美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 鱚, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Kisu, Shiroebi, Shirogisu, Shizuoka Cuisine, Sillago, Tourism

Japanese Fish Species 16: Sillago-Shirogiau-白鱚

May 2, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

SILLAGO-SHIROGISU

Shirogisu/白鱚, or Sillago in English probably has as many Japanese names as English names.
The Sillago found along the Japanese shores is also called sillago japonica, Whiting or Smelt-Whiting in english, Shirogisu, Kisu, Magisu and Kisugo in Japanese.

The best specimen in Japan are caught in Fukuoka (Kyushu) and Ehime (Shikoku) prefectures from Spring to Summer.
It is also a sport angler’s favourite as they come in all sizes, although the everage will not measure much more than 10 cm. The specimen found in Shizuoka are fairly small and comprise many varieties including deep-sea fish.

Standard Shirogisu Sashimi

As a sahimi/raw fish it can be prepared in many manners:
Standard sashimi as above.

Shirogisu Konbujime Sashimi.

As konbujime, it will be matured between two sheets of wet konbu/seaweed to attain a sweet taste.

Shirogisu Aburi Sashimi

As aburi/lightly seared, one can enjoy two different textures and tastes at the same time.
Mind you, it is not easy to sear properly as the fillets are very thin!

The greatest part of the sillago catch comes from Indonesia, Korea, Thailand, China and other Asian countries.
Fortunately, here in Shizuoka, we do catch a sizeable amount in Suruga Bay guaranting freshness in season.

Shirogisu Sushi Nigiri.

If absolutely fresh, shirohisu/sillago makes for an interesting morsel, the more for it as it is quite rare in this sushi nigiri form.

Anglers will certainly appreciate it grilled on the stick at a BBQ on the beach with a nice pint of beer!

But the most popular way of savouring it is arguably as tempura or breaded and deep-fried, although the fish taste will vary greatly with freshness!
But if absolutely fresh, don’t forget to deep-fry its bones and head!

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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

Bento, 美食, 野菜, 農業, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, 弁当

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12/19): Fried Shirasu Rice Bento!

May 1, 2012 dragonlife 10 Comments

The Japanese are very fond of steamed shirasu/シラス, sardine whiting, which is a Shizuoka specialty, and often mix it with their rice.
I like shirasu but I don’t appreciate it as such when mixed with rice as the “fishy” taste is too strong for me.
The Missus has come with an easy solution: she fries it before including it to the rice!

Therefore the Missus fried some steamed shirasu she had bought at the supermarket in oil and spices and let it cool.
She steamed the rice, and once ready, mixed it with the shirasu and chopped green pimentos.
It does make for good colors and great dietetic balance!

Unfortunately you can’t see them, but the Missus laid three leaves of violet endive/chickory to use as vessels for the different ingredients of the side box!

She filled the top one with shredded carrot, thin-sliced apple and walnut. Even with dressing I considered it as my dessert!
She lined the middle one with basil leaves on which she placed three small pan fried rolls consisting of bacon rolled around cucumber for one of them and the other two rolled around fried chorizo sausages fo supplementary zip. She added boiled snap green peas/green peas in their pod for more color and fibers/vitamins.
As for the third endive leaf she filled it with potato salad also containing sliced black olive and cucumber.

As usual a very colorful bento.
Moreover, it was not only yummy but very well-balanced!
With all that praise heaped on her the Missus will become suspicious!

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Japanese Ladies Fashion in Shizuoka 17: Denim Shirt or Denim Jacket?

May 1, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

This is another obvious example of “pair-looking”, that is, two ladies wearing a similar outfit to attract more attention, although I must say that for once I felt interested in their “pair looking” notion as it was based on a more clever complementary contrast.
This will allow them to go their way separately more easily if needed!
Both wear a top made of denim, a material which has been popular for quite a while as it is cheap, durable and easy to match with.
Note that the lady on the left wears a denim shirt over short pants while her friend adorned herslf with a short jacket and a light skirt cinched at almost navel height to emphasize her legs.
Both are certainly proud of their legs!

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美食, Daikon, Daikon leaves, 野菜, 農業, Food, Food Health, Furikake, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Ginger, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recupe: Daikon Leaves and Ginger Furikake

May 1, 2012 dragonlife 6 Comments

As I said many times it is a shame to throw perfectly edible and delicious fresh daikon leaves when you happen to find them!
Now if you also happen to have ginger roots, soft and fresh, you can produce an even better furikake/”sprinkle” for accompany any dish or use a great snack with beer or sake!
Bear in mind that the recipe can be adapted to any root vegetable leaves (if edible!)!

INGREDIENTS: for 4 people

Daikon leaves of one daikon
Ginger root: a small cube, 3x3x3 cm
Mirin/Sweet Japanese sake: 3 tablespoons
Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
Sesame oil: 1~3 tablespoons
Sesame seeds (grilled): as appropriate according to preference

RECIPE

-Chop daikon leaves and ginger root finely.

-Pour sesame oil in a frypan and stir-fry ginger a little first.

-Add daikon leaves, mirin, and soy sauce and stir-fry over medium-strong fire until all juices have evaporated.

-Add sesame seeds and serve!

Easy, healthy and very tasty!

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美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sashimi, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Tourism

Japanese Fish Species 16: Striped Horse Mackerel-Shima Aji-㠀縞鯵

May 1, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Shimaaji/縞鯵, or Striped Horse Mackerel is one variety of Aji/鯵, Horse Mackerel-Saurel.
Although the season is said to be in Summer, the taste varies little with the time of the year.
Striped Horse Mackerel caught by anglers off the Izu Peninsula in Shizuoka Prefecture are said to be the best in Japan.
It is known under the other names of Ookami, Kose and Katsuoaji.

In English it called Striped Horse Mackerel, Saurel or White Trevally.
White Trevally, Pseudocaranx dentex, is a jack of the family Carangidae widespread in tropical and warm temperate areas between 40°N and 47°S, in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It has a deep body, and a greenish colour with metallic overtones and a dark spot above the gills. The fins are yellow.
In New Zealand, this Trevally is known by the Māori as Araara, and is generally confined to waters north of Cook Strait, although it sometimes reaches as far south as Otago in the summer.

It is a great fish to serve as sashimi, either in simple slices as above,

Or the whole fish as Tataki/tartare!

In Shizuoka, where the fish is usually served still alive, the bone and heads will be served later deep-fried. Superb snack!

The fish is easy to manipulate to make beautiful maki with daikon as above!

The sushi nigiri will have photograpers on constant alert!

See what I mean?

Of course, Aji can be enjoyed grilled with a simple seasoning of soy sauce or ponzu!

Like most white-fleshed fish it can be deep-fried in batter and breadcrumbs at home!

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Japanese Ladies Fashion in Shizuoka 16: Wigs!

April 30, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Big wigs of blonde, auburn and other colors have fallen out of fashion, but some girls still wear them.
Most girls instead have developped the same style with their own dyed hair.
Now only girls who are looking for a momentary change adopt them.
By momentary change I mean for a special occasion, such as parties, get-together or concerts.

Incidentally, I can hear Sissi pointing out that the “little lady” behind them should have warranted more attention from my part! LOL

I found out later that these two girls were working part time distributing leaflets which could explain their wigs for many reasons!

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Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2012/04/30): May is Hop Madness Month; Two New Hoppy Seasonal Releases

April 30, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin

May is Hop Madness Month; Two New Hoppy Seasonal Releases

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

As you know, hops are dear to the hearts of the brewers of Baird Beer. We simply love hop character in beer. The hop is so important to us, in fact, that we have decided to designate May as “Hop Madness Month,” and to celebrate it through the release of sixteen different varieties of hop-forward beer. The May Hop Madness Month beer menu reads as follows:

May Hop Madness Month Baird Beer Menu:

Bohemian Pale Ale (5.0%): Saaz hops and floor-malted Bohemian barley (handpump)
Spalter Golden Ale (4.7%): Famous Spalter aroma hops from Germany
Summit IPA (6.7%): These IPAs share the same recipe but a different US hop
Chinook IPA (6.7%): These IPAs share the same recipe but a different US hop
Columbus IPA (6.7%): These IPAs share the same recipe but a different US hop
Nelson Sauvin IPA (6.7%): Same IPA recipe, different New Zealand hop
Daidai IPA (6.5%): Fruited & dry-peeled IPA
Teikoku IPL (6.5%): Our Year-round IPA fermented with our lager yeast
Continental IPA (6.7%): Double dry-hopped with 4 continental European hops
Triple-Dry Bohemian Pils (5.7%): Triple dry-hopped Bohemian-style Pilsner
Suruga Bay Belgian Imperial IPA (7.7%): Belgian yeast fermented Suruga Bay
Belgian Strong Pale Ale (8.0%): Dry-hopped with 6 European hop varieties
4-C Strong Pale Ale (6.0%): Hopping with Columbus, Chinook, Citra, Cascade
4-S Belgian Blonde Ale (5.5%): Hopping with Sterling, Santiam, Saaz, Styrian Gold
Hop Havoc Imperial Pale Ale (6.2%): 90 IBU pale ale that is double dry-hopped
Red Hop Ale (5.7%): Hoppy American-style Red Ale (handpump)
We are kicking off May Hop Madness Month with today’s general release of the following two beers: Daidai IPA and Teikoku IPL.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Daidai IPA (ABV 6.5%):

Daidai is an extremely aromatic and tartly sour local citrus fruit that we marry together with three powerfully fruity varieties of American hops: Citra, Simcoe and Chinook. 65 bittering units of hops in the kettle provide a magnificent stage for the daidai fruit performance that happens in the whirlpool (juice and peels) and then again in the conditioning tank (dry-peeling). The result is magnificent — an IPA like no other.

Daidai IPA is available in both kegs and bottles (630 ml) and will be pouring from taps all over Japan (including our own Taprooms) beginning Tuesday, May 1.

*Teikoku IPL (ABV 6.5%):

Teikoku IPA, of course, is our year-round India Pale Ale whose signature character derives from the deft combination of three varieties of earthy and spicy aroma hops — Kent Goldings from England, Styrian Goldings from Slovenia, and Glacier from the United States. A robust malt backbone courtesy of floor-malted Maris Otter barley from England makes Teikoku an extraordinarily balanced and thoughtful IPA.

Teikoku IPL is the lager version of Teikoku IPA — we ferment it with our Numazu Lager yeast rather than our house ale yeast. Drinking the two (IPA and IPL) side by side provides a wonderful edification in the flavor differences derived from a single source — yeast.

Teikoku IPA also is available in both kegs and bottles (630 ml) and will be pouring from taps all over Japan (including our own Taprooms) beginning Tuesday, May 1.

May Hop Madness Month @ Baird Beer Taprooms:

During the month of May, all sixteen of the hop-forward beers on the May Hop Madness Baird Beer Menu above will be on tap at one time or another at all four of the Baird Beer Taproom pubs. The Nakameguro and Bashamichi Taprooms will devote five taps at all times to a rotation of the Hop Madness beers; the Harajuku and Fishmarket Taprooms will be pouring 2 to 4 varieties at any one time. Each Taproom will be blogging regularly about the daily lineup of Hop Madness beers that will be pouring from its taps.

There will be available at each Taproom stamp cards that we call the May Hop Madness Baird Beer Card. Any customer who enjoys all sixteen varieties and thus completes the stamp card before the end of May will receive his or her choice of a free Baird Beer T-shirt or Baird Beer logo glass (any variety). The May Hop Madness Taproom Baird Beer Card can be used at any of our four Taproom locations. It is not a pre-paid card. You may receive one at any Taproom beer counter beginning May 1– just ask a staff member.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

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美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sashimi, seafood, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Tourism

Japanese Fish Species 15: Japanese Halfbeak-Sayori-鱵, 細魚, 針魚

April 30, 2012 dragonlife 5 Comments

The Japanese Half Beak or “Sayori” is a very popular fish in Japan as sashimi or sushi because it black-striped flesh does make for some spectacular design in spite of the difficulty to take its skin off cleanly!
The word “sayori” can be written in three difeerent kanji: 鱵, 細魚 (“Thin Fish”, 針魚 (“Pin Fish”).

It is also known unde the names of “Hariuo”, “Kannuki”. The latter name is used for large sprcimen sold in the Tokyo area which can reach up to 40 cm.
It is mainly caught between Winter and Summer, but the best specimens are before and after the spawning season in April~June.
The Japanese sayori mainly come from the shores of Mie, Hyogo, Ishikawa, Hiroshima and Wakayama Prefectures.
We are lucky to catch our own in Suruga Bay off Shizuoka and savor them so fresh!
It is also imported from China, Korea and Australia.

You can easily buy the sashimi cut at supermarkets and re-arrange it at home!

In my own personal opinion it makes for some of the most elegant sushi nigir! Very popular with ladies!

Grilled or as himono/dried, it is the perfect snack I would love anytime with a great beer or sake!

But all said, you can beat such a lovely sushi nigiri!

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Healthy Vegetarian Lunch at Locomani in Shizuoka City (Spring 2012)!

April 30, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly although a bit shy!
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Vegetarian menus. Healthy rice flour cakes.
Completely non-smoking!

Whenever I have to take lunch away from work and that I wish to avoid the great but heavy on my system repasts, the place for a nice, healthy and tasty meal is Locomani only a 3-minute walk away!
They have three great lunch sets. either vegetarian or omnivore, that you can enjoy at all ease inside a comfortable all-wood set-up so conducing to relaxation. Although busy at lunch time, the atmosphere is perfectly clean as no smoking has ever been allowed there!
All the ingredients are carefully selected, most of them local and many organic!

What did I have this time, then?

Rice can be either plain white or genmai/whole. I chose the combination of the two!

Although the menus change regularly the miso soup is always vegetarian and you can expect healthy and yummy tidbits like mushrooms and hijiki sweet seaweed!

And there is always a dish of freshly cooked seasonal greens!

The main dish!
Note that organic red tea is also included!
Now if you are vegan, have a talk with the chef one day when the place is not busy and I’m sure he will know how to satisfy your priorities!

There will always be fresh and often organic salad!

This time I had delicious, crunchy and juicy deep-fried vegetable Imperial rolls!

As you can see, you don’t have to be omnivore to be satisfied!
Even if you are not a vegetarian like me!
Once again I managed to keep myself away from their cakes! LOL

To be followed…

LOCOMANI
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 1-10-6
Tel.: 054-260-6622
Closed every Wednesday and one Monday
HOMEPAGE/BLOG (Japanese)

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Japanese Ladies Fashion in Shizuoka 15: Long-legged and Wobbly Fashionista!

April 29, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

I took this pic inside Shizuoka Station yesterday before boarding on an evening train.
This fashionista’s legs were actually even longer than they look on this picture as she had difficulty straightening them with those impossible shoes.
I thought at first that she was drunk, but she wasn’t. Jus wobbly legs!
A typical fashionista, her long T-shirt is concealing very short thin jean hot pants for a complete show of her legs.
Note the belt!
Pity that her teeth were a dentist’s nightmare. She would have definitely deserved of the epithet of “sexy” in Western countries!

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Japanese Fish Species 14: Spanish Mackerel-Sawara-鰆

April 29, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

SAWARA-1

Sawara/鰆 or Spanish Mackerel is considered as the best kind of Mackerel in Japan. Not only it is a big variety, but its comparatively white flesh is succulent in almost any kind of cooking!

It is known under different names such as Sagoshi and Sagochi when young and Yanagi when mature.
It is basically caught by trawling, but can be fished by line. It is, unlike other mackerels, a pretty solitary fish.

It is caught widely around Japan, off Russia, China and Korea.
The total catch has varied in recent years, but thanks to import, including 21.000 tonnes from China, it has become a feature in season from late Autumn to end of Spring.

UZU-2

(Kan-Sawara at Uzu, Shizuoka City)

In Winter, it is called Kan Sawara/寒鰆 (寒stands for cold, 鰆 stands for Sawara/Spring Fish) and is a sought after morsel. In Shizuoka it is sometimes caught then in Suruga Bay, and I can tell you it disappears quickly from the table!

UZU-09-05-29-5

(Sawara at Uzu, Shizuoka City)

Later in Spring, it is just called Sawara and is leaner.

SAWARA-2

It can be cooked in many ways: broiled as above.

SAWARA-4

Or grilled.

Of Course, as sushi nigiri! Especially Kan Sawara!

Very interesting, seared and with tare on nigiri!

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French Gastronomy: Veal Liver at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

April 28, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Excellent and very friendly.
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom (mouthwash and toothpicks provided!)!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive, very good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products, especially organic vegetables and Shizuoka-bred meat.

Veal is not an easy meat to savor at restaurants in Japan as the Japanese farmers do not usually raise calves the way they do back in Europe or America to obtain a white flesh.
On the other hand veal in Japan is always a tender pink.
The Japanese have always had a special fondness for any veal and veal or beef liver is very much appreciated if somewhat rare.

When Touru Arima/有馬亨さん told me he had just received veal liver fom Fujinomiya City I did not hesitate!
The more for it that we don’t eat any at home! LOL

The veal liver had been sauteed the French way with vinegar and the sauce was prepared with Dijon seed mustard.
Just the way back home in my native Bourgogne!
But the vegetables were definitely Japanese!
The great wedge of bamboo shoot is of course local, slowly fried to a crisp, a very unusual way to cook it in Japan.
So tender inside and so crunchy on the outside! A treat!

Now, the small cabbage is a real organic cabbage harvested very young at Kitayama Farm in Fujinomiya City.
It did require some preparation, though!

Touru Arima/有馬亨さん boiled it a little first to be able to open it carefully. He then filled it with wild boar stew/ragout (the wild boar comes from Shimada City!). He closed the leaves back and sauteed the lot with the liver!
A French delicacy with four ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture!

A bliss!

To be continued…

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

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Japanese Fish Species 14: Salmon-Sake/Shake-鮭

April 28, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

SAKE-1

Salmon is a favourite almost everywhere on the Globe, but it is in Japan that you can enjoy it in the most numerous manners!

Like every other fish it has many names according to season and place:
Shirozake/White Salmon, Akiaji or Akizake for Autumn Salmon, Shake in Tokyo.
In Spring it is called Tokishirazu.
I don’t have to tell you there are many, many names for it all over the world!

SAKE-SUJIKO

Its roe, before processing, is called Sujiko/筋子 in Japanese, whereas the salmon roe, once treated, is called Ikura/イクラ.

SAKE-ROE-SUSHI

Many Japanese appreciate the roe untreated, but more people enjoy it on top of rice as it is with some soy sauce and grated wasabi.

SAKE-SUSHI

It also makes for some splendid colourful creation on a plate of sushi!

SAKE-SUSHI-2

As oshizushi/pressed sushi, it can make some very interesting combinations with the salmon flesh and roe.

SAKE-GOHAN

Have you ever tasted Sake Gohan/Salmon Rice?

SAKE-OSHIZUSHI

Slightly smoked the Japanese way, It is extensively used in the making of bentoes!

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Japanese Ladies Fashion in Shizuoka 14: Mother and Daughter!

April 28, 2012 dragonlife 10 Comments

Maybe I could say that it is never too early nor too late to become fashionable!
Today was a hot day and being a Saturday a lot of people were aout shopping.
Such a mother and daughter is still very much unusual in Japan, considering the mother is nearer fifty than forty of age…
I can’t feel the presence of a man in this family…

Note the shoes! I’m pretty sure they were bought in the same shop!

And both are very proud of their thin long legs!
Definitely a rare occurence but I’m not one to complain!

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Japanese Fish Species 13: Mackerel-Saba-鯖

April 28, 2012 dragonlife 7 Comments

Mackerel or saba is a fish eaten over the whole Northern Hemisphere and does come under many varieties and names.
In Japan it is mainly called “Saba”, “Masaba” or “Sekisaba”.
In this country it is mainly caught off Oita, Saga Prefecture, although quite a few are caught off our coasts in Shizuoka Prefecture, especially off Yaizu.
They feed on plankton mainly.

They are prepared and cooked in many guises. In France, my birthplace, they are steamed and then pickled in white wine and spices before being canned.

Naturally tinned mackerel is available in Japan,too!

In Northern Europe they are also eaten half raw as smorgasbrod and pickled fish.

It can be appreciated as sashimi, but it must be absolutely fresh and is best served with grated fresh ginger and lemon.
As far as sushi is concerned, “masaba” variety is best

Saba Konbujime nigiri.

It is especially popular as “oshizushi” (pressed sushi).

Double oshizushi!

My preference goes for Saba konbujime.

Saba Bogata

The mackerel is kept inside a variety of wet seaweed for an hour or so before put whole on top of a long “bar” of rice, then cut to size.

Saba Heshiko Zuke.
Saba/Mackerel has been a staple fish in Japan since immemorial times.
One way to conserve it for better transport away from the shores was “Saba Heshiko Zuke”, that is, pickled in miso and sake white lees.