Category Archives: Japanese Gastronomy

Umeshu made with Organic Plums from Umegashima, Shizuoka City!

July 11, 2011 dragonlife 8 Comments

If you want the best products nothing can beat having good friends among local producers and farmers!
I got these rare organic plums (at least 5 kg!) thanks to my good friend, Ms. Asami Itoh/伊藤麻美さん, Director of CHA-O, a company of tea bags in Shizuoka City.
As I was busy at University, she went all the way to Higashi Mine/東峰 in Umegashima/梅が島 (meaning !Plum Island”!), Shizuoka City to get these plums for me.
There she visited a plum tree plantation owned Mr. Imai/今井さん located near the highest tea fields in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Mr. Imai grows a variety of Japanese plums called Nankoubai/南紅梅. Japanese plums are not fit to be eaten raw, but can be pickled into umeboshi or preserved in vinegar or as sweet umeshu/plum wine which is the subject of this article!

The plums!

Nankoubai plums are smaller, especially these as they are grown organically, than the ones you will find in markets which sell mass-produced plums which don’t compare when you consider taste and health!
Moreover, since these are grown in altitude they ripe at least one month later although they are harvested still half ripe for better results.

The plums are first cleaned under running water which is enough as no chemicals had been used whatsoever.
They are then wiped dried and their stems and stem “roots” taken out.
Last, a few small holes will be punched in each plum with a toothpick to allow good soaking.

The jar: choose one made of glass to allow you a good look at the contents without having to open it. This type comes in different sizes on the Japanese market. I chose one larger than the standard 4 liter-jar (20 cups) as I like to leave some space in case I need to top it later.

Do not forget to clean the jar, then kill all germs with boiling water and dry it!

The sugar.
Well. many people use many kinds, but the most popular is Koorizato/氷砂糖/”ice sugar”, very hard concentrated sugar.
I use 1 kg. Bear in mind it will take a few months only to melt!

The alcohol:
1) The Japanese sake.
People usually add cheap and low-alcohol “white liqueur” easily found in the market. This is where the main difference between cheap and high quality umeshu will be clearly defined.
I use only top-class sake and shochu!
As for the Japanese sake I chose two brews from Negami Brewery In Gotemba City this year.: Tokubetsu Junmai Nama (unpasteurized)

2) The shochu:
I use only shochu made in Shizuoka Prefecture, more expensive, but certainly extravagant quality:
Acha no Tsubome/阿茶の局/ rice shochu ’25 degrees) made by Hana no Mai Brewery in Hamamatsu (1 full bottle9
En/円/rice shochu matured for two years in a Spanish Sherry barrel by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City (1/4 bottle)
Fuji no Tsuyu/富の露/rice shochu brwed by Fujinishiki Brewery in Fujinomya City (2/3 bottle)
I finally spiked the lot with 1/3 of vodka bottle which had lost half of its acohol through long storage!

That’s it!
No need to stir it yet!
I will keep it in dark place at a constant temperature and start stirring it around in about 4 months for uniformity of tatse.
The umeshu will turn a nice woody color.
We shall be able to drink and eat it in about 8~10 months!

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

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 観光, French gastronomy, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Tourism

French Cuisine: Lunch at Chez Satsukawa In Shizuoka City!

July 8, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and easy-going, more professional in the “room”.
Facilities: very clean and beautiful washroom!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: French food in Izakaya style. Great sake and wines!

French Cuisine like all the noteworthy cuisines of the World evolves with the times, trends and ingredients, and also people.
When the latter still have the will and skills to adapt their own style to satisfy the new demands from new customers the result can only become one of superlative and reassuring gastronomy!
Fujio Satsukawa is a chef, who despite the long years spent servicing customers with top-class French cuisine still believes he is on the mission of teaching his customers what good food is all about.
His cuisine is definitely of the Classic style but ingredients are modern and the approach eclectic.

To make a long story short, I found myself very busy at lunch time the other day and although the hour had almost reached closing time in other establishments Fujio still agreed to concoct me a lunch out of what was “left” in his fridges and secret boxes!

The country foie gras terrine came out of the fridge but the vegetables were all fresh from Shizuoka gardens and fields!

Now, this is classical gastronomy I’m not inclined to give up: succulent foie gras (can you see it) and Shizuoka pork terrine with onions confits and home-baked bread!

Fujio bakes his own bread everyday with three kinds of flour, rye flour included!
This is what I call true service!

Eating such bread with the terrine is already savoring a full meal!

Before the next dish I was offered a chilled kabocha Vichyssoise to prepare my gustative glands!
Needless to say, the kabocha is local!

Sauteed black bass from Suruga Bay!
Fujio must be a happy man with so many ingredients from the land and sea avalaible all year round in our Prefecture!

Served atop sauteed aubergines/eggplants and flanked with ratatouille!

Now, Fujio’s desserts are another reason why I’m not ready to give up Classic gastronomy!

Taking a peek from the top at the beautiful fruit jelly and decorations!

It becomes a series of discoveries as you dig deeper and deeper!
The last layer is actually a combination of blanc-manger and Japanese sweetmeats!
There is plenty of room for happy experiments even in classical gastronomy!

To be continued…

CHEZ SATSUKAWA
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Kooya Machi, 4-9, Matsunaga Kooya Machi Bldg, 2F
Tel.: 054-205-5133
Business hours: 12:00~14:00, 17:00~23:00
Closed on Mondays and Tuesdays
Credit Cards OK

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Shizuoka Products at Hamamatsu City Railway Station

July 7, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

As a general rule it is always a good idea to check inside major railway stations in Japan for local food and products.
And since Shizuoka Prefecture has no less than 6 (the record in Japan) major shinkansen/bullet train station, you ought to spend some time looking around before boarding your train!

This time I will take you around Hamamatsu Railway Station, or JR Station as they call such a building in Japan!

It is quite easy as most shops are concentrated inside the “May One Ekimachi” Store!

Right at the entrance you will discover the biscuit of the area: unagi pie/eel pie! There is no eel in this sweet biscuit. It’s only the color which is reminiscent of the famous fish bred and caught in the Hamamatsu City area!

Have a good look at the ekiben/railway bento before boarding your train. Ekiben are always the best indication of what people eat in the same region!

Here are the real unagi/鰻/eels prepared in various fashions!

Processed products of wasabi. Shizuoka Prefecture grows 80% of the total national crop!

More wasabi processed products including salt, mayonnaise and dressing!

Real fresh wasabi!

Sakes brewed by Hana no Mai Brewery, one of the two breweries in Hamamatsu City!

Tea and orange roll cakes!

Another specialty of Hamamatsu City: simmered eel livers!

More ekiben/railway station bento!

Green tea rusks (hard biscuits!)

A closer look at unagi pie!

Uogashi Sushi Company (from Yaizu City!) has big restaurant inside where you will be able to get all kinds of meals including purely local sushi!

Great plastic models for collectors and fans!

And more!

Another specialty of Hamamatsu City: gyoza dumplings always served with beansprouts!

Oden! More a specialty of Shizuoka City, although all big cities and areas in the Prefecture have their own!

A great health food from Lake (salted) Hamana: seaweed!

Orange cakes and jellies!

Now, what will be the next of the 6 stations I will introduce! LOL

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Quiche Plate at Cafe Belle Equipe Vegetable

July 6, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly if a bit shy
Facilities: Very clean. Beautiful toilets
Prices: Reasonable. Very good value
Strong points: Healthy food. Great set lunches. Beautiful array of cakes.

There are times when you 1) are in a hurry, 2) do not want to eat too much, 3) are hungry, 4) and want to stay healthy…
This is when you are happy to know a place like Cafe Belle Equipe Vegetable within quick distance in the middle of your city!
They serve full plate meals at any time of the day that have the merit to be very healthy, fresh, well-balanced and satisfying without contributing unwanted calories.
Mind you, I’m having a hard time staying away from their cakes (which I somehow managed to do this time!)!

This time I ordered the Quiche Plate (or the “Quiche set” as they say in Japanese) which comes with two different small bread buns.

The buns are not only delicious but they come freshly baked with real butter! They nicely contribute to the whole balance and add the good bite feeling to the whole lunch!

As usual the plate comes with plenty of fresh local vegetables!

Now I must say I have a little weakness for this vegetable (and eggs) quiche filled with sweet onions and potatoes and topped with real tomato. The crust is soft and light and actually adds another satisfying note.

And the meat part is provided with a small hot spicy sausage!

It should satisfy any appetite until dinner!

CAFE BELLE EQUIPE VEGETABLE
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenmacho,, 10-1, Villa Tenmacho, 2F
Tel.: 054-251-0200
Business hours: l0:00~22:00 (11:00~22:00 on Saturdays & Sundays, 11:00~21:00 on National Holidays)
Parties (small to large) welcome! Special party menus.
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Japanese Cuisine: Obune in Kikugawa City!

July 5, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Service: very friendly if a bit shy
Equipment: very clean around. Traditional
Prices: appropriate
Strong points: Traditional and new Japanese cuisine. Incredible Champagne list!

For long Kikugawa City was a bit of “forgotten country” until only recently.
Things are starting to change for the better as more and more people take advantage of the cheaper rents to move there. The city has also greatly improved and refurbished its image.
To cap it all some very good restaurants are also emerging for the pleasure of the increasing population!

One such place is Obune/おぶね.
I had the occasion to visit the place in the company of co-workers during an anniversary dinner and make acquaintance with his chef/owner Mr. Kazuki Takagi/高木一樹 and sample his cuisine!

This is traditional Japan although the gastronomy is modern!

I always have an eye for the Shizuoka sake… and this is an almost impossible to obtain line of premium sake from Isojiman Brewery in Yaizu City! The boxes only are collector’s items!

The six of us had isolated themselves in a separate room but I could take a peek through the lattice!

This is the sake we partook of: First-class Isojiman Daiginjyo made with Aiyama Sake rice milled down to 50%!

Someone might have thought we were drinking wine!

And then we started the feast:
Cream Cheese with Junsai/a kind of mountain vegetable.

“Mehikari/芽光, a deep-sea fish from Aichi Prefecture!

“Ikura no imushi/イクラの飯蒸し, rice and salmon’s roe steamed together!

O tsukuri/sashimi plate/dish: Honmeji maguro/Honmeji tuna, Suzuki/Sea bass and Madako/Octopus!

A favorite of mine: lukewarm ankimo/frogfish liver or “Japanese Foie gras”!

Fuji No Kuni Pork shabu shabu with home-made gomadare/sesame dressing!

Zucchini Dry Curry served the Japanese way!

White mushrooms from Fuji City on steamed Kyokankamo egg plant and sweet and sour sauce/ankake!

Akadasi miso soup!

Fukuroi City Lemon Sorbet! A beauty!

I’m planning to visit the place again by myself but don’t tell anyone!

OBUNE/Traditional & Contemporary Japanese Foods (as on the business card!)
439-0031 Kikugawa City, Kamo, 1948
Tel.: 0537-35-4030
Business hours: Lunch, 11:30~14:00. Dinner, 17:30~23:00
Closed on Mondays or the next day in case of a National Holiday
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
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美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Takashima Brewery-Hakuin Masamune Honjozo

July 5, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Takashima Brewery in Numazu City is not only celebrated for its inventiveness and daring but also for actively supporting Shizuoka Gastronomy in general!

Not everyone knows, but Suruga Bay is the home of the greatest number of varieties of edible seaweeds.
Takashima Brewery started to introduce the fact on labels since last year!
The present one is called Champalone by its scientific name!

Moreover, Takashima Brewery has always been careful about the design of their labels, real collector’s items!
The present brew also includes Homare Fuji rice grown in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Takashima Brewery-Hakuin Masamune Honjozo

Rice: Homare Fuji 22&
Rice milled down to 60%
Aichi no Kaori: 78%
Rice milled down to 65%
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5
Alcohol: 14~15 degrees
Dryness: +6
Acidity: 1.5
Bottled in May 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Colour: Light golden hue
Aroma: Strong. Fruity. Alcohol. Complex. Pineapple, oranges, banana.
Body: fluid
Taste: Liquorish attack with a strong alcohol back up.
Starts almost sweetish to disappear with very dry almonds.
Complex. Fruity. A lot drier on the second sip.
Almonds, coffee beans. Faint notes of citrus.

Overall: Typical brew from Takashima brewery who concoct their sake both to marry well and food and satisfy the curiosity of true sake lovers.
A somewhat mysterious sake which will surprise many. Very dry for Shizuoka sake and certainly not obeying the trends!
A favorite of mine!

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French Cuisine with Shizuoka Ingredients: Stuffed Zucchini!

July 4, 2011 dragonlife 8 Comments

I always check the Agriroad Market in Miwa, Shizuoka City, where they sell products grown by local farmers’ wives and I have a weak spot for those enormous round yellow zucchinis!
Yesterday as I had a little more time than the Missus I prepared dinner and cooked us a stuffed zucchini!

I would have needed both of my hands to circle it completely!

Although it looked plain and seedless, it actually contained many soft large seeds inside.
I scooped all the inside with a sharp spoon first.

Once I had emptied the zucchini of its seeds there was not much left of its flesh which suited me fine as I didn’t want the vegetable to have too thick walls before cooking it.
I chopped whatever was left finely.

I also finely chopped 1/4 of a medium-large onion, 1/4 of a medium-sized carrot and two big cloves of garlic.

I fried the finely chopped vegetables in some olive oil until they had lost most of their water.
I used about 250 g of minced pork and beef mixture, 2 very full teaspoons of freshly grated parmegiano cheese and plenty of fresh basil leaves from my balcony.
I first thoroughly mixed the meat with the vegetables and cheese seasoned with coarsely ground pepper and hot spices. No need for salt as there was enough in the cheese (and the bacon later!). Mind you, this is where you can play with spices, herbes and salt according to your preferences!

I first lined the whole inside of the zucchini with soft bacon.

I lined the bottom half with basil leaves.

I stuffed the bottom half with the meat filling and lined the top half of the zucchini with more basil leaves.

I finally filled the zucchini with the rest of the meat.
I tapped the meat until I was sure there was no air pockets inside.

I topped it with its “hat”, sprinkled olive oil all over it and baked it in the oven first for 20 minutes at 180 degrees Celsius.

That is how it came out first. The meat was still raw inside.
Next I put it back with the hat off for 15 more minutes into the oven at 200 degrees Celsius.

Only then it was properly cooked and ready to be eaten!

This two-step method will insure that whole is properly cooked but full of juices!

We had enough for our main dish for two last night!

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Hamamatsu Fruit Park!!

July 3, 2011 dragonlife 10 Comments

Half way along our trip riding the Tenhama private Railway Line the other day we decided to pay a visit to the Fruits Park of Hamamatsu City.

We had only one hour until the next train and the walk to the Fruits Park takes 10 minutes.
We knew we would be limited in time and the blistering heat didn’t help!

At least looking at the pavement we knew we couldn’t lose our way!

The main entrance
The park is truly enormous and the car park is even bigger.
We realised that we had to limit this visit to the main attraction, the Tropical Fruit Dome!

The hall leading to the dome was full of information but the air-conditioning did not prepare us to the heat inside the dome!
By the way if you can read japanese check their HOMEPAGE as it will help you recognize some very strange fruit!

What is this fruit?

The temperature inside must have been well above 30 degrees with an incredible humidity.
The sweat prevented me to jot down notes and I’m afraid I don’t remember the names of some fruits! Let’s see if you can help me!

Fortunately there was plenty of running water to help cool down the dome!

Not only tropical fruit, but also plenty of beautiful flowers!
All in all, 80 varieties for 300 trees and plants!

Cocoa!

Start of the quizz!
What’s the name of those flowers?

What’s that fruit?

And what are these?

I’ve seen these flowers before…

It’s not a pineapple. What could it be?

Limes/ I doubt it…

Now, this a lime!

I’ve seen that one before, too!

Beautiful orchids there!

A pineapple!

What are these fruit?

Another pineapple!

Bananas!

Red bananas!

Insects and pests had better beware!

Banana flower!

Papaya!

More papayas!

And another pineapple!

Outside the dome a cafe/restaurant will welcome you inside a beautiful park.
But actually the Tropical Fruit Park and the big park with ponds outside represent only one fourth of the whole complex!
You will have to plan half a day for a complete visit even with the help of a mini train!

Among others, you will discover fields of plum trees, orange trees, apple trees, strawberries, grapes, blueberries, kiwi fruit, almond trees, figs, peach trees, pomegranate trees, a field of nut trees including chestnuts and a lot more inside greenhouses and experiment fields!

This park will warrant a least a couple more visits to describe it all!

HAMAMATSU FRUITS PARK
431-2102 Hamamatsu City, Kita Ku, Miyakoda Cho, 4263-1 (get down at Fruits Park Station on the Tenhama private Railway line. 10 minute walk)
Tel.: 053-428-5211
Fax: 053-428-52000
Business hours: 09:00~16:30 (October~April), 09:00~17:00 (May~September)
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Shizuoka Shochu Tasting: Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery: Doman

July 2, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Since Yasatei Restaurant has Doman rice shochu on its list I took the opportunity the other day to conduct a tasting while enjoying the food!
“Doman” is the name of a (very expensive) crab solely found in salt water Hamana Lake in Hamamatsu City.
It is brewed by Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery which also brews (mainly) sake and beer, and also liquors!

Doman is a rice shochu made with the best sakekasu/white lees of the Brewery by their brewmaster who is a lady!

To help with the tasting I ordered some Shizuoka-grown tomatoes!

The red tomato is “Ameera” variety celebrated for its sweetness. The orange tomato is a variety grown organically by Shizen no Chikara Farm!

Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery: Doman Rice shochu

Ingredients: Rice, white lees, Shizuoka Yeast, water
Alcohol: 28 degrees

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity. Custard
Body: Fluid
Taste: Starts with a soft attack to amplify into a warm pleasant invasion of the palate.
Complex. Fruity and dry. Custard.
Stays dry all the time although taste tends to fluctuate into sophisticated notes of coffee beans.
Marries well with food, especially vegetables salads.

Overall: A very pleasant shochu which does not need to be mixed with anything else.
Best appreciated poured above plenty of ice in a large glass!
Marries so well with vegetables!

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Soba Restaurant along the Ten-Hama Railway Line: Hazuki!

July 1, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

Service: Very friendly
Facilities: Very traditional
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Authenticity and great soba/buckwheat noodles!
Entirely non-smoking!

There would be many stops to choose from for lunch along the Tenhama Private Railway line running between The Cities of Kakegawa and Hamamatsu deep into the country up the Tenryuu River and around the Lake Hamana.
This is rural country in Shizuoka prefecture, and whereas the comfort of larger cities might be missing you are truly experiencing rural authenticity! And that of course applies to food, too!

A seat of local wood donated by the local citizens living by Futamata Honcho Railway Station!

One such place is a soba shop called Hazuki/葉月, just beside the entry/exit of tiny Futamata Honcho Station!

It was blistering hot outside and we were happy to find the place so near the station!

For the menu, look on the wall!

Two lions guard the place!

This is what I personally ordered: Goobou soba/Burdock root soba.
Served hot, yes! I was asked, “these are hot soba, are you ok!” by the surprised owner.
I learned a long time ago it is always better for your constitution to eat hot than icy in a great heat!

The Missus ordered cold “karami daikon oroshi soba”, cold buckwheat noodles topped with grated daikon.

There are no less than 4 signs clearing stating that smoking is most unwelcome!

The Missus’ cold buckwheat noodles!

You certainly cannot beat the freshness as the daikon and kawairedaikonn:daikon sprouts are local vegetables probably coming from a nearby garden!

My very generous gobou soba!

The burdock root is “Yokozuna Gobou” variety!
Very tasty and crunchy! A delicacy actually!

Soba must one of the best and healthiest ways to take a repast on a long trip!

HAZUKI (Te Uchi Soba Hazuki/手打そば葉月)
Hamamatsu City, Futamata Honcho, Futamata, 2396-19 (just on the right as you go out of the station!)
Business hours: 10:30~16:00 (unless the soup stock runs out before!)
Closed on Thursdays (except National Holidays)
tel.: 0539-35-9066

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/36): Heat Wave Bento!

June 28, 2011 dragonlife 8 Comments

We are going through a blasting heat wave seeing us almost reach 40 degrees, which means probably higher inside town!
The Missus had to devise a bento that could be kept safe in spite of the adverse conditions!

That is why she mixed shredded sweet umeboshi/pickled Japanese plums with the rice after having steamed. Not only great for taste, design and color, but it will also keep the rice safe for a long time.
She added some black sesame seeds for decoration and supplementary seasoning.

The same conditions applied for the side dish/box: design, color, nutrition and safety!

Pickled celery with hijiki/sweet seaweed and tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette! The latter is for the dessert part!

Great colors there:
Lettuce.
Sauteed salmon seasoned with a mixture of mayonnaise and wasabi tsuke/wasabi stems and leaves pickled in sake white lees.
Sauteed yellow zucchini, okra and plum tomatoes.

Low in calories, very tasty and so colorful!

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Shizuoka Shochu Tasting: Fuji-Takasago Brewery: Fuji No Tsuyu

June 27, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

As foreigners, especially not living in this country, seem to be interested in Shochu like my new friend Sissi in Switzerland I thought it was about time to introduce (actually re-introduce) the shochu made in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Although 10 out 28 sake breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture also distill an aggregate of over 40 shochu, they are not well known (actually rare) in Japan as quantities are comparatively small and also because they are simply extravagant!
They are all true shochu/honkakushochu/本格焼酎 but they do not always follow the pattern of the shochu made in Kyushu island for example.
All rice shochu here is either made from the polished rice leftovers or the white lees/sakekasu/酒粕 left after the sake has been pressed.

This shochu was distilled from the white lees left after the sake was pressed and with water from Mount Fuji, hence the name “Fuji no Tsuyu/富士の露 or The Dew of Mount Fuji”!
The label was re-designed last year!

Rice shochu
Base: sake white lees
Water: Mount Fuji water
Alcohol: 25 degrees
Bottled in December 2010

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity and dry. Alcohol. Custard, vanilla.
Body: fluid

Taste: Dry strong but pleasant attack.
Fruity. Almonds, Custard.
Very pleasant even on its own.
Lingers for a while with notes of Macadamia nuts.
Complements food well.

Overall: As far as rice shochu comes it is just too extravagant. I really enjoyed it on its own or with plenty of ice.
Beautiful with chilled Perrier, too.
No real need to mix it with anything else! It shows too many facets to interfere with!
The kind of shochu ladies would relate to!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Yamanaka Brewery-Aoitenka Tokubetsu Junmai Homare Fuji

June 27, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Homare Fuji, the local Shizuoka Sake Rice has not only become a feature in most breweries in our Prefecture, but the latter have been working hard using it in the creation of premium sake such as did Yamanaka Brewery in Kakegawa City!

These brews are really recognizable with their little label.
This tokubetsu junmai made with rice milled down to an extravagant 55% would achieve junmai ginjyou status anywhere else!

Rice: Homare Fuji
Rice milled down to 55%
Dryness: +1.5
Acidity: 1.7
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in June 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity. Banana, vanilla. Alcohol
Body: Fluid
Taste: Liquorish attack pleasurably warming the back of the palate with junmai petillant.
Complex and fruity. Starts liquorish and almost sweet to depart on a warm dry note.
Oranges and almonds. Very pleasant to drink.
Were it not for its late dry note it could become a dessert sake/wine.
Changes little with food and actually nicely complements it.

Overall: A pleasant sake to drink.
More elegant than expected, which shows all the improvement achieved by brewers with this particular strain of sake rice.
Although designed to accompany food, makes for a very pleasurable beverage on its own!

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2nd Central-East Shizuoka Sake Breweries Festival in Kakegawa City

June 26, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

More and more sake breweries in Shizuoka Prefecture have been organizing medium-scale regional sake Festivals.
One of the newest ones is the “Dai Nikai Kuramoto to Nihon Shu wo Tanoshimu Kai/Chuutouen Sake Monogatari/中東遠酒物語・第2回蔵本と日本酒を楽しむ会/the 2nd Festival for Sake Breweries and Sake of Central East Shizuoka”.

Mr. Morimoto (Morimoto Brewery/Kikugawa City) and Mr. Doi (Doi Brewery/Kakegawa City) on both sides of a grower of Homare Fuji Sake Rice.

The event was held at the Kakegawa Grand Hotel on Saturday evening June 25th.
No less than 150 guests, including some well-known figures attended the Festival.

Money donations were collected to help the victims of the recent earthquakes and tsunamis in North East Japan!

Five breweries took part:
Doi Brewery in Kakegawa City.
Senjyu Brewery in Iwata City.
Kokko Brewery in Fukuroi City.
Yamanaka Brewery (Aoitenka) in Kakegawa City.
Morimoto Brewery (Sayogoromo) in Kikugawa City.

Junmai Dai Ginjyou table!

Each table of 9 guests had two bottles of sake ready while loads of bottles standing in wait on three more tables for all to sample!

Dai Ginjyou table!

All in all, no less than 27 brews were introduced to the participants!

The Junmai and Ginjyou table!

This particular table also featured a great koushu/old sake from Senjyu Brewery I tasted again and again later as well as an excellent umeshu!

All the breweries had brought water from their own wells!

These vegetables offered in Bagna Cauda style were all from Kakegawa City!

Such events are vital to make people know more about their own sake, and to make them remember the occasion until next year plenty of excellent buffet food had been prepared to accompany all those great brews!

A very generous buffet including some rare Yorkshire pork from pigs raised in Mikkabi!

And appetizers had been set in front of every guest to titillate his/her appetite in expectation!

I had actually conducted my own investigation before the festivities started!

Representative of Yamanaka Brewery!

This event proved an invaluable opportunity to share long chats with The sake brewers and colleagues from (serious) media!
I already have quite a few interviews and reports lined up!

The celebrities!
Denbei Kawamura, the Godfather of Shizuoka Sake, the man who created the Shizuoka Yeast!
Mr. Yabuta of the President of the Tago Katsuobushi Association!

To be continued (in further reports on participants and naturally at next year’s event!)…

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Soba & Tempura at Setsugekka!

June 26, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

Service: very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Very clean. Splendid washroom.
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Top-class soba, sake and tempura! Great traditional Japanese atmosphere.

For the last 10 years Setsugekka/雪月花 has achieved fame in Shimada City and in the whole Prefecture not only for their soba/buckwheat noodles but also for their magnificent seasonal tempura and sake from Shizuoka Prefecture, especially those of the neighboring sake Brewery Oomuraya!

Setsugekka is conveniently located less than 10 minutes walk from Shimada JR Station.
It looks very simple from outside but the interior is very cozy and traditional.

it is all warm and comfortable wood inside!

But I have a marked preference for the little room just beside the entrance overlooking the outside street!

Deep-fried soba crackers with the first drink!

There are many menus and carte to choose from.
The best way to order is probably to choose one of the set menus and add to it later!
The above appetizers came up with a set menu:
Soba yaki consisting of soba flour mixed with miso and grilled (just love it!), marinated mushrooms and cream cheese with soy sauce jam!

And we were immediately into tempura mode.
We had ordered two different menus for a photo festival!
Above is “kogochi fish” and “nanba shrimp”!

“Kuruma ebi/large prawn”! The whole was edible!
A real piece of art!

All local vegetables: yellow pimento, sweet potato, plum tomato and ice plant!

A great way to present local sake!

A delicacy you will find only in Shizuoka Prefecture: “Sakura ebi kakiage/cherry shrimps tempura”!
With local “leaf ginger and “shishito/chili pepper”.

Local vegetables again: leaf ginger, sweet corn and ice plant!

Now, this is a very unusual tempura: “sakekasu/sake white lees tempura”! The white lees came from the neighbors, Oomuraya Brewery!

Setsugekka can easily organize a full meal for all tastes!
Cuttle fish sashimi!

The full duck set with its gizzards, liver and breast!

And we were at last into soba mode, all basically in “seiro fashion/served cold”, all “jyuwari/100% buckwheat flour”!

Soba of a different color!

Perfect texture!

And for dessert: buckwheat and green tea sorbet! A real delicacy again!

As this month of June saw their 10th Anniversary we were offered some buckwheat seeds to plant!

I hope you understand there will be more reports coming! LOL

SETSUGEKKA/雪付き花
Shimada City, Hontori, 2-3-4
Tel.: 0547-35-5241
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed every Monday and 3rd Tuesday
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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