Tag Archives: グルメ

BOUQUET’s Classic Cakes (2): Caramel Mousse

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Bouwuet has long been a favourite of mine and one of the oldest cake-shops stiil alive in Shizuoka City. It could actually be called an institution here!
The only place willng to bake Gateau Basque, it regularly comes up with classics and novelties.
Since I had to find a cke for a student of mine I chose this particular cake.
The name is a bit of a misnomer as it is far more sophisticated than it sounds.

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A thin layer of sponge made for the base on which was spread a frist layer of Caramel Mousse. A second round and smaller spong circle was then laid in the middle and imbibed with a syrup cotaining pear liqueur.
It was then “filled up” with Caramel Mousse. A thun layer of chocolate sauce was added for the last colour finish and protect the Mousse!

To savour with a great coffee!

Bouquet
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo machi, 1-8-6
Tel. & fax: 054-2530349
Open: 11:00~20:00
11:00~19:00 (Sundays & National Holidays)
Closed on Wednesdays

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French Gastronomy on Stamps (8): Centre

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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the eighth of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Centre.
Centre is actually a vague term to describe a region that covers land between Paris and Auvergne and the western shores. It has a rich history and shares many castles with Pays de La loire. In the Renaissance French Kings had extravagant castles built there to escape dirty and noisy Paris in Blois (my own father’s hometown), Chambord, Chenoncy and many others across the River Loire.
You might just be able to discern the following on the sheet:
-Cheese. This region has innumerable splendid goat cheeses!
-Fruit and fruit cakes
-Vegetables.
-Venison. As it includes the vast Forest of Sologne, venison, wild boar and other game are plentiful!
Like the rest of the Loire area its climate is the mildest in France making a great place to visit any time of the year!

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’09/23)

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Today Missus was still recovering from a bad fit of viral flu and it was her day-off from work. Moreover I was having a busy day. We agreed that a lunch box was on order, the more for it that it would become part of the Missus’ lunc, too!

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I hadn’t been eating much for the last three day, so she made quite a big bento!

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The “main dish” consisted of some of my favourites: Deep-fried garlic chicken (thigh parts off the bone) and tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette with boild brocoli, lettuce and home-stewed sweet blak beans.

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The steamed rice had been mixed with “hijiki/sweet seawedd” after cooking and sprinkled with plenty of white sesame seeds. The Missus added some pickled ginger as well.

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As for the salad, on a bed of chopped veg, canned beans, mini tomatoes, fresh cress and boiled pois gourmands/green peas in their pod.

It did take me some time to eat it all, but who am I to complain! LOL

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French Gastronomy on Stamps (7): Bretagne

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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the seventh of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Bretagne.
This is most Cetic region of France and Celtic language is taught at all levels from kindergarten to university. It is a land battered by the seas and the winds and its people are among the hardiest in France.
A land with many legends (Lancelot, witches and so on), it was an independent until in the late Middle Ages.
It is renown for some of the best butter in France, but also for, as seen on this particular sheet:
-Lobsters, especially the “blue tail/Queue bleue” and all kinds of seafood.
-Galettes and Crepes.
-Kouig Anan.

It is a region worth visiting with its many islands still retaining their original wilderness and magnificent natural environments! Ask the British!

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CAPPUCINO FUN: IL Cuore

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Since the Missus was down with a virus, I went for lunch at Il Cuore in Shiuzoka City.
A friend just happened to pass by when I was about to order coffee. I invited to join me and we had some fun together with Cappuccinos.
Mine (see above picture) was cute, I mus admit.

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But my friend’s was cute, too!

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The fun didn’t stop there as we found later when the character refused to vanish (mine above!)

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Same for my friend’s!

CAFFETERIA IL CUORE
420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken-cho, 13-20, Ishiwata Bldg. 1F
Tel. & fax: 054-2723737
Business hours: 11:30~23:00 (open every day)
Credit Cards OK

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French Gastronomy on Stamps (6): Bourgogne

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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the sixth of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Bourgogne.
In a sense Lou Ann might say it is not fair to introduce this region so early (I do them in alphabetical order!) because this is my “home region”!
This is an enormously rich land, in history, industry and gastronomy.
It is renown for its superlative gastronomy, but many forget that photography was invented there (Nicephore Niepce in Chalon sur Saone), that it counts major companies (Areva, which produces 74% of all electricity in France), a traditional first-class Carnaval and an International Air Ballon Meeting (Chalon sur Saone again! My “hometown”!), and that it used to be a Dukedom in the Middle Ages more powerful than France!

On this particular sheet you can discover:
-Charolais beef.
-Cheese: Epoisses
-Wine: Clos de Vougeot
-Ginger bread/Pain d’epices
-Mustard (of course! Dijon where I was born!)
-Escargots/Snails

I can guarantee there are plenty more!

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Shizuoka Shochu Tasting: Kogane-Danshaku by Sugii Brewery

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As a general rule I keep Shochu tasting postings to my other blog, Shizuoka Shochu, but for once I thought these tasting notes could help non-Japanese shochu lovers how to report on their favourite drink.
Please note that my style is very dry. Some will have have a more lyrical manner, and the better for it! LOL

Sugii Brewery in Fujieda City has come up with yet another creation of theirs! But once again, it is a “limited edition”. You do have to keep all your senses alert to discover these bottles.
Unlike Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu Island, Shizuoka-made shochu are not only exotic and extravagant, but rare and slightly more expensive. The labels certainly become collectors’ items!

Sugii Brewery: Kogane-Danshaku Shochu

Ingredients:
Kogane (Satsuma potato variety) and Danshaku (normal potato variety), both grown in Shizuoka Prefecture
Yeast: Shizuoka NEW-5 (Shizuoka Sake Yeast)
Fermented rice
Contents: 500 ml

Clarity: Very clear
Colour: Transparent
Aroma: Clean, strong, nutty
Taste: Sweetish, clean attack.
Deep roasted nuts.
Shortish tail with a dry finish.
Memory of coffee beans.

Overall: Unusual, clean, elegant shochu with lots of character and facets.
Combination of Satsuma yams and potatoes out of the ordinary! The use of Shizuoka Sake Yeast gives it a very regional flavour!
Best appreciated straight with plenty of ice!

Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
Chewy
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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French Pissaladiere: Recipe, History, Facts & Etymology

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(Wikipedia)

When Babeth pointed out that my brother’s creation ought to be called something else, I decided to investigate.
I must say that I gladly owe her an apology and will tell Francois to rename it something like “French-style healthy Pizza”!
Being aware of my younger brother’s character, I’m in for some flak from both sides of the World!

Now for Wikipedia’s definition:

[Pissaladiere or Pissaladina (pissaladiera in Provençal, “piscialandrea” in Ligurian) is a type of pizza made in southern France, around the Nice, Marseilles, Toulon and the Var District, and in the Italian region of Liguria, especially in the Imperia district. Believed to have been introduced to the area by Roman cooks during the time of the Avignon Papacy, it can be considered a type of white pizza, as no tomatoes are used. The dough is usually thicker than that of the classic Italian pizza, and the topping consist of: sauteed (almost pureed) onions and anchovies. No cheese is used, again unlike the Neapolitan pizza, however in the nearby Italian town of San Remo mozzarella is added. Now served as an appetizer, it was traditionally cooked and sold early each morning.

Another view held by food specialists is that pissaladiere is not a pizza, but a flat open-face tart garnished with onions, olives, anchovies and sometimes tomato. The etymology of the word seems to be from Old French pescion from the Latin piscis.]

I would tend to believe that Pissaladiere is more a local Provence gastronomic creation, although one must remember that Provence (the name itself could mean province/colony) changed hands many times including those of the Celts, Greeks, Romans and Italians.

Knowing the French propensity for arguments, some will soon (and rightly so) point out that after all, it is only another “poor people’s” food, like bouillabaisse, aligot or fondue (or pizza, or pasta!), which has turned into a fashionable gastronomy with the consequent “evolution”!

This “battle” is not confined to France or Europe but as far as the States as illustrated in the excellent posting by Daria in Paris. But it can also bring people together like Brunsli so funnily described!

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French Gastronomy on Stamps (5): Basse Normandie

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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the fifth of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Basse Normandie.
Interestingly enough The French Post has decided to depict the gastronomy of Basse Normandie (Lower Normandy) but to ignore Haute Normandie (Upper Normandy). Normandie, as it name says, is the land given to the Normans, Northmen, Vikings by a crafty Frnec King to keep them off Paris and guard the access to the Seine River.
It has since then been one of the richest gastronomic regions of France feeding Paris and many invaders during the Hundred Years War.

One can see the following specialties on the stamp sheet:
-Petit sale/Small salted mutton. Sheep grazing grass along the shores of Normandie ingest a good amount of salt blown by the winds, making their flesh extremely tasty and rid of the “usual smell”.
-Milk and Cheese (ever heard of Camembert?)

Other specialties include cider, calvados, omelettes (Mont Saint-Michel) and all kinds of cakes, biscuits and sweets (bonbons).
Oh, I forgot to mention that it lays along one of the richest fishing seas in France (Dover Sole for example that the English steal from us! LOL)

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Pizza: Easy French Pissaladiere

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Pissaladiere is the French version of the Italian Pizza.
It originated in southeast France.
The main difference is that it usually makes use for more vegetables and less cheese. Actually if it obviously does not look like a pizza, it can be called a pissaladiere!LOL
The merit of it is that it is usually lighter both in calories and taste.

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My youngest brother, Francois, came up with this simple recipe.
As he works for Areva and has to spend a week every month in the States I believe he has been “influenced”!
For the bread base, he used a large frozen filo-style sheet. He first covered it with onions, large shallots and garlic, which he had cut into thin slices and previously fried in olive oil. He then covered them with a generous amount of thinly sliced ripe tomatoes (this was the end of the summer). Plenty of ground black pepper, herbes de Provence (dried aromatic herbs), a little salt and some secret seasoning (up to you there!) and that was it!
Baked into a hot oven to the right crispiness, it made for a great snack with some heady red wine!

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French Gastronomy on Stamps (4): Auvergne

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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the fourth of these sheets I’d like to introduce Auvergne.
Auvergne is an ancient land made famous by the Celtic tribe’s, the Avernes, resistance to Julius Caesar when he conquered Gaul.
It is also remarkable for a plethora of natural mineral water sources and spas first exploited by the Romans (who loved their baths).
It is still considered as the last wild region of France with its extinct volcanoes, bitter winters and hardy people.

One can see the following specialties on the stamp sheet:
-Salers Cheese from the Cantal
-Perigord black truffles
-Vichy sweets made in the same city of Vichy renown for its spas and mineral water.
-Salers cows which for great cheese and meat.
-innumerable fruit and nuts including chestnuts.

Plenty more, I guarantee you!
I almost forgot: One of the best trekking areas with plenty of inns and small restaurants vying for the best local food!

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Vegetables Facts and Tips (10): Egg plants/Aubergines

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The eggplant, aubergine, or brinjal (Solanum melongena) is a plant of the family Solanaceae (also known as the nightshades) and genus Solanum. It bears a fruit of the same name, commonly used as a vegetable in cooking. As a nightshade, it is closely related to the tomato and potato and is native to India and Sri Lanka.

That for the Wikipedia definition. The word Aubergine is mainly used in Europe. It comes in many shapes, sizes and even colours, but they share the same facts.

FACTS:
-Season: June to September in the Northern Hemisphere, but are available all year round thanks to greenhouse cultivation.
-Main beneficial elements: Potassium, Vitamin C and B1
-90% is water, but the skin contains a lot of polyphenols so useful against aging and arteries cleaning!
It is also of a great help to fight diabetes.

VARIETIES:

As mentioned above, aubergines come in many varieties, but Japa has come up with another interesting kind:
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“Mizu Nasu”, litterally “Water Aubergine”
It has the particularity that it can be eaten raw cut and served like sashimi! With miso, pickled plum flesh, wasabi or soy sauce, it opens all kindsof possibilities fro vegans, vegetarians and raw food lovers!

TIPS:

-Choose specimens with a deep colour, bright appearance and comparatively light weight.
-To preserve them, wrap them individually in cellophane paper before storing them in the refrigerator.
-Before cooking them, cut them and leave them in clear water util usage to prevent oxydizing.
If you want to fry them, cut them first and rub them with a lttle salt to take excess water out of them.

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French Gastronomy on Stamps (3): Aquitaine

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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the third of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Aquitaine.
Aquitaine for a long time was an English possession thanks to Alienor of Aquitaine who after divorcing the French King married the English King (who was “French”, too) and brought one of the richest dowries at the time to a relatively poor nation.
As it is one of of the largest “regions” in France, the wealth of great food can be a bit overwhelming.
One can see the following specialties on the stamp sheet:
-Vineyards and wines (Bordeaux, naturally, but many, many more!)
-Perigord black truffles
-Cannelles de Bordeaux cakes which have been copied almost everywhere.
-Espelette chili peppers from Pays basque.

Not mentioned here are chocolate which was first introduced in the Basque country, too, but I will leave it to you to search for more. Plenty of work, I can assure you!

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TAKY’S classic Cakes (8): Framboise

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I have just discovered his new creation by talented Takuya Hanai and served to one of my students today.
I have to keep a constant lookout as this talented and still young patissier has a habit to offer new cakes almost every week.

This cake, Framboise, ia reminiscent of Fedora I introduced in an earlier posting.
Also fairly simple in concept, it is nonetheless a small gem:

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On a thin layer of chocolate chips-studded chocolate sponge, he first lay a layer of chocolate bavarois/mousse, then again, but twice as thick, a framboise/raspberry bavarois/mousse with a final layer of thick Raspberry sauce with a fresh raspeberry for the final touch.
The whole cake is “surrounded” with bicolor sponge for mpre personality.
Breaking through the whole and tasting the combination of the various tastes all at the same time reveals the sublime qualities of this other little marvel!

To appreciate with a great coffee or English tea!

TAKY’S
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 1-11-10
Tel.: 054-255-2829
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays

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French Gastronomy on Stamps (2): Antilles/French West Indies

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France has issued many stamps on food (not foodstamps!) on her own gastronomy for quite some time.
A new series will be issued on April 25th and wil be printed in the form of mini-sheets dedicated to a particular region with stamps, pics and explanations.
With the second of these sheets I’d like to introduce is Antilles or more commonly known the French West Indies.
One can see the following specialties:

-Seafood, especially lobsters
-Bananas

Now,the French West Indies are not that well known in spite of counting some big islands among them such as Martinique and Guadeloupe.
Fruit are a major export with exotic jams and fruit preserved in alcohol.
Did you know they produce some of the best and rarest rums in the world? These are called Rhum Agricole as they are distilled by farmers in rural areas!

Last but not least they are a major tourist resort with some great local culinary delights reminiscent of Creole Cuisine (this is actually its source!)

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