Tag Archives: Japanese Gastronomy

美食, 蛸, 観光, 魚海の幸, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Octopus, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tako, Tourism

Japanese Seafood Species 3: Octopus Varieties

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OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-SALAD

Mizudako Octopus Sashimi Salad

Octopuses are common on the markets along the Mediteranean Sea, especially Greece, italy and Spain.
Tey are also very common in Asia, especially Korea and Japan.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-TSUKIJI

For people living in Tokyo, you will find plenty inside the Tsukiji Market.

OCTOPUS-NUMAZU-HARBOUR

As for people living in Shizuoka Prefecture, go and visit the Harbour in Numazu City!

There many kinds of octopus, some edible, some definitely not!
I will talk here about the main varieties found, sold and eaten in Japan!

MADAKO

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-1

Madako or “True Octopus” will be sold from late Autumn till early Spring.
50,000 tonnes are caught in Japan while 100,000 tonnes are imported, 60% fromm Morocco, 20% from Mauritania and some more from South Africa.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-2

Boiled Madako from Japan

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-3

Boiled Madako from South Africa

It is very often found boiled in the supermarkets and are appreciated in salads, chyawanmushi, takoyaki and so on.

OCTOPUS-MADAGO-4

But lightly as sushi nigiri is probably the best!

MIZUDAKO

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-1

Mizudako, also called Shiodako and Oodako is a large variety reaching up to 3 metres. It is caught in Autumn and Winter at depths bewteen 100and 1,000 metres in the Northern half of Japan.
It is usually sold frozen. It is then cut when half thawn for:

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-3

Mizudako sashimi

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-SALAD

Mizudako Salad

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-2

It is also very common boiled and pickled in rice vinegar.

OCTOPUS-MIZUDAKO-EGGS
Its eggs are a rare morsel eaten as sushi on a gunkan!

IIDAKO

OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-1

Iidako, also known as Komochidako or Ishidako are caught south of Hokkaido Island. They are comparatively small and do not measure more than 20 cm. A lot are caugt along the Korean Peninsula and China at depths down to 20 metres. They tend to lay their a bit everywhere, even inside empty cans at the bottom of the sea!
Imports have been increasing of late.

OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-2

Iidago are much appreciated cooked whole with their eggs or

OCTOPUS-IIDAGO-3

whole again, boiled or raw, as sushi on nigiri!

CHIHIRODAKO

OCTOPUS-CHIHIRODAKO-1

Chihirodako is local Shizuoka variety found at Numazu Harbour.
It is appreciated boiled or in Tenpura

OCTOPUS-CHIHIRODAKO-2

Its tentacles, boiled, are popular as 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

Common Sea Squirt, 美食, 観光, 魚海の幸, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Hoya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Sea Cucumber, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, 海鞘

Japanese Seafood Species 2: Sea Cucumber/Common Sea Squirt/Hoya-Mahoya-海鞘

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The Common Sea Squirt or Hoya/海鞘 in Japanese, very often called Sea Cucumber is neither a coral, seaweed, shellfish or whatever.
It is an animal of its own class.

HOYA

In its natural habitat, already a prey to many marine predators, it has become rare because of the extensive catch by humans.

HOYA-NATURAL

Its natural colour is whitish out of the water while (see pic above) Hoya rasied by humans are of a deep orange colour.

We are just in the middle of its season, May.
They are mainly raised in Miyagi Prefecture while natural ones are caught in Iwate Prefecture.

Hoya sashimi!

You have to cut it open to reach its edible part.

It can be eaten raw, slightly boiled or pickled.
It is said to be the rare sea animal combining the four tastes: sweetness, saltiness, sourness and acidity.

HOYA-4

For a better view of its insides.
It is called sea squirt, because it is mainly filled with sea water which can be expelled at will.

I personally appreciate it as gunkan,

or sushi nigiri, although it is a bit of an acquired taste!

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

美食, 観光, 魚海の幸, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Sea Urchin, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, Uni, Urchin, 海栗

Japanese Seafood Species 1: Sea Urchin-Uni-海栗

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UNI-AKAUNI-2
Aka Uni/Red Sea Urchin Roe

Sea urchins, or uni/海栗 (“Sea Chestbuts”) in Japanese, are popular in many countries, but maybe not as much as in Japan!
The situation sometimes is becoming ridiculous as time and again Chinese and North Korrean ships are caught poaching sea urchins in the Japan seas to export them later to Japan!

There are many kinds of sea urchins, some great, some barely acceptable, and many inedible.
I will keep this posting to the most popular ones in Japan.

EZO-BAFUN-UNI/BAFUN UNI

Ezobafun-uni, or Kaze, or Kanze are best appreciated in Spring.
Most are caught off Hokkaido.
As its name in Japanese says (Sea Chestnut), when fresh it has a firm texture and tastes like chestnuts.

Extravagant Bafun Uni Donburi!

Its roe is a beautiful orange.
Beware of imported copies that don’t mely in your mouth!

Beautiful as sushi nigiri or gunkan!

KITA-MURASAKI-UNI

UNI-KITAMURASAKIUNI-1

Appearing on the markets between early Summer and Atumn, domestic specimen come from Hokkaido (12,000 tonnes).

Please note the different colour, more yellowish.
It is widely imported from Russia (6.200 tonnes), USA (2,600 tonnes), Chili (2,100 tonnes), Canada (800 tonnes) and Kora (300 tonnes).

Great as sushi nigiri!
Good quality specimens should be firm, with a definite shape, and leave a yellow colour inside its box or on chopsticks!

CHILI-UNI
UNI-CHIRIUNI-1

Chili-Uni/Sea Urchin from Chili is considered as the best imported sea urchin in Japan and merits a special mention.

Beautiful served as sushi gunkan!

AKA-UNI
UNI-AKAUNI-1

Aka-uni/Red sea Urchin, although of a lower grade, is considered a choice morsel.

UNI-AKAUNI-2

Aka uni roe, some of which will find its way in the following dishes!

SEA URCHIN DISHES

There are countless ways of cooking and using sea urchins!
The following are just suggestions.
Enjoy!

UNI-CHYAWANMUSHI

Uni Chyawan Mushi

UNI-COLD-PEPEROCINO

Cold Pepperocino Sea Urchin Spaghetti

UNI-GRATIN

Sea Urchi Gratin in its shell

UNI-GRATIN-2

Another Sea Urchin Gratin in its shell.

UNI-PILAF

Sea Urchin Pilaf

UNI-RENKON

Uni-Renkon: Sea Urchin cooked inside slices of Lotus roots

UNI-SHUMAI

Sea Urchin Shou-mai

UNI-TOFU-AVOCADO-MILLEFEUILLE

Sea Urchi Tofu and Avocado Millefeuille

UNI-TOFU-SOUP

Sea Urchin and Tofu Soup

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

美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, seafood, Shizuoka, Tourism, Trumpet Fish, Yagara

Japanese Fish Species 22: Cornet Fish-Yagara-矢柄

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The cornetfishes or “Yagara/矢柄/Arrow Shape” in Japanese, are a small family Fistulariidae of extremely elongated fishes in the order Syngnathiformes. The family consists of just a single genus Fistularia with four species, found worldwide in tropical and subtropical marine environments.

Ranging up to 200 centimetres (6.6 ft) in length, cornetfishes are as thin and elongate as many eels, but are distinguished by a very long snout, distinct dorsal and anal fins, and a forked caudal fin whose center rays form a lengthy filament. The lateral line is well-developed and extends onto the caudal filament.

They generally live in coastal waters or on coral reefs, where they feed on small fishes, crustaceans and other invertebrates.

They are often confused with Trumpet Fish which are different and a lot smaller.

yagara-1

Yagara is also a fish often caught in the Suruga Bay in Shizuoka Prefecture!
I ventured inside the great Supermarket inside Shizuoka City JR Station as they are bound, especially in the seafood department, to exhibit some interesting specimens.
I certainly was not disappointed!

yagara-2

Here is another picture to give you an idea of the size!

Trumpet Fishes come in “blue” and “red” varieties.
This red (“aka”) Trumpet Fish is more common in our Prefecture.
A bit of a monster, it was a good 1,5 meter (five feet) long and weighed over 5 kg.
I was told 3 meters (10 feet) long specimens are regularly caught in Suruga Bay, the main Bay of Shizuoka Prefecture!

I knew that my friends at Tomii Restaurant would be interested.
I called them on my mobile.
They replied they definitely were!
I bought the fish on their behalf. At 130 US$, it was cheap (I actually bargained a bit!), considering what customers would pay for this delicate fish, either as sublime sashimi or delicious “nabe”!

Yagara sashimi Plate!

“Shioyaki/Salt-grilled Yagara”!

Japanese-style Yagara soup!

Steamed yagara!

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

美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Imo, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tororjiro, Tororo, Tourism, vegetables, Yam

Traditional Japanese Tororo/grated yam gastronomy at Chojiya and Culture at Chojiya in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Friendly and informative
Equipment & Facilities: Old but very clean
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Traditional japanese food in a traditional environment full of history!

Chojiya/弔子屋 in Mariko, the 21st station of the Old Tokaido Highway made famous by Utagawa Hisroshige’s (real name:  Ando Hiroshige) wooden prints, has served traditional tororojiru, grated yam soup, for no less than 400 years! actually many think that the inn featured on Hiroshige’s woodblock print is Chojiya indeed!

Chojiya under the rain.

In 1596 Shojiya Heikichi/丁子屋平吉 established this tea house in the post town of Mariko to serve the many travelers using the Old Tokaido Route from Edo/Tokyo to Kyoto.
Before reading this article I strongly encourage you to visit their superb HOMEPAGE (English)! A window opened on the history of Japan and Shizuoka!
Great bilingual pamphlets are available for free, too!

History is all around you in this tradtional Japanese inn! take as many photographs as you wish but bear in mind this is a busy place!

You will dine under the benign protection of giant Hina Dolls! Such dolls are to celebrate the Girls Day on March 3rd and Boys day on May 5th, but they are on constant display!

Do not forget to visit the little museum at the entrance where you will discover a genuine ukiyoe wooden print!

A genuine ceramic dish showing a scene of Mariko in Edo Era!

Keep your cameras on the ready!

The tororojiru/grated yam soup that Mariko and Chojiya are so famous for!
I visited the place with my good friend, Patrick who loves the delicacy served on freshly steamed rice!

You pour it yourself on your rice!

And you savor it with chopped thin leeks! The perfect dish for a vegetarian!

The whole traditional lunch!

You will also have the opportunity to enjoy great local sashimi!

Local vegetables served as a traditional boiled vegetable salad!

Their dashi tamagoyaki is a must! Tamagoyaki is the famous omelet-like dish in Japan that all egg lovers must try once!

I’m not too keen on grated yam soup myself but the staff readily agreed to replace it with vegetables serrved as tororoage/vegetables deep-fried in tororojiru! Lovely and such kind and great service!

The menu is impossible to explore in a single day so I definitely plan to come again, especially as the whole establishment is non-smoking!

CHOJIYA
421-0103 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Mariko, 7-10-10 (Take the bus going to Fujieda from North Exit Platform No 7 at Shizuoka JR Station. Get off at Marikobashi Iriguchi stop!)
Opening hours: 11:00~19:00
Closed on Thursdays and last Wedenesday of the month
Entirely non-smoking!
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

美食, 酒, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Masu Ichi Brewery- The Last Bottle? Masu Ichi Junmai Dai Ginjyo

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Masu Ichi Brewery has not been making sake for the past year and will not ever as his owner/masterbrewer Denjirou Masui/増井伝次郎 just passed away at the age of 49 leaving no successor willing to take over the brewery founded in 1882.

Denjirou Masui

Denjirou was his brewer’s name given by his mentor Denbei kawamura, the godfather of Shizuoka Sake and the creator of the Shizuoka sake yeast. He was one of the only three brewers of the Shida School.
His sake is fast disappearing and this particular one of a series of “last bottles” I’m scouring the Prefecture to get my hands on for posterity!
This is therefore the fourth and maybe last bottle!

This is a Junmai Dai ginjyo, meaning the top premium variety with no alcohol blending!

Rice milled down to 35%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in March 2012

Clarity: very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Assertive and fruity. Banana.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Complex, fruity and back of the palate warming attack.
Dry and deep. Banana, dark chocolate, oranges, coffee beans.
Disappears fairly quickly on a drier note with more coffee beans.
Very elegant and pleasant.
Turns even drier on second sip with a slightly stronger junmai petillant.
Tends to show different facets with every sip adding to complexity.
Although originally not really conceived to accompany food, changes little with just more oranges and coffee beans.

Overall: A very elegant sake best enjoyed on its own for a special occasion.
Extravagant millage down to 35%!
Although I enjoyed it much at room temperature it should become ethereal if a little chilled.
A sake for very special occasions!
I certainly felt guilty drinking it up on my own!
The last bottle?
Definitely and I was blessed to discover it!
Out of respect for such a great brewmaster I will not be sad when I finish it. I will be so thankful!

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

美食, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Korean Cuisine, Korean Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Vegan Korean Recipe: Namuru-style Asparaguses

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Fresh asparaguses, especially green ones, are still very much in season!
Here is a simple way to accomodate them Korean-style to please vegans and vegetarians!

INGREDIENTS: For 2 people

-Fresh green asparaguses: 5
-Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon
-Salt: 1/3 of a teaspoon
-White sesame seeds: 1 teaspoon
-Black pepper: a lttle

RECIPE:

Cut off bottom ends of asparaguses and peel off the bottom half.
Make sure to discard the peeled part as they tend to stick inside the palate!

Cut the asparaguses as in above picture in easy-to-eat size.

pour sesame oil in a fry pan and fry asparaguses.
Adding some sliced garlic then would be a good idea!

once the asparaguses have been cooked to satisfaction add salt, sesame seeds and black pepper and fry a few seconds.

Simple and delish!

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

美食, Daikon, Daikon leaves, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Daikon Leaves, Imo and Miso Stew

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Here is another simple Japanese recipe to satisfy hungry vegans and vegetarians which also has the merit to be ecological and nutritious!

INGREDIENTS: for 4 people

-Daion leaves: all the leaves of 1 large daikon
-Taro, sato imo/里芋 (frozen or fresh and pre-boiled) 8~10 (peeled)
-Aburaage/fried tofu sheet: 1
-Miso paste (of your choice): 4 tablespoons
-Sugar: 4 tablespoons
-Sesame oil: a little
-Cornstarch: as appropriate

RECIPE:

Cut the daikon leaves and aburaage finely and frt in sesame oil until satsifactory.

Add enough water to dissolve the miso into a proper miso soup. Add imo.

Once the imo are cooked to satisfaction add miso paste, sugar. mix. last add cornstarch to attain the appropiate consistency.

So easy!

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

Bonito, 美食, 魚, 魚海の幸, Fish, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine

Japanese Gastronomy: Simmered Bonito-Katsuo no Kakuni-Recipe

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Bonito or Katsuo/鰹 is a very popular in Japan, especially in Shizuoka Prefecture where it is mainly brough to fishing harbours such as Numazu and Yaizu!
There are many ways to prepare it and kakuni/角煮 must be one of the most popular techniques!

Fresh bonito fillets

INGREDIENTS: For 4 people

-Bonito: half a fish
-Fresh Ginger root: 1 cube (5x5x5 cm)
-Dashi/Japanese soup stock: 1/2 cup (100 cc)
-Japanese sake: 2 tablespoons
-Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
-Mirin/Sweet Japanese sake: 3 tablespoons
-Sugar: 3 tablespoons

RECIPE:

Cut the fish in adequate pieces.
Pour boiling water over cut fish or boil them for a short time.

Transfer the fish into a saucepan.
Add the sake and dashi/soupstock.
Cook over a weak fire for 2 minutes.

Add the sugar and continue to simmer.

Skim off the scum/unwanted matter regularly.

Add the soy sauce.
As there is little water in the pan, beware not to lose it.
Add the thinly sliced raw ginger root.
Once you have obtained a light brown color, add the mirin. It will give gloss to the whole.

Once the liquid has become sirupy serve as above!
Can be kept in a dish and re-heated.
Can be used cold in bento!
Use some nice greens for a beautiful contrast!

More katuso recipes coming!

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

Bistro, 美食, 観光, Food, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Bistro: Kuroneko Tei in Hamamatsu City!

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Service: Very friendly and unpretentious
Equipment & Facilities: Great general cleanliness. Very clean washroom
Prices: Reasonable~appropriate
Strong points: Southern France Cuisine. Wines popping out of nowhere. Great use of local products.

Whereas Shizuoka City is very compact and easy to walk around, Hamamatsu City with a similar population proves to be a veritable expedition when it comes to discover its hidden treasures!
But it is certainly worth exploring!

Over 10 years ago when Akira Fukui/福井章さん (everyone calls him “Fuku Chan”) decided to leave the corporate world and open a bistro he found this place called Kuroneko Tei/くろねこ亭/The Black Cat Restaurant just vacated by its former owner and decided not to change the original name although he cares little for cats!

It was far from easy at the beginning but the black cat brought him good luck in the end!
He refurbished the place little by little, keeping the first floor with a counter seating 7 people free of smoke and creating a private space for partying, eating, smoking, exhibiting local artists and holding mini concerts upstairs!
The establishment being tucked away in narrow side street it has become one of the best known secret places in town!
People are invited to relax and share a word at all times!
The only problem is that the place is dark making photography tough work!

Fuku Chan at work in his tiny kitchen!

The food and wine are definitely French-inspired!

With plenty of solid and reasonable French wines such as this Cote du Rhone/Grenache by Domaine Jean David!

He shows great support to local farmers, fishermen and even artists as a lot of local pottery is used in his restaurant!

Some of the wines lying in wait for you!

Foreigners are welcome (Fuku Chan is a fan of the Yamaha Top Teague Rugby Team!) and forks and knives and chopsticks are available with a nice cat chopsticks rest!

Live sawagani/river crabs!

All kinds of friends seem to bring him local finds!
Yesterday one brought local live sawagani/river crabs!

Italian cuisine is also present with caprese salad!

Local asparaguses sauteed and served with cheese!

Southern French cuisine appears very much with local fish!

Isaki/伊佐木/Chicken Grunt (the fish name!) meuniere!

Fuku Chan had the sawagani drunk live in white wine before deep-frying them as they were!
A true local delicacy!

Even Spanish and Moroccan cuisine find their way in with this tajine paella!

As the menu changes regularly expect new finds and morsels!

To be continued…

KURONEKO TEI
430-0931 Hamamatsu City, Naka Ku, Shinmei Cho, 315-8 (Sakana Machi Street near Shimizu Bank)
Tel: 053-453-9334
Business hours: Lunch, 12:00~16:00 (Friday, Saturday and Sunday only). Dinner, 17:00~23:00
Closed on Tuesdays and fourth Monday
First floor 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

Cakes, 美食, Dessert, Desserts, 茶, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Strawberries, Tea, Tourism

French Dessert with Local Shizuoka Ingredients by Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City!

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Service: Highly professional and friendly
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: Reasonable~appropriate
Strong points: Freshest produce and ingredients only, mainly from Shizuoka Prefecture. Organic vegetables, top-class Shizuoka-bred meat and Suruga Bay seafood. Seasonal food only.

Map (Japanese)

Last Monday I had to visit Tetsuya Sugimoto, one of the very top French Restaurants in the whole Prefecture after lunch to talk with Tetsuya about white asparagus producers in Shizuoka (there is one!).
Having already eaten lunch, I nonetheless could not resist asking for a light dessert with my coffee as we conducted our talks!

The cake was a mousse made with Hon Yama tea grown along the Abe and Warashina Rivers in Shizuoka City laying over light Genoise biscuit/short cake!

The ice cream/sorbet was created with organic Akihime Strawberries from Shizen no Chikara farm in Shizuoka City!
Incidentally all sugar comes from sugar canes grown in Kakegawa City!

A delicious and extravagant dessert in its simplicity!
The perfect dessert for slim-conscious ladies!
Even a chauvinistic male like me loved it!

To be followed…

Tetsuya SUGIMOTO
４２０－００３８ Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Umeya,２－１３，１Ｆ
Tel./Fax: 054-251-3051
Opening hours：１１：３０～１４：３０，１７：３０～２１：３０
Holidays: undecided
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE(Japanese)

Entirely non-smoking!

美食, 虎河豚, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Fish, Food, Fugu, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Puffer, sashimi, seafood, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Tiger Puffer, Torafugu, Tourism

Japanese Fish Species 21: Tiger Puffer-Torafugu-虎河豚

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Torafugu/虎河豚 or Tiger Puffer is one of more than a 100 hundred varieties of edible Puffer Fish or Globe Fish, but Tiger Puffer is by a great distance the most popular variety in Japan!

It is also known in Japanese as Honfugu/本河豚 or Oofugu/大河豚.
The main season is Winter and a little later for other regions.
It is caught on both sides of Japan especially in Central and East Japan.
It is a specialty in Hamamatsu City in our Shizuoka Prefecture.

11,000 tonnes are caught yearly around Japan.
It is bred in Japan to the tune of 4,700 tonnes.
13,000 tonnes are mainly imported from China and South Korea.

In Japan, although it can be bought already dressed, one needs a special license to cut it, serve it, or sell it as the innards contain a violently lethal poison, although cheap fugu (not torafugu) does not always contain such toxin!

Cheap fugu can be eaten raw as sashimi all over Japan.

But more expensive torafugu sashimi is served as a piece of art!

As sashimi, it is best avoured with leeks, lemon, momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper and ponzu!

As sushi, it can be served fairly plain.

Or aburi/炙り, lightly seared on one side!

Or more artistically with sansho and herbs!

Or even with its skin as the latter is edible!

It can also be served as gunkan seasoned with its own liver: a true delicacy!

Shirako/白子 or male spem sacs are also a delicay!

Torafugu can anturally be cooked, especially the bony parts full of meat but difficult to cut. My favourite is karaage/唐揚, deep-fried!

It is also very popular in cold weather a nabe/鍋 in Japan,

and in South Korea!

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

Beef, 美食, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi

Sushi: Wagyu Chirahizushi by the Dragon (the real one!)

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The other day when the Missus/Dragon cooked her karaage chicken for the family who had come r place she also prepared chirashizushi/decoration susi as well!
The little difference was that when she had asked me to buy some ood beef for another dish found out I had bought some extravagant wagyu beef!

As the Japanese, especially the Dragon’s family, cannot conceive a meal without rice she decided to make a special sushi with wagyu.
She prepared the usual sushi rice (I did have to help with stirring/cutting the rice once steamed and addd with rice vinegar!). Her proportions arefor 2 large tablespoons and a little more of rice vinegar for 1 go/Japanese rice cup.

While the rice was steaming she cut the wagyu beef into small thin strips and fried them in soy sauce, sake and mirin. Once cooked she let it cool completely.
She prepared some sweet egg soboro/fine Japanese scrambled eggs.
Once the rice was ready she added the wagyu beef, finely chopped konbu seaweed, egg soboro and finely sliced cucumber and mixed the lot inside the large wooden sushi vessel.

She topped the whole with plenty of fresh daikon sprouts for decoration and balance.
The sushi vessel was placed in the middle of the table and people served themselves directly for it!

A good idea for a party?
A good accompaniment for a BBQ?

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

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

Cod, 美食, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 鱈, Fish, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sashimi, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Tara, Tourism

Japanese Fish Species 20: Cod-tara-鱈

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Cod, or “Tara/鱈” in Japanese reads a the “Snow Fish”. Unlike in many countries in Europe and North America, the fish is eaten fresh, raw or cooked in Japan, but practically never salted.
Only the Norwegians can boast a difference as they eat the tongue of the fish as soon as they catch it!

As other fish in Japan, it is called different names: Ibodara, Maidara (Toyama Prefecture), Ara (Nagasaki Prefecture) as far as “Madara” or “True Cod” is concerned.
There are other varieties as is shown below in sushi pictures.

It is mainly caught in the Sea of Okhotsk in Winter.
The average total Cod catch is 437,000 tonnes, 55.000 of which is “True Cod”. Imports average annualy 152,000 tonnes mainly from the US and Russia.

Cod sashimi with its male sperm sacs/Shirako

It makes for great sashimi.

But it is also equally appreciated cooked, especially grilled or in “Nabe/Japanese-style pot au feu”.

Gintara/銀鱈 Cod variety as sushi nigiri.

Higetara/髭鱈 Cod variety as sushi nigiri.

Madara/真鱈 Cod as sushi nigiri.

As shown above, many varieties of tara are greatly appreciated as sushi, especially nigiri.

Shirako/白子, or the sperm sacs of the male fish, is an extremely popular delicay in Japan.
It is either served raw or lightly boiled as in above picture with ponzu, chopped leeks and momijioroshi/grated daikon with chili pepper.

Shirako is also very popular served as sushi in gunkan shape as above.

It becomes another delicacy when grilled.
French and Italian Restaurants in Japan also extensively use it sauteed or in gratin!

The roe sacs of the female fish is also a very popular (and expensive) delicacy especially when preserved in chili pepper (as above) and sold as Mentaiko/明太子!

The same roe is also served as “Tarako/鱈子”, especially in the sushi gunkan form!

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

美食, 野菜, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, Food, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, vegetables

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

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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