Tag Archives: 野菜

美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Organic Vegetables, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, vegetables

Organic Vegetables Salad at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

March 26, 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.

Spring is very near and vegetables have become sweet for all the cold weather we had to put up with, which just shows that nature is still making us favors!
It is always a pleasure to savor a whole salad of them for a “quick lunch” at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City, a restaurant which plays a major role in making them known to all!

I took a “sneak review” of the vegetables on offer in the kitchen as I came late enough not to disturb any guests!

All organic vegetables!

Vegetables mainly come from Shizen no Chikara Farm in Shizuoka City, Kitayama Farm in Fujinomiya City and Hirokawa Farm in Mishima City!

But while Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん was busy preparing my order I was served a succulent and hot organic kabocha potage!

The salad!

Sometimes I experience almost more pleasure taking photographs than actually eating these little treasures!

Vegetable flan/pudding, the only non-vegetarian/vegan elemnt in the salad. If you are vegetarian, this should be no problem, just tell the chef!

And the dressings are always such superb finisihing touches!

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

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The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India
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-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
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-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Beer, 美食, Desserts, 酒, 野菜, 魚, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Fuji City, Fuji-Takasago Brewery, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Microbrewery Beer, Restaurants, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Tourism, 富士市, 有機野菜

Fuji No Kuni Gastronomic Fair in Fuji City (September 2011)

September 23, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

On September 22nd another “Fuji no Kuni” Gastronomic Fair was held under the auspices of the Shizuoka Prefecture Economy & Industry Bureau at Maison De Anniversaire in Fuji City to support the local food and producers.

As the event started at 7 p.m. I arrived a bit early at Shin Fuji Station where I was greeted by a beautiful sunset!
As the site of the event took place high at the foot of Mount Fuji I did well to reach the Station at 6 p.m.!

Arriving early gave me ample time to greet some friends and acquaintances like Mr. Sano, owner of Sanoman Co. in Fujinomiya City!

It also allowed me to survey the dining room and have a look at the menu and appetizers on my plate before exchanging business cards with many another guest. Actually most guests, representing companies or coming as individuals, had some kind of direct relation with the economy and agriculture of Shizuoka Prefecture.
Incidentally, the appetizers were Mangenton ball in escabeche from Sanoman Co. and the chicken roulade was made with Koshamo chicken from Aoki Farm in Fuji City!

The beer that day was brewed by Stephan Rager at Bayern Meister Beer Co. in Fujinomiya City!

And the Japanese sake was provided by Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomya City!

A honjyozo called “Raku/楽/Enjoy Yourself!”

Guests including some celebrities taking their seats in all informality.

The MC of the day: Mrs. Kyouko Ishigami, a Shizuoka sake expert!

The dinner started with a vegetable and salmon trout jelly terrine and organic salad!

The salmon trout was bred by Kunugi Fish Farm and all the organic vegetables were grown by Mtsuki Bio Farm, both in Fujinomiya City!

Each producer involved in the preparation of the repast introduced their venture on the mike: Mr. Sano of Sanoman Co.

Beautiful mushroom soup with imo/taro. The mushrooms were cultivated by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City!

Madai/Seabream (brought from Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City) poelee with a galette of sakura shrimps from the same harbour. The vegetables are of course from Matsuki Bio Farm and the bacon from Sanoman Co.

For a closer view!

Charcoal-grilled Izu Venison Roast from deer meat processed by the Izu City Food Processing Center!

Very French in concept! And delicious!

The representative of Fuji-Takasago Brewery in Fujinomiya City!

The dessert!

Shizuoka Fig Millefeuille with blueberry sauce!

Financier!

A very interesting dinner indeed introducing all the good ingredients from Shizuoka Prefecture!

I wonder where they are going to hold this monthly event next time!

美食, 観光, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Restaurants, Tourism

Italian gastronomy: Early Autumn Dinner at Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!

September 22, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great general cleanliness
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Great appetizers. Home-made pasta!.
Entirely non-smoking!

I make a point to visit the best restaurants in town at least once every season and it was time for my Autumnal visit at Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!

Il Castagno has an excellent list of wines at reasonable prices: we opted for this solid Veneto red!

Amarone della Valpolicella 2007

For the specialists!

One good way to taste their appetizers is to ask for their 6-dish Appricoze Set!

Naturally, all their bread and biscuits are home-baked!

The fish dish of the day was Cartoccio Di Patate, a baked seabream in a wrap made of thin potato chips with a cockles and sweet shrimps cream sauce!

A beautiful potato wrap!

Yummy seafood!

It was such a pleasure to break through the potato wrap!

The red wine having quickly disappeared we opted for a French White Alsace Riesling 2009 by Laurent Barth!

As for the main dish we ordered pasta!
Tagliorini with scallops and fresh vegetables and semi-dried Aiko tomatoes in cockles sauce!

All the vegetables and the cockles are from Shizuoka Prefecture!

From another angle!
Can you see the edamame?

We just had enough space left for the dessert plate!

Peach and plum sorbets!

Fig tart!

“Pone” expresso coffee and chocolate pudding!

Of course an expresso and hard biscuits for the finishing touch!

To be followed…

Il Castagno
420-0843 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Tomoe Cho, 48
Tel/Fax: 054-247-0709
Business hours: 11:45~14:00, 17:30~21:00
Closed every Monday and 3rd Tuesday
Credit cards OK (dinner only)
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

美食, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, sashimi, Shizuoka, sushi

Sushi & Sashimi: Eat Local Fish, Seafood, Meat and Vegetables!

September 12, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

009

Saurel pike/Aji from Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

Very few people will disagree with the notion that Japan is the ideal place to discover and savour sushi and sashimi in the whole world. Nevertheless, there are a few rules of the thumb to respect even in this gastronomic paradise.
The overriding rule is that you should try and eat only local fish or seafood.
Tsukiji might be considered a sushi paradise by Tokyoites, but the cheap prices enjoyed by tourists cannot conceal the reality: the fish and seafood are “imported” from all over Japan and beyond!
More than often, Edomae (Tokyo) sushi is nothing but a clever way to “dress up” ingredients to lure officionados (and customers) into believing they are eating top quality sushi (with the consequent prices).
Now, if you have the chance and time to explore Japan beyond Tokyo, you will discover an unfathomable treasure trove of gastronomic pleasure and knowledge!
After all, this country is a vast archipelago stretched across greatly different seas and climates, making for a diversity difficult to equal.
So, even if you cannot possibly explore all the shores of this nation, make a point to learn about the food available wherever you choose to stay.
The same goes for residents, not only for their own sake, but for that of their visitors and friends!

018

Sushi set with fish all caught in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

You also ought to do some homework. Sushi chefs worthy of their salt will be only too happy to answer questions to genuinely interested customers and come up with revelations of their own.
As an example to illustrate the need for some basic knowledge, in Hokkaido “oyakodon” is not cooked chicken and omelette on a bowl of rice, but raw salmon and its roe spread on top the same bowl of rice!
Likewise, the same fish will more than often be sold under a myriad of names.
Many morsels will not be found anywhere else as “sakura ebi/cherry shrimps” and fresh”shirasu/sardine whiting” in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Sashimi in most cases has to be perfectly fresh as typified by “kubiore saba” in Yakushima Island where fishermen break the neck (“kubiore”) of mackerels (“saba”) to preserve their quality upon catching. The same fish will be served within a few hours, or less, on the local tables.
On the other hand, tuna sashimi is best consumed after ripening for a few days in a refrigerator.
In Hokkaido, large shrimps, especially “botan ebi” will be served only raw, whereas “kuruma ebi” will be first boiled in other regions.

If you ask for “tataki”, make sure it means the whole fish, especially “aji/mackerel pike” that will be served finely cut as tartare atop the dressed fish.

002

Flying Fish/Tobiuo sashimi from Yakushima Island

On the other hand, sushi follows different rules.
Fish and seafood placed on “donburi” (bowl) are usually of the freshly brought variety but fish served as nigiri is prepared in a different way.
The greatest sushi (and this cannot be done in Tsukiji!) are made with fish which has been gutted and cleaned live within seconds, then dressed into strips/fillets left to mature in a refrigerator on clean cloth/kitchen paper. This can be done only with fish caught locally!
The same obviously goes with shellfish and other marine ceatures: One cannot sample better “uni/sea urchin” away from Hokkaido or sakura ebi from Shizuoka.

Vegan and vegetarians, upon finding a restaurant willing to satisfy their priorities should also ask for food grown locally, a search easier than one might think at first as there are many non-meat eaters in this mainly Budhist country.
The same vegetables will make for the perfect combination when associated with local fish!

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, Tourism, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Healthy Vegetarian Lunches: Locomani in Shizuoka City (Late summer 2011)

September 12, 2011 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!

If I had a friend asking me where he/she could eat vegetarian food without a hassle all year round in Japan, I would be proud to say: Shizuoka (Prefecture and City!)!
These days, because of the heat and the necessity to keep healthy (read: lose weight) I tend to fall back on restaurants which serve such food especially in Shizuoka City although I might have to look in the whole Prefecture seriously. Actually, this article initiates a series of articles on healthy Vegetarian Lunches!

All conditions were set today for a visit to Locomani where I hadn’t eaten for almost 3 months.
I checked their wholly vegetarian meal on their menu and this is what they served me:
Look at the top picture for the whole set!

Vegetable and tofu miso soup and 3-year old organic tea.

Bowl of rice. Half of the rice was plain white while the other half was genmai/whole rice. The whole was sprinkled with kuromai/black rice.

The plate consisted of:
1) Boiled kabocha pumpkin and konyaku/elephant’s foot tuber jelly.

2) Fresh chopped vegetables salad and its vinegar-based dressing.

3) Two typical Japanese side dishes consisting of one, a lukewarm mixture of kiriboshi daikon (daikon strips first dried then cooked again in dashi), thinly cut carrots, shiitake and tofu karaage/deep-fried tofu sheets, and the other of lightly boiled spinach in soy sauce-based dressing.

4) Tempura.
The tempura was made without eggs and comprised koyadofu/pressed tofu with a batter containing small bits of herbs and vegetables, broccoli, okra and string beans.

For once I managed to keep away from their cakes!

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 (Japanese)

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Organic Vegetables from Matsuki Bio Farm at Uzu and Hana Oto!

August 13, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Summer Vegetables “Gorogoro” Salad at Uzu!

Matsuki Bio Farm in Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji is a leader when it comes to organic vegetables agriculture.
True to say, as Shizuoka Prefecture is also a leader in the whole of Japan, there are many other organic farms in our Prefecture, but Matsuki Bio Farm is one of the larger and more reliable producers as well.

You do find their products on many restaurant tables across Shizuoka Prefecture and Uzu and Hana Oto make an extra large usage of them!
Both establishments serve them in many ways, two of which I’d like to introduce here today!

The picture above is another view of the top photograph.
Kenya Yoshimura at Uzu serves a big mixture of these seasonal organic vegetables as a Summer (also in other seasons!) Vegetables “Gorogoro” Salad/夏野菜ゴロゴラダ.
Varied vegetables are either kept raw, steamed or fried and then cooled down before mixing them with a dressing of Kenya’s invention.
A very simple and most appropriate way to serve vegetables at their best!
Such salads include some very unusual vegetables such as Hasu Imo, which is not actually the tuber itself but the stems, eaten as green vegetables. Can you see those three strange whitish slices in the front?

Misonaise Vegetable Gratin at Hana Oto!

Whereas Uzu is a Japanese-style Izakaya which serves these vegetables as vegetarian food, Hana Oto is a Chinese Cuisine Izakaya, a very happy hybrid of Japanese and Chinese gastronomies, which serve their food without any particular concern for vegetarianism.
Yuusuke Tozaki’s concept will appeal to all nationalities, especially in colder weather as it is hot and nourishing!

Now, what is “misonaise”?
A mixture of miso paste and mayonnaise!
Some of the vegetables are first fried while others are steamed, boiled or raw.
The sauce, including enough condiments to season the whole, covers a generous portion of those vegetables before being cooked as a gratin in an oven!
Try it at home! It’s worth it!

To be contimued…

UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00=23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

Service: Excellent and very friendly. Very Japanese atmosphere.
Facilities: Excellent washroom facilities. Great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable.
Strong Points: Great sake from Shizuoka and Japan Great Shochu. Home-made umeshu. Mainly local products, especially organic vegetables.
Non-smoking on Sundays and National Holidays

HANA OTO/華音
420-0032 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Ryougae Cho, 5-8, Shin Kamogawa Bldg., 2F-D
Business hours: 17:30~24:00
Closed on Mondays

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great general cleanliness. Beautiful toilets
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Great use of local ingredients in beautiful Chinese Cuisine. Great sake and shochu!

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Tempura, Tourism

Tomato Tempura at Uzu!

August 10, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Tempura must be one of the most known facets of Japanese cuisine!
It looks simple enough but good tempura does need a lot of experience and great skills!
And when it comes to serve water-filled vegetables as tempura it becomes a true challenge!

As mentioned before, instead of venturing into long-winded reports about full meals I take at my “regular spots”, I will concentrate on their seasonal dishes!
Now, Mr. Kenya Yoshimura/吉村健也さん is a master of vegetables.
I just can’t imagine the timing and the temperature but when the tomatoes came on my table last night I was once again nonplussed by the sheer simplicity of the dish in its presentation!

This is actually a regular dish at Uzu although the tomatoes will change with the seasons!
In winter I remember having had the same with green tomatoes! The heat had enhanced their hidden “umami” to the point one forgets they were actually unripe!
But the present red tomatoes (organic by the way!) were ripe. I just don’t know how they didn’t explode in the hot oil!
They come with home-made yuzukoshio seasoning. The perfect “marriage” of flavors!

That was how I “presented” it to myself!
All these flavors breaking inside the palate…

To be continued…

UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00=23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Nashi-Japanese Pears at Ichikawa Garden in Iwata City!

August 9, 2011 dragonlife 5 Comments

Two generations of Japanese Pear growers: Takeshi and his parents, Toshiyuki and Kumiko Ichikawa/市川、利行、久美子さん!

Nashi/梨/called Japanese Pears, Nashi Pears or Sand Pears and many other names are the fruit of hot summers par excellence!
One has to bite into one of these crunchy and extremely juicy, and absolutely delicious, fruits once to understand why Nashi Pears are also venerated as the true fruits of life!

It was another blinding hot day again yesterday and I was certainly grateful for Takeshi San to come all the way to Toyoda Cho Station and then to take me all the way again to their fields and house!
The same fields are heavily protected by nets for all kinds of obvious natural reasons!

Housui Pears/豊水梨!

The Ichikawas mainly grow two varieties of nashi pear, Housui/豊水 and Kosui/辛水, the former ripening in August and September and the latter in full production right now.
Both are extremely juicy and tasty!

Hosui Pear, still comparatively small.

Kosui Pears/辛水梨!

The Kosui Pears are lighter in color wth a different skin pattern.

Growing nashi pears organically at sea level is practically impossible but all that grass proves that the Ichikiwas use only the strict minimum of pesticides! Actually, they have cut all ties with official “Agriculture Associations” so as to conduct the agriculture they think is right!

A lot of pears fall naturally and they will be included with other natural fertilizer to be mixed with the soil when they till the ground between the trees in winter.

I can assure you it is tough work to keep these orchards clean in their three locations for a total of 40 acres, what with typhoons and other unpredictable weather conditions!

For all the hard work harvesting lettuces in winter, corn in spring, pears in summer and rice in autumn, they never stop smiling!

The crop of the day!

A lot of manual and mechanical work involved!

Takeshi’s father started his orchards 30 years ago and gradually replacing all these trees takes time and care.
The above have a difference of more than 25 years! The old one is actually about to collapse!

The orchards have to be protected not only with nets against birds but also with electric wires against civets!

Takeshi san took me to another field where new trees had been planted 5 years ago and bore their first commercial crop!
A lot of investment is involved there!

These new branches will be bent down into a canopy at head level for better reach and control!

These are actually a new variety called nikkori/にっこり that matures as late as October!

You will not find the Ichikawas’ pears in any shop as they sell them only directly at their orchards or from personal order!
Even so they have a hard time satisfying all the demand. A proof of the extravagant quality!

Already all packed and ready to go!
Don’t worry, I managed to get mine!
Actually I can help you get them personally!

As any farmers worth their salt, the Ichikawas grow all kinds of vegetables for their own use and extra earnings!
I took a big batch of those beautiful okra back home!

To be continued…

ICHIKAWA GARDEN
Takeshi Ichikawa/Chouchou Farm
438-0804 Shizuoka Ken, Iwata Shi, Kamo, 200
静岡県磐田市加茂２００
Tel/Fax: 0538-34-0629
Mobile: 080-1614-2271

Lettuce: October~April
Corn: June~July (May for greenhouse)
Japanese pears/nashi: August~September
Rice: Middle of September
Other vegetables (please call for more information!)
Private orders welcome!

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism, vegetables

Organic Vegetables at Kitayama Organic Farm (2nd interview)

August 4, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

My purchase of the day!

As promised last Sunday I went all the way to Fujinomiya City yesterday to pay a visit to the Hirakakis’ Kitayama organic farm!
Masaaki Hirakaki/平垣正明さん (45) was kind enough to pick me up at the station in his small pick-up truck to drive me all the way to their home across his fields.

Masaaki Hirakaki/平垣正明さん！

Once again it was flaming hot and I certainly appreciated the slight drop in temperature as their fields lie at an altitude of 400 meters at the foot of Mount Fuji (which was lost in the clouds then). Mind you, it can be bitingly cold there in winter!

They grow all kinds of vegetables here and there on plots of land totaling 6,000 square meters!

When you discover all that natural grass (tough to keep in check!) between the rows of vegetables and among them you understand quickly that no insecticides, herbicides or agrichemicals are used there!

I just couldn’t catch all the names of the fancy vegetables, some of them in some kind of Italian. I just sweated too much and was too busy to take pics to jot down all the names! Next time I will take a secretary along…?
Anyway, these chili peppers are a sweet variety!

Common (?) green pepper.

Dwarf violet eggplant/aubergine.

Big and round violet eggplant/aubergine.

The same in its row.
Notice that the ground is protected with black vinyl to keep off insects.

Long and thin “thread eggplants/aubergines”!

Very crunchy and juicy Japanese cucumber!

Sweet potatoes/satsuma imo!
Again tough work to pull off that grass (used as compost later!)!

Beautiful pumpkin with an impossible Italian name!

The same and its flower!

I love all those healthy pumpkin flowers!

Instead of using insecticides or herbicides Masaaki “burns” the soil under vinyl sheets with the help of natural sun light and heat!

There is certainly no lack of pure water constantly flowing from the slopes of Mount Fuji!

Green okra!
Some plants are marked with a ribbon to indicate they are let grow freely to supply next year’s seeds!

Okra flowers are edible!

Big violet okra grown for their seeds!

Masaaki also grows his own rice, half for his own consumption, half for sale!

Have you ever seen rice flowers?

These tomatoes are not let to grow on stalks. They are for cooking, not to be eaten raw!

Sweet white corn field! It has to be protected with nets to fend off rampant civets!

Incredibly sweet and juicy eaten raw!

The Hirakakis (both 45 and so young!) in front of their home they built with their own hands!

Part of the day’s crop on sale!

Their home is such an intelligent jumble of bits and pieces, including some real antiques!

They do have many friends of all ages from all sorts of locations to help them organize regular parties!
Many of them are producers I will soon visit!

Organic shallots left to dry outside.

Rare organic chicken and quail eggs from a friend’s farm!

We actually went back to the fields to pick my favorite banana peppers! Incidentally these grow upwards!
The Hirakakis, professional photographers, moved here from Shizuoka City 6 years ago.
At the time Kiko had a pet rabbit she fed with organic carrot leaves grown by a friend.
They started to grow organic carrots for the pet, which developed into full-fledged organic agriculture!

Little beauties, aren’t they?

Tomatoes for cooking!

Kiko san fried the same tomatoes with olive oil, a little salt and pepper and cheese!
So sweet and delicious!

We ate them with these enormous organic sweet basil leaves!

I purchased all these for my friends in their izakaya!

Aki Suzuki/鈴木朋さん at Yasaitei/やさい亭 in Shizuoka City!
She does not look too happy, not because of the beautiful vegetables she holds, but because I caught her on a busy day! LOL

Can you guess which ones I brought?

To be continued…. I mean these trips to Fujinomiya City!

Kitayama Organic Farm
Masaaki and Kiko Hirakaki
418-0112 Fujinomiya Shi, Kitayama, 3102
Tel./Fax: 0544-25-2795
Mobile phone: 090-2261-8821
HOMEPAGE
Orders accepted according to personal priorities and seasonal availability!

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Fujinomiya City, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Organic Vegetables, Tourism, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine, 有機野菜

Organic Vegetables at Kitayama Organic Farm (1st interview)

August 1, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

As the second Sunny Sunday Event was held in front of Parco Department Store, Shizuoka City, yesterday I went to check if Ｉ could find new participants to this local market featuring shops and growers from all over the Ｐrefecture.

It certainly paid off as I had the pleasure to meet Masaaki and Kiko Hirakaki/平垣雅章と紀子さん, a very young-minded couple from as far as Fujinomiya City at the foot of Mount Fuji, an area celebrated for its many organic vegetables growers!

Kiko had this great idea to exhibit their vegetables in pots, pans, baskets and boxes and provide customers with osier baskets to choose their vegetables at their own leisure!

These beautiful pumpkins are not easily available in Europe but here in Japan they are very popular!

It is certainly a great pleasure for a lot of people to discover that such common place vegetables are also grown organically!

So cute and so appetiｚing!

Actually Mr. and Mrs. Hirakakい are also professional photographers who decided to seriously grow organic vegetables 4 years ago!

They were so passionate explaining everyone all about their vegetables, their season, their taste, the best way to cook them and so forth!

They certainly attracted some major celebrities of Shizuoka Gastronomy!
I very much doubt I will be able to take such a picture at ease any time in the future:
Ms. Tokiko Hirano/平野斗紀子さんof Tamara Press
Mr. Testuya Sugimoto/杉本哲也さん, Owner/Chef at Tetsuya Sugimoto
Mr. Tooru Arima/有馬亨さん/Owner/Chef at Pissenlit
Mr. Fujio Satsukawa/薩川さん/Owner/Chef at Chez Satsukawa
It also shows that the Hirakakis have attracted some serious interest!

Look at the beauties I bought and that the Missus is going to prepare for us tonight!

I will have ample opportunity to explain all about their vegetables and varieties as I’m going all the way to Fujinomiya City and interview them very soon!

Kitayama Organic Farm
Masaaki and Kiko Hirakaki
418-0112 Fujinomiya Shi, Kitayama, 3102
Tel./Fax: 0544-25-2795
Mobile phone: 090-2261-8821
HOMEPAGE

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Chicken Meatballs Spaghettini with Marutaka Farm Puree

July 28, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Cooking, especially at home, shouldn’t be difficult.
The point is to find and use good ingredients

Marutaka Farm/まるたか農園　in Miyakoda, Hamamatsu City makes a truly extravagant tomato puree made with tomatoes originally grown solely to be eaten fresh. Not wishing to throw away good produce during the peak harvest season they started making this sauce with the pulp of the tomatoes with the sole addition of salt!

You can adapt it to any Italian recipes but must keep in mind it is not as concentrated as European tomato purees but more like sauces.
Each jar contains 270 g, enough to devise a recipe for two.

Chicken Meatballs Spaghettini with Marutake Farm Puree

Meat balls:
Minced chicken
Grated garlic
Grated Ginger
Japanese sake or white wine (just enough for taste)
Salt
Pepper
Mayonnaise (to liaise instead of eggs)

Above proportions are up to your taste, so experiment!
Mix the whole and make small balls.

Fry some thinly sliced onions in olive oil first in a large and fairly deep frypan onver medium high fire until they have become transparent.
Add meat balls and fry until they have change color to a light brown. Lower fire to medium low.

Start preparing the spaghettini.

Add a whole jar of Marutaka Tomato Puree and cook for a while. Add 1 large tablespoon of Port wine, 1 large tablespoon of basil sauce, pepper and a little curry mix powder. Add chili pepper powder if you like your pasta hot.

Add plenty of grape tomatoes and cook on a medium fire for a while or until spaghettini are ready.
Drain the pasta and transfer it into the sauce pan. Mix well. Add edamame and sliced black olives and mix again.

Serve hot!

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美食, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Japan, Shizuoka, Tourism

Italian Cuisine: Dinner at Contorno in Mochimune!

July 27, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable.
Strong points: Many local products be they from the land or the sea. Organic vegetables. Car park.
no-smoking-logo1 Entirely non-smoking!
Map

Mochimune in Shizuoka City is famous all over Japan for its shirasu/シラス/sardine whiting but it has other treasures to be discovered such as white peaches, oranges, a whole array of fish and seafood and a more than excellent Italian restaurant, Contorno!
I had never visited it for dinner although I had the occasions to enjoy great lunches there.
I finally had the opportunity when the young IT staff of Agrigraph joined me for dinner on a busy Friday evening!

As I had three specialists armed with all kinds of electronic devices with me, for once I didn’t have to worry about taking photographs!

The heat had been hellish that day so a beer was in order!

All vegetables used at Contorno are cultivated organically at Nagomi Farm in Fujinomiya City and the salmon is smoked on site!

24-months old raw Parma Ham!

The same with an organic vegetable salad! Extravagant!

The Italian wine amateurs will be happy to learn that Contorno has a decent list for all tastes and budgets!

For the connoisseurs!

Contorno is also renown for its pizza entirely prepared, fermented and baked in a large oven on site.
The above pizza is a Mochimune specialty: Shirasu and mozzarella pizza!

A second great pizza made with semi-dried tomatoes (organic) and raw ham!

I judge the quality of an Italian Restaurant on its gnocchi more than anything else!
These gnocchi in peperocino sauce and large prawns are a certainly a must in Contorno!

It certainly deserved a closer view!

If you must have pasta, then I would definitely recommend their short pasta!

And don’t go for anything fancy! The tomato peperocino is the best!

Served with a beautiful piquant olive oil for the customers who like their food spicy!

If you can manage some space in your stomach you must try Contorno’s desserts!
The sole lady among us couldn’t resist this chocolate cake in blueberry sauce!

As for the “boys” it was cappucino! Sorry, I had already sipped half when I took the picture!

See you again in the Fall/Autumn!

CONTORNO
421-0122, Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Mochimune, 5-1-10, Sunrise Mochimune (5 minutes walk from Mochimune JR Station. Second stop after Shizuoka)
Tel.: 054-2565877
Business hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~21:30
Closed on Wednesdays
Credit Cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
BLOG

Lunch sets: 1,480 yen~
Dinner: Appetizers: 500~yen, 1,000 yen~
Pasta: 930 yen~
Pizza (oven-baked): 1,180 yen~
Carte available

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Chinese Cuisine, Chinese Restaurants, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Restaurants, Tourism

Chinese Cuisine: Hana Oto

June 4, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Whatever the nationality or the genre of the gastronomy, a good chef makes an exclusively use of ingredients not only superlative but whenever possible local! Only then the skills make the difference between a good and a great chef!

The entrance to Hana Oto/華音 is simple and unassuming, always a good sign!

Chef Yuusuke Toozaki/登崎雄介 had recently to move to a larger establishment to be able to welcome all his guests!
It is always a good idea to reserve a seat either at the counter or on the tatami floor!

The man himself (frightening smile!)

First of all he caters for all tastes as far as drinks come!

A shochu paradise!

You may as well as consult him before choosing a shochu if that is what you want!
Of course beer and wine are available!

Nice tokkuri!

As for the Japanese sake, there is plenty to choose from, too!
At least three great sake from Shizuoka Prefecture are catered!

Now Hana Oto is one of the rare restaurants serving Amagi Shamo, arguably the best chicken in the Prefecture and probably Japan!

This chicken is, among others, fed with wasabi leaves and soy milk from Izu Peninsula!

Served with freshly grated Shizuoka wasabi (and maybe a little soy sauce), a rare delicacy!

On that night I had beautiful sake brewed by Eikun (Yui) and Sugii (Fujieda) breweries!

Jukusei Tomato to Tamago Pirikara Itame/熟成とまとト卵ピリ辛炒め/Stir-fried hot ripe tomatoes and eggs!

Toozaki san makes an extensive use of the best quality vegetables of the Prefecture!
These ripe tomatoes were grown at Suzuki Tomato Garden in Shizuoka City!

A fulfilling and healthy dish with a great balance!

Unctuous eggs fried to perfection!

Nasu no Shyouga Shoyu Itame/茄子の生姜醤油炒め/Stir-ried eggplants in ginger and soy sauce!

These eggplants were grown organically in a family garden in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, proving a great search for the best ingredients!

Matsuki Farm Romeenu Retasu to Hikiniku no Pirikara Itame/松木ファームロメーンレタストひき肉のピリ辛炒め/Hot stir-fried Matsuki Farm Romaine Lettuce and minced meat!

The Romaine lettuce was organically grown at Matsuki Farm in Fujinomiya City!

Well, you can be assured this is only the start of a long relationship considering the untried dishes and the changes with seasons!
Keep tuned! LOL

HANA OTO/華音
420-0032 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Ryougae Cho, 5-8, Shin Kamogawa Bldg., 2F-D
Business hours: 17:30~24:00
Closed on Mondays

観光, Gastronomy, Italian Cuisine, Italian Restaurants, Restaurants, Tourism

Italian Cuisine: Dinner at Il Castagno!

June 2, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Equipment: Great general cleanliness
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Great appetizers. Home-made pasta!.
Entirely non-smoking!

Not many chefs spend their good time making their own fresh pasta in Japan, and that only would be a good enough reason to visit Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!
But Chef Kenji Inami 謙司, who spent quite some time in the South of Italy, also endeavors to use ingredients from our Prefecture, be they vegetables, meat or fish for the best freshness and quality!

I’ve visited his restaurant countless times but only for lunch. Since we have just moved in the neighborhood we finally had the chance to share a full dinner there!

One cannot enjoy a true Italian dinner without (lots of) wine!
This white Lugano was perfect for a start!

We started with the set of appetizers!

Vegetables and Parmegiano quiche!

Deep-fried Parmegiano balls!

Home-smoked salmon!

Home-made ham!

Squid ink pasta!

Pork Pate di Campani with home-made pickles!

Exclusively home-made bread!

By then the white wine had disappeared, so we switched to a fine Montalcino red!

The Suruga Bay in Shizuoka has enough varieties of fish to satisfy any cuisine in the world!

Madai/red seabream~grouper!

We then naturally switched to pasta mode!
I dare say that Il Castagno offers the best (home-made) short pasta in town!

But you must also try his own style of Bolognese long pasta!

For a closer view!
Next time I’m thinking of a pasta only dinner! LOL

Yes, we still had room for dessert!

Fig compote!

Tempting, aren’t they?

Sorry, but I couldn’t resist the cheese!

It is a promise: next time all pasta!

美食, 野菜, Gastronomy, Japanese Gastronomy, Tourism, vegetables

Daikon or Turnip Leaves Furikake Recipe

June 2, 2011 dragonlife 18 Comments

My new Swiss friend Sissi and her pals at With a Glass got stuck with daikon and other root vegetable leaves and asked me to help with a few recipes!
Japan gastronomy has the great merit to accomodate as much as possible of any vegetables you can get your hands on as they know too well that thrift and simple recipes come hand in hand!

Here is a simple and easy to adapt “furikake” recipe you can use on top of a bowl of rice or on its own!
“furikake” means ‘condiment to be sprinkled over a dish”.
By the way daikon leaves is daikon ha/大根葉 and turnip leaves is kabu ha/蕪葉!

INGREDIENTS:

-Daikon leaves or turnip leaves: the equivalent of the leaves of one root (you might have to increase that particular ingredient. Do experiment!)
-Seame oil: 1 + 1/2 tablespoons
-Sake/Jappanese cooking sake: 2 tablespoons
-Mirin/sweet sake: 1 + 1/2tablespoons
-Soy sauce: 1 + 1/2 tablespoons
-Katsuo Bushi/dry bonito shavings: 2 pinches
-White roasted sesame: 2 tablespoons
-If you have them, dried small shrimps (saura ebi or others) or small dried fish

RECIPE:

1) Wash the leaves throroughly and cut thin.. Heat frying pan and pour sesame oil in it.

2) Fry daikon/turnip leaves over a strong fire.. Once they have become soft, add sake, mirin, and soy sauce once a t a time and fry each time until ingredient is absorbed.

3) Add seame seeds and katsuo bushi and fry just a little. If you have the shrimps and fish first fry them over a frypan with as they are and add them at the last moment with the sesame seeds and katsuo bushi..

Serve hot or lukewarm over a bowl of hot rice.
Can be kept inside a Tupperware in the fridge (no need to freeze) and served cold or reheated1

Will come with more soon!