Tag Archives: 静岡

French Gastronomy Design by Touru Arima at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City (May 2012)

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

The other day, the Missus wanted to pay a belated (for her) visit to our favorite French Restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely Pissenlit, where Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん is busier than ever, what with creating a whole new range of organic jams with local produce and promoting good food at all levels in our Prefecture!
I have always been struck by the seemingly simple presentation of his dishes and I would like to share my views in this particular article!
Now, what did we have?

There were oysters on the menu!
When we debated how many we would order, we were told that one each would be more than enough, so we ordered one poelee and one in gratin!
The first one served poelee on a bed of local organic broccoli was truly enormous. I’m not lying, it was as big as the Missus’ palm!

Viewed from the other side!

You needed to cut it at least three times with fork and knife!
Absolutely succulent, a steak of the ocean?

The other served as gratin will give you an idea of the size with the very deep shell!
The sauce under the gratinee surface is ore a Mornay sauce than a Bechamel, a lot lighter and more delicate in flavors!

A view from a different angle will give you a little idea of the light and unctuous/creamy Mornay sauce!
The colors alone will have you tremble with impatience!

A true dish from Shizuoka Prefecture!

Touru calls it a warm carpaccio of bonito/katsuo topped with local organic greens.

The first picture was actually a back view. This is the front view!

A side view with the lovely mayonnaise to fully appreciate the incredbly tender bonito which had been lightly seared!

You can always expect Touru to come up with rarities!
Tablier du Sapeur!

The “sapeur” in French means a member of a special military engineer corps originally created by Napoleon who tended to copy anything Roman for his Legions.
These sapeurs used to wear a thick apron/tablier as part of their parade uniform!

They consist of veal stomach/tripes first separately cooked and then paneed in breadcrumbs!
Even the Missus who cares little for offal appreciated it!
I just loved it!

Here is another fine example of creating a superlative dish with offal: White asparaguses with Suruga Shamo Chicken livers and gizzards!

The raw and fresh enormous asparaguses were first poele before the offal was added to the same frypan!

Suruga Shamo is one of those extravagant shamo/軍鶏/fighting chickens/cocks raised in our Prefecture.
The offal was accompanied with some local bacon and organic greens for a last touch!

A true Shizuoka dessert?
Creme Brulee concocted with Shizuoka City Hon-Yama tea!
The strawberry and edible flowers are all organic from Shizen No Chikara Farm!

Another Green Fairy?
Certainly a dessert that JRR Tolkien and his Hobbits would have loved to sample!

Going for the kill! In my case!
An Italian grappa by Poli, a Marc de Bourgogne 1976 by Bernard Roy, a Vieille Fine de la Marne (Marc de Champagne) or a 15 year-old Cognac by Paul Giraud?
Well, I was born in Bourgogne, so you must have guessed!

To be continued…

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Japanese Fish Species 19: Seabream-True Seabream-Tai-Madai-鯛-真鯛

There are many varieties of Seabream/Snappers/Tai/鯛in Japan:
Batodai, Hanadai, Ishidai, Kinmeidai, Mekkidai, etc., but the most popular variety is called Madai/真鯛, or True Seabream.

Even Madai/True Seabream is called different names depending upon the region: Oodai or Hondai.
The best season streches from Winter to Spring.
It is extensively raised by humans in Ehime, Mie and Saga Prefectures.
Wild specimen are mainly caught off the shores of Nagasaki, Fukuok, Kumamoto, and Yamaguchi Prefectures. Not so many Madai are caught in Shizuoka but other varieties are abundant especially around Izu Penisula.

Human-raised amount to over 80,000 tonnes a year wild ones are caught at a rate inferior to 15,000 tonnes a year.
Imports are relatively and account for only about 6.500 tonnes a year.

Madai is widely appreciated raw as sashimi in the Japanese style (above),

in carpaccio, Italian-style sashimi!

The Japanese also love them grilled or steamed.

The Japanese since immemorial times have preserved the raw fish in rice miso, mirin/sweet sake and konbu/seaweed, but this has become quite an expensive morsel these days!

(Only relatively) lesser varieties, like Kinmedai, are appreciated as Himono/干物/naturally dried fish, a specialty of Shizuoka Prefecture which produces no less half of all naturally dried fish in Japan! Actually they come almost as expensive!

Konbujime/marinated in seaweed nigiri sushi

As sushi, madai (and other seabreams) are very versatile.
You will encounter them, depending on the region as konbujime/marinated in seaweed (above),

simple, straight nigiri sushi,

oshizushi/pressed sushi,

or zuke/marinated in ponzu, sake, mirin, etc.,

Seabream certainly looks great as temarizushi/Kyoto-style small round sushi nigiri!

Tai Shirako

Like tara/cod, their sperm sacs of the male specimens are highly appreciated and even more expensive than those of cods.

You can have served raw/slightly boiled or grilled as above,

meuniere-style as in French or Italian cuisine,

or on gunkan sushi nigiri!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Karaage Chicken-Deep-fried Chicken by the Dragon (the real one!)

Karaage Chicken/Japanese-style deep-fried chicken is not much of a mistery. The recipe to obtain a properly fried chicken with a juicy and steaming flesh is quite easy.
The Dragon (the real one!), that is, the Missus, had to prepare some food for lunch as her family was visiting us for lunch today which was a National Holiday.

As I was on shopping duty yesterday, I bought four pieces of chicken momo/thigh. I got them already rid of their bone and opened. If you buy them with the bone, choose them large. With a very sharp knife make a full cut lengthwise and detach the flesh from the bone into one block.
Leave their skin on!
In a vinyl pouch pour an equal amount of cornstach and rice flour. Mix well.
You may of course use your own mix, be it flour, panko, breadcrumbs or what else. The Missus does not usually any form of batter.
Drop the whole chciken pieces (you may cut them in small pieces beforehand if you wish, but that will make the process a bit burdensome) inside the vynil pouch and mix well to have the chicken wholly coated in cornstarch and rice flour mixture.

Now come the little trick!
There is no need to prepare a whole deep pan of oil. If you have it, fine, but it is far better to “shallow fry” in no more than a 1 cm deep oil in a frypan large enough to comfortably cook one piece at a time.
Drop the piece of chicken skin down (VERY IMPORTANT!) and fry. With a spoon pour oil from the frypan over thechicken all the time.
Check if the skin has reached a crispy light brown. If so, turn it over with large chopsticks and cook it still pouring oil over the exposed side with a spoon.
Once the piece has reached a nice light brown, take it out of the oil and place it on a grill to let the oil drip away.
Proceeed the same way with the other pieces.
Once you have finished the fourth piece the first should have cooled down enough.
Drop the first piece again in the oil and fry till you reach a perfectly uniform brown color on both sides. No need to pour oil over it then.
Take the piece out and place it on some kitchen paper to soak out the oil.
Once you have deep-fried all the four pieces (I’m saying four but the number is not important!) slice them and place them on a serving dish.

The chicken should be steaming and pour out some of its juices.

Before frying the Dragon had prepared a sauce by frying finely chopped echalottes (red onion would be fine) in olive oil. Once the echalottes had become translucent she switched off the fire and added rice vinegar, Thai sweet and hot chili dressing and funely chopped thin leeks.
She poured the whole dressing all over the chicken before serving
As you can see this it is pretty easy and adaptable.
The little secret is the two-step cooking in shallow oil.
Deep-frying in deep oil may be fine but there is always a danger of the chicken cooking too fast if you are not absolutely vigilant!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Hamburgers in Shizuoka 3: Tequila’s Diner!

Service: Shy but very friendly
Equipment & Facilities: Good general cleanliness
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive but very good value
Strong points: Tex-Mex gastronomy of superior quality. Doubles up as bar in evenings

These past years, for the pleasure of quality-minded hamburger lovers, we are witnessing the emergence of new diners (as they say in the States) which not only have the merit not to be part of chain stores with all the consequent disappointments, but which also endeavor to serve full and appetizing repasts in a slow enough manner to guarantee unhurried satisfaction.

I had meant to visit Tequila’s Diner in Aoi ku, Shizuoka City for quite some time, especially at lunch.
The problem is that it is really busy and the waiting is long, it being slow food!

They do make an effort at their English!

Pick your sign!

The menu is clearly posted outside! A plus, definitely!

And written in both languages!

I had decided on my order before entering the place!

The Japanese customers prefer to sit inside in a congested room sitting about 14~16 people but I wouldn’t give away that small table outside to anyone!
The place was full so the table outside was gladly agreed with on my request!
The Chef even asked me if I wanted the parasol fit in for me (which I declined!)
Next time I’ll make sure to have the same place in the evening!
For all his tattoos and scars, Chef Chihirou Okamoto is a shy and friendly bloke always ready to serve!

For 200 more yen I got a glass of beer and one soft drink and two small appetizers!

My “Tequila’s Favorite” order!

I noted with pleasure that the fried potatoes were not served with the usual mountain of salt but with just enough salt and black pepper!

The appetizers: corn salad and ham on coleslaw!

No, I didn’t use my hands but ate the whole the slow way with fork and knife!

The egg was fried to perfection, although I’m sure you can request it cooked longer for those who don’t like runny eggs!

Being from Bourgogne I always add mustard on my potatoes!

I told you that a good hamburger is a full meal: bread, Fresh and cooked vegetables, beef, bacon, cheese and egg!

I’m definitely planning to come back soon one evening with an American friend and enjoy real American food outside, away from the smoke!

TEQUILA’S DINER
420-0035 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shichiken Cho, 8-6 (near Aoba Park Street), ACT 7, 1F
Tel.: 054–255-7595
Business hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~24:00
Closed on Wednesdays
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Japanese Fish Species 18: Scabbard Fish-Tachiuo-太刀魚

Scabbard Fish or “Tachiuo” is a summer fish very popular in Japan in spite of its great length.
Tachiuo in Japanese, 太刀魚, means “Great Sword Fish”, not the scabbard!
The Suruga Bay being warmer than the rest of Japan, we have scabbard fish in the dead of winter.
Like other fish it owns other names: Tachi (not in Hokkaido, where the word means ” Cod sperm sacs”!), Shirada and Tachinouo.
It is mainly caught off Wakayama, Ehime and Oita Prefectures.
In Shizuoka it is both caught by line or net.
In 1999, 37,000 tonnes were caught in the whole of Japan, but it fell to 23,000 tonnes in 2000.
It is also imported from Korea and China, although the fish is slightly different from the Japanese variety. More than half of imported fish are eaten west of Kansai.

Scabbard Fish Sashimi Plate

Tachiuo is both popular raw and cooked.
Raw, it is usually served with ponzu instead of soy suce and topped with momijioroshi/grated daikon mixed with chili pepper.

Raw, it is of course popular as sushi nigiri,

cut into fine strips and served as gunkan.

As sashimi I personally prefer it “aburi” (slightly grilled/seared) with a dash of ponzu and some momijioroshi (grated daikon with chili pepper), or with some finely cut vegetables.

The same applies for sushi nigiri as I like my scabbard fish a little grilled first.

Making incisions into the fish before grilling it will make for another prsentation!

It does not have to be complicated to be yummy!

In the Kansai/western Japan region it is very popular in oshizushi/pressed sushi thanks to its flat and long shape.

How about a combination of both raw and aburi style sushi nigiri?

How about an Italian-style sushi nigiri?

As for the cooked scabbard fish, grilling is the most commoon way here in Japan where it is served as simple and healthy food at many meals.

Sauteed with colourful vegetables (okra) it makes for great presentation in spite of the simplicity of the dish!

Deep-frying is also very popular especially with its bones when it is very fresh. Such deep-fried bones make for one vital source of calcium for the Japanese.

Fried scabbard fish salad.

Cooked, it is a very versatile fish and easy to prepare!

Grilled with lemon!

Cooked with chili peppers and miso paste, it makes for an intriguing sweet and hot combination!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2012/05/03): Upcoming Event: Nakameguro Taproom 4-Year Birthday Celebration

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

Upcoming Event: Nakameguro Taproom 4-Year Birthday Celebration

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

May Hop Madness Month is not the only gig we got going on at our Taprooms this month. May 10 is a day of two significant birthdays for us — my wife and Baird Beer matron saint, Sayuri’s, and the Nakameguro Taproom’s. Nakameguro Taproom is turning four, Sayuri 4x.

Please join Sayuri and me for a double birthday celebration at the Nakameguro Taproom on Thursday, May 10. Beer highlights will include the 2012 debut tapping of Saison Sayuri, my annual beer tribute to her, as well as the unveiling of NT-4 Belgian Real Red Ale, our first go at a Belgian yeast-fermented real ale dispensed via hand-pump. Even more glorious, though, will be the special Belgian Brasserie-inspired food menu being put together by our extraordinarily gifted new head chef, Joon Ou. If you haven’t yet had a chance to sample the amazing beer cuisine that Chef Joon has been crafting since his start a month ago, this is your opportunity.

More event details will be forthcoming shortly. In the meantime, enjoy a very hoppy May!

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Japanese Fish Species 17: Seaqbass-Suzuki-鱸

Suzuki/鱸 or seabass is a fish so popular with anglers all over the world that a lot of people forget it is also an extremely popular fish for sashimi and sushi in Japan.

“Simple” Sashimi Plate

Here the seabass was first seared before before being sliced for sashimi!

Like any other fish, it bears many names: Madaka, Hakura, Shiibasu.

In the Kanto (Eastern Japan) area, including Shizuoka Prefecture, it is called Seigo when under 25cm. At 3 years of age, when it has attained a length near 60cm, it is called Fukko or Suzuki.
In Kansai (Western Japan) it is called Seigo, Hane, and Suzuki.

A summer fish par excellence, it is caught mainly in Central and western Japan. But it is also caught in winter in Shizuoka waters.

The bigger and the older the fish, the better it is considered. After a decline in the 1980’s, catches have increased recently, reaching more than 9,300 tonnes after 2000.
It has been raised succesfully, thus replenishing stocks.
170.000 seabasses were raised in 1992!

Great as a sushi and appreciated for it natural taste. A little salt and lemon juice are enough.

As a sashimi it can be declined in many ways such as carpaccio!

Raw, it can be combined as a simple and sublime salad with octopus for example.

Italian-style as fritters combined with a salad!

Of course it is a very versatile fish you can appreciate cooked, simmered, or grilled, although it becomes fragile upon being cooked.

Grilled, Japanese-style, with a aonori/seaweed coating!

Fried on its skin and served French-style!

And why not eat it simply as steamed fish?

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (12/20): “Gucha gucha” Chirashi Sushi Bento!

When I asked the Missus how the bento was going this morning, she replied:
“Gucha gucha narisou!”
Which could be translated in two ways,
a) It’s going to be a mess!
b) Anything goes!
Luckily enough, she meant that all kinds of things/ingredients would be included!

She started with the preparation of the sushi rice in chirashi style/home-made free style decoration sushi.
She had prepared Japanese style sweetish scrambled eggs she added with chopped ginger marinated in amazu/sweet vinegar.

She thought for a while and then added chopped cucumber and boiled black beans and mixed the lot.
She filled the first box with it and topped it with boiled prawns and chopped parsley for plenty of colors!

For the salad box she cut a whole large avocado into large cubes and seasoned it with mayonnaise, capers and pink pepper.
She flanked it very sweet plum tomatoes (my dessert) and plenty of local cress.

She might have said, “gucha gucha”, but in fact it looked pretty well-balanced to me with plenty of volume and great taste! LOL

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Japanese Fish Species 16: Sillago-Shirogiau-白鱚

SILLAGO-SHIROGISU

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

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

Standard Shirogisu Sashimi

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

Shirogisu Konbujime Sashimi.

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

Shirogisu Aburi Sashimi

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

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

Shirogisu Sushi Nigiri.

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

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

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

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

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

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

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

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Vegan Japanese Recupe: Daikon Leaves and Ginger Furikake

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

INGREDIENTS: for 4 people

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

RECIPE

-Chop daikon leaves and ginger root finely.

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

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

-Add sesame seeds and serve!

Easy, healthy and very tasty!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

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

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

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

Or the whole fish as Tataki/tartare!

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

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

The sushi nigiri will have photograpers on constant alert!

See what I mean?

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

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
bryan-sayuri.gif

May is Hop Madness Month; Two New Hoppy Seasonal Releases

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

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

May Hop Madness Month Baird Beer Menu:

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

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

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

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

*Teikoku IPL (ABV 6.5%):

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

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

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

May Hop Madness Month @ Baird Beer Taprooms:

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

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

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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

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

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

What did I have this time, then?

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

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

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

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

There will always be fresh and often organic salad!

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

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

To be followed…

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

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery