Tag Archives: 野菜

Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Local Land an Sea Products at Contorno!

February 9, 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

Many more restaurants in Shizuoka join the “Local Products” trend for the pleasure and health of their customers.
One does not have to explain why one ought to eat fully traceable food!
But we are on the very lucky side of Japan as Shizuoka Prefecture could manage to live on its own resources alone for at least 6 months, a feat unequalled anywhere in Japan!

Contorno is great place, not only for its gastronomy (naturally!), but because it is so well exposed to the sun in a quiet area not far from the sea of Mochimune whose harbor is famous all over the country for its shirasu/whitebait and other bounties from the sea.

And it has the enormous merit to be completely non smoking!

Their lunches are not only a bargain but a healthy joy!
All vegetables are organic by Mr. Nagomi in Fujinomiya City at the foot os Mount Fuji.
The above antipasto misto vegetables (except for the French cornichon) are all above-mentioned vegetables with a chicken-pork terrine and a shrimps-fish terrine.

The bread is naturally all home-made and served with a high quality olive oil!

For lunch I ordered this black bass (suzuki/鱸) from the Suruga Bay sauteed on its skin and served with Provencal-style organic vegetables.

The Missus opted for this delicious plate of prawn pasta!
beautiful colors! I managed to get a forkful!

And look forward to a great different dessert everyday!

And they serve the coffee the right way!

Dinner report to come next!LOL

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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Italian Cuisine: Shizuoka Products at Aquavite!

February 7, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great and very large washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable to expensive. Top-class Italian wines. Private room for~8 people.
no-smoking-logo1 Non-smoking at counter!

Like many restaurants in Shizuoka City and Shizuoka Prefecture, many restaurants are going through changes for many reasons including some unavoidable.
When chefs decide to leave to work under other skies recruiting new and good staff is vital.
Aquavite has had to go through that time and came out for the better!

The new team (Chef: Masaru Aoki/青木優 and Maitre d’Hote: Kazuma Mochizuki/望月計満) is not only young and enthusiastic, but also professional and endeavouring to use as many local products as possible.

Vegetables from Shizuoka Prefecture!

They are always on the lookout for new producers and farmers when it comes to vegetables and fruit!

Antipasto Misto (Broccoli and Cauliflower in Anchovy sauce, stewed red and yellow pimento with dry tomatoes, mizudako octopus and Inca mezame potato and mushrooms and shrimps)

Like all good Italian Restaurants Aquavite bake their own bread!

They also propose a great variety of pasta!

Now, this excellent pasta was made with Barilla N05 spaghetti and a ragu of cuttlefish caught in the Suruga Bay!

Fish and seafood is the true specialty at Aquavite.
The above is matodai/John Dory or St. Peter’s Fish caught of Numazu Harbour fried in Meuniere style with a herb sauce!

This succulent sauteed chicken is “Jidori/地鶏” from Fuji City. All vegetables are Shizuoka-Grown!

Artistic and delicious tiramisu for dessert!

Real coffee served the proper way!

And exquisite home-made Italian biscuits!

Looking forward to the next visit!

Address: 420-0034 Shizuoka Shi, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg. 3F
Tel. & fax: 054-2740777
Opening hours: 11:30~14:00, 18:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Homepage (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK

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Kiwi Fruits & Agritourism at Kiwifruit Country Japan

December 30, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

Masatoshi and Tsuneyo Hirano/平野正俊・常代 at Kiwifruit Country Japan in Kakegawa City.

“Let’s introduce the greatness of the nature, importance of agriculture and taste of the real thing! Let’s learn together! Discover the valuable life!” is Masatoshi Hirano’s motto, in his own words, for farm management.

Entrance to Kiwifruit Country Japan

Mr. Masatoshi Hirano (and his two sons, too) speaks fluent English, because he spent a long time researching about citruses in four different States in the US before starting agriculture at his parents’ farm. His family has seen a lot of history go by as he is the 19th generation!
Nonetheless, as a youngster he understood that tradition was one thing, and good farming management another.

Kiwi fruits across the parking lot!

This led him, originally against his parents’ disagreement, to enlarge the family enterprise and introduce new cultures.
One was that of kiwifruit which he started from a single spoonful of seeds he had brought back home!

Agritour programs in front of the shop.

Then for the last 21 years he has expanded the cultivated land to include the largest Kiwifruit Agritour Orchard in Japan, tea, organic citruses, organic vegetables, organic edible flowers, space for domestic animals (as food and pets), self service stand direct sale shop, a whole forest for kids and adults alike, a BBQ area capable of welcoming 500 guests, a campsite, onsite field classes for children and students and agritours for Japanese and foreigners.

Baby goat.

A pet sheep.

A　pet goat.

Pet rabbits.

Mischievous baby goats!

A baby pig, not a wild boar!

A peacock (there are two varieties, actually!)!

Kiwifruits, according to varieties (he grows 80 of them and conduct experiments on 500!), are either grown in an enormous greenhouse (which also serves as an BBQ and event space) or in open-air fields.

This kiwifruit tree wood is actually very popular with local artists!
Another great way to recycle nature!

Greenhouse-grown kiwifruit on display for practical information!

Kiwifruit varieties ready for sampling!

One can study about kiwifruits in Japanese and English while eating them!

Chickens for their meat and eggs.

More chickens!

And even more chickens! These are pets kept together with rabbits!

And more chickens. These always seem hungry!

The whole range of edible organic flowers and mountain vegetables/sansai/山菜 grown on site!

Organic shiitake.

Organic pumpkins!

Peaceful sheep.

Organic mandarines/mikan/蜜柑.

The grass and plants are left to grow naturally from the soil mixed with natural compost.

Another variety of organic mandarines.

Tea fields.

Vast open-fields of kiwifruit trees. Would you believe that Mr. Hirano pollinate them all by hand? A back and shoulder-breaking work!

A view inside the very old forest. It is actually crossed by a centuries-old path!

Small concerts are organized in that space inside the forest!

A kids’ heaven!

Look at these air-breathing roots. Now, this is an ancient tree!

100% organic potatoes sold at the shop!

Kiwis on sale at the shop.
One can eat as many as one wants onsite for a fee!

All kinds of varieties and packaged kiwifruit can be sent all over Japan directly from the shop!

These are the ones I took back hoe!

Obviously this is only the first of a long series of articles as the place will have to be visited every month by your servant or reporters from Agrigraph!

Kiwi Fruit Country/Experience & Learning Farm
Masatoshi & Tsuneyo Hirano
436-0012 Shizuoka Ken, Kakegwa Shi, Kamiuchida, 2040
Tel.: 0537-22-6543
Fax: 0537-22-7498
Free dial: 0120-014791
E-mail: wbs02626@mail.wbs.ne.jp
HOMEPAGE(Japanese, but phone calls can be taken in English)

Business hours: 09:00~17:00
BBQ (even by rainy weather) and tours possible on reservation.

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Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Horiuchi Vegetables Garden

October 30, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

“We grow vegetables 364 days a year, and sometimes 365 days!”, replied Mrs. Satoko Horiuchi/堀内里子 when asked how busy she and her husband were.

Her family has been growing tea and rice for 6 or 7 generations (“I don’t remember!” confided the sweet old lady with a laugh).

Eggplants.

The Horiuchi family was introduced to me by my good friend Natsuko Koyanagi/小柳奈津子from Agriroad/アグリロード in Miwa/美和　in Aoi Ku/葵区 in Shizuoka City.

Basil.

“Whenever we are short of vegetables at Agriroad Market, we just give her a call and she will fill the place again!” Natsuko explained.

Komatsuna/小松菜 or Japanese Mustard Spinach.

The Horiuchi family cultivates vegetables over an area of 25 acres.
Satoko and her husband do most of the work with occasional from their daughter.

Satoimo/里芋, taro

As far as fertilizer is concerned they use a combination of organic manure fertilizer and artificial fertilizer.

Can you guess what these are?
Peanuts/Rakkasei/落花生!

Exploring their garden is like a lesson!
These are kabocha/南瓜 flowers!

The kabocha itself. Still too young and soft yet!

Edamame/枝豆! They are actually soy beans/daizu/大豆 harvested still green like you would do with string beans.

Enormous okra/オクラ!
The Japanese like them small, although I like biting through their seeds after having steamed and marinated them!

Satsuma Imo/Sweet potatoes/薩摩芋.
The Horiuchis use as little pesticide as possible although it is a daily fight with their daughter who wishes to grow more organic vegetables to satisfy the new demands!

Broccoli in front and myoga/myoga ginger/茗荷 at the back.

Japanese lettuce variety.

The Horiuchis on the average will grow at least two if not three of vegetable varieties on the same plot of land depending on the season.

Cucumbers.
This particular greenhouse is their daughter’s organic domain!

Beautiful and healthy!

The “heart” of the garden!

All these are the Horiuchis’ property, not counting the oranges and tea fields in nearby mountains!

There is a constant demand for peppers or piman/ピーマン in Japanese!

Daikon still at an early stage.
Don’t forget that the leaves are also edible. They make for great pickles!

And the leeks/negi/葱　naturally!
I’m convinced that the Japanese must be some of the highest consumers in the world!

You will understand why I will have to visit their garden in the near future!

Incidentally they also take direct orders apart of of selling their vegetables in many markets. Give them a call to find out what is available!

Horiuchi Garden
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Nakanogo, 32
静岡市葵区中乃郷３２
Tel.: 054-296-3886

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Alain Passard’s Visit in Shizuoka!

October 26, 2010 dragonlife 8 Comments

Shizuoka Prefecture is at long last receiving the attention it deserves!
From Monday October 25th through Friday October 29th, Alain Passard will hold no less than 4 dinner shows and one demonstration for professionals in Shizuoka, Hamamatsu and Itoh Cities!

At the official Press Conference inside the Shizuoka Prefecture Hall.

Alain Passard is an establishment in France where he has been awarded the three Michelin Stars for the last 14 years for his Restaurant, Arpège, in Paris.
A few years ago, conscious of environment and health in general, he took a big risk and won the challenge of offering high class gastronomy mainly based on vegetables and fruits.
He has already introduced French gastronomy in Japan on many occasions, but this was the first time he concentrated his visit on Shizuoka Prefecture only!

Suzuki Gakuin, the scene of Alain Passard’s demonstration.

Why did such a celebrated chef choose our Prefecture?
A very simple reason: the quality and variety of Shizuoka Prefecture’s vegetables and fruit had finally reached his ears, and as a true professional chef and a lover of good food he could ignore our region any longer, the more for it that it reminds him of his native Bretagne, another region world-famous for its superlative vegetables and extraordinary seafood.

During the Press Conference, Mr. Passard was the image of a true ambassador with a passion and a warmth that quickly won everybody’s heart. A model of civility without ostentation, he explained his reasons for coming at last to Shizuoka and discover its long hidden treasures.
He personally invited me for a private lunch with his staff and Government officials where he showed an intense interest for all I had the time to tell about my adopted home.

Shizuoka ingredients line-up!

At 14:00 we found ourselves in Suzuki Gakuin Cooking School for a demonstration reserved for paying professionals only.
Although the place was crowded to the very limits, many guests had to wait until the other event, the dinner at Nakajimaya Hotel, to have a chance to witness Mr. Passard’s art.

More than 80 professionals were attending!

Among them, some very famous local chefs from all over the Prefecture!

Participants, however far from the stage, could follow the demonstration from overhead mirrors,

and two live TV screens!

Apart of an official interpreter, Alain Passard had his own two aides on hand, Isabelle Schipp from Alsace and Julien Lebon from Paris, two extremely capable lieutenants than no true chef can do without!

Alain Passard’s was not only a demonstration of his skills and inventiveness, but of the whole concept of preparing food.
First, he insisted on the importance of shopping for ingredients when he chose from the array of vegetables displayed in front of him.

Second, having chosen the ingredients of his fancy, came the moment of intense reflection on what he would create with them. As he so justly explained, a true chef has always his moments of uncertainty he has to overcome before immersing himself in his art.

And then the show finally started in earnest!
A long video might have done a better job but at least let me show you the results I had such a great pleasure to witness!

Except for the butter, milk and salt, all ingredients were from Shizuoka!
We were offered three recipes, all created on the moment!

1) Shizuoka Onions (Fondue) and Mandarines (Confit) with Wasabi and Fresh Peanuts, as appetizers.

For a closer view!

2) Shizuoka Small Turnips and Cherry Tomatoes with Shiitake Mushrooms and Ciboulette Leeks, as a main dish.

3) Shizuoka Melon (Carpaccio) and fresh Ginger with Shishito Peppers and Roquette (Luccola) for dessert!

Did I mention this was a vegetarian delight?
If you have more precise questions about the whole (cooking) process, I’ll be glad to oblige!

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Shizuoka Agricultural Products: The Nemotos’ Garden

August 2, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Royichi/良一 and Sumiko/スミ子 Nemoto/根本

It was another one of those blistering days this year’s summer seems intent on inflicting on all of us, citizens or farmers alike.
I already had lost a sizeable amount of liquid when I reached Miwa Agriroad, my regular Wednesday starting point for investigating the local farmers and their products.

Yuyama/湯山 was still a long way away, but my good friend Natsuko Koyanagi/小柳奈津子 and I only had to wait a little while before her husband obligingly delivered his car to us. For all of the locally made chilled lemon and honey drink I had guzzled down, I was really thankful to make the second part of my trip in an air-conditioned car than on my dear bicycle!

The Nemotos are the second generation of that particular farming family.
Their main crops are rice and tea, but that still leaves them with enough time to look after a vast “garden” for extra cash.
Natsuko had called Sumiko Nemoto beforehand , and the dear lady was waiting for us!

Taking pictures and talking to the farmers were a pretty straightforward affair as everything was set as straight as you could hope for. The weather having been dry for a good couple of weeks, no need for boots either. While I was taking the pictures of the egg-plants/aubergines/nasu/茄子 above, the ladies were chatting away, but were always ready to answer questions. They wouldn’t let that city man repeat the same mistakes! LOL

The leeks/negi/葱 did look thirsty!

The hedge of cucumbers/kyuri/胡瓜 had been cleverly placed so as to block a good part of a single side of the garden from the sun and the elements.

These are okra/オクラ, and I’ve learned to appreciate them of late. The Missus chooses them as big as possible before lightly steaming them and then marinate them in the fridge. Make for great appetizers in summer! Have you ever seen their flowers? Beautiful!

Taro/Sato Imo/里芋. The Nemotos actually grow two varieties. I couldn’t see the tubers, but the stems were of two definitely different colours.

While the ladies were busy chattering and I taking pictures, Mr. Nemoto stolidly kept watering the garden. And it certainly needed plenty! He was using a motor pump for it as water is abundant underground.

Aster/アスター

It is not all vegetables in the Nemoto’s garden. Actually many farmers in this vicinity grow flowers, and I can tell you these disappear quickly form the market every morning.
The Nemotos have a special love for Asters, and I agree that they make beautiful flowers!
They also grow Chrysnathemums and daliahs!

Mr. Nemoto kept slowly walking back his hose in hand all the time…

Here’s the grand old chap at last!
I wonder if I might dress like them in summer.
We citizens seem badly protected, whereas Sumiko San in particular seemed to wear half a dozen layers without a sweat!

Bitter melons/Goya/ゴーヤー are not grown in the “warmer” areas of Japan anymore. They are very common in Shizuoka Prefecture where all vegetables and fruit seem to grow. They even grow bananas in nearby Shimizu!

Tomatillo, a Japanese variety.
Except for some specialized farms, these are used more for decoration than food. Very popular with flower arrangement/ikebana/活花 artists!

These are Devil’s Tongue Tubers/Konnyaku/コニャク. The Japanese love these “tubers” to make a kind of jelly. Very popular with vegetarians and people on a diet!

Talking to the farmers has definitely become a pleasure. There are always little stories to listen to and so much to learn!
And like many farmers all over the world, they are generous and proud of their work.
I shouldn’t tell you maybe, but I always end up with a batch of vegetables!
“Did you bring your ecobag?”, Natsuko asked me again with a laugh.
I wouldn’t have forgotten it, although this sounds like using these nice people.
To cut a story short, I ended up with enormous egg plants, small and juicy goya, okra straight as arrows, but then I had to stop them!

Nemotos’ Garden
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Yuyama, 1898
Tel.: 054-2941325

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Shizuoka Agriculture Portal: Agrigraph

July 27, 2010 dragonlife 6 Comments

AgriGraph Japan is an enterprise commissioned by Shizuoka Prefecture.
It is a project aiming at making the agriculture (and also tourism, esppecially green tourism) in Shizuoka Prefecture known to the whole world in real time through IT-related tools.

Shizuoka Prefecture is a region blessed with nature thanks to its famous mountains such as Mount Fuji and the Southern Alps to the north, its rich sea to the south, and also with a great economy due to its privileged location along the east-west axis from Tokyo to Nagoya and Osaka.

Therefore, no less than five reporters will scour the whole Prefecture every day in an endeavor to help everyone discover the agriculture and rural villages of this rich “Fuji no Kuni Shizuoka/Shizuoka, the Land of Mount Fuji” through live blogs posted through iPhone in Japanese and immediately delivered in English, Chinese, Korean, French and Portuguese by qualified native staff translators to convey the true meaning and nuances of the reports. No automatic translation whatsoever!

If you wish to promote your own agriculture and farm(s) and create a new relation with other producers abroad, do please join us through our interactive blogs as guest participants. All blogs about agriculture from any country are most welcome!

Check the following links:

AGRIGRAPH (Entry Homepage with acces to all articles and languages)

AGRIGRAPH ENGLISH BLOG

AGRIGRAPGH FRENCH BLOG (FRANÇAIS)

AGRIGRAPH PORTUGUESE BLOG (PORTUGUÊS)

AGRIGRAPH KOREAN (관하여)

AGRIGRAPH CHINESE (中文)

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Egg Farm in Shizuoka City: Bi-Ou-Ran (Part 1)

July 23, 2010 dragonlife 12 Comments

Eggs do come in many shapes, don’t they?

The Japanese have always eaten of lot of eggs. Not so long ago, in the Edo period,they were even considered as a rare delicacy.
Since then, with the abundance of high quality eggs the Japanese have turned this supposedly simple farm product into many world-known delicacies: tamagoyaki, dateyaki, oyakodon, onsen tamago and so on.
On the other hand the same Japanese have increasingly become more exigent and precise about their eggs, requesting for better shape, color and quality.

Bi-Ou-Ran sign

For a long time I have been intrigued by the above sign I regularly passed along during my bicycle trips to Miwa along the Abe River in Shizuoka City.
After some belated enquiries, I found out that the eggs produced by Bi-Ou-Ran/美黄卵/Beautiful Yellow Eggs Farm are not only top-class in this country, but that they have also been awarded a brand name/controlled appellation by the Japanese Government!

An investigation was long due!
After lunch yesterday I took the bicycle and first rode to their small shop (a lot of their eggs are directly distributed all over the country from their farm) up in Miwa (a good 30 minutes ride from my work place).
A small shop it is, but interestingly enough you can buy eggs there through a vending machine almost all day long (that is until everything has disappeared in spite of being re-filled regularly).

A look at the praise received in many neswpapers and TV interviews.

Beautiful eggs inside the vending machine!
Sakura Mixed batch: 300 yen for 12
Sakura Small: 300 yen for 12
Sakura Large: 300 yen for 11
Red Treasure Medium: 300 yen for 11
Red Treasure Large: 300 yen for 10

Onsen tamago: Eggs slowly cooked into running yolk soft-boiled eggs. A delicacy!

Eggs waiting to go!

Home-made chiffon cakes on sale!

Very eclectic: they also sell fresh products from neighbors’ gardens!

From the left bank of Abe River in Ashikubo District.

People/employees at the shop were very kind. They put me through to the farm where Mr. Shimizu and employees are raising their chicken.
Interviewing on that very day was not possible. Wrong time! They were busy at something I couldn’t catch on the phone.
Nevertheless, Mr. Shimizu, who didn’t seem to understand much of what I was trying to tell me agreed on an interview at the farm tomorrow, Staurday, at 13:30!

Their farm is still a 10 more minutes ride up river.
Knowing myself and having some time on hand, I decided to find the farm as directions were a bit scant.
Even knowing the address is not much help in the country where almost nothing is indicated.
At least the Ashikubo River was easy to find.
That did not prevent me from venturing onto the wrong bank of the river!

But riding a bicycle has an enormous advantage: it does not matter how many times you get lost, you will eventually find your way around, whereas by car would tax any driver heavily!
As I said I took the wrong (larger) road.
So I turned back and enetered th very narrow road along the left bank of Ashikubo River.
I can’t miss it on Saturday thanks to the little red Shinto Gate (Torii) at its entrance!

Neither wide nor long, the Ashikubo River is renown for for its great water coming down the nearby mountain slpes all year round. The Abe River might get completely dry, but not this little river.
Even now, many local Sake Breweries come here to collect water in large tanks!
No wonder that the farm has chosen this location. A constant supply of water ought to be vital!

Still a long way to ride. Two cars would be in real difficulty if they happened to meet halfway.

I finally reached my destination, although I didn’t know for sure at first!
No sign at the entrance, and no clue of how such a farm should look like from the outside.
But the fact I was born in farmland did help me as I noticed some silos obviously used to store feed.
But I couldn’t see any bird in spite of the imposing size of the farming complex.
Bear in imd I was in the middle of nature without a homestead within sight (that is on the left bank).

The heat was a scorching 35 degrees by then and I wondered how chicken scould be kept inside. But,… I also noticed large ventilators here and there. I couldn’t be wrong (if I were I was in for a long frustrating search!)!

Since the appointment was not not for that particular day and knowing people working there were very busy, I rode a few seconds on until I found a side entrance,… and heard the unmistakable sound of chicken amid the roaring of the giant ventilators!

I certainly felt relieved knowing it would be a faster ride thanks to my little investigation next Saturday!
An employee did notice me and came to me without being asked to check if I was looking for something or somebody. I explained (after a polite greetings and taking off my shades) that I would come on Saturday and was just checking my way.
-“I see! See you, then!”

Bi-Ou-Ran
Shimizu Chicken Farm
421-2112, Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Endo Shinden, 41-3
Tel.: 054-296-0064

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Learning Agricultural Skills at an Early Age at Shizuoka City Ryunan Primary School

July 21, 2010 dragonlife 16 Comments

From time to time I go coaching the game of cricket in some local primary schools in Shizuoka City.
It is a good break from everything and keeps my feet on the ground.
Ryunan Primary School is fairly big by Japanese standards, but it is just located between the city itself and the nearby mountains/country. The kids are definitely city kids, but with a country nuance.

Many primary schools, contrary to establishments in the large metropolises, in Shizuoka have a “garden” where pupils learn the basic skills of growing vegetables and flowers, be they boys or girls.

The kids will be waiting impatiently for the winter when they can eat these “satsuma imo/sweet potatoes”, especially grilled!

Shizuoka is celebrated for it tomatoes and it shows!
All the pots bear a name plate of each individual pupil.

Red shiso: makes for some great juice in summer!

Cucumbers still at the flower stage.

Flowers, flowers,… All varieties of “Asagao/Japanese Morning Glory”!

For a closer look!

Soory, I forgot to check the name!
Does anyone know?

Now, what are these/ Look at the next pic!

Edamame! (green soy beans!)

Okra!
I actually taught the kids how to “twist and pinch them out”!

Now, what kind of kid can grow such a strangely shaped cucumber?

Now, I’m afraid this cucumber was abandoned by its owner!

Green peppers!
Well, one way to have kids eat vegetables is having them grow heir own food!

Look at my okra! Look at my okra!

And look at my tomatoes!

Look at mine, too! look at mine, too!
Alright, alright! Stand together and show them to me together!
Sweet kids….

Took a last picture before taking my leave:
Beautiful flowers! What might be their name?
Can you read the name of the school on the pot?
The “Running Mount Fuji” is the mascot of Shizuoka Prefecture!

I might do well to check on the next primary school tomorrow!

NOTE: I didn’t take pics of children as the Japanese law does not allow to show kids’ faces (especially inside a school) without a previous written agreement from their parents.

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Shizuoka Agricultural Products: The Mochizukis’ Garden in Yuyama

July 14, 2010 dragonlife 8 Comments

Yuyama district lies along the western bank of the Abe River in Shizuoka City.
There is barely enough land to cultivate under the steep slopes of the surrounding mountains, but it means plenty of good water all day long whatever the weather.

All this water still needs to be funneled into the right patterns between the many plots, regularly maintained and re-inforced with stone and concrete, otherwise the water will turn into a plague in rainy weather carrying off everything on its way to the Abe River.

Once again my good friend Mrs. Natsuko Koyanagi was on hand to help me talk with shy farmers. Whereas an unknown foreign would have some difficulty engaging in a conversation on his own with locals, a local celebrity makes things a lot easier!

Looking forward to the next cucumber crop!

Mr. Toshihiro Mochizuki and his wife, Akiko, are the 4th generation looking after this garden spreading over 200 tsubo (multiply by 2.3 to convert into square metres!).

Red shiso! Love their juices!

Unfortunately, it could be the end of that particular line because their children are not tempted to follow their vocation in spite of their parents’ enthusiasm.

Now, what might be these?

Myoga ginger! No way I could have guessed they were hidden under all these leaves!

It is a pity that these farmers (many in the region are in the same predicament) cannot convince (they even discourage their siblings in many cases) their children to take on farming and agriculture.
The local government have finally understood the situation and are taking measures to attract young people back to farming.

Green asparaguses, but not edible any more!

The Mochizukis were formerly growing rice and green tea only. Now they grow more than 20 varieties of vegetables (10% are ending on their own table) atop of rice. They stopped growing green tea which is strenuous business on slopes that are almost vertical.

Now, what can be this vegetable/tuber? I forgot to ask, silly me! Anyone knows?

Like many farmers, they buy their fertilizers from the local Farmers Association Cooperative and sell most of their produce at the Miwa Agriroad (JA) Market nearby (Abeguchi) that I have already mentioned.

Corn! Love these!

I personally enjoy talking and learning from these people of the land. You never know. What would happen if we suddenly all had to grow our food?

I forgot to ask about these, too! Please help me!LOL

Have you ever heard of Ry Cooder’s Taxes On The Farmer Feeds Us All?
….The farmer is the man who feeds us all…
A case in point!

Mochizukis’ Garden & Farm
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Yuyama, 826
Te.: 054-294-0416
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Vegan Japanese Cuisine: Daikon & Dried Persimmon Salad

July 14, 2010 dragonlife 6 Comments

Persimmon can be enjoyed all year round if you dry them.
Now, if you cannot get them on the market, dry them yourself in season next time. It’s not difficult:
Peel them completely, keeping the petal and stem core. Pass a thread through the persimmon and under the stem core. Hang them to dry in the sun (when it rains hang them in dry place).
Preserve them with a sugar coating in a dry box or freeze them!

INGREDIENTS:

-Daikon: 4 cm long cut
-Dried persimmons: 2~3
-Ground sesame seeds/surigoma: 2 tablespoons
-Rice vinegar: 2 tablespoons
-Sugar: 1 and a half tablespoons
-Light soy sauce: a little
-Salt: a pinch

RECIPE:

-Cut the daikon in 2 mm thick, 1×3 cm strips. Massage them with salt and wash them in clear cold water. Drain thoroughly by pressing them inside your hand/fist.

-Cut the stem core out of the dried persimmon. Wash the persimmon with rice vinegar. First cut cut in half, spread and cut in 2=3 mm thick strips.

-Drop the ground sesame seeds in a bowl Add the rice vinegar, sugar, soy sauce and salt (experiment!). Mix well.
If you do not have ground sesame seeds, first grind 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds in a mortar with a pestle until it has turned into a rough paste.
Add the daikon and persimmon. Mix well and serve (themore artistically, the better!LOL)

Add some small leaf greens for the finishing touch!

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Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Mrs. Jitsuko Ishihara’s Zucchini!

July 7, 2010 dragonlife 8 Comments

In Japan, like in any country worth its salt and name, you always need a little help from your friends. And when that applies to agriculture and farmers, it is simply vital!

Luckily enough, I’m blessed with this tireless lady friend, namely Mrs. Natsuko Koyanagi, the recognized leader of all those farmer housewives selling their produce at Agriroad in Shizuoka City!
When you realize that the community accounts for more than a hundred members, interviewing simply becomes a pleasure!

Last year she introduced me to this sweet ladyfarmer, Mrs. Jitsuko Ishihara who has a special fondness for zucchini, especially of the colourful round kind!
Sorry for the small pic, but it was taken last year, as the lady was busy up in the mountain harvesting tea with her husband tis morning!

But in the Shizuoka (and elsewhere in Japan) countryside you don’t need a key to open a fence. Natsuko gave her a call to inform her that that strange foreigner (-“You know, the Frenchman who loved your zucchini last year?”) wanted to have another look at those beautiful vegetables. -“Is it ok for us to visit your field/garden?”
-“No problem, you know the place! Thanks for taking hime around!”
Simple as that!

Since I have started writing these local agriculture articles for the prefectural government I intend to conduct a full interview of Mrs. Ishihara very soon!
Natsuko, having given me a ride to Yuyama, along the Abe River (a good 5 minutes ride. For once, I was happy to leave my bicycle!) we were soon trampling Mrs. Ishihara’s domain and taking pics.

Not a really easy task as you have to delve deep under those large leaves with insects buzzing in your eyes (we are in the middle of the reason!)
There was no way I could leave the place without a hoard of those little treasures…

-“Natsuko, could you please ask Mr. Ishihara if I can have some of these?”
Natsuko was soon talking over her mobile phone (at least one reason to welcome IT in farms, thus cutting distances to zero!”)
-“She says she’ll be glad to let you pick one of your choice back home!” (Sweet lady!)
-“No, I mean to buy 3 or 4 of them! Ask her if I may, and how much she wants for them!”
-“……………

-“She says you can take 3 or 4 of them at 100 yen a piece (just over 1 US$)!”
-“But that’s ridiculously cheap (they would fetch 4 times as much in a supermarket) for a zucchini I need two hands to wrap them completely, and moreover fresh and of such a quality!”

Well, I did go away with my 4 beauties for a grand total of 400 yen! I tried to explain they would be served tonight at a friend’s izakaya who would be ready to the real price, but to no avail!

I will make sure my friends at Yasaitei in Shizuoka City know where these zucchini come from and answer their guests’ queries!
Do visit this great place, an institution here in Shizuoka Prefecture!
They will prepare and serve these zucchini according to your preferences, probably as tempura, steamed or fried with superb olive oil!

Can you see them?

YASAITEI
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-Cho, 1-6-2 Green Heights Wamon 1-C
Tel.: 054-2543277
Business hours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended
Seating: 6 at counter + 20 at tables
Set Courses: 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 yen
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Almost “Tricolor” Fried Potatoes

July 5, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

The Japanese are starting to take a real interest in many varieties of potatoes as opposed to sweet potatoes.
The Missus having received a batch of them from her family’s garden, I prepared a quick appetizer last night.
I had 3 differentcolors available: red, yellow and black, that is as far their outside colors were concerned!

Once boiled, they turned to slghtly differentcolors: dark blue, light yellow and pink!
Almost tricolor (I’m in for another of BG’s comments!)!

As a general rule, I boil the potatoes before deep-frying them.
Actually, I don’t deep-fry them but use only a little olive oil. Far healthier!
As for vegans and vegetarians, just frying and seasoning them is enough, but for the sake of taste I first fry chopped bacon (with no oil). Once it has reached a crispy state, I put it a aside. I use the same fry pan without wiping it at all. I pour about 2 tablespoons of olive oil (EV) for the 3 medium potatoes I had.
The potatoes wer cut into large dices with their skin.
I fried them until they had completely absorbed the oil and became brownish. I then throw in a finely chopped clove of garlic, the bacon ,black pepper and some nutmeg.

Once the garlic has started browning I pour the lot into a serving dish.
(Sorry for the last 2 pics! The Missus took them!)

Before serving them I sprinkle them with a good amount of freshly grated parmegiano. This way, I don’t need to add any salt!

Great with dark beer!

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Shizuoka Agricultural Products: Shizuoka Miwa Agriroad (revisited)

July 1, 2010 dragonlife 6 Comments

As I’m starting writing articles on farming for the local government who have recently decided to promote farming on a grand scale, I thought it was about time to have a deeper look at Agriroad, one of the many local markets run by local farmers associations, notably farmers’ wives.

It is not big by any standards, but the local know you will find products of great quality and freshness as they start queuing up well before 9:30 a.m. when the market opens!

It is not all about food! And I can assure all those beautiful flowers, cut moments before, disappear very quickly!

First things first. I know that I will have a few minutes to spare before all the best morsels vanish from view!
Basket in hand I hunt along the venerable ladies and gentlemen sent by their families to grab food for their home pots! I can talk to peple and take photographs later!
Those round yellow zucchini were soon hidden at the bottom of my basket.

All vegetables bear the name of their grower and the sale date limit and (ridiculously) cheap prices! Most are organic, too!

Benihoppe/red cheeks strawberries, a strain first grown in Shizuoka in 2002!

Italians are welcome with all these sweet tomatoes!

My good friend, Mres. Natsuko Koyanagi, preparing Yomogu Kintsuba cakes, a vegan treat!

My students took care of these later!

Traditional Japanese sugar cakes (vegan!) prepared by some of the 100+ members!

Great jams made with local fruit and no additives or preservatives!

Japanese home-made cheese cakes!

No need to cook at home. Take these yummy tempura back home! All labelled with the name of their creator and all ingredients used!

More food for vegans!

Would you believe that these tradtional Japanese desserts qualify as vegan!

These are the vegetables I bought for an izakaya owner friend of mine:
3 yellow round zucchini, 1 bunch of fresh young carrots, 2 bunches of Hatsuka Daikon (“Twenty Days Daikon), 1 bunch of gobo/burdock root, all organic.

How much?
4 US $!

Shizuoka Miwa Agriroad (JA)
〒421-2114 Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Abeguchishinden, 537-1.
Tel.: 054-296-7878.
Fax: 054-296-7878
Business hours: 09:30~15:30 (from 08:30 on Saturday, Sunday and Holidays)

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Vegan Sashimi at Yasaitei (2010/06/30)

June 30, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: very clean
Prices: reasonable
Specialty: Vegan and vegetarian Cuisine, Izakaya gastronomy, local products, oden.

The summer has come to Shizuoka with a vengeance after an unseasonably cool period. One has problems making and devising food and meals for such a period. It is when you have to think of a higher fluid/water and vitamin intake to complement your “usual” diet/eating prctices.

This is when fresh vegetables are vital!
Luckily enough, Shizuoka Prefecture is the most blessed region in Japan when it comes to varieties and quality.

Just go arond the innumerable small markets in town and suburbs and you will rediscover the riot of colours at Yasaitei, which almost exclusively serve local produce!

Do not forget that mushrooms can play a vital role in your diet!

One knows very quickly where all these beauties come from: Green asparaguses from Hokkaido!

I had a long day both indoors and outdoors yesterday, and I was literally dehydrated when I entered my favourite izakaya.
The fresh colours of yuba/tofu sheets served with grated Shizuoka wasabi and thinly shredded leek were a balm on my eyes and body.
With a glass of Doman rice shochu from Tenjigura-Hamamatsu Brewery, I could patiently wait for my vegetable sashimi order!

Just a little soy sauce with it, nothing else!

A side view of the picture at the top of this posting.

A slanted view to show the mizu nasu/water egg plant, a Japanese variety that is best eaten raw, cruchy celery, crunchy (and so juicy) daikon on shiso, perilla leaf atop chopped onions, crunchy and juicy (again) cucumber and small radish!
The dressing/dip consisted as usual of fine salt, miso paste and sesame oil!