Here is an example of what could be done by a Japanese chef as Wagashi/Japanese Cake!
This particular Birthday Cake creation is the work of Chef Maeda at Kouseido in Osaka City!
Will look around and post other creations whenever I can!
Here is a breakdown of the above:
“Momo”/Peach
“MIkan”/Orange
“Tsubaki”/Camelia
“Sakura”/Cherry Blossom
“Ichigo”/Strawberry
“Meron”/Melon
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(Male Snow Crab)
Snow Crabs, or Zuwagani in Japanese are very popular not only in Japan, but also in Russia, Canada and many other countries.
In Japan, they are also known under the following names: Matsubagani, Echizengani and Yoshigani.
The females are also called Seikogani, Megani or Koubakogani.
They are caught mainly in Autumn and Winter.
Their number have decreased in the Japan seas down to a yearly catch of 5,000 tonnes while 60,000 tonnes are imported from Russia and Canada.
(Female snow Crab)
Male and female snow crabs are equally succulent, but the males contain more flesh and are accordingly more expensive.
The “thorns” of a male snow crab are bigger.
The “teeth” of a male snow crab are triangular in a seesaw shape.
The female “teeth” are in a straight line.
The underbelly of a female snow crabis flatish.
When buying a female (10 tmes as cheap) snow crab, choose a specimen with as few eggs as possible. Above speciman just has too many!
A female snow crab should contain plenty of succulent orange egg sacs (the eggs not yet “born”). Otherwise, there is very little reason to buy any!
Crabs can be eaten in many ways, even raw, but my favourites are on sushi!
Male Snow crab leg Sushi Nigiri.
Female snow crab Sushi Nigiri and its egg sacs!
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Sawara or Spanish Mackerel is considered as the best kind of Mackerel in Japan. Not only it is a big variety, but its comparatively white flesh is succulent in almost any kind of cooking!
It is known under different names such as Sagoshi and Sagochi when young and Yanagi when mature.
It is basically caught by trawling, but can be fished by line. It is, unlike other mackerels, a pretty solitary fish.
It is caught widely around Japan, off Russia, China and Korea.
The total catch has varied in recent years, but thanks to import, including 21.000 tonnes from China, it has become a feature in season from late Autumn to end of Spring.
(Kan-Sawara at Uzu, Shizuoka City)
In Winter, it is called Kan Sawara/寒鰆 (寒stands for cold, 鰆 stands for Sawara/Spring Fish) and is a sought after morsel. In Shizuoka it is sometimes caught then in Sagara bay, and I can tell you it disappears quickly form the table.
(Sawara at Uzu, Shizuoka City)
Later in Spring, it is just called Sawara and is leaner.
It can be cooked in many ways: broiled as above.
Or grilled.
(Small pic, sorry!)
Of Course, as sushi nigiri! Especially Kan Sawara!
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It was back to classical” bento today!
That is rice topped with all kinds of ingredients!
For once I managed to steal into the kitchen to take a quick pic of the rice being steamed with the beans!
It was a pretty voluminous bento as you can see!
As for the main meat the Missus fried slices of tuna in soy sauce and covered with cheese and chopped thin leeks.
The rest of the garnish consisted of renkon/lotus roots, shiitake and stringbeans fried together in the same pan as the tuna. She added a fresh plum tomato, boiled egg seasoned with black sesame, home-made piclled mini melons and myoga and lettuce. I probably forget something!
Chopped veg salad with pieces of lettuce and walnuts and cherries from Yamanashi Prefcture for dessert!
I can guarantee you I was full after that!
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Abekawa Mochi from Shizuoka, one served pasted inside red sweetmeats/anko and the others with kinako powder.
As promised here is a simple recipe for kinako/黄な粉, roasted soy beans powder, so often used with Japanese cakes/Wagashi!
Kinako (黄粉 or きなこ), also known as soybean flour, is a product commonly used in Japanese cuisine. In order to create the soybean flour, soybeans are toasted and ground into powder. Its flavor is commonly compared to that of peanut butter.
INGREDIENTS:
Soy beans: 1 cup (200cc)
RECIPE:
Discard beans showing broken skin or with an unusual colour.
To make sure of any taking away any humidity, put them inside a clean cloth sack and roll them inside your hands/fingers.
Use a pan with as thick a bottom as possible. Roast for 12 minutes above medium fire. Stir around with wooden spatula. The soy beans will emit their smell making small “noises” at the same time.
Transfer to a bamboo basket/zaru or a reipient with small holes to cool off.
Start slowly processing them inside a food processor/mixer, working 15 seconds at a time, 3 or 4 times. All the beans will probably not be reduced to powder. Transfer powder into earthenware mortar little by little until all the beans are reduced into powder.
Make sure you get an even powder by crushing it around with a wooden pestle.
Sieve powder through a fine strainer.
The powder obtained should be fragrant and almost sweet.
You can turn into a drink if you want to!
Milk: 1 glass, kinako, 2 tablespoons, sugar, 1 tablespoon.
Kinako should be eaten as soon as possible!
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For once, The Nissus madebento with “men/Japanese-Chinese Pasta”!
The principle is to boil “ramen” and strain them through a “zaru/sieve” for them to become “zarumen”.
At the office I piured the two different sauces and chopped thin leeks on the cole “zarumen” before eating them.
As for the garnish, the Missus prepared “Tamagoyaki/Japanese Omelette, “Chicken Kaarage/Japanese style deep-fried chicken” (note the black sesame seeds coating), boiled “ingen mame/string beans”, a large plum tomato and home-made cucumber and myoga pickles.
She didn’t forget the dessert: banana!
Plenty and enough, I can tell you!
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I decided to dedicate this series called “The Jacques Cousteau” upon suggestion by Jaded Fork and forBread + Butter, and Elin who don’t mind being on a long haul! LOL
“Kensaki Ika/ケンサキ烏賊 goes by the Latin name of Loligo (Photololigo) edulis Hoyle,1885, but that complicated name does not prevent this particular squid to be extremely popular in Japan!
It is of course known under other local names: Ak Ika/Red Squid, especially in Shizuoka, Budo Ika/Grapes Squid, Shiro Ika, Gotou Ika.
They will soon appear in the markets in Summer.
They are mainly caught by line.
They are more and more available live, so great specimens can be easily bought.
They are a very versatile kind of squid as they can be appreciated as sashimi, sushi, simmered, boiled, broiled, dried, and especially as tempura!
As for me, it is a bit of a dilemna as I like them both as sushi nigiri and sashimi!
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Wagashi/Sakura Mochi
Here is a simple way to make mochi.
Bear in mind that mochi can be eaten fresh as it is especially with wagashi cakes and that it can be mixed with other ingredients for colouring. It can be aslo dried and grilled and also included in soups and other recipes such as mochi pizza!
INGREDIENTS:
Glutinous rice: 3 go (Japanese measure): 540 cc (2.8 cups)
Kinako (to taste)
Notes on kinako and glutinous rice:
Kinako (黄粉 or きなこ), also known as soybean flour, is a product commonly used in Japanese cuisine. In order to create the soybean flour, soybeans are toasted and ground into powder. Its flavor is commonly compared to that of peanut butter.
Kinako, being composed of soybeans, is a healthy topping and flavoring which contains B vitamins and protein. It can also be used as a drink;. For example, warabi mochi is a famous kinako-covered sweet
I will introduce a recipe soon!
Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, biroin chal, mochi rice, and pearl rice) is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous (Latin glūtinōsus) in the sense of being glue-like or sticky and not in the sense of containing gluten; on the other hand, it is called sticky but should not be confused with the other varieties of Asian rice that become sticky to one degree or another when cooked.
RECIPE:
Wash the rice and let it soak in water overnight.
Pour water in steamer. Bring to boil. Set a clean cloth inside. Drain rice. Pour rice inside cloth. Dig a “well” in the middle for better cooking.
Steam over a medium fire for 20~25 minutes.
Pour hot water inside pestle bowl and leave the wooden sticks inside water for long enough to have all of them well impregnated with water. Throw water away just before next step. This will insure a better mochi!
Check rice for an even cooking. No water should be left or the mochi will be runny. If you make a small quantity, softer rice than usual is better as it will tend to dry faster than a large quantity.
Now this is the hard part!
You will need three adults to press hard on the rice with the wooden sticks at the same time to crush the rice completely. It might take as long as 10 minutes.
Now that the rice has been softened, One can continue on his own or work in shifts. Pound the rice in the middle 10 times. Turn over the rice from outside to inside and continue always around the clock.
Important: always pound in the middle, never on the sides or you will break the bowl!
That is how it should look. Make balls by twisting rice out.
Roll mochi in kinako mixed with sugar to taste. They are ready to be eaten!
This is how are served in Japan for children (and adults!)
If you want to preserve them for a while before eating, roll them in rice powder. Rice powder will come in useful if you want to fashion the mochi into thin sheets or else.
That is they look grilled!
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Shidaizumi Brewery Sakes
On Wednesday June 3rd, six breweries located in the centre of Shizuoka Prefecture held their 17th Annual Event, Shida Heiya Bishu Story 2009 in Yaizu City at Shofukaku Hotel.
This has become a real event in recent years, for which the 400 seats are sold out months before the event in spite of very few seats reserved for special guests like John Gauntner, the foreign authority on Japanese Sake who has to come all the way from Kamakura.
This time I was spared from making the kampai speech (John took care of that!) and could concentrate on the event on the full, taking my time to say hello to everyone and visit every stand for a hearty taste of some sublime brews!
Aoshima Brewery (Kikuyoi/Fujieda City)
Sugii Brewery (Suginishiki/Fujieda City)
Isojiman Brewery (Yaizu City)
Oomuraya Brewery (Wakatake/Shimada City)
Hatsukame Brewery (Okabe Cho)
Shidaizumi Brewery (Fujieda City)
Took the time to take a pic of a new brand by Oomuraya Brewery to commemorate the new Mount Fuji-Shizuoka Airport in Shimada City!
The hotel served us an excellent Japanese meal!
Including Sashimi!
And Sushi!
Looking forward to participating to next year’s event!
Before that I will make sure to visit all those breweries again!
Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
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Cuttlefish or squids are eaten almost all the world as they seem to inhabit the whole planet! They are the favourite food of many big fish such as tuna, whales and birds. Although humans contribute to dwindling stocks, they will never consume the same amount as its natural predators.
The Japanese call them Ika/烏賊, roughly meaning crow shellfish/cephalopods.
This is the start of a long series. I do hope you like them, otherwise you are in for a long haul!LOL
Yari Ika/槍烏賊, or Spear Squid, are also known under the names of sasika, Sayaika, Shyakuhachi, Tsutsuika or Sayanaga.
In Japan they are mainly caught in Winter and Spring off the shores of Aomori, Hokkaido, Ibaragi, Mie, Aichi and Yamaguchi Prefectures.
Females are slightly more rounded thanthe males.
They are either caught with nets or lines.
Their flesh is comparatively thin, but soft and sweet. They are among the most popular in Japan.
The best specimens are the ones caught by line. Buy them live whenever possible.
They can of course be cooked, or eaten as sashimi, but I reckon sushi nigiri is best.
The best sushi restaurants will serve two of them with two different dip soy sauces.
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Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products.
!
As promised, here is a short report about the second lunch taken with the Missus. Soryy for the delay, as I had to wait for my other half’s pics!
I will ignore the same offerings as last time and will concentrate on the new dishes:
The Missus, who had not eaten a hamburger for ages, could not resist asking for the Oven-baked Japanese Beef Hamburger and Spring Vegetables!
Apart of the French wild asparaguses, allthe vegetables are organically grown in Shizuoka: 3 differently coloured mini daikon, mini yellow carrot, Chinese zasai and new yellow potato. I did taste the hamburger. It certainly would make a fan of such delicacy if the same quality could be found in the States! Absolutely extravagant and ridiculously cheap!
As for me, I had to order that dish bringing me back to my roots: Herb-roasted Vendee (West of France) Duck with Spring Vegetables!
Note the baby corn that I ate whole, ear included, the violet daikon, lily flower buds, yellow carrot, shiitake, and so on.
The Duck was absolutely perfect, medium-rare as it should be, more tender than a loving woman and the subtle herb mixture combining into another world inside your palate!
Alright, alright, here is the dessert plate (we had to share it, as it is simply too big!LOL)!
All are home-made (of course, some will say): Vanilla Ice-cream filled with vanilla bits, Black Tea Jelly, Cannelle, Pannacota, Strabeery and Cherry Tree Leaf Roll Cake!
Incidentally, I’m going there again for dinner in two-weeks time!
I’m definitely going to order that Marbled Foie Gras!
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)
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Baird Beer & Taproom Events Bulletin 2009 #13
Dear Taproom Friend & Baird Beer Enthusiast:
Beer simply is the most diverse alcoholic beverage on earth. It also is the most sociable. Don’t believe us? We are releasing three more wonderfully varied seasonal beers (Kinshu Domei Double IPA, Dark Wheat Lager, Maris Otter-Saaz Ale) to further strengthen our case. Let us know if you remain unconvinced.
*Kinshu Domei Double IPA (ABV 8.0%):
The grist is entirely base malt (Pilsner, Vienna, Maris Otter and Wheat)
buttressed by a good dosing of Japanese red sugar (akato) in the kettle (sugar, of course, lightens body and dries flavor in beer rather than sweeten it). 80 BUs of American hops add a wonderful bitter character that balances the residual malt sweetness. Dry-hopping with a combination of Simcoe, Horizon and Glacier varieties renders this big IPA spritely aromatic. Available on draught and in 633 ml bottles
*Dark Wheat Lager (ABV 5.0%):
The German Beer Purity Law does not permit the use of malted wheat in lager beers. Fortunately, we are not brewing in Germany. This tawny brown lager is brewed with 4 varieties of malted wheat which contribute a light and bready flavor. The overall character is defined by a rich, velvety smoothness that is punctuated by a clean and firm hop bitterness. This original lager was brewed way back in August, 2007 and has been conditioning in our cold cellar for nearly two years! Available on draught and in 360 ml bottles.
*Maris Otter-Saaz Ale (ABV 5.0%):
Maris Otter is the historically classic barely variety used in English Ale
brewing. We use floor-malted Maris Otter Pale Ale malt in virtually all of our brews. Saaz is the historically classic aroma hop grown in
Czechoslovakia and used in lagers of all sorts — particularly
Bohemian-style pilsners. We brew Maris Otter-Saaz Ale with only these two ingredients (aside, of course, from soft Numazu water and our hardy house ale yeast). We serve it exclusively on hand-pump in Real Ale form. It is beer history in a glass! Available only as Real Ale at our Fishmarket and Nakameguro Taprooms.
Allthree beers will be pouring at out Taprooms and other fine pubs and restaurants in Japan beginning Thursday, June 4. Bottle-conditioned versions of the Double IPA and Dark Wheat Lager will also be available through the finr family of Baird Beer retailing liquor stores in Japan.
Cheers,
Bryan Baird
Baird Brewing Company
Numazu, Japan
HOMEPAGE
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Must-see tasting websites:
-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery
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(Red Sea Cucumber)
Beche de Mer in French, Sea Cucumber in English, Sea Rat (海鼠) in Japanese, this marine creature has been called all kinds of names in many different countries over the ages.
French sailors were catching them and trading them with the Chinese as far back as the XVIIIth Century.
They are presently the most poached single creature inthe Jpaanese seas by illegal fishermen from China, Nort Korea and Russia.
(Green Sea Cucumber)
(Black Sea Cucumber)
Quite a few varieties are found in Japanese markets, but the highest quality specimen are the red sea cucumbers.
The best season is Winter, although they are sold over the counter well beyond Spring in Japan.
They ave many names in Japanese: Namako, Manamako, Akako, Aoko, Kaiso and are caught almost all around the Japanese islands.
They lay eggs from late Spring to early Summer, hence their best taste in Winter when the Japanese find them almost sweet.
Choose red ones as they are softer and tastier. Choose specimens with firm flesh and healthy skin.
(Namako Bachiko)
The Japanese eat them in many ways. Like the Chinese they eat them in their dried form, or “Bachiko”.
They are popular boiled in green tea!
Of course you will find them as sashimi!
Or as sushi nigiri!
Their innards, called “konowata”, are considered a delicacy!
Most popular as gunkan sushi!
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Here’s the latest creation by my good friend, Bernard Heberle, the owner-patissier at Abondance in Hamamatsu City!
It is called “Tisane”, or herb tea infusion.
In his own words:
“Voici un gâteau au nom de ” Tisane ” et pour cause il est a base d’herbe fraîche et plus spécialement de Verveine.
La combinaison Verveine, crème, oeuf, lait et amour se marie très bien surtout en approche de la saison chaude et humide.”
“Here is a caked I called “Tisane” because it is prepared with a fresh herb base, especially Verveine.
The combination of Verveine, cream, egg, milk and love is just perfect as we approach the hot sultry season!”
Abondance
Address: Hamamatsu Shi, Sumiyoshi, 2-14-27 (in front of Seirei Hospital)
Tel.: 053-4738400
Fax: 053-4738401
Opening hours: 10:00~20:00. Closed on Tuesdays.
Homepage
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Service: excellent, easy-going and very friendly
Facilities: great washroom, great cleanliness overall
Prices: very reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Very fresh local ingredients especially organic vegetables extensively used.
Uzu is slowly becoming another regular izakaya of mine and that of my friends. Apart of the great welcome and atmosphere, their cuisine makes an extensive use of locally grown organic vegetables, making it one of those rare izakaya wher vegetarians are truly welcome!
As for the meat and fish, it is simply superlative. Moreover, one will be able to choose and taste geat local sake!
Last Friday, while my friends and I were having a “discussion” as to what we would order for food, tasty morsels had already come with our first sake!
To cut a long story short, here is what we savoured on that day!
(See pic above). A plate of “Shamo” (Shizuoka-bred) chicken sashimi, comprising giblets (heart, liver, etc.). You can be assured they are absolutely fresh. Eaten with Shizuoka Wasabi and soy sauce, they make for a decadent starter!
“Mizu Nasu”, a succulent egg-plant/aubergine which is eaten raw!
“Sawara/young cod” sashimi. The fish was caught in Suruga Bay! Almost sweet!
An enormous salad of grilled “Shamo” Chicken and Shizuoka-grown vegetables!
A plate of grilled “Shamo” Chicken giblets! You must have guessed by now that we had decided to make it a chicken and vegetable dinner!
All earthenware and glassware at UZU are made by local artists!
How about this sake glass decanter?
And finally, “aburi”/grilled Shamo Chicken. With a little wasabi and nothing else, absolutely scrumptious!
We did have UZU’s lime sherbet for dessert, but I have already described this beauty in another posting!
Going there again next week, incidentally!
UZU
Shizuoka City, Otowa-cho, 3-18
Tel.: 054-249-6262
Business hours: 17:00=23:00
Closed on Mondays and first Tuesday
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
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SHIZUOKA GOURMET 