Hiroyuki

There are two types of shochu (焼酎 in Chinese characters) in Japan, koh-rui 甲類 and 乙類, as I mentioned in this thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=20711 Koh-rui shoshu is really pure, has no flavor, so it can be mixed with almost anything, for example, oolong tea, lemon juice, just to name a few. I like this type of shochu because of its low price. Otsu-rui shochu has some flavor and more expensive. A famous one is Iichiko (いいちこ), which is made from barley. http://www.sakayaclub.co.jp/scripts/urakawa/cyuya/iti.htm You can drink it with water or make it on the rocks. There are other types of otsu-rui shochu, like imo-jochu (not imo-shochu), which is made from sweet pototoes. In Japan, otsu-rui shochu has gained popularity these days. It is said that we are in the third shochu boom after the war. *** Before I start searching for brands, can anyone answer origamicrane's second question: Also does tokyo airport have a duty free section? would it be cheaper to buy sake in there?? I want to make sure that the brands I'm going to recommend are available there. Anyone?

I wish I could help you, but to tell you the truth, I'm not much of a Japanese sake drinker; I prefer beer (low-malt beer) and shochu. And I can only recommend the brands in Niigata, the heartland of Koshihikari rice. As I mentioned in another thread, kome-dokoro wa sake-dokoro (translation: a good rice producing district is a good sake producing district). Thus, my only recommendations would be: Kakurei 鶴齢 Takachiyo 高千代 http://www.shiozawa-rta.gr.jp/product/sake.html (Sorry, Japanese only) But if you gave me more specific information about your preferences, I could search for the best brand for you, by using the websites dedicated to sake, like this one: http://www.asku.com/sake/ (Japanese sake guide)

Jason, Exactly. And ice cream itself was foreign too. But now we have our own ice cream culture, as you can see. Miso ice cream, rice ice cream, uni (sea urchin) ice cream, just to name a few.

Do you have the Romanji pronunciation for that? ラクトアイス is lact ice, rakuto aisu アイスミルク is ice milk, and aisu miruku アイスクリーム is ice cream. aisu kuriimu

Oh, sorry, you need not shudder. I didn't mean to scare you. I just wanted you to be on the safe side. Take a closer look at your miso to see if it has discolored or gotten moldy. If not, taste it. If it still tastes good, you can use it. I guess freezing will solve your problem.

Just the same old reply... She says she's just not interested. She says she prefers fish. She is a native of this rural town and, as a child, ate lots of vegetables and some fish, but scarcely any meat. Maybe you can't imagine...

OK, if you insist, I'll give her your message. I'm interested in what she has to say about it.

All store-bought miso tubs??/bags have an expiration date on them, but once they are opened, that date is no longer valid. Then they must be kept in the refrigerator and used up as quickly as possible, preferably within two to three months. Most of the miso produced in Japan these days has low salt content, so it can go bad.

I'd say you just took your son to the wrong place. Better luck next time.

Since that situation is unlikely to happen to normal Japanese homes, I can't answer your question with confidence, so I searched for an answer on the Internet. The answer is: Once opened, miso is good for about two months only. I guess that unless it is moldy, you can continue to use it for another month or even longer. But I would suggest you put it in the freezer if you do not use it so often. Several websites actually recommend freezing miso.

Thank you, Sleepy_Dragon, for your reply, but the main point of this thread is the milk solid. Do you prefer the "mattari" taste of authentic ice cream or the "assari" taste of fake ice cream?

OK, thanks you two. In that case, I think I'll quit starting a new thread titled "Poky vs. Fran". EDIT: Not Poky but Pocky.

Oh, do you? You mean you are allergic to milk or something? Have you ever tried tofu ice cream? Anyway, I tried to search for any good websites on Japanese ice cream, but I failed. This is one of the few good ones I have found: http://www.geocities.co.jp/AnimeComic-Name/5582/ice.htm Sorry, entirely in Japanese. ラクトアイス is lact ice, アイスミルク is ice milk, and アイスクリーム is ice cream. Among the biggest manufacturers in Japan are: Lotte Morinaga Glico Meiji I hope someone else informs us of some good sites on Japanese ice cream.

I like Japanese lact ice, a type of ice cream with low milk solid content. I am one of many Japanese who prefer "assari" (simple, bland; I just can't think of the right English equivalent) taste. Some examples of lact ice (which I like): http://www.meinyu.co.jp/product/icecream/supercup/index.html http://www.lotte.co.jp/products/ice/10.html I like real "ice cream" too, like Liebender of Yuki Jirushi (Snow Brand) and Lady Boden of Lotte. But I don't care for Haagen-dazs; it's too rich for me, and it's really hard! Are you a fan of Haagen-dazs ice cream? What are some of your favorite ice cream products sold in Japan? *** Definitions: There are three types of ice cream in Japan, which have different milk solid percentages: 1) Ice cream: 15.0% or greater 2) Ice milk: 10.0% or greater 3) Lact ice: 3.0% or greater Source of information: http://www.icecream.or.jp/dl/basic5_2.html (Japanese only)

You know, in that case, things have changed. To be more precise, women have changed. Grab my wife? No way. She knows how Yoshinoya takeout gyudon tastes like, but she is not interested.

Could anybody tell me if Fran of Meiji is disscussed in this thread or anywhere else? Mousse Pocky of Glico is quite similar to Fran of Meiji, but Meiji is the first to introduce this kind of pocky. Does anyone know of Fran?

You did it. So, there are actually at least two versions. Nice to know that. (Should I be ashamed of not knowing such a simple thing?) *** Who took you to Yoshinoya? As a man, I just could'nt do that!

Sleeply_Dragon and torakris, thank you for your replies. Sleepy_Dragon, in Japan, "hamburger" refers to a hamburger steak with a bun, and "hamburg" is used to refer to a hamburger steak. What a difference! Let me list the main ingredients of Japanese hamburger steaks (4 servings): Minced beef and pork: 350 g Onions: 1 Bread crumbs: tbsp 3 Milk: tbsp 3 Eggs: 1 Pepper And how to make (only briefly): 1. Finely chop the onion and sautee until tender. Let it cool. 2. Add some salt to the minced meat and knead well (for about 1 minute?) 3. Add the onion, the mixture of bread crumbs and milk, egg, and pepper to the meat and mix well. 4. Divide it into 4 equal parts and grill in the frying pan. The sauce varies from person to person and family to family. Some pour ketchup only, others a mixture of kethup and tonkatu sauce. My family prefer the "assari" sauce that we make by putting equal amounts of soy sauce and mirin (fake) in the frying pan and heating for some time (after removing the steaks). *** My wife and I almost always make hamburger steaks at home. We are not satisfied with store-bought ones. I always enjoy the taste of the combination of beef and pork, and it always makes me wonder why Americans prefer "hamburgers" made from beef only. That's why I started the thread.

It's not your fault, torakris. Tsukemen Daioh is not an upscale restraurant, as you can easily see. Tsukemen Daioh, Yoshinoya, Sukiya, etc., etc., ... all those shops would be the last shops you women would like to go to.

As a native Japanese, I'd say the correct spelling (and correct pronunciation) is gaijin. It may be mispronounced when spelled gaigin. Personnaly, I hate that word, but the Japanese use it quite often, as you may know.

I'm not sure whether I have interpreted your post right. You just pick up some noodles from the noodle bowl with your chopsticks and then dip them in the soup bowl and eat them. Just repeat the steps. And of course, you drink the soup!! That's the whole point!! I used to go to the shop at Fukasawa 深沢 in Setagaya ward, and I still remember how good the soup was.

Click the following and a map appears: http://village.infoweb.ne.jp/~fwnf6142/oosaki.htm You'll see the words ラーメン屋（つけ麺大王). It seems to be very close (just in front of??) the West exist of Oosaki Station. (Sorry, I've never been to that shop.) Caution: According to several websites, some people have a low opinion of that particular shop. There seems to be one in Higashi-Gotanda 東五反田 and another in Nish-Gotanda 西五反田 too.

I don't think this topic requires a whole new thread, but anyway, I'll start one. Do Americans use only minced beef to make hamburger steaks? The Japanese usually use aibiki (mix of minced beef and pork). According to a TV program, the best ratio of beef to pork is 7 to 3. My wife and I (and probably many other Japanese) also use minced chicken and minced pork instead of beef. My wife likes to mix some tofu with minced meat to make a healthy version. Thanks.

As a proponent of simple food (and as a native Japanese), I have my own preferences on okonomiyaki: Meat (usually pork) is optional, so are many other items. So, the main ingredients are okonomiyaki mix (which I usually get from the local 100-yen shop), a lot of sakura ebi (shrimp), eggs, and cabbage. I sprinkle a lot of dried bonito flakes on the finished okonomiyaki. I make the sauce by mixing equal amounts of ketchup and tonkatu (or okonomiyaki) sauce. Boring? Sorry, but that's the way I like it.

When I lived in Tokyo, I was a fan of Tsukemen Daioh つけ麺大王. It's a franchise chain. I used to go to the one located in Setagaya 世田谷 ward, but it seems to have been closed down. I have found one in Oosaki 大崎 in Shinagawa ward. http://www.calvadoshof.com/Shops/Restrants/tukemendaiou.html