Category Archives: Shizuoka agricultural products

美食, 野菜, 野菜亭, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Health, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, Vegan, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan Sashimi at Yasaitei in Shizuoka City (April 2012)!

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Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean, Beautiful washroom
Prices: reasonable
Specialties: Vegan and vegetarian Cuisine, Izakaya gastronomy, local products, oden. Good list of sake, shochu. Wines also available.

With the warm days coming quickly one is always in search of refreshing food and drinks.
Fortunately in Shizuoka City this is not a problem at all with the abundance of vegetables!

Yasaitei, like many izakayas in Japan, puts salt in front of their entrance to ward off evil spirits.
They even asked a oni/goblin to look after them!

A single look at the counter will let you know you have entered vegan and vegetarian heaven although the food is designed for all tastes and priorities!

Although you might have to check the dashi, the first snack coming with my shochu (shochu is vegan by the way!)! People with special priorities will appreciate!

Thick boiled wakame seaweed and new bamboo shoots o-hitashi/japanese-style appetizer!

The main attraction of the day: Vegan Sashimi Plate conceived with local vegetables!

The dressing is made of sesame oil, salt and red miso paste only, so no problems!
Now what did the plate consist of?

“Cindy” orange tomatoes (very sweet) and ice plant.

Small red radish and red pimento.

Juicy and mild daikon on shiso leaves.

Crunchy and juicy cucumber and mini tomatoes.

And finally chopped red onion giving support!
So tasty and healthy!

To be followed…

YASAITEI
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
Individual orders (carte) welcome
Parties welcome
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Smoking allowed

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

美食, Desserts, 観光, 魚, 農業, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Local products at Restaurant Bio-S in Fujinomiya City!

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Service: Professional, welcoming, very attentive and smiling. Great explanations.
Facilities & Equipment: Extremely clean. Superb separate washrooms.
Prices: Reasonable considering the extravagant quality.
Strong points: Mainly local products including wild vegetables and meat. Vegetables mainly organic and grown by the staff. Menu changing for the most part every two weeks.

MAP (Japanese)

It has been a long time I have wished to visit Restaurant Bio-S in Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji although it has been opened only 3 years!

Even in overcast weather it is such a pleasure to work or eat under the benign protection of Mount Fuji!

I finally had the occasion yesterday as I accompanied two new friends of mine, Camille Oger and Julien Morello from Antibes, France, and both journalists on a grand tour of Japan, here above standing on both sides of Mr. Kazuhiro Matsuki/松木一浩, the founder and owner of Bio Farm Matsuki, Restaurant Bio-S, Bio-Deli in Fujinomiya City and Comptoir de Bio-S in Shizuoka City!

Menu posted outside as in France.
Kazuhiro Matsuki, originally from Nagasaki, Kyushu Island, worked for two years (he speaks great French!) at Hotel Nikko, Paris, before he moved to Shizuoka Prefecture (his wife’s family lives in Shizuoka City) in Fujinomiya City to start the cultivation of organic vegetables in 2000. In 2009 he opened Restaurant Bio-s to promote organic cuisine.

Mr. Kazuhiro Matsuki and his young talented chef (also a hunter!) Mr. Yoshinori Kawasaki/川崎芳範 (born in Hyogo Prefecture!)!

The entrance!

A French 2CV Citroen!

With a plate registered in Fujisan/富士山/Mount Fuji!

Bio Farm organic vegetables on sale in the entrance hall!

Mr. Matsuki is famous all over the country, what with the many books he wrote on organic farming and cuisine!

Plenty of explanations!

The table the three of us sat at for a great degustation lunch!

Champagne!
Offered by Mr. Matsuki who wanted to thank us for coming all the way!

Of course vegetables at a premium!
Now, what did we savor?

This sage, mint and rosemary are organic and for decoration, but you are encouraged to taste them!

A finger herb croissant!

Really cute!

The legs of ham are imported from Spain but matured on site!

Mr. Matsuki cut ours in person!

Raw ham on organic greens salad!

From another angle!

Chicken and mushrooms terrine! I did require a lot of patience to take the pictures before I could jump on it!

The chicken comes from Mr. Aoki’s Farm and the mushrooms from Mr. Hasegawa’s Farm, both in Fuji City!

Home-baked walnut bread!

The first fish dish: Iwana/岩魚/Char/Charr/Salvelinus with cress sauce!

The char is bred by Mr. Iwamoto in Fujinomiya City and was lightly smoked before being sauteed/baked!

All the cress was picked in the wild along streams flowing down Mount Fuji!

The second fish dish: Bass with Japanese echalottes!

The bass was caught in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture!

The Japanese echalottes baked to a crisp are grown organically in Bio Farm Matsuki!

Before the meat dish we enjoyed a succulent organic carrot potage!

The meat dish: Fujisan Wagyu Beef from Mr. Okamura’s Ranch and organic vegetables from Bio Farm Matsuki!

From another angle for a better view of the vegetables!

They included carrot, Red Moon potato, Broccolini, bamboo shoot, turnip, and daikon!

The piece de resistance: Fujisan Wagyu Beef which was awarded its title as Product of Shizuoka Prefecture in 2006!
No need to go to Kobe! LOL

Before tackling the dessert we refreshed ourselves with this beautiful Suruga Elegant Orange Soup!

We were first shown the main ingredients of the four desserts!

Suruga Elegant Orange Chilled Soup and Mousse topped with Hazelnut Sorbet and dark chocolate chips!

Organic Carrot Creme Brulee topped with Cardamon Sorbet!

Blanc-manger made with Fujinishiki Brewery (Fujinomoiya City) premium daiginjyo sake white lees/sakekasu/酒粕 and kiwi fruit sauce!

Shizuoka Matcha Tea Powder Mousse Cake and Kumquat Sorbet!

We just had enough space for the expresso, tea and mignardises!

Matcha Castella with azuki beans and yuzu macarons!

Before we left with Mr. Matsuki to interview Mr. Okamura in his ranch we had a small tour of the vegetables he grows for the pleasure of his customers!

Carefully nursed before being re-planted!

All lovingly cared for by Mr. Matsuki himself and his farm staff!

Onions!

The restaurant makes a very large use of leafy vegetables!

Broad beans!

I surely intend to come back soon and have a closer look at all the farm plots!

RESTAURANT BIO-S
419-0303 Fujinomiya Shi, Oshikakubo, 939-1
Tel.: 0544-67-0353
Fax: 0544-67-0098
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~20:00
Closed on Tuesday Night and whole Wednesdays
Reservations highly recommended!
Credit Cards OK
Parking for 8 cars
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

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

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2012/04/12): More Spring Seasonal Releases: Four Sisters & Pacific Century

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

More Spring Seasonal Releases: Four Sisters & Pacific Century

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

Every season is a good season for characterful craft beer; spring, though, being a time of new beginnings, seems a particularly propitious season for the release of exciting and innovative beer styles. Today I am happy to announce the 2012 release of two terrific spring seasonal brews: Four Sisters Spring Bock and Pacific Century Citrus IPA.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Four Sisters Spring Bock 2012 (ABV 7.5%):

Baird Four Sisters Spring Bock is brewed in the spirit of a German Maibock, albeit one of the type that was brewed centuries ago in the city of Einbeck and that was noted for its generous use of malted wheat. Four Sisters Spring Bock sports a deep copper-gold color and enjoys a sweet floral nose from aroma additions of German Hersbrucker hops. In the mouth, a rich malty character will introduce itself before quickly giving way to an extremely smooth, round finish in which a hint of honeyed-malt flavor and warm alcohol character lingers.

Four Sisters Spring bock is available on draught and a small quantity of bottles (630 ml) will be for sale through our brewery E-shop.

*Pacific Century Citrus IPA 2012 (ABV 7.5%):

We have brewed this unique IPA annually for the past several years, each time combining a different local citrus fruit with a changing blend of hop varieties. This year we chose aoshima mikans as the citrus fruit and combined them with the following blend of hops: Magnum, Nelson Sauvin, Cascade, Santiam and Ahtanum. The result is a deeply complex IPA that enjoys a nuanced and layered citrus-fruit character.

Pacific Century Citrus IPA is available in both kegs and bottles (630 ml). Quantities are limited and sold on a first-come, first-serve basis.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, 居酒屋

Izakaya: Table Ribbon in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Easy-going, informal and friendly
Facilities and equipment: Clean. Psychedelic Washroom!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Typical Japanese izakaya food and drinks for all ages. Open late.

MAP (Japanese)

Sometimes (actually as often as possible) it is a good idea to take a break from the great restaurants in Shizuoka and to mingle with great easy and friendly customers and staff in a typical Japanese izakaya!
There are loads of them in town and some open until really late!
I have just discovered one which seems to be extremely popular with the locals of all ages, genders and classes: Table Ribbon!

The whole place right from the entrance is a happy bric a brac from vinyl covered kitchen tables to rugs on the floor!
You must visit the washroom! It is definitely crazy!

The whole menu is written in brush paint, but if you don’t understnad don’t worry you will be able to communicate!

As I said the food and drinks are typical izakaya fare: from pasta…

nikomino/Japanese simmered food…

deep-fried sausages…

If you ask for room-temperature Japanese sake it is served in a tea pot!

Great vegetable tamagoyaki! A must try!

I loved their sui-gyoza/boiled gyoza!

Savory beansprouts!

And of course Shizuoka-style yakisoba!

It is a busy place! Make sure to reserve on week-ends!
Great fun for ladies and gentleemn, Japanese and expats!

TABLE RIBBON
420-0044 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Seimon Cho, 1-22, Takuma Bldg, 1F (10 minutes walk from JR station North exit)
Tel.: 054-8670-1937/090-8670-1937
Opening hours: 17:00~02:00
Closed on Mondays

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

美食, Dessert, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, vegetables

French Gastronomy Design: Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City, Japan!

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Service: Highly professional and friendly
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Freshest produce and ingredients only, mainly from Shizuoka Prefecture. Organic vegetables, top-class Shizuoka-bred meat and Suruga Bay seafood. Seasonal food only.

Map (Japanese)

Tetsuya Sugimoto has gaine a highly respected name in French gastronomy and in gastronomy as a whole in Shizuoka Prefecture and far beyond our boundaries because he has always strived for local products, be they vegetables, meat, seafood or fruit by scouring the whole Prefecture for local producers and fishing harbors.
Even his sugar and salt are made in Shizuoka Prefecture! The vegetables and meat are directly delivered by farmers he has personally visited and the seafood arrives daily fresh caught in the morning.
But what makes the real difference is his constant search for the ideal balance between design, marriage of flavors and simplicity which will encourage the visiting gastronomes to enjoy their food both in ease and awe!

As an illustration let me introduce what I had the pleasure to enjoy on a horrible rainy day I completely forgot for a blissful moment!

A little detail that makes the difference for the atmosphere!

Testuya Sugimoto in his kitchen!

The wines are reasonable and well-chosen!

Chateau d’Angles, la Clappe in Languedoc, France.

Created in 2007 with Shyrh, Grenache and Mourndre grapes. Very solid and reliable!

The vegetables for the first diash were organically grown by Mr. Kaneko in Hamamatsu City!

The top-class pork added for taste and sauce qas bred by Mr. Morishima in Hamamtsu City!

From another angle to understand the arrangement of seasoned fresh greens atop sauteed and baked vegetables.

From another angle to dicover the beautifully sauteed/baked pork!

The vegtables for the fish dish were organically grown by Shizen no Chikara Farm in Shizuoka City1

The fish was matodai/John Dory, St. Peter’s fish (English), Saint Pierre (French) caught off Mochimune harbor in Shizuoka City!

Pan-fried and oven -baked matodai with fukinoto/giant butterbur sauce!

From another angle to understand the architecture of the dish!

A rear view of the vegetables!

The crumbs covering the baked fish were made with crushed sembei made in Shizuoka City!

Now for dessert both the mousse and sorbet were made with organic Akihime strawberries from Shizen no Chikara Farm in Shizuoka City!

The perfect and healthy dessert!

To be followed…

Tetsuya SUGIMOTO
４２０－００３８ Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Umeya,２－１３，１Ｆ
Tel./Fax: 054-251-3051
Opening hours：１１：３０～１４：３０，１７：３０～２１：３０
Holidays: undecided
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

素麺, 美食, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Somen

Japanese Gastronomy: Somen-The Basics

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SOMEN-1

The hot weather will come quickly to Japan and it is already time to think about refreshing recipes!
Sōmen (素麺) are very thin, white Japanese noodles made of wheat flour. The noodles are usually served cold and are less than 1.3 mm in diameter. The distinction between sōmen and the next thicker wheat noodles hiyamugi (冷麦), and even thicker Japanese wheat noodles udon (饂飩) is that sōmen is stretched while hiyamugi and udon are cut.

SOMEN-COLD

Summer-style cold somen

Sōmen are usually served cold with a light flavored dipping sauce or tsuyu. The tsuyu is usually a katsuobushi-based (鰹節/dried bonito shavings) sauce that can be flavored with chopped thin leeks, ginger, or myoga. In the summer, sōmen chilled with ice is a popular meal to help stay cool.

SOMEN-COLD2
Somen Meal Sample

Fish stock can easily be replaced with konbu/seaweed stock if you vegetarian or vegan.

SOMEN-NAGASHI
Nagashi Somen flowing down a bamboo pipe.

Some restaurants offer “nagashi sōmen” (流しそうめん flowing noodles) in the summer. The noodles are placed in a long flume of bamboo across the length of the restaurant. The flume carries clear, ice-cold water. As the sōmen pass by, diners pluck them out with their chopsticks and dip them in tsuyu. Catching the noodles requires a fair amount of dexterity, but the noodles that aren’t caught by the time they get to the end usually aren’t eaten, so diners are pressured to catch as much as they can. A few luxurious establishments put their sōmen in real streams so that diners can enjoy their meal in a beautiful garden setting.

SOMEN-NYUMEN
Nyumen

Sōmen served in hot soup is usually called “nyumen” and eaten in the winter, much like soba or udon are.

SOMEN-CHAMPURU
Somen champuru.

In Okinawa, somen champuru are very popular with goya and tofu.

SOMEN-PLAIN

Plain somen

Somen are probably the easiest style of noodles to prepare.
Plain chilled somen with cold ponzu are such a great snack in summer.

SOMEN-KOREAN

A very similar variety of thin wheat flour noodles are called somyeon in Korea and are used in a dish called bibim guksu.

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

祭, 美食, 酒, 観光, 魚海の幸, 農業, Festivals, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Festivals, Japanese Gastronomy, Matsuri, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Shizuoka Festival, Tourism

Shizuoka Festival Food Stands and Dancers!

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Cute lady selling dango/団子!

The last three days saw the annual Shizuoka Festival which was held all over town.
It is slowly becoming better organized thanks to contributions from the whole Prefecture and volunteer citizens, although the city and authorities do very little…
Anyway yesterday, a beautiful Sunday, I took the opportunity to take a few (a lot actually) pictures to show you all what a local (in Shizuoka City) festival looks like!

I first went to the Sumpu Castle (a 2/3 scale copy of the original) and Sumpu Park!

The entrance to the main “square” where most of the food stands were located.

The map of the whole park!

A small traditional band manned by physically-impaired children!

Tough-looking girls on the Japanese drums!

Drummers start young in Japan!

Unimpressive and idle Shizuoka policemen…
Shizuoka policemen (actually traffic wardens in spite of their guns and plates…) are notorious as a lazy breed…

Now, what is that castle for?

A giant air cushion for kids to play on!

Fancy a tour with a “jinrikisha”?

Some people also call this Festival the “Shizuoka Spring Cherry Blossoms festival”!

These knee-high stockings are very much in fashion this year!

Plenty of food and drinks under the cherry trees! Ever heard of “Hanami/花見”?

Bento stand!

Japanese-style country food!

Yomogi wagashi Japanese cakes!

Shizuoka Oden!

Tsubuan Manju!

Shizuoka-style okonomiyaki!

Floating balls for the kids!

Try your luck!

Shizuoka specialties: dried sakura ebi/cherry shrimp and shirasu/sardine whiting!

A treat that kids all over the world look for!

More Shizuoka Oden!

Very well organized event with many public dustbins!

Kimonos are still very much in fashion!

A whole range of fancy okonmiyaki!

Japanese-style soft ice creams!

Korean-style karaage/deep-fried chicken!

Preparing o mochi and kinako wagashi cakes!

More okonomiyaki!

No, they are not selling kangaroo meat!

Shizuoka is strawberry country!

The Japanese too love their hamburgers!

Yakisoba!

Famous Shizuoka’s Hatsukame sake!

Takoyaki/Octopus dumplings!
I took a break to enjoy some with a cup of the above sake!

Charcoal-grilled ayame and ayu trouts!

Dango/団子!

Hiroshima-style Suwaganiten and nigiriten!

Utsunomiya gyoza!

Japanese-style corn on the cob!

Mini okonomiyaki?

More Shizuoka-style oonomiyaki!

Sausages!

Giant Sasebo (Kyushu) hamburgers!

Yakitori and oden!

“Love and Peace Ice Cream”!

I finally moved out to a quick look at Aoba Park Street where the kids were having on giant air cushions!

Right in front of the city hall! I suspect that many a civil servant’s kid was there!

And then I walked and made myself a nuisance taking pics of dancing groups in the middle of the main thoroughfare!

Sexy dancers! Sorry for the fuzzy pic, I was not really looking at my camera….

Mothers and kids waiting for their turn!

The Japanese love to be taken in photographs but the setting sun was a bit of a nuisance!

Is that a gentleman in the middle?

My personal first prize for colorful costumes!

The last pic!

Looking for and forward to the next local festival!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

Cheese, 美食, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Cheese: Queso Fresco made by Jean Sabedora Garcia in Shizuoka City, Japan!

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Who said they don’t make cheese in Japan?
Actually, a lot is made especially in the North, that is, in Hokkaido Island, and some had been made in the Eastern part of Shizuoka Prefecture from cow’s milk for at least ten years, not withstanding the numerous smoked cheese made here and there…

And now, I discovered a cheese maker in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City who makes his cheese from cow’s milk!

Jean Sabedora Garcia (I will have to check the proper spelling in a soon to come interview!) is a Peruvian gentleman who makes his cheese the way they fabricate it in South America.

The cheese is made with pasteurized cow’s milk, food salt, potassium chloride and rennet, all clearly indicated on the package label.

The consumption date is also clearly indicated and it is double-packed for maximum food safety. It should be stored at a temperature of 10 degrees Celsius.

Queso fresco (Spanish), Queijo Fresco (Portuguese) or “Natural Cheese” (Japanese) is of a beautiful white color and very firm, making it easy to cut and serve.
It is quite similar to feta in concept, firmness and color but slightly more salted.
The aroma is very pleasant.
Surprisingly well-balanced and easy to eat.
Although made from cow’s milk, it tastes very much like a very young goat’s milk cheese.
Best appreciated on its own with high quality crackers, or in caprese style salad.
I had a little weakness for it toasted on home-made bread!
Really worth discovering!

Jean Sabodera Garcia
DEKASEGUI PRODUCTS-JF Shokuhin Kougyou
Shizuoka City, Shimizu ku, Minato Minami Cho, 1-11-1F
Tel.: 054-537-0374
Mobile Phone: 090-65953065

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Masu Ichi Brewery- The Last Bottle? Masu Ichi Dai Ginjyo

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Masu Ichi Brewery has not been making sake for the past year and will not ever as his owner/masterbrewer Denjirou Masui/増井伝次郎 just passed away at the age of 49 leaving no successor willing to take over the brewery founded in 1882.

Denjirou Masui

Denjirou was his brewer’s name given by his mentor Denbei kawamura, the godfather of Shizuoka Sake and the creator of the Shizuoka sake yeast. He was one of the only three brewers of the Shida School.
His sake is fast disappearing and this particular one is the first of a series of “last bottles” I’m scouring the Prefecture to get my hands on for posterity!
This is therefore the third bottle! (More coming!)

This is a Dai ginjyo, meaning the top premium variety blended with pure rice alcohol!

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Light, elegant and fruity. Melon, pineapple, banana.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry and fruity attack backed up by pleasant alcohol.
Complex. Oranges, melon, pineapple.
Disappears quickly.
Very elegant in spite of its dryness.
Drinks very easily.
Oranges asserting themselves with the second sip.
Varies little with food with a drier note.

Overall: Very elegant sake!
Best appreciated on its own, as food tends to interfere with it more than marrying with it. Nevertheless would make for an extravagant aperitif and would enhance the taste of light vegetables such as white asparaguses!
Obviously a sake conceived for tasting!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

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

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Masu Ichi Brewery- The Last Bottle? Masu Ichi Junmai Ginjyo

2 Comments

Masu Ichi Brewery has not been making sake for the past year and will not ever as his owner/masterbrewer Denjirou Masui/増井伝次郎 just passed away at the age of 49 leaving no successor willing to take over the brewery founded in 1882.

Denjirou Masui

Denjirou was his brewer’s name given by his mentor Denbei kawamura, the godfather of Shizuoka Sake and the creator of the Shizuoka sake yeast. He was one of the only three brewers of the Shida School.
His sake is fast disappearing and this particular one is the first of a series of “last bottles” I’m scouring the Prefecture to get my hands on for posterity!
This is therefore the second bottle! (More coming!)

That beautiful bottle cap is also going to disappear…

It is a junmai ginjyo, meaning no alcohol was blended in and that is a premium sake of ginjyo level!

Rice milled down to 50 %
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in March 2012

Clarity: very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Complex.
Melon. Liquorice. Pleasant alcohol.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Very deep attack backed with junmai petillant. Fruity. Complex.
Almonds, melon and faint oranges.
Disappears on a dry coffee beans note.
Varies little with food with a strong accent on oranges and dry almonds.
Coffee beans and dark chocolate make a strong comeback once away from food.

Overall: A very dry but elegant sake!
Very enjoyable on its own but particularly pleasant with vegetables.
Actually happily marries with any food, be it Japanese or Western gastronomy.
Would also make for a great aperitif, although its dryness would be the perfect match for chocolate!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

美食, 野菜, 豆腐, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Miso, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tofu, 味噌

Japanese Gastronomy: Vegan Red Miso Dressing

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This posting has been prompted by vegan and vegetarian friends who wanted to get some information for a red miso dipping sauce.
Although this particular recipe is more a dressing than anything else, it could be used as a dipping sauce if you mixed in fresh cream. The cream will solidify when combined with oil.
Unfortunately it will not qualify as a vegan recipe, then.
I wonder if soy milk cream exists!

INGREDIENTS:: for 60 ml/cc of dressing

-Red miso: 1.5 tablespoons
-Soy sauce: 1/2 tablespoon
-Rice vinegar: 1.5 tablespoons
-Sugar: 1 tablespoon
-Salad oil of your choice: 3 tablespoons
-Ground sesame seeds: 1.5 tablespoons
-Freshly grated ginger: a little
-Freshly grated garlic: a little

RECIPE:

-First mix miso, soy sauce, sugar, ground sesame, grated ginger and garlic until you obtain a smooth mixture. Add oil and rice vinegar and stir well.

-Serve it on fresh vegetables and tofu salad!

-Great for taste and look on freshly boiled or steamed vegetables!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

Bento, 美食, 野菜, 金柑, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, 寿司, 弁当, 手丸り寿司

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12/16): Vegetarian Te-mari Sushi. Bento!

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Te-Mari Zushi/手丸り寿司 means hand-made sushi balls in a spherical shape originally designed for geishas to eat easily. Mine are a bit bigger than the ones found in Kyoto. After all I’m of the male gender!

The Missus made three types, all with local vegetables and rice:
From left to right: Home-pickled (amazu sweet vinegar) myoga on sushi rice seasoned with black sesame seeds, boiled stick broccoli on sushi rice seasoned with hijki sweet seaweed, minced pickled red cucumber and black sesame seeds and lotus root home-pickled in umeboshi amazu over plain sushi rice.

The side box contains at least three desserts:
Left to right: on top sweet Japanese-style candied green peas above home-made kumquat compote, boiled broccoli and mini tomatoes in the middle and tamagoyaki containing cheese and parsley!

Once a again a very colorful and really yummy bento!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

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

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2012/04/04): Three Spring Seasonal Releases

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Three Spring Seasonal Releases

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

April in Japan coincides with the new school and business year. The scene around Tokyo is of thousands of newbusiness suit-cladded shain (company employees) shuffling around apprehensively from one orientation meeting to another. When they are not attending indoctrination rallies, they are busy carrying out their first corporate assignment: organizing and reserving space for the company Hanami party. Hanami parties in Japan, of course, involve consumption of copious amounts of alcoholic beverages. It is one of our spring seasonal missions at Baird Beer to class up the alcohol beverage scene at Hanami parties. In addition to our terrific lineup of year-round beer, this year we are releasing three wonderful seasonal brews tailored especially for this rite-of-passage month: Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale, Pawa-Hara Golden Ale, and Temple Garden Yuzu Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale (ABV 8.5%):

The inspiration for this refreshing, effervescent yet potent brew is the renowned Belgian classic, Duvel. The key attributes of Duvel are light body, high alcohol, and spritzy effervescence. We aim for the light body and strong alcohol through a high starting gravity (18 Plato) that contains a large amount of Japanese korizato sugar (25 percent). High attenuation and natural carbonation through secondary fermentation in package provide the sprite, refreshing character. A touch of spicy-floral hop flavor and aroma (Sterling, Saaz, Styrian Golding) helps to round out the character.

Bureiko jikan (literally, “time for impertinence“) is a classic Japanese cultural construct: it is a time when, generally fueled by alcohol, the strict bonds of hierarchical relationships melt away and individuals on the lower rungs of those relationships can let their true feelings and frustrations out without threat of later recrimination. It is a cathartic venting mechanism that effectively perserves the hierarchical system of relationships here. So, invite your boss or senpai out for a Baird Beer, order up a glass of Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale, and let it fly!

Bureiko Jikan Strong Golden Ale is available for immediate release in both kegs and bottles (630 ml).

*Pawa-Hara Golden Ale (ABV 6.5%):

Recently I have heard of a new and interesting Japanese cultural construct which is essentially the polar opposite of bureiko jikan. Japanese call it pawa-hara which is short for “power harassment”. This is a situation in which someone on the top rungs of the hierarchical relationship ladder invites underlings out for a drink and bite with the express intent of bullying and berating them. Alcohol, it seems, fuels this newly coined social custom too.

Well, if this is going to take place, we feel there needs to be a good beer suitable to the occasion. Our answer: Pawa-Hara Golden Ale. The recipe is exactly the same as Bureiko Jikan, only the original gravity (14.2 Plato), alcohol (6.5%) and hop bittering units (20) have been lowered somewhat. The result is a beer of seductive but not overwhelming strength; ideal for buttering someone up for the lambasting to come!

Due to its experimental social nature, and the fact that it is a small batch yielding only a minimal number of kegs, Pawa-Hara Golden Ale will be available on draught exclusively at our Taproom pubs. If you are a person in a position of power and need to berate the troops a bit, come on in to a Taproom — we got the elixir you’ll need!

*Temple Garden Yuzu Ale (ABV 5.5%):

This lovely spring ale is brewed with wonderfully piquant and aromatic yuzu fruit that is local and fresh. To put it simply, this is a sublime fruited ale. Because it is our policy to use only fresh fruit in season, and mostly local fruit, we can only brew Temple Garden once a year. Sadly, our supply of yuzu fruit was very limited this year enabling us to brew only two small batches. This has yielded only a very small quantity of kegs and no bottles. We apologize to all good Baird Beer retailing accounts that are unable to procure Temple Garden Yuzu Ale this year. We will do our best to find and procure more yuzu fruit next year and turn it into a far greater volume of this one-of-a-kind ale.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

美食, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Potatao, Potato Chips, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Potato Gastronomy: The Real Potato Chips!

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Now, what are real potato chips?

Not the French fries, which are actually Belgian fries.

And not the poor imitations you wolf down with untold amounts of salt and preservatives!

Real potato chips, as known in Great Britain or France (!) are made with potatoes, real ones I mean, and they are easy to make and much, much healthier!

Now, what do you need?
Potatoes, of course, a (very) little salt and good oil.

How do you prepare them?

Your potatoes, being old or not, can be used with a simple technique.

If they are old, no problem.
If you brush them (with a real hard brush) under clear water, you will be able to reduce their outer layer to a very thin skin that is edible (actually most of the really beneficient matters are contained in their skin!).

Cut them as thin as possible (with their skin!).

Important: slices of different thickness should not be fried together.
Try to separate them as shown on above pic and fry them separately.
Great fun if you have the kids around!

Clean potato slices in cold running water. This is an important step unless you want them to stick together, turn black and make a mess!
Dry them thoroughly inside a large clean cloth (or the water will fly upon frying!).

Heat frying oil to 170 degrees Celsius.

This is how your chips should look just before frying!

Use long wooden chopsticks to prevent chips from sticking to each other.

Your chips will change colour and, if the oil is at proper temperature, swell nicely!

Once you are satisfied with their colour, take them out of the oil and let them rest for a very short while over a fine mesh to get rid of excess oil. Sprinkle a (very) little salt for taste. I personally like some parmegiano and pepper instead of the salt!

Don’t forget the “wrong shapes”! They make for great chips, too, especially with the kids!

I usually serve the round chips with oven-baked chicken or guinea fowl!

Did I mention vegans can eat these?

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India
Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

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

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

Japanese Gastronomy: Vegan Japanese Simmered Egg Plant

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Egg plants or aubergines, originating from India, are very popular in Japan and chefs have come up with many simple and succulent recipes in this country!

Here is a very simple one to satisfy the priorities of a vegan or vegetarian.
It makes for a great snack with your drink!

Japanese Simmered Egg plant/Nasi no Ni Komi/茄子乃煮込み

INGREDIENTS For 3 egg plants

Egg plants: 3 shortish and round
Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
Sugar: 3 tablespoons
Dry short chili (鷹の爪): 1
Sesame oil: as appropriate

RECIPE

1)
Take/cut off the sepals and puncture the egg plant with a tooth pick in dozen places.

2)
In a wok or saucepan drop the egg plants and add soy sauce, sugar and chili. Switch the fire on to hot.
Rool the eggplant in the juices regularly.

3)
Once the liquid has reduced to half, turn the fire down to medium.

4)
Once the liquid has been absorbed by the eggplant add the sesame oil and roll the eggplants in them.
Switch off fire and serve!

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The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India
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