Tag Archives: デザート

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

French Desserts: Macaron Framboisé & Matcha Parfait Cannelé at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

March 21, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

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.

The Japanese, as a general rule, are not so keen to savor cakes at the end of their repasts and prefer to enjoy them in between meals.
Therefore, it is quite a feat if a restaurant can convince them to find some space for a succulent dessert!
Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん does not sem to encounter any problems to convince his guests to stay a bit longer and acquaint themselves with his supreme creations!

I have just had the occasion to sample two of his recent desserts as I have to visit him often not only for pleasure but also for work.
The first one is an enormous macaron with a very feminine touch despite its size!

For a closer look!

Big and thick as it is, you certainly need a fork and knife to eat it.
As its name indicates, it is perfumed and colored with raspberry extract with the butter and marzipan filling containing real raspberries!
A sin, if there is one!

The second dessert was a combination of Bordeaux and Shizuoka Cuisines!
In the middle you can see the canelé prepared in the true Bordeaux tradtion but it had been hollowed out!

Now, what does it contain?

Shizuoka Honyama Green Tea Matcha ice-cream!
The cannelé had been frozen together with the ice cream!
It was the first time I found myself eating a cannelé with a knife and fork!
And I’m sure to do it again!
A true gastronomic experience!

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)
E-Mail: pissenlit2008@ybb.ne.jp
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

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

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Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Mrs. Toshiko Otsuka’s Fig Orchard

August 23, 2010 dragonlife 13 Comments

Mrs. Toshika Otsuka/大塚敏子

Figs have been very popular in Japan for eons.
They were introduced in Japan at the beginning of the Edo Era (17th Century) in Nagasaki (Kyushu Island) from Persia through China.
Interestingly enough the Japanese consume only a little quantity of dry figs that they mainly use in cakes. They prefer their fruit fresh and eat them either as appetizers (with sesame dressing/gomadare) or as dessertfruit.

They are grown inside greenhouses or in open air, depending on the variety and growing method.
Mrs. Otsuka grows hers exclusively inside greenhouses on a total area of 240 tsubo/~750 square meters.

Once again my good friend, Natsuko Koyanagi/小柳奈津子 was on hand to help with introductions.
It was quite a distance away from her usual area as figs are grown only on the right bank of the Abe River due to the needed sun exposure whereas Natsuko lives on the left bank. We knew we had arrived before we discovered the greenhouses as the cloying smell of the figs had wafting around us into our car very quickly!

Mrs. Otsuko grows a single variety called Masui Dofin/マスイドフィン, a Japanese hybrid.
Do you know how the Japanese write “ichijiku” for fig? 無花果/No flower fruit! At least knowing the kanji characters meant I was not going to make the mistake asking when flowers were supposed to bloom!

Her trees are pretty old by Japanese standards (these can live a long time indeed!) as she first planted them 27 years ago. Her orchard is her own supply of cash to the homestead as her husband has his own job. Nevertheless, he gives a hand before leaving to work and after coming back from work. Either he is a tough guy or a loving one! (or both? LOL).

Watering is done through a pipe system snaking over the whole grenhouses.
As for fertilizer, she told me in with almost naive honesty that she asks a specialist every year to check on her orchard and decide what’s best!

I saw quite a few figs I would lay my hands on!
Actually, Mrs. Otsuka explained me that Summer is not so much the right season to really savor them. Although she harvests them everyday and “ship” them to the Cooperative, the best season is the Fall when figs are at their best and do not spoil easily.
As she accepte personal orders, you can be sure I will visit her again in a couple of months!

Aluminum foil sheets are spread on the soil along each row of fig trees not so much to protect the soil but to reflect the sun and provide more exposure and heat. And I can tell you this is sweat work!

Trees are trimmed completely of their branches around January and you can count each year going along the scars left on them!
Fruit bearing branches do have to be supported and are tied with twine to the roof to keep them erect and give as much as vital space as possible to the fruit.

Harvesting is always done in the morning when the temperature is lower. The fruit will keep their umami/balance then. Fruit are calibrated and carefully put into boxes before delivery.

Mrs. Otsuka pointed out an interesting detail: when harvesting one has cto cover herself/himself completely, especially arms an legs as fig leaves are really tough and their rims can cut through your skin if you are not careful!
And one has to constantly clean the soil of fallen leaves as they rot easily!

Greenhouses have to left open on their side for better air circulation, but all openings have to be netted or birds will have a feast!

Certainly learned a lot again and am ready to be taught more!

Mrs. Toshiko Otsuka’s Fig Orchard
Sshizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Fukudagaya, 123-1
Tel.: 054-294-9787
Personal orders accepted

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Matsutake Mushrooms and Conger Eel Fritters at Pissenlit

August 20, 2010 dragonlife 6 Comments

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products.
entirely non-smoking!

If celebrated chefs like Dominique Corby at 6eme Sens in Tokyo (1 Michelin Star and a regular on TV’s) say that Tooru Arima at Pissenlit is a chef is worth the trip all the way don to Shizuoka City, there is little else I can say except paying a regular visit to the establishment!

The cuisine at Pissenlit is always seasonal as his Matsutake Mushrooms and Conger Eel Fritters/Beignets de Matsutake et de Congre.
Matsutake Mushrooms have just appeared on the market, and he announced them as Haya matsutake/早松茸/early matsutake.
Frankly speaking i don’t have a real clue as to the order of the cooking, although I suspect it was done allat one time (maybe not for the mushroom, though) but it is certainly a small tour de force.

Thin strips of congre eel/anago/穴子 were rolled around matsutake mushroom and dipped in a thickish batter. The way of serving it was also a little piece of art.
The batter was solid and slightly crispy, more like a cake than a fritter batter.
The dressing made of olive oil, river weeds extract and matsutake juice was sublime and I cerainly didn’t leave a drop (sponged in a little nread…).
I left the plate absolutely clean!

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

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Fromage Creme Brulee at Pissenlit

August 18, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Some desserts are classics wherever you find yourself in the world.
Creme brulee is one of them.
Thinking that it means “burnt cream” in French, one would be excused to question the naming of such a good and simple (in concept) dessert!
Many French restaurants are judged through the way handle so-called easy classics, especially terrines and pates for appetizers and creme brulee for dessert as they often tend to leave a lasting image as the first and last dish of a superb meal!

Whatever their simplicity, they cannot be served with a sophisticated touch.
This is where chefs like Tooru Arima are above the crowds.
The creme brulee comes with a spoon of passion fruit for extra seasoning and a small fruit salad for more decoration and a lightened dessert.

The creme is based on a pudding/custard made with fromage blanc and eggs of the best quality into an unctuous blend under a solid caramel you dleight into breaking after you have smeared it with the passion fruit!

Who said one would kill for such desserts! LOL

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French Cuisine: Summer Lunch at Pissenlit (2010)

July 21, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

The weather has turned from hot to scalding and it has become increasingly a real challenge for all restaurants to serve lunches both light, tasty and healthy to ever demanding clienteles (especially when considering that most customers then are ladies spending their husbands’ wages!)!

I though it was about time I sampled what the ladies enjoyed at Pissenlit, one of the best French restaurants in the whole Prefecture (~4,000,000 souls)
The appetizer above was a bit of a puzzle: Ripe Peach Chilled Soup (Vychissoise)
The soup itself was prepared with ripe peaches, vehetables consomme added with milk and fresh cream and a simple seasoning of salt and pepper.
It came topped with a sherbet made with the smae peach.
Very refreshing summer appetizer! I seemed to be caught between sweet and slightly salty notes all the time…

The next appetizer was not on themenu actuallly.
It is a terrine of “ayu/鮎”. a small indiineous (Japanese) trout-like fish coming with the grand Latin name of Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis. It is a very popular fish with river (it also swims in nearby seas) anglers.

It is also called Sweetfish.
As a terrine it a rare treat indeed. The whole fish, head and tail was used.

The dressing is also a rarity as it is concocted with “tade/蓼” or water pepper, vinegar and olive oil.
Why do I feel so spoiled? LOL

I chose a fish for the main dish. Definitely lighter on the system.
The fish from Sagara in Shizuoka Prefecture is called “kochi/鯒”.

It is also called “Sand Borer”. It is typical fish of Shizuoka Prefecture although it can found in other Japanese water.
It is a slightly extravagant fish to order. It is both appreciated raw and cooked, so you can imagine the compeptition between restaurants!

An “end view” of the fish.

It was roasted and later seasoned with a red wine sauce. The meat has definite bite for a white-fleshed fish that would please even meat eaters!

From a different angle for a better view of the vegetables.

The vegetables were bBack Cabbage, Baby Corn, Violet Carrot, Romanesco Cauliflower (in Japanese sango/coral cauliflower), Morroko Ingen/Morrocan String Beans, all organic from Hirooka Garden in Mishima City, as well as more carrot and Chinese greens.
The perfect (and healthy) balance!

I just couldn’t resist some cheese for dessert and consequently brought the whole healthy balance to nothing!LOL

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French Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at SUGIMOTO TETSUYA-Part 4 (Dessert: Fried Watermelon and Green Tea Ice Cream)

July 18, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

Ranking：
Service: Highly professional and friendly
Equipment: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices:~
Strong points:Freshest produce and ingredients only, mainly from Shizuoka Prfecture. Organic vegetables. Seasonal food only
Map (Japanese)
Entirely non-smoking!

If you happen to visit Shizuoka City, you will find many restaurants and izakayas serving and mainly using produce/products and ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture. There are many treasures to be discovered in this hoard!
one of them is the French restaurant going by the name of Sugimoto Tetsuya!

If you can read Japanese you will know what is waiting for you inside!
A gastronomic paradise in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Mr. Sugimoto does everything by himself: chef, waiter and entertainer! This is real slow food in its true and best meaning!
Almost all ingredients are from Shizuoka Prefecture, be they vegetables, fruit, meat or fish!
But his specialty is organic vegetables from Shizuoka Prefecture!
I requested that this menu feature only produce for Shizuoka Prefecture only.
Since it has turned into a fairly long meal to explain I go about it dish by dish. This is the last part (at last): Dessert! An evry unusual one!

Tetsuya Sugimoto cut out a rectangular piece out a Shizuoka-grown watermelon and fried it on both sides on a lttle oil.
Now, who would have thought of that?!

He placed the hot watermelon on a rectangular plate and seasoned it with vicotto sauce (alright, not for Shizuoka!LOL)

He then put some vanilla (of course not from Shizuoka, but the ice-cream is home-made!) with the idea that it will melt quickly and will become a second seasoning.

On top he placed a large portion of ice cream he made with “Hon-yama” green tea (not matcha), probably the most famous brand of green tea in Shizuoka Prefecture (45% of the total Japanese production!).
He put the finishing touch with fresh leaves of Shizuoka-grown organic mint!

The combination of warm and crunchy watermelon with the unctuosity is the ice cream is difficult to describe as at least four kinds of taste stimulate your palate!

A must try recipe!

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
Cedit cards OK
ＨＯＭＥＰＡＧＥ

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French Dessert: Chilled Musk Melon Soup at Pissenlit

June 28, 2010 dragonlife 8 Comments

This is the “third part” of my previous lunch at Pissenlit, dessert!

Musk Melons are a specialty of Fukuroi City, where more than 300 farmers grow them in a great environment, most of the time organic!

This dessert for all its simple concept, was a true dlicacy.
Half of it was soup made with flesh and juice of musk melon, and the other half of musk melon quarters you scoope out with yor spoon with some of the grapefruit sorbet wimming on top!

It certainly deserved a separate posting!

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Japanese Dessert: Yuzu Sorbet 2

June 23, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

This recipe is also dedicated to Comestiblog who made the request!
It is the frist of simpler recipes!

INGREDIENTS: For 4~5 people

-Yuzu: 8 small ones
Will produce 75 cc/ml of juice
Zest/skin: 3
-Sugar: 80 + 20 g
-Water: 350 cc/ml
-White wine: 50 cc/ml
-Egg whites: 2

RECIPE:

-Clean the yuzu throroughly. Grate the skin/zest of two of them. Peel 1 more and cut skin/zest in very thin strips. Set apart.
Press out all the juice. Ypu should obtain 75 cc/ml (if not, press another one!).

-In a small pan pour the water and add 80 g of sugar (in hat order!).
Bring to boil. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, add the thin yuzu strips. Switch off fire and let cool completely.

-In a bowl drop the egg whites. Add 20 g of sugar. Beat until “hard”.

-When the yuzu syrup has completely cool down add the grated yuzu skin/zest and white wine. Mix well.

-Add the meringue little by lttle and mix. Put the whi\ole into a Tupperware and leave inside freezer. Take out every 2 hours (3 times in all should be sufficient), break with a spoon and mix and put back into freezer.

-Break and mix again before serving in a glass of your choice!

NOTE:

-You can either replicate the recipe with oranges, lemons or grapefruit, or experiment with mixtures of all!

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Japanese Citrus Fruits 1a: Oranges

June 23, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Satsuma Mikan Basket

Oranges are not only one of the best sources of natural fluids/water for the human body, but its skin is also a very valuable medicinal asset (provided it is cleaned of all insectisides, wax et al!).
Naturally everyone knows about their high contents in Vitamin A beta Carotene and other irreplaceable vitamins.
Combined with other foods it can help prevent cancer like other ctrus fruits!

In Japan, depending on the season, oranges will be called natsu mikan/夏みかん/Summer oranges, haru mikan/春みかん or even fuyu mikan/冬みかん/Winter oranges and accordingly will be available im more varieties.

I will present in a separate posting called Japanese Citrus Fruits 1b: Oranges!

VARIETIES:

Unshu Mikan Cross Section

Unshu Mikan/温州みかん

The satsuma (Citrus unshiu) is a seedless and easy-peeling citrus mutant of Japanese origin introduced to the West. In Japan, it is known as mikan or formally unshu mikan (Japanese: 温州蜜柑, unshū mikan). In China, it is known as Wenzhou migan (Chinese: 温州蜜柑; pinyin: Wēnzhōu Mìgān). The Japanese name is a result of the local reading of the same characters used in the Chinese, the name meaning “Honey Citrus of Wenzhou” in both languages. It is also often known as “Seedless mandarin” (Chinese: 无核桔; pinyin: wúhé jú). The Korean name for the fruit is gyul (Korean: 귤).
Shizuoka Prefecture is a major growing region in Japan.
Depending on the growing area, they will come up with many brand names.

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Valencia Orange

Also simply called “Oranges”, The Valencia Orange is an orange first created by the Californian agronomist William Wolfskill, on his farm in Santa Ana. Its name comes from the Spanish city of Valencia, widely known for its excellent orange trees. Most in Japan are imported from the US for their good value as orange juice.

Miko Orange/美娘オレンジ

Miko Orange Cross Section

A variety grown in Oita Prefecture, Kyushu Island, Miko Orange is difficult to grow and is comparatively expensive, but very juicy with a beautiful aroma.

Setoka/せとか

Setoka are remarkable fortheir rich skin. That skin being thin, it ios very easy to peel. Very juicy and sweet. Slightly bigger than Unshu mikan.

Blood Orange

Blodd Oranges are called so because of the colour of their flesh.
They are particularly popular for fresh pressed juice.

Neburu/Navel oranges/ネーブル

A single mutation in 1820 in an orchard of sweet oranges planted at a monastery in Brazil yielded the navel orange, also known as the Washington, Riverside, or Bahia navel. The mutation causes the orange to develop a second orange at the base of the original fruit, opposite the stem, as a conjoined twin in a set of smaller segments embedded within the peel of the larger orange. From the outside, it looks similar to the human navel, hence its name.

Because the mutation left the fruit seedless, and therefore sterile, the only means available to cultivate more of this new variety is to graft cuttings onto other varieties of citrus tree.
Today, navel oranges continue to be produced via cutting and grafting. This does not allow for the usual selective breeding methodologies, and so not only do the navel oranges of today have exactly the same genetic makeup as the original tree, and are therefore clones, all navel oranges can be considered to be the fruit of that single nearly two hundred year-old tree.

he Japanese varieties are available around February and March, making for an invaluable late winter orange.

HEALTH FACTS & TIPS:

-Choose specimen with a uniform colour and bright colour.

-For every 100 g, oranges (enshu mikan) contain:
Energy: 46 kcal
Water: 86.2 g
Proteins: 0.7 g
Carbohydrates: 12.0 g
Potassium: 150 mg
Calcium: 21 mg
Iron: 0,2 mg
Vitamin A Beta Carotene: 1000 micrograms
Vitamin B1: 0.10 mg
Vitamin B2: 0.03 mg
Nyacin: 0.3 mg
Vitamin B6: 0.06 mg
Vitamin C: 32 mg
Dietary fibers: 1.0 g

-Combined with asparguses, or with turnips, or with beansprouts, or with potatoes, will re-inforce the digestive system, help prevent common colds, and help recover from constipation.

-Combined with broccoli, or with chingensai, or with shiitake mushrooms, or with strawberries, will help prevent cancer, obesity and common colds.

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Japanese Dessert: Yuzu Sorbet 1

June 22, 2010 dragonlife 12 Comments

This recipe is dedicated to Comestiblog who made the request!
This is the complicated one.
I will come with two more, far simpler!

Yuzu, ripe

Yuzu, young

The yuzu (Citrus ichangensis × C. reticulata, formerly C. junos Siebold ex. Tanaka; Japanese ユズ, 柚, 柚子 (yuzu); 유자 (yuja) in Korean; from Chinese 柚子, yòuzi) is a citrus fruit and plant originating in East Asia. It is believed to be a hybrid of sour mandarin and Ichang papeda. The fruit looks a bit like a very small grapefruit with an uneven skin, and can be either yellow or green depending on the degree of ripeness. Yuzu fruits, which are very aromatic, typically range between 5.5 and 7.5 cm in diameter, but can be as large as a grapefruit (up to 10 cm or larger).

The Japanese use yuzu, both young and ripe, depending whetherit is used for seasoning or making dessert.

For this recipe, use ripe yuzu.

INGREDIENTS:

A)
-Yuzu: 3
-Sugar: 70 g
-Water: 180 cc/ml
-White Wine: 50 cc/ml

B) Italian Meringue
-Egg white, 1 + 10 g (if egg white has been kept inside fridge, bring it back to room temperature!)
-Sugar, 50 g + water, 50 cc/ml

C) Yuzu zest marmelade
-Yuzu zest (skin): 1 whole fruit
-Sugar: 30 g
-Water: 30 CC

RECIPE:

-Peel off 2 of the 3 yuzu and chop finely, or grate them off directly from the fruit.
Peel the third one into thin strips (about 1 cm long) to be cooked in syrup to be used for decoration later.

-Press the juice off the 3 yuzu. You should obtain about 75 cc/ml of juice. Depending on the size and maturity of the fruit, you might fall short of your target. Either complement with water or an additional fruit.
Add the finely cut/grated yuzu zests/skin to juice.
Add 180 cc/ml of water, 50 g of sugar
Cook for a while to obtain a jam mixture.
Let cool completely and work it smooth with a blender.
Add wine and put inside freezer.

-Prepare the zest marmelade:
Peel off the zest/skin of 1 yuzu, cut into thin strips and chopp finely again across the legth.
Boil in water for 1~2 minutes.
Drain.
In a small pan, pour 30 cc/ml of water and 30 g of sugar.
Bring to boil.
Drop in the chopped yuzu zest/skin. Lower the fire to low and simmer for 5 minutes.
Let cool completely and store inside the fridge.

-Take out yuzu/wine mixture out of the freezer, break and mix with a fork and put back inside the freezer. Repeat the operation twice, leaving enough time in between to allow the mixture to freeze again.

-Once the yuzu/wine has frozen well, prepare the Italian meringue:

-In a small pan pour 50 cc/ml of water and 50 g of sugar. In that order, please!
As the quantity is small, heat on a lower fire until dissolved.
While the syrup is dissolving, beat the egg white in a clean bowl.
Add the sugar to egg white and beat again until “hard”.
Using an electric had mixer at middle speed, add the syrup little by little in a very thin thread, beating all the time. When all the syrup has been included, raise the speed and beat until to obtain a very smooth meringue.
Chill inside fridge.

Take the frozen yuzu/wine mixture. Break and mix with a hand mixer. Take care that it does not melt!

Use a patula or fork if you think that the hand mixer will melt it.
You should obtain the mixture as shown in above picture.

-Add half of the Italian meringue and mix carefully.

-Add the second half of the Italian meringue. Mix quickly but well.

-Pour in a metal dish (plastic is ok, but metal is better!) and keep inside freezer

-When serving, make sure it is well frozen.

-Serve decorated with yuzu zest marmelade

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Japanese Dessert: Kakigoori/Shaved Ice With Syrup

June 20, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

KAKEKOORI-1

The days have turned with a vengeance, but this is the time to enjoy Kakigōri!

Kakigōri (かき氷) is a very popular Japanese dessert made from shaved ice flavored with syrup.
It was served for the first time in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1869!

KAKEKOORI-2

Popular flavors include: strawberry, cherry, lemon, green tea, grape, melon, “blue-Hawaii” sweet plum, and colorless syrup. Some shops provide colorful varieties by using two or more different syrups. To sweeten Kakigōri, condensed milk is often poured on top of it.

KAKEKOORI-3

It is nearly identical to a snow cone but can have a slightly rougher consistency and a spoon is almost always used. The traditional way of making kakigōri involves using a hand cranked machine to spin a block of ice over an ice shaving blade. However, electric ice shavers are most often used, though street vendors can still be seen hand-shaving ice blocks in the summer.

KAKEKOORI-4

In addition to the streets, kakigōri is also sold in festivals, convenience stores, coffee shops, and restaurants. During the hot summer months, kakigōri is sold virtually everywhere in Japan. Some coffee shops serve it with ice cream and sweet bean paste. Convenience stores may also sell it already flavored and packaged similar to ice cream.

KAKEKOORI-5

In other countries in East Asia, similar varieties can be seen.

Halo halo: Filipino shaved ice topped with sweetened beans, nata de coco and ice cream. “Halo-Halo” literally means “mix-mix” in the Tagalog language. Some shops in Japan also sell these sweets.
Bingsu (빙수） Korean shaved ice. The most popular kind is patbingsu. It is topped with sweetened red beans, canned fruits, and soybean powder. Many other varieties can be found throughout the country.
Bàobīng (刨冰) in Mandarin Pinyin or Chhoah-peng (剉冰) in Taiwanese POJ: Taiwanese shaved ice. There are many varieties in Taiwan. Some of them are topped with fresh fruits, fruits syrup and condensed milk. Some of them are topped with sweetened beans, glutinous rice balls and brown sugar syrup, while others will even use seafood. Some vendors use milk ice to make finer shaved ice, and some vendors may sometimes use a hand blade to shave block ice in order to produce rough crushed ice.
Ice kacang: Malaysia and Singapore Shaved ice topped with sweetened syrup of various colours and flavours, condensed and evaporated milk, and sometimes also durian pulp or vanilla ice cream. Beneath the ice sweetened red beans, canned fruit, attap seeds and grass jelly are usually added. Electric ice shavers are often used; though some vendors may use a hand blade to shave the ice in order to produce a rough texture. A variation of this would be Cendol which is shaved ice with sweet green coloured glutinous rice noodles drizzled with palm sugar it is usually accompanied with kidney beans and canned sweetcorn.
Nam Kang Sai: Thai Shaved Ice. In Thailand, this kind of cold dessert is very popular as well. The differences from other countries’ shaved ice is that in the Thai version the toppings (mixings) are in the bottom and the shaved ice is on top. There are between 20-30 varieties of mixings that can be mixed in. Among them are young coconut that have been soaked in coconut milk, black sticky rice, chestnuts,sweetened taro, red beans, sarim (thin strands of cooked flour that is very chewy and slippery) and many more.

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French Dessert: Banana Moelleux

February 20, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Bananas are not only great for humans as an easily assimilable source of energy, but is almost a medicinal plant by itself with a proven capacity to combat all kinds of diseases.
It’s only a question of diversifying its culinary approach!
Why don’t you try this simple banana soft cake recipe?

Banana Moelleux (soft cake)!

INGREDIENTS: for 4~6 people

-Flour: 220 g
-Sugar: 200 g
-Butter: 150 g ; a little for the mold
-Bananas: 3 medium sized, ripe
-Eggs: 2
-Yoghurt: 40 cc/ml, well stirred
-Cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon (half a teaspoon)
-Vanilla essence: a few drops
-Yeast: 1/2 (flat) teaspoon
-Salt: a pinch

RECIPE:

-Melt butter and let cool to lukewarm.

-Pre-heat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

-Peel bananas and and process them into a very liquid homogeneous puree.

-In a large bowl pour the banana puree. With a hand whisker add and mix one by one in the following order: Yoghurt, eggs (without the shells!LOL), sugar, cinnamon, vanilla essence and salt.

-Add the flour and yeast in small quantities at a time through a sieve to improve the best absorption/mixing. when all flour and yeast have been mixed in, add melted butter and mix.

-Butter the insides of the mold (about 20 cm diameter). Pour in the whole cake mixture. Bake for 45 minutes or until a knife stabbed into the cake comes out smooth and clean.

-Eat cold as it is or with a cream nappage made with cream cheese, mascarpone, sugar, vanilla essence and lemon juice (Do it after the cake has completely cooled down, or even better slightly chilled).

NOTES:

-Follow the order for better quality!

-You may add crushed walnuts or chocolate bits in the cake.

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French Dessert: Green Tomatoes and Vanilla Tart

February 19, 2010 dragonlife 6 Comments

Ever thought of using green tomatoes as dessert?
Especially small ones can come as a surprise!

Here is a simple recipe which will please all, adults and kids alike!

Tarte aux Tomates Vertes Vanillees/Green Tomatoes & Vanilla Tart!

INGREDIENTS: For 6 people

-Pate Brisee/Shortcrust Pastry (sweet/sugared) : Check this easy recipe if you want to make it yourself (In French) 400 g
-Small green tomatoes: 700 g (cut in halves)
-Lemon juice of 2 lemons
-Sugar: 150 g
-Vanilla pods: 2
-Cornstarch: 2 tablespoons
-Butter: 40 g
-Egg white: 1

RECIPE:

-Line the mold with the shortcrust pastry and pre-cook it for 15 minutes in oven at 220 degrees Celsius.
Take the mold out the oven and immediately brush the pastry with egg white to prevent the pastry from drying up.
Put aside.

-Cut the two vanilla pods lengthwise and take out the “heart” and seeds. Mix them delicately with lemon juice.

-In a large frying pan, melt 20 g of butter and fry the tomatoes on a medium fire for 2~3 minutes, taking care not to shake them around too much and damage them. while the tomatoes are cooking, add sugar and cornstarch to the vanilla and lemon juice mix. Mix them in and pour over the tomatoes. Keep frying until the whole becomes translucent. Finally add 20 g of butter and mix quickly.

-Place the tomatoes over the pre-cooked shortcrust pastry and bake in oven at 200 degrees Celsius for 15 minutes.

-Serve with a rose wine.

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Vegan Japanese Dessert: Fruit Jelly

August 13, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

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The Japanese do have some simple ideas to please vegans and vegetarians alike, especially when it comes to simple, tasty and healthy desserts.
Here is a simple fruit jelly dessert you can adapt according to seasons and availability (try it with your kids!):

INGREDIENTS: For 2 large cups
1)
-100% orange juice (organic if possible) ２００ml
-Water: 200 ml
-Agar agar: 2^4 g (depending how solid you like your jelly)
2)
-100% apple juice (organic if possible): 200 ml
Water: 200 ml
-Agar agar: 2~4 g
-Grapefruit: 1 peeled and and quartered (all skins off)
-Mint leaves and blueberries for final touch

RECIPE:

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-Pour water in a pan. Add agar agar. Heat a little to dissolve agar agar. Add orange juice. Pour into two glass cup of your choice and leave inside the fridge until it solidifies completely.

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-Add grapefruit.

-Reapeat with apple juice: pour water in a pan and add agar agar. Heat slowly to dissolve agar agar. Add fruit juice. Pour the lot over the grapefruit.

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-Add grapefruit and mint to your liking and put inside refrigerator to solidify.

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-Variation with 3 layers!

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-As it appears on your spoon!

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-The other way round!

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Dessert: Ricotta, Orange Peels & Chocolate Tart

July 22, 2009 dragonlife 6 Comments

RICOTTA-TART

Italy and France can make up for some great combinations with a little imagination.
Here is a failry simple recipe that should please quite a few people as it includes cheese:
Ricotta, Orange Peels & Chocolate Tart!

INGREDIENTS: For 6~8 persons/20 cm wide mold than can opened.

-Pastry:
Flour: 200 g
Butter: 150 g (not too cold, please!) + a little for the mold
Milk: 1 large tablespoon
Egg yolk: 1 small
Sugar: 30 g
Vanilla sugar: to taste
Cinnamon: a large pinch
Salt: a little pinch

-Cake filling:
Ricotta: 600 g
Mascarpone: 100 g
Eggs: 2 whole + 3 yolks
Sugar: 90 g
Black/dark chocolate: 90 g
Orange peels (preserved): 35 g
Vanilla essence: 1 small teaspoon

RECIPE:

-Prepare the pastry ( a little in advance if possible):
In a large bowl, mix the flour with the sugar, vanilla sugar, cinnamon and salt.
Add the butter in small pieces and knead with your finger tips until you obtain an homogeneous sable pastry.
Beat the egg yolk with the milk and mix quickly to the pastry to “link” it.

-Spread the pastry on a working boarded on which you will sprinkled some flour (to prevent sticking).
Insert into the mold. Cut out whatever pastry is over the rim. Keep inside refrigerator for 30 minutes.

-Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius.

-Prepare the filling:
Cut the orange peels in small pieces. Chop the chocolate very finely.
In a large bowl mix the ricotta and mascarpone, the whole eggs and egg yolks, the vanilla essence and the sugar. Mix well. Add the orange peels and chocolate. Mix well.

-Take the the pastry inside its mold out of the refrigerator.
Fill it with the cake garnish and bake for 1 hour 15 minutes~ 1 hour 30 minutes.
Check with a knife that the garnish is properlu\y cooked in its centre.
If the surface colour gets too darke cover it with a sheet of foil paper.

-Let cool completely before serving!

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