Category Archives: Japan

野菜, 野菜亭, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Seaweed, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan’s Paradise in Shizuoka: Yasaitei!

April 28, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities: Very clean overall. Superb toilets.
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Great choice of local & Japanese vegetables. Kansai-style oden. All traditional ladies staff in tradtional izakaya. Good wines, shochu and sake List.

Spring is a boon for an izakaya like Yasaitei which specializes in vegetable cuisine (although you can get anything from fish to meat). Although I’m not, it is always great fun to ask for vegan or vegetarian dishes to Ms. Aki Suzuki/鈴木朋, chef at Yasaitei.

As vegetables are only seasonal, it is a good idea to sit at the counter and have a good look at them:

I will let you guess them out (mind you, it is not too difficult!)!

Enormous, aren’t they?

Local, fresh and big!

While I was teasing Aki San I was brought my snack with my first drink.

This seaweed is called “mekabu/和布蕪”. It is found in the shape of balls in the nearby sea and has to be chopped first before serving it with some ponzu and sesame seeds. It is said to be extremely healthy, full of nutrients and especially beneficial to humans! After all, seaweed is the vegetable of the ocean!

As for my drink I chose a rice shochu, brewed by Hana no Mai Brewery in Hamamatsu City, called Acho no Tsubome.
Incidentally, this shochu is vegan! And the art so cute!

I was not here for a full dinner but for a quick snack before going back to work.
So Aki san fried shiitake mushrooms, tomatoes and plenty of Spring cabbage in peperocino style and served them decorated with local fresh cress.

For such cuisine Aki San will use only absolutely top-class Italian virgin olive oil and a minimum of seasoning, mainly salt, pepper and chili so as to preserve the true taste of the vegetables.
Let me show you some closer shots for a better look!

From the top.

From the top, a little bit closer.

A side view.

And another.

Although she cooks all kinds of dishes, including omnivore, Aki San will be glad to oblige and devise strictly vegan or vegetarian dishes for you and even a full meal if requested at least a day in advance!

YASAITEI/野菜亭
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-Cho, 1-6-2 Green Heights Wamon 1-C
Tel.: 054-2543277
Business hours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended
Seating: 6 at counter + 12 at tables
Set Courses: 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 yen
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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茶, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tea

Green Tea: Shizuoka First Auctions in 2011

April 25, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Tea growers are early-risers!
Since Marufuku Tea Factory (Shizuoka City) in the person of Ms. Asami Itoh/伊藤麻美 had kindly invited me to attend and interview at the official first day of the new tea auctions (officially) held today (April 25th) I found myself the only European (journalist) present at the early hour of 6:30 a.m.!

The event was held at the simply named Shizuoka Tea Building whose premises, inside and outside, were already crowded to the limit!

More than a participant was glad to buy and grab some breakfast/brunch (Japanese-style!)!

Another even bigger project called CHA 88 (coming report!) took the opportunity to advertise itself!

This event held by the whole of Shizuoka Prefecture was inaugurated on the 23rd!

One could enjoy the sight and demonstration of tea massage by an expert!

As a special guest I was wearing a cap with Marufuku Tea Factory written on it (the only journalist offered the privilege that day!)!

All the names of the union member tea companies for an easy check!

A map describing the diffrent tea producing regions of Shizuoka Prefecture!

And plenty of explanations on the different tea varieties!

The official “tea Ladies” of the day! Pretty, aren’t they?

Even the “big guns” had come early: Shizuoka Governor Kawakatsu!

And the new 49-year old Shizuoka City Mayor Tanabe!

This was before the “official speeches”. People got very serious then!

As for the press, TV and other journalists, this was open war! I can’t say I was impressed with their manners… And people think that the Japanese are the epitome of politeness…

The auction room was divided into regions/territories (in Japanese parlance!) for good order!

Now for real business:
The blue caps are for individual sellers, the yellow ones for buyers and the green ones for the JA and other big government-controlled farm cooperatives.

Hard bargaining!

Checking the samples and their price tags!

A sample of fairly good tea.

17,000 yen a kg. Quite high for a cooperative in Fuji City!

All transactioins and bargaining done with old-fashioned abacus/”soroban” in Japanese. A very practical system, actually!

Marufuku Tea Factory’s Tea Master seemed pretty happy with business!

There are some great pictures to be taken at such an event!

Note: This year’s tea is of a very good standard as opposite to last year’s disappointing crops!

Next report will be in the tea-fields picking up the Ichiban Cha (First leaves of the year)!

Marufuku Tea Factory
420-0006 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Wakamatsu, Cho, 25
Tel.: 054-271-2011
Fax: 054-271-2010
Mobile: 090-3250-4188

CHA-O (Director, Ms. Asami Itoh)
420-0006 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Wakamatsu Cho, 94
Tel: 054-253-8421
Fax: 054-253-8413
HOMEPAGE

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Chicken, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Soba, Soba Restaurant, Sugii Brewery, Tourism, vegetables

Soba Restaurant: Soba Sake Kawakatsu

April 24, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Friendly
Equipment: traditional. Clean. Beautiful toilets
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Very fresh ingredients. Most ingredients not only local but sef-grown or self-raised! Local sake and shochu!
entirely non-smoking!

Mototsugu Kawabe/河辺基次, after graduating from the celebrated Kyoto University decided to go back to its roots and help with his parents’ soba shop in Fujieda City. But he did so with a remarkable difference!

Mototsugu and his parents.

First of all, like many young people of his generation, he decided to go “local” as much as possible.

Choose you cup for your sake!

But he went one and two steps ahead: The soba served at the their restaurant are all made with buckwheat he grows himself in Fujieda City!

Yamahai Junmai by Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City!

He also grows most of the vegetables used at their restaurant and all the chicken served there comes from an average of 240 Ikkoku Shamo Chickens, a very valauble species in the whole of Japan, as they also specialize in chicken served with their soba and also in yakitori. He must be a rarity not only in Shizuoka Prefecture but in the whole of Japan for taking the pains of using so many local ingredients!

Japanese and expats alike will grow fond of the place for its traditional Japanese atmosphere!

A bottle bag from Sugii Brewery, Fujieda City! Soba Sake Kawakatsu serves no les than 6 of their brews!

I’m sure you will get tempted to take the bottle out and ask it to be filled!

As it was my first (and certainly not the last!) visit, I knew what to ask for: Ikkokoku Shamo (Chicken) eiro (chicken in stock with large leeks) Soba!

The soba are made with 100% own buckwheat!

One dips his/her soba in the broth and eats the leeks and chicken in between!

The dashi Tamago Yaki/出し卵焼き is made with the eggs of the same chickens!

Beautiful both in looks and taste!
I know quite a few expat friends who would travel all the way for it!

The restaurant serves not only 6 different sake from Sugii Brewery in Fujieda but also 3 different shochu from the same brewery!
The above shochu was made with buckwheat grown by Mr. Kawabe!

Kawakatsu Buckwheat shochu private label bottle!

蕎麦酒　/sobashyu means buckwheat shochu!

An to appreciate and finish my shochu. a beautiful plate of “okamisan no nuka zuke”/vegetables pickled in rice bran by his Mother!

Next time, see you there for dinner!

Sake Soba Kawakatsu
426-0034, Fujieda Shi, Eki mae, 1-8-4
Tel./Fax: 054-645-1770
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~22:00
Closed on Mondays, 1st & 3rd Tuesdays

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野菜, French gastronomy, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Cuisine: Shizuoka Agricultural Products at Bistro Gawa!

April 12, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Friendly
Facilities: old but very clean. Very clean washroom!
Prices: very reasonable
Strong points: excellent French cuisine without ostentation. Great local products from the land and the sea
entirely non-smoking!

People and restaurants in Mishima City in eastern Shizuoka Prefecture are lucky!
Mishima and the mountains of West Hakone is a paradise for vegetable growers and organic agriculture in general!

Bistro Gawa is located inside an old unpretentious building just near the Mishima Hitokoji Station (Izu Hakone Private Line)

Although it is perched on the second floor you can’t miss it with its very visible menu boards before opening and

and after opening!

Make a point to look at the specialties of the day!
Not that they do not use any artificial taste additive!

Once inside you know what kind of cuisine to expect!
It is a small place with only 12 seats at tables and 6 more at the counter. It is a good idea to call and reserve beforehand.

This was my first visit and as I was due to hold an interview in Shuzenji in the afternoon, I took the opportunity to take my lunch there. Lunch is always a good sign of what level to expect.
Although they accept any order from any menu they propose three different sets for lunch: Petite Palette (650 yen), normal lunch (1580 yen) and La Palette (1880 yen).
I chose the latter with a glass of wine I could choose from 4 different bottles.

It consisted of Jamon Serrano (Spain) atop a salad of organic greens from Hirokawa Garden and black and white rice in butter with sauteed wabuta (Japanese pork).

Cheese creme Brulee, Medai brandade (a brandade made with a local grouper), marinated mackerel and pan-fried black bass from Suruga Bay.

Non-mayonnaise potato salad and vegetables sticks, all organic from Hirokawa Garden.

Home-baked bread.

Organic Spring cabbage potage.

And the coffee was served with real milk and sugar, a clear indication of better attention in Japan!

This is only a start as there is a good menu to go through and also as I will have to visit Mishima City very regularly in the coming weeks.
See you at dinner next, then!

Bistro Gawa
411-0856, Shizuoka ken, Mishima Shi, Hirokoji Machi, 1-37, 2F
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 18:00~
Closed on Sunday, Thursday lunch and Saturday dinner
Tel.: 055-972-5040
Cards OK (+5% handling fees)

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野菜, 観光, 農業, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism, vegetables

Shizuoka Agricultural products: Italian Cuisine at Via Del Borgo!

April 7, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: professional and friendly
Facilities: Extremely clean overall and beautiful washroom
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Local products extensively used. Good Italian wine list. Private rooms available.
Private rooms can be made non-smoking with full isolation!

During the past 3 years, Via del Borgo and its Chef, Takahiko Katoh have established a solid reputation as one of the best Italian restaurants in a City and Prefecture replete with them. His secret is simple enough: top-class local products whenever possible complemented with top-class foreign ingredients and a will to experiment!

Chef Takahiko Katoh/加藤隆彦 and Manager Mieko Kozawa/小澤美江子

The service is all done with a smile great attention.
Do not hesitate to ask if something not available on the menu can be prepared for you!

The restaurant stands in a quiet district of Shizuoka City by a small park.
The place certainly looks more Italian than many!
So do come in and relax!

But before entering, do not forget to read the “Specialties of The Day” board!

On that day they had a favorite Italian wine of mine!: Mastremilio 2004 Villa Caprareccia in Toscana. Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot grapes.

Broad beans and Mozzarella Crostini for the appetizer.

The fish carpaccio was madai/真鯛/Red Seabream from the Suruga Bay with tomatoes pieces, pomegranate and violet daikon sprouts!
The whole seasoned with top-class olive oil!

The bread and others are naturally all baked in situ!

The vegetable dish was Organic vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm in Fujinomiya City. Cooked/steamed in “cocotta/heavy wrought iron pot”, they were served with a Baniacanda sauce made of anchovy, crushed garlic and olive oil!

Beautiful, aren’t they?

Chef Katoh is famous all over the city for its risotto!
There are always at 5 to choose from on his menus!
This superlative dish was made with broad beans and mozzarella!

Shizuoka Prefecture is steadily and surely establishing itself as a producer of top-class meat in Japan.
This pork comes from the west of Shizuoka Prefecture and fed with cereals: Enshyuu Mugi Ton/遠州麦豚 (“ton” for pork, “mugi” for barley or cereals, Enshyuu for the West of Shizuoka Prefecture!). A pork that many Italians would cross the seas for!

The pork and the organic vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm were simply grilled with the minimum of salt, pepper and herbs for the best flavors!
The orange “potato” is an Anno sweet potato!

We had enough for the day. The desserts will have to wait for our next visit!

VIA DEL BORGO
420-0034, Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa Cho, 3-2-7
Tel.: 054-221-7666
Business hours: 11:30~13:30, 18:00~21:00 (last orders)
Private rooms available.
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

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Bento, Ekiben, 駅弁, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Tourism, Travel, 弁当

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Suruga Komachi

April 2, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

On my way to Fujinomiya City yesterday, I took the opportunity to buy an “Ekiben/駅弁 or roughly translated a “Railway Station Bento” as I had little time to eat properly at home or at a restaurant!

Shizuoka Prefecture is a gold mine when it comes to Ekiben due to the larger than usual number of stations (I mean railway, not underground/subway as in Tokyo!). They are worth discovering as they are using mostly local ingredients.
The bentos available at Shizuoka Station are mainly prepared by Tokaiken Co.

Sorry for the fuzzy picture!
This ekiben is brand new as it was first put on sale yesterday, April 1st!
It is called “Suruga Komachi/駿河小町”. Suruga is thename of the vast bay off Shizuoka City.
It is limited to only 20 a day!

Contents, limit date, price and so on are always clearly indicated!

As you lift the lid you find that the food inside is protected with an extra piece of hard translucent paper!

Now, what did it contain?

From top. left to right
Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette, sauteed salmon, a slice of yuzu/lime, kuro hanpen/dark sardine paste/isobe age/kind of tenpura, boiled shrimp, egg plant, pickled lotus root and wasabina ohitashi/pickled wasabina.

From bottom up:
Burdock root/gobo, Boiled string bean, boiled carrot, boiled taro/sato imo, flower-shaped tofu, tofu cake and boiled kabocha.

Plain boiled rice with umeboshi furikake.

And a small sachet of Shizuoka salt and wasabi powder for extra seasoning!

Will see you again on my next trip!

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野菜, 野菜亭, 観光, 農業, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, vegetables, Yasaitei

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Hatada Garden Leaf Ginger at Yasaitei!

April 2, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Ms. Aki Suzuki/鈴木朋, chef at Yasaitei.

I said in my previous article that there are many Shizuoka products worthwhile introducing not only to the general public but also to restaurants who work hard promoting food originating from our Prefecture.
Another such place is Yasaitei in Shizuoka City!

Like in the other article, after having interviewed Toshikatsu Hatada/畑田敏克 at Hatada Garden/畑田農園 in Kuno/久能 in Shizuoka City, I called Ms. Suzuki to tell her I was bringing fresh leaf ginger and I wished her to create some dishes with it to which se immediately genially agreed! Yasatei thus the second restaurant I visited on that day!

I had my usual (I’m a regular there, too…) glass of Doman Shochu (brewed by Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery in Hamamatsu City) with a snack consisting of kogomi/こごみ/ostrich fern in sesame dressing.

Aki keeps things simple with a respect for the natural taste of ingredients.
The first serving was the leaf ginger cut and served with red miso paste. A great snack for the shochu!

Keeping in mind I wanted something light to accompany the drink, she lightly fried in olive oil and a minimum of salt and pepper thin strips of leaf ginger, bacon and strips of yellow sweet pimentoes.

Great balance between the salty taste of bacon, the sweetness of pimentoes and spiciness of the ginger!

She was back in true vegetarian mode for the last dish:

A salad of very lightly fried strips of leaf ginger and cucumber topped with thin strips of raw radishes for an interesting and slightly piquant salad!

Did I say I was enjoying my work at Agrigraph? LOL

YASAITEI/野菜亭
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-Cho, 1-6-2 Green Heights Wamon 1-C
Tel.: 054-2543277
Business hours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended
Seating: 6 at counter + 14 at tables
Set Courses: 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 yen
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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野菜, 葉生姜, 観光, 農業, Ginger, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Leaf Ginger, Mando, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, vegetables

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Hatada Garden Leaf Ginger at Mando!

April 1, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Mr. Takeshi Hirai/平井武, Manager of Mando Restaurant

There are many Shizuoka products worthwhile introducing not only to the general public but also to restaurants who work hard promoting food originating from our Prefecture.
One such place is Mando in Shizuoka City!

Mando, Neo-Japanesque Bar, is the third restaurant of the BECK Co., Ltd with Cafe & Bar Cherry Beans and World Beer Restaurant GROW STOCK.
Mando is particularly interesting to me as they serve food in tapas style and are always looking for new products.
After having interviewed Toshikatsu Hatada/畑田敏克 at Hatada Garden/畑田農園 in Kuno/久能 in Shizuoka City, I called Mr. Hirai to tell him I was bringing fresh leaf ginger and I wished him to create some dishes with it. He genially agreed and I was no my way to his restaurant!

Mr. Hirai usually does not work inside the kitchen, although he is a fully-qualified chef, but he wouldn’t let anyone taking care of a product he knew, but not that of a producer he was aware of.

He marinated some of the fresh leaf ginger into hot amazu/sweet vinegar for later use, although it could be eaten right away as a snack with a drink, which I did. beautiful combination, like eating a dessert on a stick!

The Japanese love their leaf ginger fresh as they are with some miso paste. Mr. Hirai served some to me with white sweet miso. They didn’t last long! They go well with any drink!

He then came up with sawara/鰆/Spanish Mackerel (it the season in Shizuoka right now), fried with Japanese sake and a little yuzu koshio/柚子胡椒/lime pepper paste and served with a stick of leaf ginger marinated in amazu. Perfect marriage for a great fish!

Leaf Ginger Pork Belly Roll Fritters!

The last dish was a delicacy that Japanese and expats alike would kill for!
Using thin slices of Shizuoka-bred pork belly, he wrapped them around leaf ginger before dipping them in batter. The whole were deep-fried and served with a beautiful salt and pepper mixture.

For a different view!

Decidedly, my work for Agrigraph is becoming sheer fun!

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

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Bento, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/21): Alien Face Tamagoyaki Bento!

March 31, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

I don’t know if it’s the fault of yesterday’s medical check up, but I seem to recognize “alienfaces” looking at me through the tamagoyaki!
Actually the Missus agreed when she made it this morning!

Beautiful orange-dominated colors in the “rice box” although I wish that the Missus had not forgotten sending the two detailed pictures of it.
The rice was steamed together with finely chopped carrot then mixed together once cooked and finally sprinkled with black sesame seeds.
The Missus then fried sliced zucchini to be placed under fried tuna filets topped with cheddar cheese. The finishing note was achieved with a pair of Shizuoka-grown Ameera Rubbins pearl tomatoes.

Actually you will have to look top to bottom to see the “alien faces”!

Can you see them now: two with a “nose”, the bottom one with two eyes and a very thin smiling mouth!

And now for the explanations:
Home-pickled myoga ginger and pieces of fresh ginger root from Hatada Garden in Kuno, Shizuoka City that the Missus pickled herself.
The tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette was plain with plenty of sweet boiled black beans.

As for the greens, boiled string beans in hot sesame dressing.

This bento seems light, but it wasn’t actually, what with the solid amount of rice!
Very satisfying and tasty!

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box, My Bento Box, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat; Bento Lunch Blog (German); Adventures In Bento; Anna The Red’s Bento Factory; Cooking Cute; Timeless Gourmet; Bento Bug; Ideal Meal; Bentosaurus; Mr. Foodie (London/UK); Ohayo Bento

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/20): Medical Check Up Bento!

March 30, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

A Medical Check Up Bento? My, what are we going to invent these days! LOL
Actually, it is a very simple story: this norning I had to submit myself to my annual medical check up! I’m not interested in describing all the niggles my body is having a good time with, so I’ll go straight to what the Missus concocted for me!

The rice was a straight affair: steamed, that is all. But the soft-boiled and marinated egg is a creation of the Missus. The red cucumber pickles are Kyoto-style but the leaf ginger (stick ginger) pickles are peurely local and made by a Shizuoka grower (the Missus is preparing her own with the batch I brought back from the same grower!).

The Missus must have been worried about the results of my medical check up as the pictures were definitely on the dark side. LOL

The vegetables consisted of three kinds of stir-fried pimentoes, some lettuce and deep-fried kabocha.

The Missus’ deep-fried/karaage chicken, deep-fried kabocha (interetsing taste”!) and bolide sweet black beans ( my dessert?).

Very healthy and tasty. The doctor will worry not seeing me as much as he would like to!

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Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, vegetables

Japanese Vegetables 5: Asparaguses

March 30, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

asparagus-varieties

Asparagus has been used from very early times as a vegetable and medicine, owing to its delicate flavour and diuretic properties. There is a recipe for cooking asparagus in the oldest surviving book of recipes, Apicius’s third century AD De re coquinaria, Book III. It is said that it was cultivated by the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, who ate it fresh when in season and dried the vegetable for use in winter.　It lost its popularity in the Middle Ages but returned to favour in the seventeenth century.

It is recognized in many quarters as natural medicine:
-Asparagus rhizomes and root are used ethnomedically to treat urinary tract infections, as well as kidney and bladder stones.
-Asparagus is also believed to have aphrodisiac properties (this belief is at least partially due to the phallic shape of the shoots).

FACTS:

-Season (in Japan): May~June
They are at their best March~June in the Northern Hemisphere, but can be obtained all year round thanks to state-of-the-art greenhouse cultivation.

-Analytic data (as per 100g):

Energy: 22 kcal
Water: 92.6 g
Carbohydrates: 3.9 g

Inorganic qualities:
Potassium: 270 mg
Iron: 0,7 mg
Zinc: 60 mg

Vitamins:
A alpha caroatene: 380 microg
B1: 0.14 mg
B2: 0.15 mg
B6: 0.12 mg
Leafy acid: 190 microg
C: 15 mg

Dietary fibers: 1.8 g

HEALTH FACTS:

-When combined with seaweed, or carrot, or broccoli, or spinach, provides stamina and helps combat cancer and colds.

-When combined with shellfish, or chicken, or turnips, or red-fleshed fat fish, helps combat liver problems and provides stamina.

-When combined with okra, or avocado, or celery, or garlic, heps combat cancer, high blood pressure and heart diseases.

-When combined with onion, or codfish, or tofu (especially yuba), or konnyaku/devil’s tongue tuber-elephant’s foot tuber, helps with qaulity and flow of blood, helps combat obesity and blood vessel hardening.

VARIETIES:
Most popular varieties are shown in the picture above: White, Green and “wild-style” (apeelations vary!)

asparagus-wild

Asparaguses are abundant in the wild, but they grow very quickly and get too hard for consumption.
The wild ones picked in their natural environment are my favourite as I fondly remember picking them up as a soldier in the South of France during our drills and cooking them in simple omelettes!

asparagus-violet

Violet asparaguse are very popular in any restaurants!

asparagus-mini

Mini-asparaguses are ever so popular in Japan thanks to their practical size.

TIPS:

-Choose asparaguses with a clean cutting surface. No black spots should appear.

-The darker the colour, the better. As for white asparaguses, choses with a “wet cutting”

-When storing your asparaguses in the fridge, have them stand upright in a long narrow container with their foot wrapped in wet kitchen paper. Discard bent asparaguses on the supermarket stands.

-Choose green asparaguses with the smallest possible foliage along the stems and dark tips.

-When boiling them, either boil them stading upright inside a pasta mesh container, or absolutely flat in a sauce pan. Do not bend them.

-Asparaguses are best digested when lightly fried with oil.

-If Asparaguses cannot be obtained directly from the farmer, lightly peel but keep yop half as it is to preserve Vitamins.

RECIPES:

uzu-41

Recipes are endless, but my favourite is the large green asparaguses and mozzarella gratin as prepared and served at Uzu/うず Izakaya in Shizuoka City!

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Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, 島田市

Ramen Restaurant: Tsubame in Shimada City

March 30, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Busy but friendly and smiling
Equipment & facilities: Very clean overall, excellent washroom
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: superb and generous ramen, gyoza

For all the ramen shops literally brandishing their flags and noren/shop entrance curtains, if not assailing visitors with all kinds of garish photos of their menu placarded outside, some places are so concealed that you wouldn’t find them without an insider’s information!

The full car parking lot is not much of an indication either as the only signs you will see belong to other shops!

Early queues fast forming might be the cue then…
I was lucky that my good friend Aki Suzuki from Yasaitei was on hand, what is with being in an city i still have to learn about…

The entrance is small and does not give much indication as to what is waiting for you inside…

Finally a noren with “Tsubame” written on it hung over an inside door tells you are in the right place! “Tsubame” as the motif suggests means “swallow”! It could become a good joke in English, though!

And a big picture right inside confirms it!

A busy place right from the opening at 6:30 a.m.!

You can either sut at a counter or at a table, although you might not be able to choose if the place is too busy!

Plenty of gentle staff to look after you! Tough work to look after hungry customers from 06:30 to 15:00! Yes, it is not open in the veenings, and that is rare indeed!

A simple but clean place. I did not notice anybody smoking…
The food is served not in cheap plastic bowls, but in real clay bowls!

If you are lucky, you can sit in your own cozy corner! And a lot of customers think so, too!

When you read the menu bear in mind they serve only the red-circled items between 6:30 and 9:00 a.m.! The simple reason is that they are just too busy then!

There is a lot to choose from, including original gyooza, and it certainly deserves a few more visits.
Aki chose a typical ramen dish: “Tsubame Kossari Soba/燕こっさりそば”. It certainly looked delicious. Note that she ordered “Oomori/大盛”, meaning “large size”!

As for me, I asked for “Tsubame Wafuu Tsukemen/燕和風付け麺”, meaning Japanese-style ramen with soup dip.

The ramen (large serving) with their char siu (large serving again!) to be dipped into hot soup before eating.

The hot soup! Very tasty!
I rarely go out to eat ramen, but this definitely a place to go (and again!)

Tsubame/麺屋燕
Shimada Shi, Osakaya Machi, 8770/島田市御坂屋町８７７０
Tel.: 0547-34-2223
Business hours: AM 6:30~ PM 3:00 (or earlier if stock soup is exhausted)
Closed on Tuesdays and third Wednesday

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

笑い, Food Humor, Japan, Shizuoka, vegetables

Food Humor: Pervert Daikon or Three-legged Wonder?

March 29, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Whereas big supermarkets in larger towns such as Tokyo and what else who are “serious” about their products and their displays, local shops do not hesitate to show and sell the tricks of nature!

Actually, and this very seriously, people living in rural Japan are in fact quite happy to discover such natural wonders as they are considered as symbols of fertility (just look around in Japanese countryside, and you are bound to discover all kinds of seriously venerated tricks of nature!).

This particular daikon was displayed by (Farmers Market) Japan Bazaar in Shimada City!

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

観光, 農業, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Supermarkets, Tourism, vegetables

Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Japan Bazaar Supermarket in Shimada City

March 28, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Aki Suzuki/鈴木朋 doing her Sunday shopping at Japan Bazaar!

Contrary to other Prefectures, Shizuoka Prefecture does not so much grow in large mass-producing farms but more in a myriad of highly specialized agricultural ventures.
Which means a lot of cooperation needed for marketing.
The good side of it all is that buyers can visit the supermarkets selling the products of so many small farmers in one single place for the pleasure and convenience of all, especially restaurateurs.

Such a place (there are many others of course!) is “Japan Bazaar” in Shimada City!
My good friend, Ms. Aki Suzuki, Chef at my favorite vegetables restaurant Yasaitei, regularly (that is, on Sundays) drives all the way from Shizuoka City to buy her ingredients there. A must destination for her when you realize they retail the products of more than 260 local farmers!

They even sell wooden fence poles and shiitake wood logs!

It is actually located in the middle of a very scenic spot in Shimada City next to immense tea fields and not far from the Oi River.
Now, let me show what they were selling on a Sunday at around lunch time (yesterday):

Flowers in pots.

Cut flowers for ikebana/flower arrangements.

Flowers is actually a major business in our Prefecture and all year round at that!

Leeks!

These little seeds on the left are actually gardenia/kuchinashi/梔子 seeds, mainly used as natural colorant!

Broccoli!

Winter/Spring onions, tender and juicy!

Shiitake mushrooms.

Daikon. I just couldn’t help taking a pic of that strange one!

These are daikon, too!

Great traceability!

Mini tomatoes.

Great eggs from Kikugawa City. Aki would come for them only!

Organic eggs from the same producer!

Shizuoka is strawberry country!

Potatoes.

Amanatsu/甘夏 oranges.

Pampeyu! The largest citrus in the world?

Suruga Elegant oranges.

Kintsuba/sword guard cakes.

Home-made bentos!

More of them!

Shizuoka Prefecture is growing more and more of its own rice!

Great traceability again!

Rice powder/Komeko/米粉, great for wheat allergics!

Home-made soap (not for eating!).

Home-made jams!

Tokoroten/Agar agar jelly and konnyaku jelly!

Shimada beef and pork!

Aki’s basket!

Traceability again: the hens that lay the eggs on sale!

Sake made with sake rice (gohyakumangoku) grown in Shimada City and brewed by Oomuraya Brewery (next article!)

(Farmers Market) Japan Bazaar
427-0111 Shizuoka ken, Shimada Shi, Sakamoto, 4245-3
Tel.: 0547-5505
Fax: 0547-38-5507
Business hours: 09:00~17:30
50-car park
Closed on New Year only

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

Earthquake, Japan, Shizuoka, Tsunami

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami (March 2011): Making the Most of Cancelled Events!

March 19, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Solliciting Celebrities’ appeal!

Many events in Shizuoka have been cancelled as respect for the victims of the catastrophic earthquake which jolted Japan on March 11th.
This week-end should have seen two days of Shizuoka Flower Fest.

This Saturday and Sunday, the SBS/Shizuoka Broadcasting Services Radio has decided to appeal to everyone for donations from 10:00 to 17:00 to help the victims of the East Japan Earthquake as it has been officially named.

The City had already erected numerous tents and booths in Gofuku Street and Aoba Park in Shizuoka City and left them standing for the appeal.

SBS TV and Radio appealing for donations.

The Shizuoka Spring Festival, the biggest event of its kind in Shizuoka City, due to occur on April 1st~3rd has been cancelled and money donations will be called for again on a big scale.

“Charity Booth”

Unfortunately once again “politicians” were not up to the task (it seems to be, but for some rare exception a global disease…).
Instead of postponing the campaign, the candidates for the Mayor election due to occur in a few weeks decided to proceed spending no less than 18,000,000 yen of official subsidies (txpayers’ money): 180,000 Euros or 280,000 US $!
Shame on them!
They ought to look up to Governor Kawakatsu…