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Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/02/04)

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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2011 Release of Mikan Ale; Upcoming Big Beer Winter Weekend

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

I am excited to announce that today marks the 10th annual release of the first fruited ale ever brewed at Baird: Carpenter’s Mikan Ale.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Release:
*Carpenter’s Mikan Ale 2011 (ABV 6%):

The mikans used in this brew are fresh, succulent, and local — harvested on the Heda land and by the hand of our carpenter friend, Nagakura-san. The Baird brewers hand-process the harvested mikans, shaving off the outer skin of the peel and pressing the juice. Both peel shavings and juice are added to the brew during wort production and before fermentation. The mikans serve to add depth and complexity to an already sumptuous ale; their role is to complement, not dominate.

This 2011 version of the Carpenter’s Mikan Ale is different in several respects from its 2010 predecessor. For starters, it is a darker hue of orange-red than previous due to the use of Japanese red sugar (akato) instead of sudakito sugar. We also lowered the starting gravity of the wort somewhat to bring the alcohol percentage down to six. We then went back to fermenting with our house Scottish ale yeast rather than using the American ale yeast strain of last year. Finally, we added a bit more mikan juice and peels per unit of wort than we had in the past.

The character of this year’s version is marked most notably by the succulent aroma and piquant flavor of sweet-tart mikans and their wonderfully symbiotic interaction with our selected hop varieties (Centennial, Perle, Cascade and New Zealand Cascade).

The Carpenter’s Mikan Ale is available both on draught and in bottles (633 ml) at fine Baird Beer retailers throughout Japan beginning Saturday, February 5. It also can be purchased direct from the brewery via our online E-shop.

Upcoming Taproom Events:
*Big Beer Winter Weekend 2011 at the Nakameguro Taproom (Friday, Feb. 11 – Sunday, Feb. 13):

Each winter we use one of our Taprooms as a venue for a celebration of strong and fortifying beers. We call this celebration Big Beer Winter Weekend. During this long holiday weekend, a collection of strong ales and lagers will be served simultaneously and paired with cuisine designed to complement these robust and warming libations. The Nakameguro Taproom will again play host to this year’s Big Beer Winter Weekend which will kick-off at noon on Friday, February 11 (Japan national holiday).

This year, in a addition to a terrific lineup of big Baird Beer and American imported craft beer, we will for the first time be pouring a variety of specially selected strong Japanese craft ales and we anticipate hosting guest appearances by the various Japan brewers. Please keep your eyes on your email inbox as a full Big Beer Winter Weekend menu and schedule will be forthcoming shortly.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
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The Japan Blog List

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Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
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Fish: Shizuoka Marine Products from the Ocean; Dried Fish/Himono/干物 at Mochimune!

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Houbou/竹麦魚、魴鮄/Bluefin Robbin (Red Gurnard) Himono

Mochimune is known all over Japan for its fishing harbor whose main catch is shirasu/白子/Whitebait. The fishing for the latter will come into full gear in Spring, but that is for another article.

The signs for shirasu/しらす will be floating everywhere soon!

Mochimune is also a fine touristic spot known for its large black pebble beach and great views of the Izu Peninsula on clear days!
Quite a few interesting shops and restaurants (one coming soon!) are to be discovered among the narrow streets.

“Marukai”, a small fish shop

Of course one can discover all the fish and the processed goods at the fish Market beside the harbor, but it is also great fun to wander away along narrow avenues to look at the small shops processing and selling seafood from the Suruga Bay.
One typical product, and Shizuoka Prefecture produces 50% of the total in Japan, is “himono”!
Himono is sun-dried fish that Japanese (and foreigners) are very fond of grilling any time of the day or the year.
Each shop has its own recipes and they are all worth a second and third look!

Saba/鯖/mackerel from Marukai drying across the street!

For a closer view!
I consider it the best way to appreciate mackerel. Perfect snack with a good beer!

You will also find orange trees everywhere (I don’t think their owners will really mind if you pick one to taste!LOL)

These are Houbou/竹麦魚、魴鮄/Bluefin Robbin (Red Gurnard), a true specialty fish from Mochimune.
Also great fresh and prepared at the local Italian restaurants!

Tai/鯛/Seabream form Mochimune. A bit extravagant for a dried fish.

Aji/鯵/Horse Mackerel from the Suruga Bay. You can eat them all. Great source of calcium!

Koshiotai/a small seabream variety from Mochimume. Can also be eaten whole.

Look forward to my next visits and reports!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Fruit Cocktails by Wataru Matsumoto 12: Ookimi & Toukun Strawberries

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This article could well been titled “Strawberries: From the Shizuoka Producer to the Gastronomic Table: Cocktails at Botanical!

After Gentil, I went to visit my good friend, Wataru Matumoto/松本亙, bartender/owner at Botanical, Shizuoka City to ask him to create a couple of his famous fruit cocktails with the Ookimi and Tokun Strawberries from Yaizu City!

Ookimi Strawberries on the left and Toukun Strawberries on the right!

Toukun Strawberry Cocktail (Cai Pirigna style)

These strawberries have a very strong perfume of peaches although their taste is llight and elegant.

INGREDIENTS:

-Strawberries: 2 large, diced
-Cachaca 51 (Brazilian Sugar cane rum, 40 degrees proof): 1 measure
-Sugar: 2~3 teaspoons
-Lime juice, 1 cut
-Crushed ice: 1 cup

RECIPE:

-Dice/cut the strawberries
-In a large glass drop the strawberries and all other ingredients.
-Shake the whole Boston-style.
-Pour in a “rock glass”.
-Top with some more crushed ice and decorate with a strawberry.

Keep a spoon handy, especially if you are in a hurry.
You can either drink this very refreshing cocktail slowly or eat it!
Rum enhances the strawberries for a very elegant drink

Ookimi Strawberry Champagne Cocktail

These strawberries have a great balance bewteen sweetness and acidity and an elegant taste.

INGREDIENTS:

-Ookimi Strawberries: 3
-Syrup: 1~2 teaspoons
-Mumm Champagne: 1 measure
-Absinthe/Pastis: half a teaspoon
-Crushed ice: just a little

RECIPE:

-Pour all the ingredients into a blender and blend well.
-Add 1 more measure of Mumm Champagen and pour into a long glass.
Decorate with a star anise seed.

Very elegant with the sweetness of the strawberries appearing late on your palate!

BOTANICAL (Comfort Bar)
420-0082 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 1-6-13, Shade Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-221-8686
Opening hours: 17:00~01:00
Closed on Mondays.
Credit Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/7): Quail Scotch Eggs Bento!

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Today’s bento was certainly very healthy with all those vegetables!
But the Missus had been experimenting for that particular one!

First of all she had wanted to make Scotch eggs for some time.
But chicken eggs being too big for a bento, she used (high quality) quail eggs she had first boiled and marinated in soy sauce, sweet rice vinegar and I don’t know what.

She first steamed rice with finely chopped carrot and broccoli and mixed it once ready before filling the first box with it once it had cooled down.
She put boiled half-cut Brussels Sprouts in the middle before topping the lot with half-cut quail scotch eggs.
The meat around the eggs is minced pork seasoned with nutmeg and other spices.
She put the last finishing touch with some black roasted sesame seeds.

The salad was kept simple and healthy: on a bed of lettuce. mini-radishes, cut celety, yellow frut tomatoes, cheese and boiled black beans.
I seasoned the lot with sesame dressing I keep handy at work!

Healthy, wasn’t it?

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/6): Oiled Smoked Oysters Bento!

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The Missus used one of her favourites for bento, namely oiled smoked oysters.
It sounds a bit of a conflict but the oysters are really smoked before being preserved in oil.
They come in tins in Japan (not cheap) and their whole contents can be used to great effect!

The Missus steamed the rice with the oysters but kept the oil aside for a start.

After she had mixed the rice and oysters once steames, she further seasoned the whole with the rest of the oysters oil and home-pickled sanshou/Japanese pepper/山椒. She finally added thinly sliced boiled snap green peas (meaning eaten with their tender pods) for improved balance.

As for the side dish, the Missus concentrated again on balance between colors, ingredients and nutrients.

Boiled broccoli seasoned with gomadare/sesame dressing and powdered sesame seeds, “ameers rubbins” mini-tomatoes (really sweet, a real dessert by themselves!), yellow fruit tomato and lettuce.

Of course my favourite tamagoyaki! This time plain and sweet, as for a real dessert!
More lettuce a shredded carrot and walnut salad to top it all.

Once again, very tasty and fullfilling!

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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

Please check the new postings at:
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Strawberries: From the Shizuoka Producer to the Gastronomic Table: Gentil!

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Ms. Keiko Kubota/久保田敬子 at Gentil Restaurant

Ranking：
Service: very professional
Facilities: Very clean, superb facilities.
Prices:~ Slightly expensive to expensive
Strong points: Beautiful and fresh ingredients presented and combined to perfection. Local ingredients whenever possible. Superb wine list. The best cheese trays in Japan! Everything thoroughly and kindly explained!
Map

Toukun Strawberries

Yesterday I visited my good friend, Ms. Keiko Kubota, Maître D’Hôte at Gentil/ジャンテイ・レストラン, the oldest French Restaurant in Town and probably Prefecture.
I do not need to introduce this extremely talented lady who has attained national and international fame as the only Japanese Compagnon d’Honneur du Guilde des Fromagers (フランス熟成士の組合ギルドデフロマージュからコンパニオンドヌール)!
The reason for my sudden visit was to introduce her to new strawberries that have just been created in Shizuoka Prefecture, namely Ookimi/おおきみ and Toukun/桃薫 produced by an association of 6 farmers in Yaizu and Fujieda Cities.
Not only did I introduce her to these beauties, but I also challenged her to create (with her chef) a couple of gastronomic delights!

Sautéed Foie Gras with Toukun strawberries, fried and glazed Toukun Strawberry, Foie Gras Mousse on Aromatic Herbs Tile and Toukun Strawberry Jelly!

Now, for the explanations!

The foie gras was sautéed as it is (its own fat is enough) with a little salt and pepper and served with slices of one half Toukun strawberry.

The other half of the Toukun strawberry was lightly fried and glazed in its own natural sugar.
The leftover juices of the strawberry were combined with those of the foie gras with a little Madeira wine for a perfect sauce!
Great balance between relatively acid strawberries and strong-flavored foie gras!

A tile (タイル) perfumed with aromatic herbs, arching above some cress, was then topped with foie gras mousse decorated with jelly made from the same strawberry!

Ookimi Strawberries

An Ookimi strawberry Farandole (ファランドル)!

Farandole is a dance from the South of France, meaning that all participants join hands in a dancing circle.

The Ookimi strawberries were delicately cut and placed in a circle with small balls of ice cream and sorbet in their centre.

Can you guess the ice creams and sorbets?
Strawberry, Vanilla, Yoghurt and Panacotta!
All elegance!
The perfect dessert for ladies?

I don’t have to tell that I’m also looking forward to Ms. Kubota’s creations with other Shizuoka products I will bring her soon!

Restaurant Gentil
Address:420-0031 Shizuoka Shi, Gofuku-cho, 2-9-1, Gennan Kairaku building, 2F
Tel.: 054-2547655 (Reservations advisable)
Fax: 054-2210509
Opening hours: 12:00~14:00, 18:00~last orders for meals at 21:30. Bar time 18:00~23:30. Closed on Mondays.
Credit cards OK
Homepage　(Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Wasabi Ice Cream, Wild Boar, Ayu Trout And Joren Waterfalls in Yugashima, Izu Peninsula

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The false and the true wasabi ice cream!LOL

If you wish to visit Izu Peninsula, one of the most famous tourist spots in the whole of Japan, be it for a single day or longer, there is a very simple way to do that allows you to explore the area on or off the beaten tracks.

Wherever you come from in Japan or Shizuoka Prefecture, first go to Mishima City and change trains from the JR Railway Line to the Private Izu Hakone Senzu Line which will take you all the way to Shizenji, its final destination.
Then at the Shuzenji Bus Station (beside the Railway Station) choose your destination (buses cover the whole peninsula from there) and enjoy a quiet ride. Take the very back sats if you can as they are always elevated and enable you to enjoy the views on the way from a better angle!

This time my destination was the Jyoren Waterfalls/浄の滝 in Yuugashima/湯ヶ島.
Don’t forget to take a picture of the bus stop sign for your collection!

What’s that inside the beus stop shelter?

“Beware of the Wild Boars!”
It’s not a joke! (Mind you, they make for good food, too!)

They look cute, but their sausages are a local delicacy!

They are also delicious as Inoshishi Man/猪まん/large teamed wild boar dumplings!

Incidentally visit the nearby souvenir shop where you can find Shizuoka Green Tea, real Shizuoka Wasabi Schochu and extravagant Shizuoka sake!

Now, what does that sign say?
Wasabi Soft!

Here they are! Hee they are!

Real wasabi (soft) ice cream (I men the one in the front!) made with wasabi grown in Izu peninsula!
Really piquant and sweet! A must!

Alright let’s go to the waterfalls!
But first consult the board for some useful information!

Quite a few stairs waiting for you!

More wasabi is apparently waiting for you downstairs!

More information on the way to the waterfalls!

Do make a point to read it!

More wasabi ice cream waiting for you!

And fresh wasabi roots on sale!

Can you see the wasabi water fields on your way down?

Impressive, isn’t it?

What are they doing?
Fishing ayu trout/鮎!

Now, here is some great fun for you and your kids:
Ask (for a fee) the small shop below to lend you a rod, line and lure to catch the ayu trouts in the river flowing away from the waterfalls and have your catch grilled for immediate pleasure!

Go there in the colder season when the water is pure and crystal clear!

Our destination: Jypuren No Taki/Jyoren Waterfalls!
You will realize there why the water in Shizuoka Prefecture and Izu Peninsula is so famous!

I must take a dip there next summer! (I wonder if they will let me?)

Looking forward to visit other spots in the Izu Peninsula!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

Please check the new postings at:
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Bryan Baird’s Newsletter (2011/01/28)

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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin
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Seasonal Debut: Winter Wit; Big Beer Winter Weekend at Nakameguro Taproom

Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:

There is one word for this winter: cold! We plan to warm you up, though, with today’s release of a first-time Baird winter seasonal brew: Winter Wit.

New Baird Beer Seasonal Releases:
*Baird Winter Wit (ABV 6%):

The newest everyday toy in our brewery is our Belgian ale yeast (brought in for the fermentation of Single-Take Session Ale). This yeast strain is known for its use in fermenting Belgian-style Wit bier. It ferments with a tart, spicy and only moderately phenolic character. The dead of winter hardly seems the season for a light, crisp and refreshing Wit bier, but we have addressed that problem.

Baird Winter Wit is heartier (14.7 plato), stronger (6% abv), and more gold (less white: 5.8 SRM) than a normal Belgian Wit. The grist is a classic blend of un-malted and malted wheat, floor-malted Pilsner and Maris Otter, with touches of rye (adding spicy complexity) and caramel malt (for the golden color). The hopping is light and performed with a combination of New Zealand (Motueka) and German (Traditions, Hersbrucker) varieties. The magic occurs when this ingredient combination is then fermented with our Belgian yeast strain.

The result is a pleasantly tart and spicy, sprightly carbonated ale with a hazy golden hue upon which sits a billowing head of virgin-white foam. The warmth comes in the finish, just enough to furbish without interfering with the refreshment. Glorious!

Baird Winter Wit begins pouring from the taps or our four Taproom pubs today (Friday, January 28). It is draught-only, and will be available at Baird Beer pouring pubs and restaurants throughout Japan beginning Saturday, January 29.

Upcoming Taproom Events:
We will be staging our annual Big Beer Winter Weekend at the Nakameguro Taproom on the three-day holiday weekend of Friday, February 11 – Sunday, February 13. This is the weekend in which we celebrate the storied beer history of strong ales and lagers (’Winter Warmers’ as they are known to some). We will be pouring a bevy of big Baird Beers as well as other strong ales both from abroad and right here at home. Ishikawa-san and the kitchen staff already have the wheels in motion for the offering of what promises to be an amazing menu of speciality dishes designed to pair with the various Big Beers.

Please mark your calendar. A detailed beer list and food menu will be announced shortly.

Cheers,

Bryan Baird

Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE


The Japan Blog List

———————————
Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
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Please check the new postings at:
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Sushi: Shizuoka Marine Products from the Ocean to the Gastronomic table: Ginta!

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Suruga Bay Sushi Nigiri Tray!

Caring about local food does not concern only vegetables, fruits and meat from a certain region, but alそ its marine products!
In the case of Shizuoka Prefecture it can safely be assumed this represents half of its total food production!

Ginta

Mr. Hara, owner and chef of this miｎuscule sushi restaurant in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City, has established a name as a reference products when it comes to sushi. Although he also serves marine products from other areas of Japan, it is eminently possible to devise and order solely from the Suruga Bay!

Just in case you did not know, Mr. Hara makes sure that his customers understand this the land (and sea) of Sakura shrimps!

So when we visited the restaurant last week, the Missus and I, we decided to order only locally.
The above snacks coming with Eikun sake from Yui are namako/sea slug/海鼠 lightly boiled and pickled and ika shiokara/pickled cuttle-fish/烏賊塩辛.

Top: Hirame Konbujime/sole marinated in seaweed/平目昆布〆, Tachiuo Ponzu Momijioroshi/Sacbbard Fish seasoned with ponzu and grated daikon with chili pepper/太刀魚ポン酢もみじおろし, Fugu Ponzu Negi Momijioroshi/Globefish with Ponzu, leeks and grated daikon with chili pepper/ふぐポン酢ねぎもみじおし, Kawahagi Kimo Ae/Filefish with its liver/かわはぎ肝和え

Bottom: Kanpachi/Greater Yellowtail-Amberjack/かんぱち, Aji/Horse mackerel/鯵, Ishidai/Barred Knifejaw/石鯛, Sakura ebi/Sakura-Cherry shrimps/桜えび

We both ordered the above Suruga Nigiri Tray composed of 8 different fish and shrimp all from the Ｓuruga Bay on the other side of the quay!
For 1,800 yen/20 US $, a real bargain (considering you will not find it in Tokyo!)!

You can see and check the seasonal tray on small cards on the wall!

We couldn’t resist from ordering the sakura ebi kakiage/sakura shrimps tenpura/桜海老掻き揚げ, the representative dish of the local seafood!
One dish is enough for two, I can guarantee you!

And of course a bowl of sakura ebi shiru/sakura shrimps soup/桜海老汁!

You can be sure that the next visit will come soon!

GINTA
421-3111 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui, Konjuku, 165 (5 minutes walk from Yui JR Station)
Tel.: 0543-75-3004
Business hours: 11:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays

GINTA
421-3111 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Yui, Konjuku, 165 (5 minutes walk from Yui JR Station)
Tel.: 0543-75-3004
Business hours: 11:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/5): Shuumai & Scallops Rice Bento!

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The homey art of bento, like major gastronomies in Japan and France, is not so much the art of coming up with all kinds of creations and new ingredients, but to accomodate what’s available in an elegant and delicious manner. (Never complimented the Missus so much! I will have to tone down my comments! LOL).

So, after a good look in the fridge and in the pantry, the Missus prepared “mazegohan/混ぜご飯/mixed rice” with a small tin of high-quality scallops preserve a friend had brought some time ago, and some soy sauce, Japanese sake and dashi/Japanese soupstock.

Once properly steamed she mixedthe whole to uniformity, and filled the first box, topping it with tobikko/とびっこ/flying fish roe and finely chopped ciboulette/French chives. Great colors!
The pickle are home-pickled wasabi stems and leaves.

The Missus complained she should have introduced more colors in the side dish, but it was fine by me!

The red turnips/kabu/蕪, Brussels sprouts/mekabetsu/メカベッツ, white asparaguses, “snap green peas in pods and rape flower/na no hana/菜の花 are simply boiled.
The shuumai were (home-) madewith minced pork, “oba” perilla, and sesame oil.

For dessert, separated from the rest with lettuce, tamagoyaki/Japanese omelette/卵焼き with boiled black beans inside!
They look as so many eyes…

I certainly needed all that for a long work day!

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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

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Suruga Brewery: The Newest Brewery In Shizuoka Prefecture!

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Takahiro Nagashima/長島隆弘 of Nagashima Sake Shop and Daigo Hagiwara/萩原大吾 of Suruga Brewery

I finally found the occasion to pay a long delayed visit to the newest Sake Brewery In Shizuoka Prefecture (and probably in Japan!): Suruga Brewery/駿河酒造!


Tenkou/天虹/”Heaven’s Rainbow”, Suruga Brewery’s representative brand!

My good friend Takahiro Nagashima of Saketen was on hand as he had wanted to visit and deal with Suruga Brewery the very moment they arrived in Shizuoka City!


Delivery truck formerly owned by Yoshiya Brewery.

Suruga Brewery may have a short history but it has been a pretty eventful one!


Haginishiki Brewery of old times!

It all started in 2006 when some members of the family owning the Haginishiki Brewery in Shizuoka City decided to separate themselves form the old brewery to create the new one.


Chumasa sake casks from the defunct Yoshiya Brewery

So they first moved to Kakegawa City where they started brewing their own brands at the former Sogatsuru Brewery which had laid dormant for 10 years.


Hagi No Kura Brand flag

They produced brands such as Hagi nO kura, Sogatsuru and Sogatsuru-Hagi No Kura. Sogatsuru-Hagi No Kura was the official name of the “new” brewery then.


Equipment from the defunct Yoshiya Brewery

One cannot start a new sake brewery with a new license in Japan.
The only way you produce your own brand of sake is either to obtain the collaboration of another brewery or to buy the license of a brewery.


More equipment from the defunct Yoshiya Brewery

They brewed their sake under the name of Sogatsuru-Hagi No Kura Brewery until 2009.
Then in 2010, Yoshiya Brewery in Shizuoka City decided to stop their activities.


Press from Yoshiya Brewery

They then were able to buy Yoshiya Brewery’s license and call themselves Suruga Brewery.
Not only did they buy the license but also all the unsold sake and equipment from Yoshiya Brewery!


Tanks from Yoshiya Brewery

Sake brewery equipment is hard to make and obtain, and terribly expensive, so buying a defunct brewery’s equipment is quite common in Japan.


Another view from the outside

But they moved to their present address in Shizuoka City only last year.


Chumasa brand

I was personally extremely happy to learn and verify that they kept the names Yoshiya Brewery’s sake brands, Chumasa, Onigoroshi and Abekaido in their own range of labels headed by their representative brand name, Tenkou.


Entrance to the koji muro/麹室

Now, the family branch who decided to go alone also possessed land and a supermarket in Nishiwaki, Suruga Ku (hence the new name of the brewery) in Shizuoka City.
They just transformed the supermarket into a very efficient, cost-saving brewery!


Inside the koji muro

They had their own well dug 50 meters deep into the Abe River subterranean bed. This water is top-class for sake even that deep inside a city!


Modern temperature regulator

The brewmaster/杜氏 at Suruga Brewery is Mr. Kazumo Kobayashi/小林一雲 (39) of NaganoPrefecture and of the Nanbu Brewmasters School who brew the sake with his team of three “kurabito/helpers”.


New tanks/oke/桶

The present yearly production is of 350 goku/石/about 63,000 liters.


Having a peak at premium sake ready to be pressed!

The shikomi/actual brewing is done in two stages, in November~December, and then again in March~April.


Modern tanks where fermenting is being conducted

Apart of the brewing personnel who reside in the brewery only during the brewing, Suruga Brewery, Daigo Hagiwara, who represents the 3rd generation, employs 4 full staff and 2 part-timers.


It’s brewing!


One cannot escape the manual work, however modern a brewery might be!


They still keep reminding themselves of their new name!


The Abekaido Brand!


Mr. Hirai, the accountant and jack of all trades!


A treasure trove of old and very old sake!


Their best and most expensive sake!

Don’t worry, I’ll start tasting reports soon!

Suruga Brewery
422-8044 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Suruga Ku, Nishiwaki, 923
Tel.: 054-281-1331
Fax: 054-251-1475

Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/4): “Tai Meshi/Sea Bream Rice” Bento!

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Last night I had the extreme luck to be offered a “Madai/ Red Sea Bream” by a friend whose father is a dedicated angler!

A human-raised red sea bream is already an expensive fish to buy, but a real natural specimen is extravagant. And it was at least a two hand-span long fish (the Missus’ hands! Not a “fishing story”!)!
The Missus (most of it) and I dressed the fish after dinner to prepare it for today’s lunch box. We were left with two large fillets and flesh-covered backbone and tail. The Missus is sun-drying the latter as himono/dried fish/干物!

As for preparing the “Tai Mashi/Sea Bream Rice”, the technique is quite simple:
The Missus steamed the rice in water with a little dashi/fish soup stock, a little soy sauce, pieces of konbu/seaweed and the two sea bream fillets on top of the rice.

Once the rice was ready, she broke the fillets of sea bream (after peeling their skin off) and mixed them gently with the rice.
She then placed plenty of the same rice in the first box and decorated/seasoned them with real ciboulette/French chives.
The fish is so tender nad soft that it reminds of high-quality crab! No wonder it is expensive!

As for dessert, she included some sweet-boiled black beans and as condiments her own home-pickled red daikon.

As for the “granish box” she interestingly enough found herself with too many ingredients, She decided to concentrate on colors, arrangemant and balance.

From right to left:
Pieces of ripe avocado in tartare sauce.
Large prawns she boiled/steamed in shallow water with a dash of Kirsch (Cherry Liqueur/from SSwitzerland!)
Plum tomato
Lettuce and wasabina (a lettuce calles such because its taste reminds of wasabi!)

From left to right:
The same lettuce (belaow) and wasabina.
Soft-boiled egg seasoned with roasted black sesame seeds.
Fried green and red pppers.

Don’t tell me I’m lucky! I know it!

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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

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Bread: Shizuoka Agricutural High School wins First Two Prizes at 5th National High School Bread Contest!

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Bakery Teacher, Tetsuya Ishida/石田哲也 and Shizuoka Prefecture Agricultural High School Principal, Tadashi Nagai/長井正

2nd Prize, Natsuki Arai/新井菜月, and 1st Prize, Mari Ishiguro/石黒茉莉

On the 22nd and 23rd of January 2011 the 5th National High School Bread Contest took place in the City of Izu No Kuni in the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Prefecture!

An “official view” of the 16 finalists’ breads!

A “sneaky view” of the same!

Out of a grand total of 162 contestants who made the first draft, 16 finalists were invited to the finals including no less than 4 participants from Shizuoka Prefectural Agricultural High School who competed against finalists coming as far as Yamaguchi and Iwate Prefecture!

The 16 finalists and the jugde panel posing for posterity!

Mari Ishiguro being awarded the First Prize!

Mari Ishiguro’s bread: “Toma Kara Feuille”/”Tomato Mille-Feuilles”!
A German-style dessert bread concept!

Natsuki Arai being awarded the Second Prize!

Natsuki Arai’s bread: “Colorful Blend”!
A whole-meal bread concept!

The two proud winners (Natsuki and Mari)!

Incidentally I had the chance to eat (whole) both breads two weeks ago!
Now, some people should be convinced by now that the Shizuoka Gastronomy has deep roots!

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Strawberries: Akihime Strawberries at Mochizuki Garden

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The other day I was back on the road (I mean i”n the fields”!) with my always so young friend, Mrs. Natsuko Koyanagi/小柳奈津子 to interview a strawberry farmer and family in Yuyama/湯山 on the other side of the Abe River/安部川 in Shizuoka City.

As you can see on the above pictures we were right in the middle of the peak season and they Mochizukis were very kind to let me interview them. The fact that Natsuko came to explain half of the “story” certainly helped as usual!

Mr. Mitsuhiro Mochizuki/望月光広 (65) is a first-generation grower as far as strawberries are concerned.

He certainly needs all the help from his wife, Aiko/愛子 (65) and that of

his son, Fumihiko/文彦　(40) who came back to the family business 7 years ago, ensuring the future of the enterprise.

They exclusively grow “Akihime Strawberries/章姫苺”, which were first developped in Kuno/久野, Shizuoka City along the seashore in 1992 by a grower called Hagiwara Akihiro/萩原章弘 who gave half of his own name “Aki/章” and “Hime/Princess/姫” in reference to his daughter when he came to naming his new strawberries!
Akihime Strawberries have the particularity to be sweet with no acidity.

The very independently-minded Mochizuki family not being a member of any agricultural association grow, pick, package and deliver everything by themselves. Their strawberries will find their way directly to large wholesalers or private customers.
“Yuyama Strawberries” being very popular, they don’t bother grow much else!
I found their strawberries more akin to those I used to eat back in France and quickly bought 4 packs of them (ridiculously cheap!)!

Their 16 greenhouses are lined up along the narrow road just next to their house.
More than half of them have to be surrounded with electric wires because of the hakubishin/白鼻芯/civets!

As for the pollinating bees, they buy them every year as raising them proved too problematical.

As for equipment and cultivation methods, these are pretty standard, although care and attention makes “the” big difference!

The reason why Yuyama strawberries are popular and of high quality mainly resides in the fact that this paricular area goes through wide differences of temperature which improve the shape and quality of the fruit.

I can assure you they deserve their great reputation!
I’d like to take the opportunity here to thank the Mochizuki family for allowing me to interview them in the middle of their work and Natsuko for her great help!

Mochizuki Akihime Strawberry Garden
Shizuoka Ken, Shizuoka Shi, Aoi Ku, Yuyama, 826-2
Tel.: 054-294-0523
Private orders through the phone welcome.

RECOMMENDED RELATED SITES:
Warren Bobrow, Bread + Butter, Zoy Zhang, Hungry Neko, Think Twice, Frank Fariello, Mangantayon, Hapabento, Elinluv Tidbit Corner, Tokyo Terrace, Maison de Christina, Chrys Niles,Lexi, Culinary Musings, Wheeling Gourmet, Comestiblog, Chronicles Of A Curious Cook, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Palate To Pen, Yellin Yakimono Gallery, Tokyo Terrace, Hilah Cooking, More than a Mount Full, Arkonite Bento, Happy Little Bento; 5 Star Foodie; Jefferson’s Table; Oyster Culture; Gourmet Fury; Island Vittles; Good Beer & Country Boys; Rubber Slippers In Italy; Color Food daidokoro/Osaka;/a; The Witchy Kitchen; Citron Et Vanille, Lunsj Med Buffet/Estonian Gastronomy (English), Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Chrisoscope, Agrigraph, The Agriculture Portal to shizuoka!

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Today’s Lunch Box/Bento (’11/3): Octopus Bento!

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The Missus said this morning as she woke up that she would have to tackle other ways of preparing my bentos and came up with the idea of introducing tako/蛸/octopus.
The first thing I told her was to serve it in as small as possible bits, but I might have made a mistake!

The accent was very much on balance and color once again!
“Don’t make any mistakes when you explain my reciprs!” she warned me… Now, I have found a way to unveil her “secrets”! LOL

The rice was first steamed with thinly chopped carrots than mixed with chopped parsley, sliced rice vinegar-pickled octopus and cucumber (they come out great home-pickled together!).
She topped the lot with thinly sliced red pimentoes, pimento-stuffed black olives and lemon and more parsley.

The side dish included both salad and dessert as I consider tamagoyaki/卵焼き/Japanese omelette as such although it was not sweet.

Now, the tamagoyaki had a foreign accent as it included ciboulette/French chives, cheese and kanikama/fake crab.
Absoultely delicious!
The green leaves are ice-plant, a vegetable which has recently received recognition here.

Now, for the salad:
the two daikon, one gree and the other red, were picj\kled by the Missus with amazu/甘酢/sweet rice vinegar.
The greens are boiled na no hana/菜の花/rape blossoms seasoned with two French mustards, one plain and the other including the seeds.
The Missus added some walnuts for much needed oils, fibers and other nutrients.

Who said I’m lucky? LOL

Related favorite websites:

Clumsyfingers by Xethia
Adventures in Bento Making, American Bento, Beanbento, Bento No1, 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, My Bento Box, 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)

Please check the new postings at:
sake, shochu and sushi

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