Category Archives: Shizuoka

焼酎, Gastronomy, Hamamatsu City, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shochu

Shizuoka Shochu Tasting: Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery: Doman

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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!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Baird Beer, Beer, Gastronomy, Numazu City, Shizuoka, Tourism

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/06/29)

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Early Summer Seasonal Release: Cool Breeze Pils

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

As I sit sweltering in front of my computer wondering where the rainy season went, I begin longing for a refreshingly brisk and quenching libation. Fortunately, the Baird Beer cellar is stocked with just such a brew: Cool Breeze Pils. Baird Cool Breeze Pils 2011 is available for shipment from our brewery cellar beginning today, June 29.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Cool Breeze Pils 2011 (ABV 5.2%):

Brewed annually, Cool Breeze Pils is Bohemian in style, cleanly malty in body, coquettishly floral in aroma, and crisply dry in its snappy bitter finish. Cool Breeze Pils registers on the imbiber like a fresh ocean breeze does on the perspiring body of a mid-afternoon sunbather. Cool Breeze Pils is unfiltered and re-fermented and naturally carbonated in package where it has undergone an extended maturation. The result, we believe, pays handsome tribute to the glorious history of this storied lager beer style.

Cool Breeze Pils 2011 will be pouring from our Taproom taps beginning Thursday, June 30. It will be available on draught and in bottles (633 ml) at many other fine Baird Beer retailing establishments as well.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

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

Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka

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

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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!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

蕎麦, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shimada City, Shizuoka, Tourism

Soba & Tempura at Setsugekka!

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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)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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

Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Radioactivity, Shizuoka, Tourism

Radioactivity in Food: About time to ask (yourselves) a few questions…

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Tea fields in Hirano, Shizuoka City

A young German friend of mine who stayed for some time in Shizuoka City (you know, near Mout Fuji…) until the horrendous earthquake in the North East of Japan confided me in a private e-mail how concerned he was with the recent mass media reaction in his country when radiocative tea was found in the Warashina District high in the mountains of Shizuoka City.

First of all, I would like to put the occurence into perspective, something that German and French mass media have willingly refused to do for obvious political (and economical) reasons:
Now, although the amount of radioactivity was only a little higher than outdated standards the tea was safe for consumption.
The radioactivity was detected in a misnuscule area at 1,000 meters altitude in a single organic tea farm.
Naturally, the aforesaid mass media did not bother to investigate on site… which reminds me of an “eminent” France 2 reporter, Alain de Calvron reporting “live” on the Fukushima disaster form Osaka City, more than 700 km away!

Corn fields in Toyoda Cho, near Iwata City in Shizuoka Prefecture.

When the earthquakes and tsunamis struck Japan, there was an almost universal concern about the country in the rest of the world which was bombarded at nasueam with films and comments of Apocalypse.
Then, two weeks later, there were general admiration and compassion for the stolid inhabitants of this country who refused to bend to natural catastrophes.
But now, we have come back to the old ways and bashing after the World realized that Japan was quickly back on its feet, and this a lot too faster to some….

Fresh Shizuoka Vegetables in Bagna Cauda style at Piatto Restaurant in Shizuoka City

Some people ought to ask themselves why Japan and the Japanese refuse to pay back everyone for the constant bashing.
Do you remember?
-Whaling: The Japanese never asked questions or comparisons with Iceland and Norway when they tried to explain their position.
-Toyota: Their President paid a personal vitit to the States to apologize. Now what is the state of the US car industry compared to Toyota?
-Bluefin tuna: Japan is the only country who succeeded, and this in 3 diferent places, Kyushu, Kinki and Shizuoka, to raise bluefin tuna from the egg (specimens weighing more than 30 kg are already swimming about) among a host of marine life they have helped re-stocking. What about Europe and the States?

I can give you at least one reason: wisdom.
People tend to forget all too easily that Japan, an island nation lost in the Pacific has found the means to live through European attempts of colnialism, WWII and and innumerable natural catastrophes from volcano eruptions to tsunamis, and has even found the time and means to develop the most progressive gastronomy in the World in between!

Blueberries grown without any pesticides in Goshima, Shizuoka City.

Not being Japanese, I will ask the questions the Japanese could throw into the faces of some:

-Germany, Italy and Spain will stop producing nuclear electicity. Where will the buy their electricity from?
-The Japanese are not even thinking of asking for radioactivity tests all over Europe. What would be the results if conducted?
-Has anyone in Europe checked what lies at the bottom of the Baltic Sea?
-Spanish, French and ships from other countries are overfishing some varieties while throwing the unwanted species back dead into the sea.

Shall I continue?

Don’t you think some honesty and introspection are in order?

Robert-Gilles Martineau

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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

Blueberries, 美食, Desserts, 観光, 農業, Fruit, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism

Blueberries with no pesticides in Shizuoka City: Masako Mochizuki!

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Mrs. Masako Mochizuki/望月正子さん!

A true farmer’s abode growing their own food (tomatoes)!

In Shizuoka (and in Japan most of the time for that matter) you very quickly move from the sea to deep into mountains within minutes when you embark into an interview of a local farmer!

Overgrown asparaguses in the foreground and fig trees in the background!

This is when you need friends, especially considering I do not drive (I never did in my life!).
Mind you, I could use a bus or even my bicycle in that case as we went as far as Gojima/後島 up the Abe River, a beautiful trip in itself!

But my good friend, Mrs. Natsuko Koyanagi/小柳奈津子さん, who knows all the farmers along the river, was on hand again to help me!

This is green tea land, too!

Tell the truth, Masako Mochizuki is a celebrity in the region. If you are lost just ask for the blueberry lady’s house!

The blueberry fields with nets to fend off birds!

The Mochizuki family, like all farmers around, had been growing tea and other staple crops when 15 years ago a friend approached Masako personally to ask her to grow blueberries, known to be extremely beneficent to health and eyes in particular!

One of the gadgets to fend off birds. Masako San said that it actually turned more into decoration than anything else!

A remarkable fact is that Masako San does not use any pesticide whatsoever, a notable rarity for that particular crop!
As for fertilizer she mixes only the minimum with home-made compost and others!

She grows 40 varieties, 10 of for sale, in 5 fields on a total area of 700 tsubo/2,300 sauqre meters.
I just can’t describe or take a picture (I’ll come back again anyway!) of all varieties or I’ll into a boring specialist!
But let me show a few of the trees that attracted my attention!

The different varieties will mature at different times. The above won’t be ready for harvest before at least a week.
That does not prevent Masako San and her husband from picking 10 kg of blueberries every morning between June and August!

Small type.

Even smaller but still unripe.

Definitely not ripe!

Medium-sized type with a great balance in taste! I picked quite a few of these!

The big ones, absolute beauties!

The same, to be eaten one at a time! LOL

My personal harvest of two varieties. Considering that the same trees had been harvested early that morning, I was more than satisfied!

A very small part of the morning’s harvest. Truly enormous and so sweet with the right touch of acidity!
I know a lot of chef friends who are going to ask questions!

As I said previously, blueberry is also considered as natural medicine in this country, so Masako, apart of creating jams and jellies, also make blueberry soap!

BLUEBERRY GOSHIMA/ブルーベリー後島
Mr.s Masako Mochizuki/望月正子さん
421-2105 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Goshima, 145-1
４２１－２１０５静岡市葵区後島１４５の１
Tel. & Fax: 054-294-0590
Mobile phone: 090-3938-2328
E-mail: masako77@agate.plala.or.jp
Private orders welcome!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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

Bento, 美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/34): Alien Chicken Faces Bento!

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Now, what made me call this bento, Alien Chicken Faces Bento?
The Missus is going to kill me for publishing such a title LOL
Mind you, I can always plead the sudden rise in temperatures as a good excuse!

Anyway, the rice first:
The Missus steamed it with a dash of soy sauce and dashi/soupstock added to the water.
Once steamed she mixed it with boiled black beans.

She added home-pickles mini-melons for fibers and vinegar.
These mini-melons mainly come from the musk melon farmes in the area of Fukuroi City who have to pare down their plants. A good way to avoid waste and turn a reject into gastronomy!

Now, for the accompaniment box:
Can you see the alien faces peeking out?

The Missus made her usual pickle corner with home-pickled cucumber mixed with seaweed (wakame) and umeboshi pulp with a little more ponzu!
Very appreciated on hot days!

Now, do you agree they look alien?
The Missus did work hard to conceive them with sasami/Chicken breast fillets she had first flattened before rolling them around boiled carrots strips and stringbeans and stir-fry them together.
She added plenty of local lettuce and small plum tomatoes for fibers and vitamins!

The dessert added plenty of colors with pineapple and redcurrants from our balcony garden (the redcurrants, not the pineapple!)!

Very colorful and summerlike bento! Very satisfying and yummy!
Loved those alien faces…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

美食, 観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, sushi, Sushi bars, Sushi restaurants., Tourism

Sushi Restaurant: Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City (June 2011)

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Umazura tsukuri/ウマズラ造り/Filefish sashimi plate!

Sushi Ko in Aoba Park Street in Shizuoka City is the sushi bar owned by Sushi Ko Main Sushi Restaurant in Ta-machi in the same city.
Mr. Oda has just been asked to take charge of the main restaurant while his very capable second, Mr. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太さん has been promoted Head of the Sushi Bar in Aoba.
The Bar is as good as ever, but now I will also have to check the main restaurant!

While the Missus drank her Chardonnay, I was sipping my sake brewed by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City. The above shows the snack coming with the first drink: octopus/tako/蛸 served with seaweed, momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper, chopped thin leeks and ponzu!

We managed to get our favorite seats at the counter, but one half of the tatami room was busy with a group of 11 hungry salarymen!
Loads of consecutive work!

Our seats gave us the perfect view of the chefs at work!
They know us well, so they actually welcome the photography (without flash!), but make a point to ask for permission if you are a new customer (the latter applies for any restaurant!)!

On the menu of the day they had umazura tsukuri/ウマズラ造り/Filefish Sashimi Plate.
This fish whose name literally means “Horse face” is a kind of filefish found in Suruga Bay.
It was taken alive out of the fish pond!

Filefish in general is not that popular in other countries, but it definitely deserves attention.
Although it has not much meat, it makes for beautiful sashimi!

For a closer view!

Here it is, served with a dip made with its fresh liver and ponzu!
A real morsel!

Its cheeks were served deep-fried!

Chef Birukawa has kept a little to serve the perfect filefish nigiri topped with its liver and momijioroshi and some thin leeks and wasabi between the neta/topping and the shari/rice!

The Missus always asks for the maguro ponkara/鮪ぽんから/deep-fried tuna served with momiji oroshi, ponzu and sliced red onions!

Whatever the sushi restaurant we always ask for magurozuke/鮪漬/marinated tuna as each establishment has a different recipe!

Sushi Ko always have great botan ebi/牡丹海老/large sweet prawn from Hokkaido in season!

Their freshness means we are guaranteed their deep-fried heads. They make for beautiful crackers!

When we asked for anago/穴子/conger eel, they came in the perfect combination of one piece shio-aji/塩味/salted and the other one, tare-aji/たれ味/brushed with sweet sauce!

Another favorite: tachiuo aburi nigiri/太刀魚炙り握り/Seared scabbard fish nigiri seasoned with ponzu!

Chef Mirukawa’s specialty: Sushi Millefeuille!

The Millefeuille was made with maguro akami/lean tuna, cucumber, avocado and topped with flying fish roe!

A vegetarian/vegan sushi roll with natto, shiso and umboshi!

Another vegetarian/vegan sushi roll with kanpyou/干瓢/dry gourd shavings and plenty of wasabi!

Tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette!

We usually finish such meals with hot food.
The Missus had nameko mushroom miso soup with plenty of seaweed.

As for me I had chyawanmushi/茶碗蒸し/Japanese-style hot salted pudding!

And we were graciously offered Shizuoka-grown musk melon as we paid our (very reasonable) bill!

To continue…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, Gastronomy, Hamamatsu City, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism, 弁当, 浜松市

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Kenkadako/Fighting Kites

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On my way to work today I decided to stop at Kakegawa JR Station and sample my first ekiben sold in that station!
The name “Kenkadako/喧嘩凧/ means fighting kites ( the playthings, not the birds), another name given to the Hamamatsu Festival.

The same ekiben is sold at Hamamatsu and Kakegawa JR Stations where the Shinkansen/Bullet Train stops by Jishotei co./自笑亭株式会社.

A wet towel and chopsticks are graciously provided with the name of the company.

The box cover would definitely be a must-get collector’s item for the ekiben fan!

All the different designs are real emblems of family kites seen in the air (they are truly enormous!)!
Have a look HERE for a great picture collection of the event!

Like any other worthy company, Jishotei Co. clearly indicates the contents of the box!

One more paper towel is provided while the contents are well protected by an extra transparent hard sheet of paper.

Now, what do we have there?

Plain steamed rice with black sesame seeds.

Wasabi Zuke/wasabi stems and leaves pickled in sake white lees to accompany the rice and red pickled cucumber.
Curried chicken (popular anywhere, isn’t it?).

Nikudango/肉団子/ Meat ball made with minced chicken and onions.
Unagi Dani/鰻田煮/broiled eel. Eels are a famous product from Western Shizuoka Prefecture!

Hijikini/ひじき煮/simmered hijiki sweet seaweed with soy beans.
Niwatori no Karage/鶏の唐揚/deep-fried chicken.

Ebifrai/海老フライ/deep-fried shrimp.
Yakisaba/焼鯖/grilled mackerel.
Bottle of soy sauce.

The tidbits:
From left to right, bottom to top:
Simmered shiitake mushroom, ikadango/イカ団子/steamed cuttlefish paste ball, two kinds of colored (green and gray) balls of konnyaku/蒟蒻/elephant’s foot tuber, boiled satoimo/里芋/taro, simmered sweet kuri/栗/chestnut and ninjin/人参/carrot.

Very satisfying and so intriguing! And yummy!

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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

Bento, 美食, Ekiben, 観光, 駅弁, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento: Shizuoka Furusato Bento

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Been in a bit of a hurry today and couldn’t prepare any schedule or meal.
I decided to visit the ekiben stand in Shizuoka City JR Railway Station for the first time in 3 weeks!

There I acquired an ekiben I had been wanting to sample for some time: Furusato Bento/Home Town (Home Country) Bento!

The wrapping paper ia almost a collector’s item showing the main agricultural products of our Prefecture! Can you see them?

Shizuoka Prefecture is most famous in Japan not only for Mount Fuji, but also for its green tea, oranges, strawberries and musk melons!

As usual, Tokaiken Co. had clearly stated the ingredients on its wrapper!

The food was well protected by the hard transparent paper cover. A hand towel was also provided. Good hygiene!

Now, what do we have here?

The rice was steamed with the juices of the Katsuo kakuni/鰹角煮/Simmered bonito, another typical product of Shizuoka Prefecture and a preserved chestnut.

Plenty to accompany the rice!

Simmered and boiled vegetables: Boiled carrot. Boiled taro/sato imo and cut in the shape of a mushroom! String bean. Konbu maki/simmered seaweed roll. Bamboo shoot. Fuki/蕗/giant butterbur.

Boiled shrimp, small bottle of soy sauce, tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette, lettuce and another specialty of Shizuoka: sakuraebi kakiage/Cherry shrimps tempura!

And one more specialty from Shizuoka: pickled wasabi stems and leaves!

And for dessert, a fruit from Shizuoka: Orange!

This ekiben was well-balanced with no meat but only seafood, eggs and vegetables, but was still very tasty and fulfilling!

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

With a Glass,
POPCORNHOMESTEAD in Tokyo by Joan Lambert Bailey,
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, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sashimi, Shizuoka, sushi, Tourism

Sushi Restaurant: Narukawa in Shizuoka City

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“Namida Maki/涙巻/Tear Roll” made with fresh wasabi root from Shizuoka!

Service: Professional and very friendly. Keen to please customers
Facilities: Very clean overall. Great washroom
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Extensive usage of local fish. Shizuoka sake.

Hiroki Narukawa/生川広樹さん

I’ve known Chef Hiroki Narukawa for ages since his apprentice days.
Since then he has flown on his own wings and has recently opened his restaurant Narukawa/なるかわ at a new and more spacious address.

In spite of the higher class atmosphere and the increased staff, the prices have not changed and can be considered as reasonable for the quality he serves even in this very difficult to please Prefecture!

Although the seating is modern and almost western in concept it is still very much a traditional atmosphere!

There are naturally menus and sets, but I would encourage you to have a look at the offerings of the day under the glass display and talk with Narukawa San before you start ordering!
Personally I do not bother looking at menus and prefer a more social introduction. The fact that I know the chef also helps! LOL

The Missus and I usually starts with sashimi!
The above is hirame konbujime/平目昆布〆/sole lightly preserved in konbu seaweed. From Shizuoka!

Aka mutsu/赤むつ/Rosy Seabass from Shizuoka.

Kaisui uni/海水海栗/Sea Urchin in his original seawater eaten as it is! Extravagant! From Hokkaido!

Hotate nigiri/帆立握り/Scallops Nigiri. Large! From Northern Japan!

The filaments, roe and liver of the same scallops. A dish that would please a lot of people all over the world!

Madai nigiri/真鯛/True seabream/grouper-Red Seabream/grouper nigiri. From Shizuoka!

Magurozuke nigiri/鮪漬/marinated tuna (akami/lean part). Probably from Shizuoka or North of Japan (I forgot to ask as I always ask for this morsel in Shizuoka!).

Asupara mentaiko maki/アスパラ明太子巻/asparagus and hot cod roe (with mayonnaise) roll. For the Missus! The asparagus is from Shizuoka, the mentaiko from Kyushu island!

While the Missus had her mentaiko I had a kanpyou maki/干瓢巻/gourd shavings first dried, then marinated. With real wasabi from Shizuoka, almost a dessert!

Suwagani nigiri/諏訪蟹/snow crab nigiri from Hokkaido!

Shiroebi kakiage/白海老あき揚げ/white shrimps tempura from Toyama Prefecture!

</

Namida Maki/涙巻/Tear roll made with freshly sliced wasabi root from Shizuoka. Extravagant!

For a closer view!

Menegi nigiri to daikon zuke/芽葱と大根漬/leek sprouts and pickled (lime) daikon. All from Shizuoka!


Ikura Mini Donburi/イクラミニ丼/mini bowl of salmon’s roe!

To be continued…

NARUKAWA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-5-2
Tel.: 054-221-1689
Business hours: 11::30~13:30, 17:00~02:00
Closed on Mondays
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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, 農業, Fruit, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Joboticaba and Tropical Fruits at Nishikawa Garden!

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Jaboticaba!

I finally made it to Nishikawa Garden!
It is located far into Mariko, a good hour by bicycle from the center of Shizuoka City!

I thought I was lost by the end of my journey and had to retrace my route before making another U-turn and finding the board sign I was looking for!

I knew I was in the right place when I discovered the “Truck cafe” at the entrance of the greenhouse!
I couldn’t afford to make any mistake as they open the greenhouse and cafe to the public only on Sundays!

Yoshinari and Aya Nishikawa/西川宣成と文夫妻!

Mr. Nishikawa, a tea and citrus grower got interested in tropical fruit about 8 years ago and started experimenting with Jaboticaba and mangoes in particular.

The original Jaboticaba tree!

Having succeeded with their cultivation inside his two big greenhouses, he opened Jaboticaba Cafe and Garden in October 2009 to allow customers to visit his greenhouses and buy his products on Sundays!

I first visited his mango garden.
Interestingly enough they are not on sale as they are completely booked by private clients!

Although this particular crop is not officially registered as such it is grown organically without pesticides or artificial fertilizers!

Mr. Nishikawa does not follow the general practice of pairing the trees to one single mango for each main branch.
He believes in natural growth!

These will become beauties soon, but I won’t be able to buy a single one then…

Jaboticaba is an odd fruit indeed!
Mr. Nishhikawa originally imported the seeds from Okinawa.
Although “classified” as a tropical fruit it grows best in temperate conditions (around 20 degrees) and can resist lower temperatures as long as no frost occurs.
A visit to the Wikipedia Site should give you a good idea of its rarity outside Southern America, the more for it because of its fragility!

The fruit-bearing flowers appear directly on the trunk and branches away from the leaves!

Then the many flowers suddenly become green fruit before maturing later into a big dark red pearl!

Mr. Nishikawa cultivates four varieties depending on size and fruiting seasons!
All are sweet with a taste both reminiscent of lychees and grapes.

The smallest variety!
It is packed with polyphenols and antioxydants!

Some Jaboticaba are grown in Kyushu and Okinawa islands but don’t appear on the markets because of their fragility.
The only other place where they are grown in Japan (some are in Taiwan) is Nishikawa Garden in Shizuoka City! And organic to boot!

Organic coffee trees on sale!

Mr. Nishikawa has also succeeded with the organic culture of coffee but the crop is just too small to be marketed!

Now, the Nishikawas struck on the great idea of creating a Cafe to encourage customers and their families to taste the various products they make with Jaboticaba and other crops!

The cafe extends inside the greenhouse!

Choose your seat!

Have a good look at the menu before choosing between breads, cakes, jaboticaba drinks and others!

Beautiful home-made breads!

Yummy cakes, some of them made from recipes offered by Pissenlit Restaurant in Shizuoka City!

A lovely panacotta with jaboticaba jelly!
This is the only place you will find jaboticaba jelly in Japan!
They even make jams!

My neighbors were sipping those beautiful jaboticaba soda drinks!

Mrs. Nishikawa has a very unusual hobby!
Oranges that cannot be sold because of blemishes on their skin are peeled before being processed.
Mrs. Nishikawa collects the soft white part between the skin and the flesh, dries it between sheets of newspaper and use it to make this big picture of jaboticaba trees!
The technique is called “oshibana/押し花” or “Pressed Flower Art” in English!
Who said farmers could not be artists!

To be continued…

Cafe Jaboticaba (mr. & Mrs. Nishikawa)
421-0103 Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mariko, 7324
Mobile phone: 090-7605-3491
Business hours: Sundays only, 10:00~17:00

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Bars, Cocktails, 美食, 観光, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Fruit Cocktails by Wataru Matsumoto: 13-Leaf Ginger & Watermelon

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Service: very professional and friendly.
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall.
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Fruit cocktails. Cozy and a comfortable, for ladies and gentlemen alike.

This is the thirteenth recipe of a (hopefully long) series of cocktails concocted by Wataru Matsumoto, owner/bartender at BOTANICAL (Comfort bar) in Shizuoka City.
No worries about copyrights as Mr. Matsumoto is only too happy to share his secrets!

Now this cocktail conceived as a kind of Salty Dog is very much a Shizuoka-style cocktail as the leaf ginger and watermelon were grown in our Prefecture!

INGREDIENTS:

-Fresh leaf Ginger: 1 (if unavailable use as fresh a root as possible or pure ginger juice)
-Watermelon 1 wedge
-Beefeater gin: 1 measure
-Ice cubes : 1~2 large
-Salt

RECIPE:

-Apply salt over the rim of a large glass like one in the picture above. Drop large cubes of ice in it.

-Grate the fresh leaf ginger to extract its juice.

-Cut the watermelon into small pieces (discard the seeds!)
Reduce to pulp (you must be able to almost “eat” the watermelon.

-In a large tumbler pour the gin, leaf ginger juice and watermelon.
Mix well and pour over the ice for a good chill.

A very refereshing cocktail for hot days and nights.
Beware, it tends to disappear quickly!LOL

BOTANICAL (Comfort Bar)
420-0082 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-6-13, Shade Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-221-8686
Opening hours: 17:00~01:00
Closed on Mondays.
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

観光, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Shizuoka, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Fair: 19th Shisa Heiya Bishu Story 2011

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Junmai Ginjyo created by Oomuraya Brewery (Shimada City) with Hyakumangoku Rice, Yeast and water all form Shizuoka Prefecture (limited batch!)!
Courtesy of Marcus Grandon

On the 9th of June 2011 the 19th Shida Beya Bishu Monogatari 2011 was held in Yaizu City at the Hotel Ambia Shyofuku!
”大１９回志田平野美食物語２０１１” means “19th Shida Plain Beautiful Sake Story 2011”!

Welcoming 400 guests through the lobby!

My friend Marcus and I have been invited at the event for the last 4 years and we can afford (politely) to take some liberties.
After having gone through the reception motion we decided to take a quick peek before the official entrance!

Getting the sake tasting space ready before the rush!

Preparations for the meal by the hotel staff were almost completed!

Almost finished!
About time we made ourselves scarce!

The sake kegs from the 6 participating breweries in front of the entrance hust be fore the official entrance!

400 guests patiently queuing up…

Guests seated and everyone waiting for the official beginning of the festivities…

Isojiman Brewery in Yaizu City!

Shidaizumi Brewery in Fujieda City!

Hatsukame Brewery in Okabe, Fujieda City!

Oomuraya Brewery in Shimada City!

Sugii Brewery from Fujieda City!

Aoshima Brewery in Fujeda City!

Still looking at the “wrapped” food before the brewers’ presentation…

Official speech and presentation!

And then… Tasting Battle Royale!

The yearly attendance by John Gauntner proves this is a major sake event in Japan!

The dessert was sakekasu/sake white lees mousse!

Growers of the Shizuoka Homare Fuji sake rice!

This emblem was created by a university student!

See you next year!
But before that be assured I will pay a few visits to these 6 breweries!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

Bento, 美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/31): New Home Bento!

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Due to our moving to a new home just completed the Missus simply had not the time to make a bento for me for nearly a month!
Thus this is my first bento made in our new home!

The Missus kept everything simple this time. She said more complicated affairs will still have to wait!
After having steamed she rice she mixed it with her own pickled Japanese pepper seeds/sanshou/山椒 and added a “kinpira” of carrots and burdock roots/gobou/牛蒡 she had prepared last night. It certainly made for simple and nice colors.

The “side box/dish” also came in simple colors and healthy balance!

She deep-fried (actually shallow-fried) “tontoro/soft pork” cut into rough strips, not with breadcrumbs, but with karaage crumbs which are a lot finer. She placed them on a bed of Shizuoka-grown celery (our Prefecture grows half of the total Japanese crop!) and added a touch of color and balance with lemon pieces for seasoning and sweet pearl tomatoes for taste and vitamins!

She finally added her own pickled cucumber (with black sesame seeds) and boiled black beans (bought in a market).

If she plans to concoct something more complicated in the future I’m not going to complain! LOL

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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