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The Japan Blog List

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Tokyo residents or visitors are so lucky!

On January 17th (Saturday, 14:00) join Melinda Joe and Japanese food expert Elizabeth Andoh, author of award-winning cookbook Washoku, for the first installation of our Sake Fundamentals workshop! In this session, we’ll talk about sake production, grades of sake, and pairing. Find out what separates a honjozo from a daiginjo, how to choose the right sake for your food, and much, much more. You’ll have the chance to taste five wonderful sake, along with Andoh-sensei’s delicious Japanese home-cooking. You only have a week to sign up, so get cracking.

More sessions on February 7th and March 7th! Check calendar!

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

The Japan Blog List

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Yesterday evening, being hungry late at work, I just took a “break” and went for a (slightly extravagant!) quick fix at my favourite Japanese restaurant in Shizuoka City.

Apart of the usual appetizer, I was served the following “O-Tsukuri/Sashimi set” (See above picture, from left to right, top first):

-”Buri/Japanese Amberjack” on a cushion of fresh sprouts
-”Hon-maguro no Akami/Bluefin tuna lean part” with “Shiso no Hana/Perilla Flowers”
-”Inada/young Japanese Amberjack”. The difference with Buri is that the flesh is still white. On a “Shiso no Happa/Perilla Leaf” and a radish slice
-”Madai/True Snapper-Seabream”
-”Amaebi/Sweet Shrimp)
-”Uni/Sea Urchin)
-Freshly grated “Wasabi/Green Japanese Horseradish”
-”Kou-Ika/wide-bodied cuttlefish variety

Heavens!

TOMII
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-cho, 1-2-7, Tomii Bldg, 1F
Tel.: 054-274-0666
Business hours: 17:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

The Japan Blog List

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Greetings, everyone!

This is an appeal to all Foodbuzz friends who not only enjoy their drink(s) but also endeavor to share, compare and expand their tasting experiences and discoveries.

There are a lot of people out there who drink a lot, if I may indulge in the ever-corny expression, be it alcohol or just plain (but good) water!
One cannot ignore them any longer!

As much as savoring sublime food and creating outstanding recipes at home or in restaurants, drinking is an integral part of a meal. One may not attain a certain (elevated) epicurean knowledge and at the same time ignore the physical need for a large daily amount of liquid matter.
After all, until not so long ago, eating was limited to the obligation of feeding one’s body, while drinking was the sine qua non requisite to a meaningful social life, be it a glass of wine or a cup of tea!

Now, how about asking the Foodbuzz team to insert a “VIRTUAL BAR” or “TASTING”, or “BEVERAGES” portal/button besides “RECIPES” and “RESTAURANTS”, giving access to a featured page? It would certainly become more practical than having to submit tasting reports on “Recipes” or as a “blog post”!
Such a page could be expanded in many ways and categories. For example, a “DAILY TASTING” would emulate the successful “DAILY RECIPE”.
Classifications could be introduced:
-Wines: Red, White, Rose, Sparkling, Still wines, …
-Beer: Microbreweries, Lager, Ale, Port, Stout, ….
-Sake: Futsu/normal, Junmai, Honjozo, ….
-Spirits: Whiskies (single malt, ….),Schnapps, Vodka, Liqueurs, …
-Soft drinks: Tea, Coffee, Fruit juices, Vegan Drinks, Water, Mineral water, …

Judging from the very high number of present Foodies writing about their tasting adventures into the “RECIPES” section, a new page featuring only drinks would easily double the membership in a very near future!

Cheers, sante, Namaste, Kanpai, Prosit, Salute, Kanpai, Chin chin, ….!

Robert-Gilles Martineau

The Japan Blog List

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In a recent National Geographic Magazine survey, Broccoli was at the very top when considering nutrients beneficient to humans in our everyday food!

Vegans, Vegetarians and Omnivores, rejoice! Doctors, start moaning!
A cousin of cabbages and cauliflowers, the flowers are the mainly consumed part, but people forget that the stems are great, too (explained later)!

FACTS:
-Season: November to January and March to April in the Northern Hemisphere.
-Main elements:
Carotene, Vitamin C and Vitamin E in very large amounts. Together they combine as an elixir to fight ageing and stress.
Potassium
Iron, which helps increase red blood cells and control cholesterol.
Calcium
Fibers, which help digestion.
Sulforafan which helps fight poisonous intruders.

VARIETIES:

Italian red broccoli

Broccoli Romanesｃo, a favourite of mine!

In Japan, a violet variety (bottom) is becoming popular, making for some great combinations with white and yellow cauliflower,

and other dishes!

TIPS:
-As I said above, the stem is not only edible, it is succulent, with a taste between avocadoes and asparaguses! Peel the skin, cut it in any shape you wish and boil it for a while in slightly salted water. let cool and use for salads, stews and gratins!
-Choose specimens with big and dense buds, shiny and fat stems. Check whether the cut at the stem looks fresh!
-After boiling in slightly salted water, plunge into cold water immediately. The colour will not change!
-Preservation: Wrap in wet paper towel, seal it inside a polyester rigid box and keep inside refrigerator’s chilled compartment away from light.
As it will change in contact with natural light, better to cut it, boil it, cool it, seal it inside vinyl pouches and freeze if you have too much of it!

The Japan Blog List

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Yesterday’s bento did not qualify as this year’s first as the Missus refused to let me take a picture of the sandwich she had made!
Today, she came back with a vengeance, concocting a lunch fit for a man’s (or big teenager’s) solid appetite!

She also used a wooden box with a bamboo “curtain” lid for the “maki”/rolls.

I can already hear Rick moaning at the look of those rolls! LOL

The rolls were wrapped in lettuce instead of “nori”/dry seaweed.
The “shari”/sushi rice was mixed with “tobikko”/flying fish roe.
The filling consisted of smoked slamon and Japanese processed cheese with capers for decoration. These rolls were definitely American-sized!

As for the accompaniment the Missus worked hard (she actually threw me out of the kitchen!):
Boiled egg seasoned by leaving it overnight in the coca cola sauce of simmered pork she had made the day before, boiled Brussels sprouts, black olives, cornichons, carrot sticks, chickory/endive leaves, celery sticks (with leaves), Ameera Rubbins tomatoes (as sweet as strawberries!), and mayonnaise/black olives dip.

For dessert, winter mandarine (”mikan”) from her family’s garden!
Pretty full for the whole day, I can guarantee you!

The Japan Blog List

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American friends will be amused by the fact that this latest Chocolat Fin’s creation ’s name B-Cafe stands for Baghdad Cafe, the great film!

A typical cake by Chocolat Fin where cakes are concocted with a view to please adults first:
On a thin base of dark chocolate sponge cake stays a ball of Mocha mousse surrounded by light Chocolat sponge containing very fine orange peels.
The whole is topped with Chantilly cream, chocolate decoration chips and a cube of softened dark chocolate.
Simple in looks, complex in taste.
To savour with a strong coffee or tea!

Chocolat Fin
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo Machi, 1-3-7 (2 minutes walk from Shin Shizuoka Center)
Tel. & fax: 054-2516321
Business hours: 10:00~20:00

Also: Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Shin Shizuoka Center, Basement 1F
Tel.: 054-2215878

The Japan Blog List

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This is the last (for the moment) of the Izu Koogen series:

Izu Kogen Brewery “Rhein” (German Type)

Ingredients: Grain Malt, Hops
Alcohol: 5%
Contents: 300ml
Live yeast, unfiltered, unpasteurized.

Clarity: Very clear
Colour: Dark brown, neat colour
Foam: Long head, fine bubbles
Aroma: Dry, caramel, Welcome acidity
Taste: Well-rounded. Refreshing. Solid. Complex.
Apples, oranges, light caramel. A little acidity. Sweetish finish.
Lingers in back of the mouth

Overall: Sweetish for a Japanese palate, just right for a European/North American one.
Lighter than expected. Wel-rounded as for taste.
Very satisfying with food.

Izu Kogen Brewery
413-0231 Ito City, Tomito, 1103-21
Tel.: 0120-513-540, 0557-513000
Fax: 0557-513001
HOMEPAGE

Must-see beer Blogs/Websites:

Good Beer and Country Boys, Beer Haiku Daily, Bair Beer, Another Pint, Please!

The Japan Blog List

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Tomatoes have laid on our tables for so long that we have almost forgotten they came from South America. The Spanish and the Portuguese ignored them. The British studied them. The French brought them to Europe under the name of “Love Apple”, a name still existing in Italy. So it is said,…

“Fruit Tomatoes”

This summer-maturing fruit can be bought all year round with the interesting consequence that tomatoes ripened in winter are sweeter than their summer cousins as they contain less water, earning themselves the name of “fruit tomatoes”, a great oxymoron, if there was one!

Thanks to consumers’ insatiable appetite for novelty, tomatoes are grown into all kinds of size, shape and colour.
Just to cite a few, the following are the most popular in Japan:

“Momotaro Tomatoes”

-Momotaro (after the Japanese “Peach Boy” tale), which becomes “Fruit tomato” in winter.

“Midi Tomatoes”

-Midi Tomato (sometimes called “Plum tomatoes”), a larger cousin of the “Mini tomato”, is very sweet and very high in nutrients. Its aroma has a particularly long life.

“Italian tomatoes”

-Italian Tomato: mainly used for cooking, it may often come in a comparatively elongated shape.
It contains less water and reveals both large amounts of sweetness and acidity, making it very conducive to long cooking with the extra bonus of actually improving in taste upon heating.

“Mini Tomatoes”

-Mini Tomato: one-bite sized, it is also called “Petit tomato”. It contains twice as many Vitamin C, and it is very rich in beneficient ingredients.

“Yellow Mini Tomatoes”

-Yellow Mini Tomato: characteristic for a lot of sweetness and very little acidity. Very handy for children who dislike vegetables!

“Ameera Rubbins”

-Ameera Rubbins: with its larger Ammeera tomato, it is grown exclusively (until now, but they are bound to expand beyond our borders!) in Shizuoka Prefecture. They are the sweetest of all, tasting like strawberries, and very firm, making them ideal for decoration, notwithstanding their nutrient value. The smallest variety called “Rubbins” is grown by only two farmers near Iwata City!

“Micro Mini Tomatoes”

-Micro Mini Tomatoes: increasingly popular, they are only 8~10 mm and look somewhat like redcurrants. Very tasty with a beautiful acidity, the Japanese use them not only in salads, but also as the final touch on a plate of sashimi!

FACTS:

-Season: All year round
-Main elements: Licopin (Ricopin), Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Potassium, Pectin, Luchin (Ruchin).
Licopin is a carotene variety particularly beneficial in fights against allergies and ageing. The Potassium and Vitamin C and Pectin help control cholesterol in blood.
Luchin reinforces capillary veins and arteries.
Recent researches in Germany and China have proven that tomatoes help control high blood pressure.
Who said that the Italians look healthier than everybody else? LOL

TIPS:

-Choose tomatoes with a deep colour and healthy strong skin!
-Preservation: before storing them into the vegetable compartment of your fridge, wrap themin newspaper or put them inside a vinyl bag, or even better, inside a rigid plastic sealed box.
-Peeling: better than boiling water, direct contact with a flame! Make a very shallow cut near the stem area, firmly stick a fork or thin skewer into the stem area, hold the tomato directly over the gas flame for a few seconds, then plunge it into cold water. Skin should come off very easily.

The Japan Blog List

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Greetings, everyone!

Foodbuzz has been in official existence for two years now, and it is improving all the time for the benefit of all.
But this is not a message aimed at complimenting or extolling the virtues of our community.

I already have written an article explaining why and how Foodbuzz had been made more secure.
Unfortunately there are still a few people who misunderstand the real purpose of the venture.
Internet has gown through a number of bubbles, and the last thing we want is another one! The problem caused by “posting anything to Friends” with the consequent mail boxes saturation has already been rightly pointed out and dealt with.
I visit many chalkboards every day, and I have repeatedly come across “recruiting” messages and “invitations” to visit blogs. Although legitimate in intention, such postings can become quite offensive when they lack a minimum of civilty.
Let’s call a spade a spade: if a member thinks he/she is here for a quick buck, he/she will have to think again. One will have to wait at least a couple of years and work a minimum of two hours at it every day before making any significant eearnings.
Companies and business-oriented blog owners also have a right to belong to the Foodbuzz community, but I would kindly ask them to first offer their services as Featured Sponsors instead of leaving one-mile long advertizing messages on chalkboards.
All these occurences are a bore at best and an eyesore at worst.

I personally have over 2,000 “Friends”, but I’m pretty happy with my daily 150-odd hits.
Actually, I do harbor doubts as to the need to display numbers in brackets, which tends to encourage unhealthy competitions between members and does not reflect the true picture anyway.

I do not wish to pose as a paragon, but I have a simple method, which brings me plenty of satisfaction:
-1) I make a point to request friendshp with all new foodies.
-2) If my request is accepted, I write a greetings message on my new Friend’s chalkboard with a personal comment or two whenever feasible.
-3) If this message is answered, a new relationship has begun!
If someone requests my friendship, I make a point to accept it, write a thanks message, and visit the website if advertized.

Now this said, no one is perfect, but a little comprehension would certainly come in handy!

Sincerely hoping this old geezer has not unintentionally offended anyone in any manner,
Kanpai!

Robert-Gilles Martineau

The Japan Blog List

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This is the first of a series of articles on vegetables, which I hope will help my vegan and vegetarian (I’m not!) friends.
Incidentally、 nothing, pictures included, is copyrighted in my food blogs, so please feel free to use anything!

POTATOES

“Danshaku”

Potatoes were first introduced to Japan in 1910 by Baron Kawata from Great Britain/Ireland giving the name of “Danshaku/Baron” to the most commonly used potato in Japan, especially in croquettes and salads.

The biggeｓｔ potato exporters to Japan are China and India, although more and more grown locally.
The varieties found in supermarkets are:

“Kita Akari” used for mashed potatoes and croquettes,

“May Queen” used in stews,

“Toyoshishiro” used for fried potatoes,

“Red Andes” used for croquettes and Pot au feu,

“Inca No Mezame” used for stews.

Potatoes are available all year round, but are at their peak from February to May when new potatoes can be eaten whole!

FACT CARD:

-Season: All year round
-Main elements: carbohydrates (high energy), Vitamin C1, B1 (thanks to a large amount of natural starch in potatoes, the vitamin C will resist heating!), Potassium
-Preservation: Wrap potatoes inside newspaper and keep them in a dark, well-ventilated place away from the sunlight.

TIPS:

-Choose specimens well-rounded and with healthy skin. Avoid specimens with buds or of greenish colour (risks of diarrhea). Cut out all “dark spots”!
-To avoid a change of colour, wash potatoes in water after peeling or cutting.
-If you want to keep your potatoes for a while after boiling them, plunge them in (change it as many times as necessary) cold water until completely cooled down. They will not break or crumble when used later.
-After boiling cut potatoes, throw away water and keep heating them until they have lost a great part of their moisture. They will attain a crispy enough nature without resorting to deep-frying!