Hiroyuki

At Nakano, there is one ramen shop that is worth a visit, Taishoken (大勝軒). Taishoken at Nakano is where Yamagishi was trained and invented tsukemen. Taishoken at Nakano http://gourmet.yahoo.co.jp/gourmet/restaur...0013003214.html Tsukemen: 480 yen Tsukesoba special: 750 yen Map of Nakano http://www.nakano-city.com/gourmet/gourmet...ourmet_map.html

There are a number of ramen shops there. http://www.nakano-city.com/gourmet/ramen/ramen.htm http://www.geocities.co.jp/Foodpia-Olive/9...tokyo-aoba.html Do you care for ramen? If you do, I will provide some more information.

OK, Habanero (sp?) of Tohato is the hottest (I mean, the most piquant) snack I have ever tasted in my life.

Okay, so I've just figured out that mochi-ko is apparently the flour. ← Right, mochiko flour. ko (粉 in Kanji) means flour or powder. http://www.hormel.com/kitchen/glossary.asp...7695&catitemid= http://images.google.co.jp/images?q=mochik...ja&start=0&sa=N

Note: If mochiko is readily available in your area, please don't bother yourself trying this recipe; instead, try the recipe I provided above. Ingredients for 10 daikufu: 4 (200 g) kirimochi 60 to 80 g sugar 60 cc water 350 g anko (azuki bean jam) Potato starch Steps: 1. Make 10 anko balls, 35 g each. 2. Put potato starch in a vat. 3. Place kirimochi in a heat-resistant bowl, pour hot water enough to cover kirimochi, and heat the bowl in a microwave for about 4 minutes. 4. Make syrup: Mix sugar and water in a nonstick pot or frypan, put it on stove to dissolve. Take care not to scorch. 5. When kirimochi soften, drain water, knead with a moistened wooden spatula until smooth. Add hot syrup in 3 to 4 portions. 6. Transfer kirimochi to a pot, and knead over low to medium heat until a good texture. If it becomes too hard, add a little water. 7. Transfer kirimochi to a vat of starch, put starch on your hands, and divide kirimochi into 10 equal parts. 8. Spread each part into a circle, place an anko ball, and wrap it.

In Japan, the carp is a symbol of social success, as exemplified by koi nobori (carp streamers), which are put up on Boy's Day (May 5th). Images of koi nobori http://images.google.co.jp/images?q=%E9%AF...%E3%82%8A&hl=ja

Ayu is あゆ in hiragana and 鮎 in kanji. 鮎の塩焼き = Ayu grilled with salt At most restaurants in Japan, a lunch menu is available between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. only. If you are still in Gifu in that period on the next day, I can make another search.

Another advantage of Sato's Kirimochi is that each piece of mochi is individually and aseptically packed so it keeps for long and won't get moldy. I usually use my toaster oven to grill mochi. That way, I can get a crust that is slightly scorched. Yum! Daifuku is usually made from mochi-ko, http://konny.fc2web.com/info/recipe_daifuku_e.html but you can also make it from kirimochi. I'll post a recipe if you like. WARNING!! Eating mochi can be risky, especially to the elderly and small children. When serving mochi to them, cut it into small pieces. Everyone in Japan knows that, yet there are several people who die of choking on mochi each year. If I follow Helen's recipe, I will sprinkle some sesame seeds and bonito flakes, as well as soy sauce, after grilling.

And, don't forget the Toaster Oven thread. See post #1. Grill mochi in your toaster oven!

I managed to find one izakaya that meets your requirements (near Meitetsu Gifu Station, open past 10 p.m.): Rakuichi Rakuza (楽市楽座) http://gifu.e-machi.ne.jp/102080/ 1-minute walk from Meitetsu Gifu Station, open until 12:00. 2 ayu grilled with salt: 680 yen Of course, there are many others, I believe. But, if you merely want to have ayu dishes, why not find a good place in the Expo site? http://www-1.expo2005.or.jp/en/visitingjap...od/typical.html I'm not sure but I think there should be a place or two where you can have grilled ayu there. P.S. Did you say, "with a good value set lunch"??

I usually put one or two kirimochi in a dish, add a small amount of hot water, cover with plastic wrap, and heat it in the microwave for 40 seconds or so.

First of all, Sato's Kirimochi is one of the high-quality mochi products available in Japan. Some lower-quality mochi products contain starch, are less sticky, and are somewhat translucent. Mochi is usually served hot. It turns hard when cool, requiring you to reheat it. If you want to know the details of any of the dishes shown on the page you mentioned, please let me know. Here is a brief description of the dishes shown on the page: 1. Deep-fried wonton mochi 2. Okonomiyaki with mochi 3. Izobe (nori) mochi with butter 4. Porridge with mochi 5. Nori-wrapped, deep-fried mochi 6. Mochi pizza 7. Ramen with mochi 8. Diced and deep-fried mochi

Has anyone checked out this thread?, where maxmillan provided some useful information in post #3:

Hanjuku cheesecake. Hanjuku means soft-boiled. This type of cheesecake has a soft texture. An example of hanjuku cheesecake: http://www.rakuten.co.jp/frantz/533423/543076/

Sorry, I realized that both Kewpie Half (available in 210-, 400-, and 500-g tubes) and Kewpie Quarter (available in 210-g tubes) also have a yellow cap.

Yeah, it was a simple question, and here is an answer: This new product is called Kewpie Karashi Mayonnaise, and is available in 300-g and 200-g tube. As the name suggests, it contains karashi (mustard), and goes well with sandwiches, hot dogs, yakisoba, okonomiyaki, and so on, according Kewpie's site. http://www.kewpie.co.jp/products/index_mayo.html (Japanese only)

Another idea: Don't use it up! Just put in the freezer and keep it there until you feel up to eating it. What do you think?

One of the simplest ideas that anyone can think of... Just put it in your miso soup... No?

Vernal Equinox Day falls on today, March 20th, this year. This day is also the chuunichi (middle day) of Higan or O-higan (vernal equinoctial week). We make botamochi in this weak. Botamochi is basically the same as o-hagi, which is made in the autumnal equinoctial week. http://www.nsknet.or.jp/~chrkaji/yasuko/recipe/106_e.html Higan: http://www.yoke.city.yokohama.jp/echo/0403/c.html

I just introduced how thermal cooking can be done without using a shuttle chef. In fact, this seems to be practiced by not a few Japanese across the country. I think that heating the pot so that the center temperature of ingredients is maintained at 75 C (167 F) or higher for 1 minute kills all food poisoning bacteria.

You have good memory. You are right. takahashi tamago, in Hidaka city, Saitama prefecture （有）たかはしたまご（埼玉県日高市旭ヶ丘） http://www.ytv.co.jp/docchi/index_this.html http://www.citydo.com/prf/saitama/guide/sg/255001027.html 　

I don't know whether Japanese are particularly finicky about food, and if Japanese are causing problems on a global scale, I think it is mainly because of the sheer number of the Japanese people and because of Japan being an island country with a low self sufficiency. I do think however that Japanese can be overly finicky about the freshness and appearance of certain foods. For example, there are a lot of Japanese housewives who feel guilty if they make excessive use of canned and frozen products. Bent cucumbers and irregularly-shaped tomatoes are not acceptable to many Japanese consumers. In general, Japanese are industrious and meticulous to details, and these traits should not be taken for finickiness. It is because of these traits that Japanese have developed top-quality products such as juicy and sweet (and expensive) musk melons, wagyu beef, and kurobuta pork. Some Japanese say that Japanese fruit and farm products are "works of art". And I just don't buy the argument that "finicky = extravagant". As for the imports of U.S. beef, finickiess has nothing to do with this issue. Food safety is the key here. As for the doggie bag, some restaurants are worried that customers may make complaints if the leftovers cause them disease.

Ika-meshi? I thought it was a specialty of Hakodate in Hokkaido, but I have just confirmed by googling that it is a speciality of Mori Station. http://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia11/spot02.html Read (2). I like ika-meshi too, but I would like it more if it were bigger!

I did. Rapeseed (canola?) oil, if I remember right. 100 yen eggs? I'd like to taste them once in my lifetime.

You can get a similar effect by using a box made of styroform and towels (or newspaper). Simmer a pot for five minutes or so, wrap it in towels (or newpaper), and put it in the box. For better insualtion, apply alumimun foil to the inside of the box.