots along the Abe River in particular.

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my chef friends and I had to drive a long way up as proved by the snow still clinging to the mountains in the background. Actually these mountains are still part of Shizuoka City!

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This is still much rural traditional Japan as typified by the Sugiyamas’family farmhouse!

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It still took us one more mire to meet Masahiro’s family busy harvesting wasabi in their fields at 600 meter-altitude!
As Masahiro is the third generation as far as wasabi is concerned (he also grows tea, shiitake, konyaku roots and so on) you can see the second generation represented by his parents and the 4th generation in the person of his daughter still studying at Agricultural University in Hokkaido!

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The wasabi fields which have to be protected from monkeys, wild boars, deer and other pests!

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These wasabi which take about 12 to 18 months to grow from seedlings are almost ready for harvest which is conducted all year round.

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Wasabi seedling

Wasabi culture is organic when sawa wasabi/fresh running water wasabi is concerned.
Masahiro, for better protection against disease and insects prefers to buy his seedlings from a nearby grower than to make his own seedlings.

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Uprooting and cleaning the fresh wasabi.

Wasabi culture is a tough job daily conducted whatever the temperature although the water has a constant temperature between 12 and 16 degrees all year round.

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Seedlings recently replanted.

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The wasabi fields water is directly pumped from the Abe River flowing along.

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We are not far from the source of the Abe River and the water here is pure and untouched!

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But for the wasabi fields this is wild country here!

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If it were not for the blue tents you wouldn’t know that agriculture is conducted there!
I can assure you that all protection is needed as we discovered whole groups of monkeys prowling nearby!

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Only a single narrow road, recently paved, gives access!

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It is still winter up there!

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Those “steps/dams” were built a long time ago and they don’t interfere with the purity of the water.

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Not only the roots of these wasabi but also the leaves and stems are very popular with the local chefs who order directly from Masahiro Sugiyama according to their own specifications!

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Another big crop of the precious vegetable!

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Ready to to the farmhouse!

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For a clsoder look!

These will be cleaned and separated in roots, stems and leaves and even flowers which are all edible!

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Now this was a great discovery: wild cress growing in the same water!
We all took batches back home! So sweet and crunchy! You will find such at supermarkets!

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More hard work back at the farm where all the roots, stems, leaves and flowers have to be separated, cleaned and packed for immediate delivery!

No wonder these beauties fetch such a price (mind you, they are comparatively cheap here!)!

SUGIYAMA NOEN/SUGIYAMA FARM
Masahiro Sugiyama, Wasabi Grower
421-2301 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Umegashima, 5504
Tel.: 054-269-2420
Fax: 054-269-2450
Mobile: 090-8376-3854
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
E-mail: kanesima@grape.piala.or.jp

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Baird Beer, Bars, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/03/15): Stout Month Seasonal Releases — Mama’s Milk Stout & Luck of the Irish Red Ale; St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Stout Month Seasonal Releases — Mama’s Milk Stout & Luck of the Irish Red Ale; St. Patrick’s Day Celebration

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Our Lucky Seven Stout Month celebration continues with today’s release of two more seasonal brews: Mama’s Milk Stout and Luck of the Irish Red Ale.

Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Mama’s Milk Stout (4.5%):


Milk Stout is a stout of moderate gravity and alcohol that is brewed with a portion of milk sugar (lactose). This lactose is not fermentable by brewer’s yeast and thus remains in the beer after fermentation, contributing to the body and mouthfeel of the beer. Milk Stout was once thought to be a beer good for nursing mothers. The flavor is certainly one that makes the imbiber feel wholesomely nourished.

Mama’s Milk Stout is now pouring from our Taproom taps and is available for immediate release (bottles and kegs) to Baird Beer retailers throughout Japan.

*Luck of the Irish Red Ale (4.5%):

We brew this malt-laden, biscuity red ale each year to mark the celebration of St. Patrick’s day (March 17). This year we have brewed it on our large system and thus have bottles and kegs to release to the general Japan beer market. Luck of the Irish Red Ale will be pulled from our Taproom handpumps beginning tonight (Friday, March 15).

Please note our St. Patrick’s Day Taproom celebration on Sunday, March 17. Our Taproom kitchens will be serving some special Irish pub cuisine and we will be toasting Ireland’s patron saint all day long with 500 yen pints of Luck of the Irish Red Ale and Shimaguni Stout (our year-round Irish-style dry stout).

We look forward to seeing you.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Buckwheat, 美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Soba, Tourism, Vegan, Vegetarian cuisine

Soba Restaurant: Tsudono in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Very kind and a bit shy
Equipment & Facilities: Spotless clean. Superb washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Soba! Very Japanese atmosphere.

Soba or buckwheat noodles must be one of the healthiest staple food in this world.
And it complies with almost with any dietary requirements be they those of vegans, vegetarians, gluten-free dieters and what else!
And to top it all it is simply delicious!

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The other day after interviewing a local wasabi grower in Umegashima, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, my chef friends and I decided to visit a local soba restaurant up in the mountains among farms.
You certainly need a navigator to drive there!

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The windows of Tsudono Restaurant overlook a landscape of fields, farms and mountains, and nothing else!

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Very traditional atmosphere where you can sit either at a table and chair or on the tatami straw floor!

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Definitely worth looking at in detail, even the superb washroom!
And it is all non-smoking!

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Don’t forget to take your shoes off before venturing on the beautiful parquet!

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Ordering is very simple:
They serve only one kind of soba and one miso yaki!

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Mind you, they have no less than three kinds of Japanese sake available!
Don’t forget that not so long ago people had to go to the local soba shop to drink Japanese sake!

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Your simple but beautiful tray served with soba tsuyu/soupstaock, chopped scallions, grated daikon and grated local wasabi!

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Delicious miso yaki to go with our beer!
Miso yaki, a typical offering at a good soba restaurant is a mixture of miso and buckwheat grilled on a wooden spoon! A must-try!

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Don’t forget to mix these ingredients in the tusyu/stock soup before dipping your buckwheat noodles!

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The soba are made on the day only, served exclusively at lunch and the restaurant will close as soon as the soba have been all served! So come early!

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Pour plenty of soba-yu/water in which the soba were cooked/ in your soupstock vessel to make a very healthy drink!

TSUDONO Zaru Soba
421-2121 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tsudono, 514-2
Tel.: 054-294-1005
Opening hours: 11:00~15:00 or until the soba are sold out!
Closed on Mondays (except on National Holidays)
Car parking available
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

Baird Beer, Bars, Beer, Beer Brewery, 美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2013/03/08): Seasonal Stout Release — Midnight Oil Export Stout; Lucky 7 Stout Month in Full Swing

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Seasonal Stout Release — Midnight Oil Export Stout; Lucky 7 Stout Month in Full Swing

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

March is the month that we at Baird Brewing celebrate the dark side of the beer world — stout ales! Lucky 7 Stout Month is in full swing at all of our Taproom pubs. Today we are pleased to announce the Japan-wide release of one of our annually brewed seasonal stouts: Midnight Oil Export Stout.

Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Midnight Oil Export Stout (6.7%):

Export stouts generally are rich and roasty in flavor, moderately high in alcohol strength, and sport some noticeable hop character (normally registering in terms of bitterness and flavor). Baird Midnight Oil Export Stout enjoys a complexly layered roasted malt (barley & wheat) character that is balanced beautiful by a kiss of caramel sweetness. A firm, straightforward hop flavor rounds this stout into perfect condition.

Midnight Oil Export Stout is available for immediate release in both kegs and bottles (360 ml). It begins pouring from our Taproom pub taps tonight (Friday, March 8).

An additional stout not to be missed, and part of our Lucky 7 Stout Month celebration, is now being pulled exclusively through our Taproom handpumps — Smoke & Fire Stout (5% abv and brewed with Habanero peppers from draught beer manager Chris’ garden). The base malt used in Smoke & Fire is completely beachwood smoked malt from Germany. As the smoke vanishes, a kiss of Habanero fire appears — not enough to burn, just enough to excite and captivate.

Taproom Events:
*Lucky 7 Stout Month at all four Taproom Pubs:

The month-long celebration of stout ales at our Taproom pubs began last weekend at the Morning Coffee Stout brunch. It continues all month long. Below are the Taproom release dates for the stouts on our Lucky 7 menu:

Morning Coffee Stout (3/2)
Smoke & Fire Stout (3/6)
Midnight Oil Export Stout (3/8)
Mama’s Milk Stout (3/15)
Shimaguni Stout as well as Luck of the Irish Red Ale (3/17 – St. Patrick’s Day)
Black Smoke Stout (3/20 – national holiday)
Great American Stout (3/25)
Be sure to pick up a Lucky 7 Stout stampcard at a Taproom counter. The card contains punches for all seven stouts plus one for Luck of the Irish Red Ale. All patrons who complete the full card by the end of the month will receive a free Baird Beer shirt (you may choose among our several styles).

Additionally, each Taproom will be featuring special menu items to match the stout styles on draught. Come in and taste for yourself the diversity inherent in this iconic beer style.

*Bashamichi Taproom Live (CODE); Saturday, March 9 from 8:00 pm:

CODE was a band formed by an eclectic group of young expat teachers in Numazu back around 2000. They were Fishmarket Taproom regulars and early Baird Beer fans. More importantly, they were passionate about their music. This passion came through not just in the quality of the music, but in the creativity and originality too.

Most of the guys have moved from Numazu and work as professionals in and around Tokyo. We are pleased to bring that back together as a musical entity which will be performing live at our Bashamichi Taproom this Saturday evening. Sayuri and I will be there in full groupie mode, rocking ourselves back down memory lane. Please join us.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka City, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Izakaya Gastronomy: Bu-Ichi in Shizuoka City!

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Watarigani/ワタリガニ/Swimming crabs from Suruga Bay!

Service: Very friendly and easy-going
Equipment: Very clean overall. Spacious and beautiful toilets
Prices: reasonable to slightly expensive, but very good value!
Strong points: Extensive use of local land and sea products. Great sake and drinks in general!

Izakaya gastronomy is THE gastronomy of Japan.
It comes at different levels and prices from the cheap small food stands to some elaborate establishments with the consequent prices.
If one truly wants to discover local food and ingredients just visit the many izakayas you are bound to find anywhere in Japan!
Now, in Shizuoka, as we are blessed (and that officially!) with the largest number of varieties of land and sea food in Japan, it becomes a delightful headache as to which place to patronize.
Even so, Bu Ichi in Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City stands head and shoulders above most izakayas in town and prefecture and a lot of regular customers from all status have more than often to battle for a seat!

Alright, let me show you what Takeshi Satoh/佐藤武史 prepared for our short dinner the other day!

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A lot of attention is brought to the smallest details!

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The o-tooshi/snack served with the first drink: Simmered daikon with na no hana/rape flowers!

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Avery rare (there were only two available that day!) watarigani/swimming crab caught in the Western part of Suruga Bay! One half for each of us two!

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Loads of tender meat!

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Including the brains of the crab! Truly extravagant!

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Sashimi assortment all from Shizuoka!

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Katsuo/Bonito with grated ginger and chopped scallions!

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Madai/True seabream!

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Boiled tako/octopus served with grated Shizuoka wasabi!

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A favorite of mine: Kujira/whale!

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The leaf at the back is a wasabi leaf!

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More tender and tastier than beef!

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Deep-fried oysters in panko/breadcrumbs!

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True oyster lover must sample that!

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Now what does that splendid tempura consist of?

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Sardine wrapped in shiso/perilla accompanied with some fukinotou/Giant butterbur or fuki bog rhubarb, a wild winter vegetable!

And that was for the first part of the night, but I can guarantee you we shall come back soon for a full dinner!

Bu-Ichi/武市
Chef/Owner: Takeshi Satoh/佐藤武史
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-6-10, Dai 2 Matsunaga Bldg. 2F
Tel.: 054-2521166
Business hours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations advisable
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, 美食, Drinks, 酒, 観光, 農業, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Tourism

Food & Drinks Bloggers in Japan (updated March 2013)

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The number of foreigners and Japanese nationals who write about the food and drinks in Japan in English (or at least answer comments in English) has remarkably increased lately.
I thought it was about time to start some kind of round-up to help people discover these deserving foodies and their blogs!The list below is far from exhaustive, but I’m planning to update and announce it regularly!
Of course if you know more foodies residing in Japan, do please direct them to me and I will introduce them gladly!

HOKKAIDO TRIBE
(Hokkaido Island)
Meishu no Yutaka by Carlin
The Best of Sapporo by Ben!

TOHOKU TRIBE
(Northeastern Japan: Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi, Akita, Yamagata, Fukushima)
Cooking with Mama Miyuki in Sendai
Slow Food From Japan by Nigel Fodgen in Miyagi Prefecture.

KANTO TRIBE
(Eastern Japan: Ibaraki, Tochigi, Gunma, Saitama, Chiba, Tokyo, Kanagawa)
Japan Eat’s Videos
Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton
Watch Japan in Tokyo
Little Japan Mama in Tokyo
Japan Eats (featured on request)
47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities By Sara and Roshni in Tokyo
Eating Out in Tokyo with DominicTokyo Through The Drinking Glass by Melinda Joe in Tokyo
Tokyo Foodcast by Etsuko Nakamura in Tokyo
Sake World by John Gauntner in Tokyo: The inernational Reference for Japanese Sake!
Tokyo Terrace by Rachael in Tokyo
Gaijin Tonic in Tokyo and Kanagawa Prefecture
Nonjatta by Chris Bunting in Tokyo
The Soul Of Japan in Kanagawa Prefecture
Sake, kimono and Tabi In Tokyo
Tokyo Kawai, Etc… in Tokyo
Blue Lotus in Tokyo
The Japanese Food Report by Harris Salat in Tokyo
The Sake Chronicles in Tokyo
Watashi to Tokyo by Mari Kanazawa in Tokyo
Japanese Food-Food Lover’s Guide by Yukari Yamamoto in Tokyo
Gaijin Life by a Canadian gentleman in Tokyo
Leo’s Japan Food Blog in Tokyo
Eating Out In Tokyo With Jon
Fugu Tabetai in Tokyo
Japan Style in Tokyo
COCO’s Oriental Kitchen by angela Cooper in Tokyo
Free Online Japanese Food Recipes in Tokyo
Reminiscence in Tokyo
Cooking Japanese Style By Naoko, in Tokyo
Japan Farmers Market in Tokyo by Joan

CHUBU TRIBE
(Central Japan: Niigata, Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Yamanashi, Nagano, Gifu, Shizuoka, Aichi)
Good Beer & Country Boys in Aichi Prefecture
Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonbayashi in Shizuoka City!
Damonde Life by Matt Ryan in Hamamatsu & Enshu, shizuoka Prefecture
Mangantayon in Shizuoka Prefecture
Shizuoka Gourmet, Shizuoka Sake, Shizuoka Sushi, Shizuoka Shochu in Shizuoka Prefecture
Bryan Baird’s Beer & Brewery in Numazu in Shizuoka Prefecture
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Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
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Colorfood Daidokoro in Osaka (Englis & French)
Dominique Corby In Osaka (in French, but can answer and read in English)
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RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

レシピ, Bistro, 美食, 野菜, 静岡市, 観光, 農業, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Non-smoking restaurants, Panckakes, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

American Gastronomy: Pancakes at Takajyo PANCAKES in Shizuoka City!

2 Comments

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Service: Smiling and attentive
Equipment & Facilities: Overall very clean. Superb wasroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Pancakes! Local vegetables. Healthy food.

As opposite to crepes which are French, pancakes must be definitely part of American gastronomy unless the British claim it first!
Now, if such a simple comfort food can be created and presented as gastronomic health food, I shall be the first to enjoy it despite my Gallic origins!

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Only 1 minute walk from Cenova Department Store on the right side of Kitakaido Street it is within very easy access!

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Takajyo PANCAKE is the first pancake-specialized restaurant in Shizuoka and is owned by Cafe Studio @ Shizuoka!

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And the restaurant is all non-smoking!
If you absolutely wish to indulge in your life-threatening habit, you may smoke in the back-yard terrace which is completely locked out in the cold, and that with some restrictions!

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The environment is simply spotless clean!

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You are constantly reminded of the menu offerings on samll screens and the music is all soft American jazz!

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Very cute menus for lunch!
Actually the place is open all day!
And you may indulge in drinking all day, too!

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Don’t worry if you can’t read Japanese…..

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The picture menus will make your choice easy!

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The lunch menus include a soup and a soft drink!
Let’s dicover some of their offerings!

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All vegetables, including those in soups and salads are all local and suprbly fresh!

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Great and tasty hot comfort for the winter!

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The black tea is actually made in Kawane, Shizuoka Prefecture!

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Herb pancake set lunch !

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Seasoned with a delicious herb dressing!

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Beautiful and crunchy salad!

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All this smoked salmon and vegetables are so healthy!
Mind you, it is highly satisfying!

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Actually, most of the leaf vegetables are also organic!

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And a beautiful soft-boiled egg (local) for exquisite balance!

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Millefeuille pancake lunch set!
I suppose any truly gastronomic American diner meust feature something in French on their menu! LOL

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Beautiful salad again!

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French “Millefeuille” sounds better than British “sandwich#! LOL

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Home-made roast beef!

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Now if you have some space left, try the mini pancake dessert set!

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I’m sure you will be tempted!

Who said there was no such thing as American gastroonomy?

See you at dinner next as there is a lot more to discover!

Takajyo PANCAKES by Cafe Studio
420-0839 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 1-3-2
Tel.: 054-266-4804
HOMEPAGE
E-mail: cafe-s@rx.tnc.ne.jp
Opening hours: 11:30~21:30
Closed on Tuesdays
Cards OK (from April 2013)

NON-SMOKING… unless you wish to feel like a recluse locked outside!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City