Ohba

Cheers. On Indian food, I have to mention the Indian section on eGullet forums: some really excellent information in there on well, everything. There's a particularly good thread, with photos, on someone's travails making pork vindaloo, with some guidance from another poster on how to make it authentic. Looked so interesting I had to try it, and damn me, he was right - far and away the best Indian food I've ever made. If anyone's looking for it in vain, let me know and I'll dig up a link. With apologies for the digression away from matters Japanese... ← as the host digresses even further... I would love to see that thread, if you could dig it up I would be very happy. ← Somewhat confusingly, the whole story's spread over two separate threads, but I think one links to the other. To cut to the chase, follow this link: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=69386&st=0 and scroll down to Waaza's recipe at post no. 28. That's the one to follow.

Cheers. On Indian food, I have to mention the Indian section on eGullet forums: some really excellent information in there on well, everything. There's a particularly good thread, with photos, on someone's travails making pork vindaloo, with some guidance from another poster on how to make it authentic. Looked so interesting I had to try it, and damn me, he was right - far and away the best Indian food I've ever made. If anyone's looking for it in vain, let me know and I'll dig up a link. With apologies for the digression away from matters Japanese...

Welcome to Japan. I've recently arrived in Tokyo myself and I'm still getting oriented with the food and cooking scene. On the subject of ovens, I haven't seen what's available in Japan properly, but I'm pretty sure you can get one if you're determined to have an oven in your apartment - a toaster oven's handy too, but it's not an adequate substitute. In Hong Kong I had a smallish countertop oven which did the trick just fine for things like roasting chicken but would have been too small for say turkey, and as I'm not much of a baker, I couldn't really say about how it would do with bread and cakes. Anyway, just to say that these things are available and not hugely expensive, but you'll need enough kitchen space to put the thing. The two ring burner + rice cooker setup is just about standard across East and Southeast Asia, so you might find yourself adapting to that and using the oven less than you would at home - although plenty of Japanese make their own cakes and stuff with microwave/oven combos. You're close enough to Tokyo to make the occasional trip (you'd be mad not to) so you can take care of a lot of your food needs, including cookbooks, when you hit the capital. There's plenty available in English on Japanese cooking, it's just a question of what you like the look of. A book I'd recommend for anyone living here is Richard Hosking's (?) Dictionary of Japanese Food Terms. Back on the subject of Tokyo, it's about the best city on the planet for eating out, so you can make your trips down from Tochigi entirely food-focused if that's your thing. In my Hong Kong days, I used to come over to Tokyo as much to eat as anything else. On Indian spices, I don't know that I'd agree with Torakris on quality: I've bought them from no-one but Indian provision stores for at least the last ten years, on the grounds of freshness, variety, and choice of packing size. And it's usually much cheaper too, as Western spice companies favour those mini jars, which of course you get to pay for. In any case, you wouldn't want to keep them for too much longer than six months if you value freshness highly, so you may well need to restock once you're here. I just did a brief search and it seems Ikebukuro's the place for Indian/Pakistani stores: including Al Flah supermarket. Unfortunately, I can't navigate to the home page of the site that my search threw up (a decent list of ethnic stores), but there's a very brief description here: http://www.bento.com/rev/0235.html, and maybe more on eGullet Japan as well - I know there's a food shopping in Tokyo page on this site somewhere.

Thanks very much for the replies. I'll be looking forward to this second batch.

Too sweet, among other things. And with my poor maths, I may have converted cups incorrectly to metric. So if anyone can provide idiot's instructions to Step 2 in metric, I'd be really grateful. I used 100 proof, and I've now got 350 ml of lemon infused vodka.

On my second attempt to make Lemoncello, I'm at the halfway stage. As the first didn't go well, I used just half a bottle of vodka this time around. So I've got 350 ml of lemon infused vodka. It's been sitting for around 50 days. Can anyone help with the exact quantities for the second stage, adding the sugar-syrup/vodka? Any advice on how to do this? If you can give metric measurements instead of cups, so much the better. Thanks!

If you've got growing space, you could try cultivating your own. My wife got ordinary soybeans, soaked them overnight and planted them out. They're ready to go in 2-3 months. They seem to be quite trendy in Hong Kong; that is, reviews of Japanese restaurants invariably seem to mention how the edamame tasted. I can't really see why it would be worth spilling ink on describing the quality or succulence of boiled, salted beans as prepared by a restaurant. You might as well rate the steamed rice. I have been served them a couple of times in Chinese restaurants as an appetizer, usually soaked in rice wine and with pepper and maybe a couple of other flavours added. Far better just salted - the wine doesn't work as far as I'm concerned.

I agree with a lot of what you're saying Helenjp, but I think other regions are similarly to blame. The pressure from powerful supermarkets in Britain on producers of food is well documented. Sadly, it doesn't result in better quality; just lower prices paid to the producer and bigger profits for the food corporations. I don't know how constructive it would be to compare NZ with the UK, Japan or the US - a population of 3 million vs 60, 120 and 250 million - but I do have the greatest respect for what New Zealand has achieved with removing farm subsidies. If nothing else, it has shown that it can be done without wiping out agriculture: in the meantime, other developed nations talk about free markets while maintaining subsidies, which would be bad enough if it was just hypocritical, but is catastrophic in its effect on poorer nations less able to compete. These two links have a little more on the subject - they're chosen pretty much at random from my internet search. Suffice it to say that given the choice between NZ and US meat, vegetables or fruit (a lot of the high end food in Hong Kong tends to be from the US, Australia, NZ, or Japan), I go for NZ every time, because I know where I'd rather my money went to. http://www.cato.org/dailys/03-06-02.html http://216.239.63.104/search?q=cache:cQ8wn...dy+policy&hl=en

All good points, Helenjp, but I think that just about every one of them applies equally to America, Europe and the rest of the developed world. Do you think Japan is worse in this respect? I really think that one of the worst offenders in the process you're describing is the United States; forcing markets open, pushing down prices, eliminating variety, wiping out farmers to replace them with farm labourers and plantation workers, destroying the social structure and then moving on to the next profitable venture. GM production is just one more example in a long, depressing catalogue of hypocritical and domineering attitudes in the name of free trade.

I think the case against credit cards is being overstated. Some people may use theirs rarely. And for myself, when I was living in Japan, I never used them because I was unable to get one. But on my trips over there these days, I rely on them heavily, while being aware that not everywhere accepts them. Japan is still a cash society. But you still stand a good chance in mid and upper range restaurants of being able to use the card - I tend to spend around 3-5000 yen on an evening meal, and generally put it on the credit card whenever permitted (I am talking about Tokyo here; but I've also find that Niseko in Hokkaido is very card-friendly). If you lose your cash, however that may have happened - carelessness, theft or whatever, it's gone forever. It is also possible to use machines to withdraw money, as long as you don't expect to be able to get it from every machine, and remember that they're not open 24 hours. The different classes of card and machine is an issue frequently discussed on travel websites with information on Japan, so I won't go into that here. Good point whoever it was who said you wouldn't eat from 7-11 and its ilk at home. Couldn't agree more. It's not the way to see Japan (although I will add that the range and quality of food is far superior to the vile, unhygienic looking merchandise on offer in the tatty convenience stores here in Hong Kong). I really think if you're reduced to eating that cheaply, you've got the wrong budget or itinerary for properly enjoying what Japan has to offer.

Hell, I'm starting to feel like a real bickerer here, but regarding cash: yeah, you're less likely to get it stolen in Japan than most other countries, and you won't be able to fish out your card at every restaurant or bar, but carrying around wads of cash is NEVER safe.

I haven't read this article, and I don't know if "top of the world" means "with the other developed countries", "in the top ten" or "no. 1". And I don't have statistics to counter with, but I do know that wasteful habits can be found elsewhere. Britain is terrible at this, and as the supermarketization and now hypermarketization of our food supply has accelerated, so has the distance our food travels to get to us. Europe's common agricultural policy might one day be remembered as one of the most criminally wasteful and destructive food policies in history; farmers are unreasonably subsidized to produce food, and when surpluses occur, as they inevitably do, more money is spent destroying it. So while we're kicking open markets to less wealthy countries, we're ensuring that they'll never be able to compete with us in anything like a fair manner. I do share the concerns of others that Japan is pillaging the planet for marine and other food resources with precious little regard for ecology, economic wellbeing of others, or the future security of supply; and it also bothers me that knowledge of this among ordinary Japanese consumers seems to be so patchy. But I also think it's too easy to point the finger at others. One of the worst consumers of world resources is the United States. I find a lot of their policies regarding food production, markets, and competition, to be utterly abhorrent. Europe and Japan may not be much better in this regard. For those of us who aren't Japanese, there's nothing wrong in criticizing the waste we see around us in Japan - God knows, there's enough of it - but I think we need to worry about a little more than doggie bags, and need to take a long hard look at what our own countries get up to as well.

Very tasty. Reminds me of blackberry.

I'm always pretty happy with the food up in Niseko; maybe it's unfair to compare with some of the minor resorts I've been to, but after Zao and Appi, which are majors, and where I thought the food was pretty mediocre, it was a relief to go back to Niseko. As with all Japanese ski areas, there is no shortage of substandard food of course, particularly at the on-slope restaurants, but the best food is very good indeed. There are a few nice options, mostly open in the evenings only (I think their staff are off skiing during the day). If you go down the hill from the Scott hotel at Hirafu, the main strip, on the left are Big Cliff and Abucha (down at the traffic lights) while on the right is Bang Bang. Big Cliff has a nice homely feel to it, and most of the stuff is pretty tasty. I think Abucha's food is even better, and Bang Bang is also very good, although it can run expensive. You would do well to book, especially at Bang Bang; I've never had much luck just walking in - it's always busy. The little ramen shop next to the Scott is also good; it goes izakaya in the evenings. If you want to eat (good) Western, there's Jojos cafe at the Niseko Adventure Centre. Nice place. I think the stuff available at Higashiyama and Annupuri is much more the kind of thing you'd expect at any ski resort in Japan. Niseko: better food, more snow. But that's just my opinion.

I don't know if I go with your advice about eating okonomiyaki and ramen in the evenings. Traveller sites give a lot of similar suggestions on eating at rock bottom prices in Japan. Buy all your food at Lawson's/eat at Yoshinoya/buy discounted sushi just before the supermarket closes etc...To me it seems a shame to suggest that kind of limitation in a country with such great food, and such atmospheric restaurants, cafes and bars. For those on a budget, there are in fact plenty of inexpensive options. But often it's worth paying extra, because you'll get something better. I sympathise with anyone on a tight budget; however, Japan isn't Thailand, and it is better to accept that prices are much as expected for any wealthy country. Not that I have a problem with ramen or okonomiyaki, of course... Suggestions for visitors to Japan who want to focus on food (nothing startling here, just common sense): Prior research will pay off, and there are websites which give good information on food and restaurants in Japan. Tokyo Food Pages, Metropolis, etc. Having a Japanese foodie friend to show you around will often help hugely; you stand more chance of being shown something interesting or unique that you'd never have found by yourself. So if you haven't got one, get one. I know many people who say that food in the countryside is better than in Tokyo. Having spent over half my Japan time in the provinces, I feel the opposite. For sheer variety, you cannot beat Tokyo (And doesn't this apply to almost every capital/dominant city in every country? Offhand, I can't think of any exceptions). It's a great city for just diving into some place at random and being blown away by the quality of the food, whether it's cheap or expensive. Just from the food and drink perspective, Tokyo should be top of everyone's Japan itinerary.

I just brought back two jars of haskappu jam from my last trip to Hokkaido. They're still unopened, so I don't know how they taste. Someone gave me a very fine Hokkaido-made raw milk camembert a year or two back. I can tell you, it was a revelation for anyone who's had Japanese cheese before. I think it's available at Chitose airport, but I don't recall the exact name of it.

Well, you mistook my meaning. I don't say Cantonese food in itself is uninspired. But the fact that 90 per cent of Chinese restaurants in England serve Cantonese food - often not very good - points to either a lack of inspiration or a dearth of cooking skills. As for its catering to so-called "gweilo" taste, we gweilos don't write the menus. My personal experience of eating Chinese in England has been that it's rarely worth the cost or the bother, and I certainly don't go for the service. Then again, I'm not that enthralled with what's on offer in Hong Kong either - at the cheap end of the spectrum. When cooks here learn to rely less on tasteless, gluey cornstarch, I'll learn to enjoy the food more. Until then, I'll do my real eating in Taipei and Guangzhou.

One more thing worth noting about Sichuan food is that it has long been very highly regarded among the Chinese as one of their great - if not greatest - culinary traditions. If you can get to Sichuan, you'll soon know why. So its possible that another reason Sichuan appeared among Chinese restaurants in the West is because in the Chinese banqueting and fine dining tradition, Sichuan is seen as the equal of Beijing or Guangdong.

A lot of regional Chinese food hasn't travelled as much as it might deserve to. One of the biggest omissions in my opinion is Taiwanese, which seems to be thin on the ground in Britain, and certainly is in Hong Kong. Yet the food in Taiwan is magnificent, although a layman like me has trouble picking out the authentically native from the imported (and adapted, not always with success) mainland regional styles. As immigrants from Fujian make up a disproportionate element of mainland immigration to Europe, North America and elsewhere, it's also perhaps surprising that Fujianese food hasn't caught on as a big trend yet. Regional food is certainly popular in Guangzhou, with just about every province of China represented; the big ones seem to be "northeastern" (Harbin etc), Hunan, Sichuan, and Xinjiang. Maybe one day they'll make their way abroad. Among the others (from my memory only, I'm sure there are many more) were Guizhou, Shandong, Yunnan, Jiangxi, Mongolian. There's also Buddhist vegetarian, which is big in Taiwan, less so in meat-mad Hong Kong, and - as far as I know - practically non-existent in the rest of the world. Given the enormous variety of Chinese food in China/Taiwan/Hong Kong, it's a real pity that it's so poorly represented abroad. As someone said above, in Britain, it tends to be Cantonese and more Cantonese. Not very inspired.

There can't be a simple answer to the question, surely. It depends on the type of establishment you're eating in. There's also the cultural angle. In some - I'd say many - countries, the customer is not really expected to issue orders to the chef. Often the case, as it happens, in countries where the food itself takes precedence. They also seem to be the countries where allergies are not worn as a badge of honour. It may not seem right to some that chefs dictate what and how their customers should eat, but customers should appreciate that in a good restaurant, the chef has years of training and expertise, while the average customer can barely boil an egg. As a customer, if you didn't like your salmon half raw, you can move on to a different restaurant next time. When I eat out, I try to appreciate some of the difficulties and pressures faced by restaurants. Contrary to what someone said above, there is no "bottom line". Each place is different, the quality of food varies, the atmosphere varies, the price varies, and the service varies. Do you always go to a restaurant that fulfils a checklist of your requirements regarding service, quality and so on? I don't. A lot of things that make a place special to me aren't easily definable. I hate actively bad service, but I enjoy variety, exploration etc and understand that to find new things and come to understand food better, I can't always tell the restaurant how it should be cooked. I think customers have to gauge the restaurant to some extent, and find out how accommodating the place will be to their demands. And just because it doesn't automatically meet them, doesn't make it a bad place. As anyone who has eaten out in Rome, Paris, Hong Kong or Tokyo would agree.

The food industry, most of us would agree, is responsible for some pretty sharp practices. I think it's second nature to a lot of food corporations to con their customers - farm fresh eggs etc. - while keeping just to the right side of the law. The more you find out about what they do, the more depressing it gets. A recent one in the UK: a supermarket (Tesco, I think), took to displaying pork with added water next to fresh pork. Legal yes, ethical no. There's almost nothing they wouldn't stoop to to save a buck or force rubbish down our gullets that we wouldn't eat if we really knew. But... Snapping off mushroom stems? Because it's weally expensive? That's for kids. If you want the mushrooms, pay for them. Don't want them at that price? Don't buy them. And if you want to fight the food corporations, find a better way.

Service charge. Alright, it's not hidden, just printed nice and small, but what is it supposed to represent? The quality of service offered at a restaurant is the choice of the owner. Better service = a better chance of attracting customers. Why is the provision of service translated into a direct charge for the diner? My preference would be for that 10 per cent to be added to all the dishes on the menu. Most restaurants here (Hong Kong) either keep the money instead of divvying it up among the staff, or plough it into training and uniforms, which is feudal. I prefer the system they use in Japan and Korea, revolutionary in its way: no service charge, no tipping. You pay your bill, you get your change, and you are expected to take every cent of it away with you. The service is great, and the restaurant, not the diner, is presumed to take care of its own staff.

I'll jump on the popcorn bandwagon. Nothing like popcorn to stink up the joint for no good reason. Are there really people who install a home theatre, and just to add the final touch, put in a popcorn machine? Or is it that just in the hi-fi mags? One from Hong Kong: cornstarch. Turns everything to mucus, but why is that a good thing?

Well, I'm all for good train food. I was born far too late for the Golden Age of Rail, but I still yearn for it. And I love travelling by train, but the food, if available at all, is a constant disappointment. Singapore-Penang express? Styrofoam boxes of fried noodles, reheated. China? Real cooked food, but something very very wrong with the taste of those eggs. Virgin West Coast? Nescafe at boiling point in a thin plastic cup. Burgers. An insult. Japan has the station bento. They're okay if cold food's your thing. Well, it's interesting to hear about Eurostar. We can live in hope of seeing more of that.

China Airlines is the (crash-prone) national carrier for Taiwan. Air China is one of China's international airlines. The two are often confused with each other or misnamed - "China Air" comes up a lot. Have never dared fly China Airlines, so I can't speak for the food. As an economy-only traveller, my best meals have been on Asian airlines: Cathay, JAL and Singapore in particular. Cathay's a fine airline, but the food is spotty: sometimes fine, usually okay, sometimes awful. Their reputation for always-great food I think is a little overstated. Booze is excellent though. For food quality, I wonder if there is a connection to which airport you fly from. HK and Tokyo seem to be generally good, even UA and Northwest serve digestible meals on their HK-Tokyo flights. I totally agree with the people who said keep it simple. Stews and curries taste good reheated; broccoli doesn't. Why the obsession with garden-fresh vegetables? Why pretend you're getting a restaurant meal? It just don't translate well to an aircraft cabin, and 90 per cent of good cooking is common sense, surely? But, hats off to the airlines for at least trying, and for often succeeding. Good luck with rail. Try the buffet car next time you're in Britain. If they've got one. I've never had good food on a train, in any country, except what I brought on myself.