Tag Archives: Japanese Gastronomy

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Tourism

Shizuoka sake Tasting: The Last Bottle? Yoshiya Brewery-Chuumasa Daiginjo

January 26, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Almost two years ago the owner of Yoshiya Brewery in Shizuoka City invoked the retirement of his Brewmaster, Mr. Haruki Nakajima from the Nanbu School in Iwate Prefecture, as a reason to stop production and sell his license to the new Brewery in town called Suruga Brewery. The truth is that his wife had wanted him to leave the trade for a long time and develop their big property into a large apartment building.. (How do I know that? She told me in person during an interview!)
The whole 250 years old brewery has disappeared from the surface of the earth to leave way to ugly development, but fortunately Suruga Brewery not only bought all the sake created by Masterbrewer Haruki Nakajima with the license but also continued using the brand names of Chuumasa, Abekaidou and Onigoroshi!

Suruga Brewery bottled this Chuumasa sake created by Brewmaster Haruki Nakajima in 2007 in November 2011!
Unfortunately I already know that it has been practically sold out…

Rice: Yamada Nishiki from Hyogo Prefecture
Rice milled down to 40%
Brewmaster: Haruki Nakajima (Nanbu School)
Dryness: + 5
Acidity: 1.3
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Brewed in 2007
Bottled in November 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Very faint golden hue
Aroma: Fruity and elegant. Pears, oranges.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Fruity and liquorish.
Complex with pleasant alcohol attack (practically a genshu).
Oranges, almonds, pears, dark chocolate and coffee beans
Elegant and softer than expected in spite of its high alcohol content.
Quickly disappears.
Gets drier with food with a big kick from the alcohol.
Tends to make a sweet comeback with more oranges away from food.
Surprisingly marries well with any food.

Overall: Very elegant sake.
Complex and ever pleasant.
A rarity in the sense that it is a daiginjo that ladies should find to their liking for its soft approach in spite of the high alcohol content.
Unfortunately a sake masterpiece that will live in the past…

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With a Glass,
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

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

Bread, Cakes, 美食, Dessert, Education, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products

Bread: Shizuoka Agricultural High School Mari Ishiguro wins Consecutive First Prize at 6th National High School Bread Contest!

January 25, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Mari Ishiguro/石黒茉莉さん established a record by winning her second consecutive First Prize at the 6th National High School Bread Contest fielding 176 participants from all over Japan!
On the 21st and 22nd of January 2012 the 6th National High School Bread Contest took place in the City of Izu No Kuni in the Izu Peninsula, Shizuoka Prefecture!
Mari who had won last year’s contest with a “Toma Kara Feuille”/”Tomato Mille-Feuilles” did it again with a ‘Toma Kan Pan” creation!

The concept of the bread was indeed an interesting combination of European and Asian cuisines:
“Toma” stands for “tomato” as dried ones were extensively used.
Note that tomatoes were a prerequisite ingredient in submitted recipes as the Government is actively promoting the culture of this vegetable!
“Kan” stands for “kanten/寒天/agar agar” in Japanese with which the bread was coated!
“Pan” stands for bread in Japanese.

Mari Ishiguro is a third year student at the Shizuoka Prefectural Agricultural High School and will graduate next month before attending Cooking College in Tokyo.
The bread might be small but it took no less than 5 hours to prepare and bake!

Cross section of a frozen sample

Creating the bread with a dough surrounding another dough containing dried tomatoes and walnuts took 3 and a half hours, while the coating with agar agar took an hour. Add to this 35 minutes for baking, the whole work took no less than 5 hours!
According to Mari, this year’s concept was totally different from last year’s approach as she wanted to create a bread/cake that could be appreciated chilled.
Moreover, instead of using water in the dough she utilized the natural juice of real tomatoes.
She also compensated the astringency with cocoa powder.
Finally she topped the bread with dried tomatoes before baking it!
She agreed that her “bread” was more a dessert than anything else!

All this creative work was made possible under the teaching of her Bakery Teacher, Tetsuya Ishida/石田哲也!
Mari and her teacher (and all the students and their students) have the chance to belong to a very progressive high school by Japanese standards which emphazises vocational studies above all!

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美食, Dessert, Desserts, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

French Desserts with Shizuoka Products at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 24, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

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.

Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City is not only famous for its great use of local vegetables and fruit but also for his exquisitely balanced desserts created with local products!

Once again the other day saw an embarrassment of choices!
What did we order?

The Missus wanted something light and refreshing so she opted for the chilled strawberry soup!
Shizuoka Prefecture is known all over Japan for its superlative strawberries!
Having access to such fresh and high quality fruit is truly extravagant in this country!

Strawberries were served over a transparent luscious jelly with strawberry coulis generously poured over them to be completed with a spoonful of sophisticated strawberry sorbet and organic mint leaves!
It was difficult to understand whether you were drinking or eating it!
Strawberries are winter fruit in Japan, but you don’t need a warm weather to appreciate such a dessert!

As for me I chose to challenge a dessert that allies influences from France, China and Japan: Egg tart plate!

The eggs used in this creation are produced organically by Mr. Horita in Okabe, Fujieda City!
The tart literally melts inside your mouth.
Combined with the fruit sauces it becomes a beautiful battle between conflicting savors!
I know a lot of Chinese friends who will be converted!

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!

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美食, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Sauce, Shizuoka, Tonkatsu, Tonkatsu sauce

Tonkatsu Sauce: The Basic recipe

January 22, 2012 dragonlife 13 Comments

Tonkatsu is another Japanese gastronomy fast becoming a global favorite!
The tonkatsu is not that difficult to achieve, but too often disappointment comes with the wrong choice of sauce or simply not realizing that the sauce is half of the recipe!

The sauce is not difficult to create and it is open to a lot of variations, so next time instead of using a dubious (cheap) product make your own!

The following recipe is only a basic one which will allow to work on quantities according to your taste and priorities!

INGREDIENTS:

Sesame seeds
Soy sauce (plenty of possibilities there!)
Worcestershire sauce (my favorite is Lea & Perrins, but it’s up to you!)
Tomato ketchup (if you can make your own, so much the better. Try and void too sweet specimens!)
Sugar
Water (easy on that!)

RECIPE:

Sesame seeds are the most important point in a tonkatsu sauce!
The more, the better!
Use golden sesame seeds.
First dry-fry them.

Grind the sesame seeds thoroughly with a mortar (Japanese-style is best!) and pestle.
Bear in mind that the mortar must be big enough to contain all the sauce!

This is where improvisation and personal tastes come into consideration!
First add Soy sauce, Tomato ktechup and Worcestershire sauce.
Mix well and check taste, then add sugar.
Check taste and rectify if necessary.
Add water to liquefy the sauce. Careful there. Too much water and you will end up with soup! Proceed slowly!

Taste again to make sure it is perfect!
Now, there are many things you could further add:
I personally add some very strong Japanese mustard for more zip.
Ground pices of all spices can be considered, but proceed carefully!
There is no need to add salt!

Try to present the sauce in the mortar for better impression and invite your family, friends or guests to serve themselves!

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Buckwheat, 美食, 野菜, 蕎麦, 観光, 農業, French gastronomy, Gastronomy, Japan, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Buckwheat Crepe and Mousse and Duckling Declinaison at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 22, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

France meets Japan!

You (almost) do not need to import ingredients for superlative French Cuisine in Shizuoka as demonstrated by Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん in this Declinaison/Marriage of buckwheat Crepe and Mousse and Duckling.

Buckwheat/soba/蕎麦 is increasingly grown in Shizuoka Prefecture and Chef Arima discovered a producer called Mr. Sugio/杉尾さん who lives on the other side of Abe River in Shizuoka City!
As for duck and ducklings they do need to be imported unless you wish for a useless extra expense!

Chef Arima had prepared the buckwheat mousse separately.
He made a small buckwheat galette in true French fashion and wrapped it around the mousse.
He placed the whole in the middle of the plate and surrounded it with duckling aiguillettes/thin slices, organic greens from Shizuen No Chikara Farm and boiled buckwheat seeds seasoned with a lukewarm vinaigrette!

The buckwheat mousse inside was so smooth, sophisticated and light!
A truly extravagant appetizer although it would provide for a main dish to many!

Actually as an Amuse-bouche (I should say, “teaser”!) Touru served us a combination of violet sweet potato potage, gougere and Serrano salami!

The next dish will introduced soon! LOL

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Cocktails, 美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Fruit, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Tourism

Fruit Cocktails by Masayoshi Tainaka at Bar Le Refuge (1): Kiwi Fruit!

January 21, 2012 dragonlife 14 Comments

Service: Pro and very friendly, if a bit shy
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom.
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great Fruit Cocktails. Very quiet and relaxing bar. Difficult to find liqueurs.

Shizuoka Prefecture is actually the third producer of kiwi fruits in Japan way ahead of the rest!
It is full season for all kind of varieties during the winter and here is another basic recipe for any kind of this exquisite fruit!

INGREDIENTS:

Kiwi fruit: 1
Sugar (if possible “wasanbon satou/和三盆砂糖”): 2 small teaspoons
Bacardi white rum: 30 ml
Crushed ice
Mint leaves

RECIPE:

Put the cut kiwi, sugar, Bacardi white rum in a blender and blend roughly.
Taste and rectify with a dash of rum if necessary.
Add crushed ice and blend again until smooth.
Pour into an elegant cup glass.
Decorate with a half slice of kiwi fruit and a sprig of fresh mint.
Provide straws.

Very sophisticated and satisfying freshness.
A lady’s favorite, but as a man I was extremely pleased!
A very healthy cocktail actually!

BAR Le Refuge
420-0858 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tenma-cho, 9-15, Ribelute-Hirano 1F-B (within walking distance from Cenova)
Tel.: 054-221-0339
Opening hours: 18:00~02:00
Closed on Sundays
HOMEPAGE/BLOG (Japanese)

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Bartenders Club Shizuoka 3: Masayoshi Tainaka at Bar Le Refuge

January 20, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

The Bartenders Club Shizuoka was founded last month by 7 celebrated bartenders all owning their own cocktail bar in Shizuoka City to not only promote their businesses and make fruit cocktails in particular more accessible to customers but also to make products and their farmers better known to the public.
From January they will create cocktails from a designated Shizuoka producer and his/her fruit or vegetable at regular intervals.
Moreover, the producer will be introduced in blogs and bars to prove the traceability and safety of the delicious fruit or vegetables.

But let me continue the introduction of those seven “samurai” and their establishments with Masayoshi Tainaka at Bar Le refuge!

As its name says “Le Refuge” is an establishment away from the bustle of the center of town which offers an haven of tranquility and privacy.

The menu sign outside is welcome because this is a dark if every safe street at night!

As I do not use flash as a rule the establishment does look dark from outside!

But the inside is cozy with diffused lights.
When you learn that it used to be a car park it is certainly a great improvement!

The solid wood counter does not sit more than 9 and Masayoshi Tainaka/田井中正剛 does accept in groups of more than 3 so as to preserve the calm and welcoming atmosphere of his establishment!

Masayoshi already had 8 years of bartending experience in Shimizu Ku where he hails from before he opened his haven in May 2008.
An accomplished cocktail bartender he is always willing to venture into new concepts but his forte like his same-minded friends is fruit cocktails!

Kiwi Fruit Cocktail (coming in next article!)

Strawberry cocktail!

If you are of the lone night owl tribe, or if you wish yourselves away from it all with a special companion, Le Refuge is the place in the new “secret street” in town!

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Shingai Farm’s Ebi Imo in high-class Gastronomy at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

January 13, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Ebi Imo Terrine!

Ebi imo, a variety of taro, originally was a “Kyo-sai”, that is a vegetable grown in Kyoto, but the City of Iwata in Shizuoka Prefecture grows 80% of the whole Japanese crop these days!
Usually you one will see it served at high-class Japanese restaurants but Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん decided it was about time to experiment with them in French Cuisine and ordered some from Shingai Farm, one of the most celebrated growers in Iwata City!

I had the pleasure to savor it in two dishes yesterday at lunch with my japanese Missus!
The first opportunity came as a dish of its own; Ebi Imo Terrine!
The terrine had been made with pre-steamed Ebi imo packed inside a terrine dish lined with cold bacon and served with concasse Mateta Tomato and fresh cream.

No wonder Japanese high-class restaurants use them: The texture, although extremely fine, did not interfere with the solidity of the vegetable which stays firm in spite of a soft bite. As for the taste it is definitely more sophisticated than a usual potato. Its white-grey color also means you can combine it with a lot of colored ingredients.
Served with concasse (roughly broken) Mateta Tomato (from Shizuoka) and fresh cream, it made for the perfect starter, although it would well qualify for a main dish!

The second opportunity saw it served with young wild boar stewed in red wine!

Ebi Imo Gratin Dauphinois!

It just shows that true gastronomy is unlimited when you have superlative ingredients!

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Café Hanya (般若) in Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

January 11, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly and quiet
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness and beautiful gender-separated toilets
Prices: Very reasonable
Strong points: Traditional Coffee shop. Very reasonable “home food”. Very quiet. A rare non-smoking coffee house!
English and French fluently spoken by the owner!

In an era crowded with chain shops of dubious taste and hygiene it is so refreshing to discover a new coffee shop who offers a relaxing calm atmosphere, allows you to stay as long as you want, serves very reasonably-priced meals and spares you from any smoke in a quiet environment only a few minutes walk from the bustle of town and civilization!

just drop off the Tokaido Line at Kusanagi Station, take the first street on the street on the left until you reach a small river and turn right. There you will discover the coffee shop sign!

No, this is not a demon, but a protection against evil spirits!

The place used to be a very busy cramming school until the Yokoyamas retired last year and decided to transform it into a quiet and homely coffee house.

They also double up as a tiny gallery for local artists.

The tables and chairs are all different either by walls or large windows.
Just choose your little corner!

There are tables for groups of 4, couples and individuals.

Beautiful noren/entrance curtain opening onto the washroom!

Plenty of reading material as you may stay as long as you want!

Drapes help diffuse the light!

Hanya Noh Theater mask!
Hanya is a character found in the Noh Theater lore!

A lot of customers will be tempted to take the table paper cloth away!

Cute goblin!

A personal toothpick is provided with the chopsticks!

At lunch take a good look at the different set menu as they tend to come up with something different very quickly according to the mood and season!
On that day there were two new sets offered. The picture above shows a baked cheese curry!

I chose the other new set: open hamburger steak lunch!

You can’t beat a fresh homely lunch!

All lunches come with coffee or tea and a dessert!
How much did I pay for that? A mere 800 yen!

For people who just wish for a drink and dessert set I would recommend hot green tea (this is Shizuoka after all!) and home-made cake set!

Such a pleasant way to serve green tea!

To be continued…

Café Hanya (般若)
424-0886 Shizuoka City, Shimizu Ku, Kusanagi, 1-11-2 (3 minutes walk from Kusanagi Station)
Tel.: 054-345-4377
Opening hours: 07:00~18:00
Closed on Sundays and Mondays
HOMEPAGE/BLOG
Entirely non-smoking!

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美食, 酒, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Kansawagawa Brewery-Shosetsu Daiginjo “Shizuoka Aoi Premium Nama” Gentei

January 9, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

December and January are very productive months of the year at sake breweries!
Most of the sake put out then are “shinshu/New Sake” and “Gentei shu/limited edition sake”.
It is a great time for experimenting and looking for new flavors!

This particular brew concocted by Kansawagawa Brewery in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City is a limited edition. They accordingly came up with the name “Shizuoka Aoi Premium” to differentiate it from other brews.
It is a daiginjo of extravagant proportions when you consider the rice has been milled down to as little as 35%.
The fact it is also a “Nama/unpasteurised” sake means there was little manipulation!

Rice: Yamada Nishiki
Rice milled down to 35%
Dryness: + 4~+ 6
Acidity: 1.1~1.3
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in December 2011

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Transparent
Aroma: Fruity: dry bananas, pears, apples.
Body: Fluid
Taste: Dry fruity attack backed up by pleasant alcohol.
Lingers only for a little while warming up the palate and disappearing on a sweetish impression and then back on a dry note.
Complex. Banana, apples. Grows even drier on second sip and even drier again with food.
Some oranges, dry nuts and faint coffee beans peeking out later.
Overall: Although a very sophisticated and deep sake, it will definitely appeal more to dry sake loving gentlemen than to ladies, but you never know…
Intriguing and aggressive sake, unusual by Shizuoka standards.
I cannot count the times the bottle called me back from the refrigerator for an extra cup…
A “provocative untamed sake”, or a “one-night only lover”?

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Japanese Gastronomy: New Year’s Lunch at Setsugekka Soba Restaurant!

January 8, 2012 dragonlife 6 Comments

Yuzu/Lime and Jyuwari Soba!

Service: Very friendly and attentive
Facilities: Great overall cleanliness. Beautiful washroom
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: High quality soba. Beautiful tempura. Great local sake

It is a tradition in Japan to eat soba on the New Year and the Missus and I do not hesitate to spend some time in the train to savor them at our favorite soba restaurant, Setsugekka in Shimada City!

Next to the Restaurant is the great site of Oomuraya Sake Brewery (with the brewmaster standing outside as we arrived!). No wonder the sake served at Setsugekka are superlative!

If it’s available, make sure to take the small room overlooking the street!

A nice little corner away from the crowd!

But the whole place is so pleasant and comfortable!

The kitchen!

A nice little snack coming with the first drink: Soba tofu coated with kinako!

Very Japanese!

Another snack: deep-fried soba!

The soba tray is set on the table before the first tempura is served!

But first, the appetizers!

Miso yaki! Miso paste mixed with whole soba seeds cooked under the grill.

Plain juwari/100% buckwheat noodles in cold water to allow you to appreciate their true original taste!

Buckwheat/soba tofu served in soy sauce with grated yamaimo, whole grilled buckwheat seeds and grated wasabi!

Shimonita/下仁田 leek tempura with katsuobushi!

Bamboo shoot, carrot and taro tempura!

Shrimp and lily bulb kakiage tempura!

Next, the soba! All seiro style!

I had two types of soba, while the Missus had three: first elegant yuzu/lime jyuwari soba!

Plain thick jyuwari soba!
Note the well-used vessels!

Plain thin jyuwari soba!

And the desserts!

A rare buckwheat ice-cream!

I still haven’t visited the place at dinner! Next article?

SETSUGEKKA/雪月花
Shimada City, Hontouri, 2-3-4
Tel.: 0547-35-5241
Opening hours: 11:30~14:30, 17:00~22:00
Closed on Monday and third Tuesday
HOMEPAGE
Entirely non-smoking for lunch!

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Japanese Crustacean Species 6: Spiny Lobster/Ise Ebi/伊勢海老

January 5, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

ISE-EBI-1

Ise Ebi/伊勢海老 or Japanese Spiny Lobster is one the Spiny Lobster varieties so popular all over the World.
The Japanese variety is smaller, or more precisely is more popular under a certain size.

Also called Kamakura Ebi, it is caught off the shores of Chiba, Wakayama, Mie and Shizuoka Prefectures.

The best specimens are aught in Winter, although imported lobsters can be found at other seasons.

The annual catch is fairly stable at 1,000 tonnes a year.
Imported specimens account for 10,000 tonnes, mainly from Australia, New Zealand and New Caledonia.
In the latter case they are also called Minami/South Ebi.

The Japanese appreciate their lobsters raw.

ISE-EBI-SASHIMI

As o-tsukuri/sashimi plate they are quite spectacular!

ISE-EBI-SASHIMI2

For a closer look!

And of course as sushi nigiri!

No need to mention that the Japanese also love them as gratin!

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Beer, Chinese Cuisine, Chinese Restaurants, Crustaceans, 牛肉, 美食, Dessert, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 車海老, 農業, Fish, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Izakaya, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tempura, Tourism

Memorable Gastronomy with Shizuoka Products in 2011!

January 3, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Fujiyama Wagyu Beef, Utogi Wasabi and Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes!

2011 was an eventful year for many reasons, some unwanted, even dreadful, and others more conducive to social happiness. I would prefer to remember the latter to help nurture a positive attitude towards a future we cannot predict! Being a convinced agnostic hedonist does help but I’m sure that gastronomes, whatever their credo, will realize how lucky we are in Shizuoka to be able to attain to ever-growing pleasures with seemingly simple local ingredients!
Here is a proposal for a full course, albeit a long one, representative of a dinner I would have enjoyed in 2011!

APPETIZERS/STARTERS:

Rainbow Trout Sashimi Plate!
These rainbow trouts are raised by Mr. Kunugi in Fujinomiya City!

in any repast drinks are most important as they are they insure the link between the dishes!
Japanese sake brewed by Takashima Brewery in Numazu City!
These labels are of a particular interest as they advertized the edible seaweed varieties found in Shizuoka Prefecture!
Note: For friends who may not drink alcohol I would recommend ginger ale made with Shizuoka-grown ginger or Shizuoka green (and black!) tea under various forms!

Tomato Tempura!
Uzu Izakaya in Shizuoka City serves it regularly with organic tomatoes seasoned with home-made yuzu koshio paste!

Sakekasu tempura!
Setsugekka Soba Restaurant in Shimada City serves this tempura concocted qith sake lees produced by their neighbors at Oomuraya Brewery!

Carrot Soup and Carrot Leaves Mousse on a Tomato Bed!
All vegetables are organic served at Pissenlit in Shizuoka city making use of the whole vegetables!

Vegetables in Banya Cauda style!
As served at Piatto in Shizuoka City! All vegetables are organic and grown in Shizuoka!

FISH & SEAFOOD

Steamed Black Bass/Suzuki/鱸 from Suruga Bay and vegetables by Mr. Furuya in Asabata, Shizuoka City!
As prepared and served by Cham Chinese Izakaya in Shizuoka City with a light warm vinaigrette!

True Seabream/Madai/真鯛 with cockles and vegetables, all from Shizuoka!
As served Italian-style by Il Castagno in Shizuoka City!

Imperial Prawn/Sakura ebi/車海老 Tempura!
As served by Setsugekka Soba Restaurant in Shimada City!

MEAT

Fujiyama Wagyu Beef, Utogi Wasabi and Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes!
As prepared by the Missus and I!
Fujiyama Wagyu is one of the thirteen varieties of wagyu bred in Shizuoka Prefecture which positively compare to Kobe Beef!
The wasabi is grown by Maruichi Farm in Utogi, the birthplace of this most remarkable ingredient!
The Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes are grown in Iwata City!

Foie gras poele on Corn Galette with Madeira Sauce!
This can qualify as an extravagant appetizer too!
The galette was concocted at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City with high-grade Kankanmusume Corn grown by Chouchou Farm in Iwata City!

Jidori Chicken Poêlé served with a Old Mimolette Cheese topping!
Fuji City is famed for its Jidori Chicken and Gentil in Shizuoka City serves it in extravagant simplicity with a topping of 24-months old Mimolette Cheese!

DESSERTS

Soy sauce and Brown Sugar Mousse Cake, Frozen Organic Mandarine and Lemon Sorbet!

Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City is a master of off the beaten track desserts!
The soy sauce is created by Amano Company in Gotemba City and the brown sugar is made with sugarcane grown in Kakegawa City. As for the mandarine and lemon, they are of course organic!

Carrot Crème Brulée and Mandarine Caramelisée!

As served at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City. Both the carrot and mandarine are organic!

Organic Carrot ice Cream!
This could be served as an appetizer, a refresher between dishes or a dessert at Comptoir de Bios in Shizuoka City!

Pheasant Egg Pudding and brown Sugar ice Cream!
Again created by Tetsuya Sugimoto in Shizuoka City with pheasant eggs produced in Hamamatsu City and brown sugar made from sugarcane grown in Kakegawa City!

Naturally I still have missed a lot and I sincerely hope I will be able to introduce other discoveries by the end of this year!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

美食, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Gastronomy: Shizuoka Products at Pissenlit (Winter 2011~2012)!

January 3, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Organic Cauliflower and Cod Sperm Sacs Puree topped with same Sperm Sacs Poeles and steamed curry cauliflower!

Planning a “quick light” lunch at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City always smacks of jumping into a trap of your own making…
This time I had originally asked for a plate of steamed organic vegetables, but from the moment Chef Toru Arima said he had the perfect appetizer for this cold day it was a quick slide down the gastronomic slope!

The cauliflower was nonetheless organic from Chizen no Chikara in Shizuoka City and its marriage with Cod “shirako/Sperm Sacs” (sorry, but this is the true meaning!) into a smooth puree contributed into a beautiful contrast with the crispiness enveloping the unctuous same sperm sacs topping it and the light bite of more steamed cauliflower seasoned with a light curry sauce!

My initial wish was granted with a dish of steamed organic vegetables and a Suruga Bay “te-naga ebi/Japanese Scampi” on a couscous bed!

Sorry for the fuzzy picture!
I just wanted to show the meat of the scampi lodged in the middle of a red squid ring atop the couscous bed!

Beautiful steamed organic vegetables emphasized by a light warm vinaigrette fighting for attention with the Scampi!

The Scampi is not ready to let my fork pitch into the couscous without a fight!

Morocco flirting with Shizuoka! Toru had introduced small pieces of Shizuoka strawberries into the couscous for the perfect sweet and salty balance!
By then, I was ready to fall into the next trap!

“I have the right light meat dish for you!” (he said that before, didn’t he?)
And for my masochistic pleasure he was right:
Shizuoka “Jidoori” chicken poele atop organic potato puree and organic shiitake from Shizen no Chikara Farm!

Demolishing this beautiful piece montee was such a sweet vengeance!
The Shiitake being fresh, it was very tender and each piece of it made for the perfect receptable for the potato puree!
I should have perhaps tried to eat it together some chicken in a single forkful, but I took my time!

There was only one way to escape from the clutches of another dessert: coffee and mignardises!

Home-made Shizuoka Orange jelly, and soft chocolates! The green one is coated with Shizuoka Hon-Yama Green Tea!

It will be a pleasure to meet you again in another self-inflicted trap of mine soon!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Must-see tasting websites:

Crustaceans, 美食, 魚海の幸, 車海老, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Japanese Imperial Prawn, Kurumaebi, Prawn, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine

Japanese Crustacean Species 5: Kuruma Ebi/Japanese Imperial Prawn/車海老

January 2, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

KURUMA-EBI-1

Kuruma Ebi, or Japanese Imperial Prawn, is probably the most popular prawn in Japan!
It has different names depending on its size: Saimaki (up to 5 cm), Maki (up to 10cm)

Its season lasts from late Autumn to the end of Winter.
It is found south of Hokkaido Island down to the Indian Ocean until depths of 50 metres.
It had been successfully artificially bred for some time until diseases put a momentary stop to the venture.
The prawn has steadily become a rare morsel. Altogether, natural and domestic specimen, the annual catch amounts only to 2,000 tonnes.

KURUMA-EBI-1a