sanrensho

Lenabo, have you ever thought about starting a Russian cake/pastry thread? I know myself and others would be fascinated to learn more about the traditional and modern cakes and pastries that are popular in Russia.

I like to microplane the garlic and mix in softened butter, smear on bread and then top with parmesan or pecorino before toasting. *EDITED to specify toasting last.*

Please don't trim your posts! Keep the floodgates open! The paragraphs above tell me more about how Italians approach food than many cookbooks I've read. I look forward to your dissertation on pasta.

You bring up an interesting point. My wife is Japanese and I'm a second-generation Japanese-Canadian (parents both emigrated from Japan). Although my kids are much less culturally isolated than I was thanks to widespread media access and cheaper airfares, I believe it's very important to expose them to "everyday Japanese home cooking," as opposed to fusion Japanese or the latest recipe in Elle a Table. So we're much likely to keep our Japanese dishes simple and traditional rather than jazzed up/experimental/fusion. That means a simple potato korokke vs. a modern one stuffed with, say, the addition of pork/shiso/kimchee. Although it's important to expose children to a wide range of preparations and ingredients, there are only so many days of the week that we can devote to Japanese cooking. So we'd like to make sure our kids know what a basic potato korokke or gyoza is, vs. some modern variation filled with any number of ingredients or using non-traditional sauces. None of this would be an issue if we were living in Japan, where they would have plenty of opportunities to experience basic, everyday Japanese food from nimono to curry rice, korokke, etc.

Just out of curiosity, are most of the Japanese restaurants in Australia run by actual Japanese? Here in North America, I would say the opposite is true (most are not run by Japanese).

Thanks for the pics, Hiroyuki. Now I need to strong-arm a visitor into bringing me a bottle of the green tea liqueur... I wonder what the sakura flavor tastes like? (I'm not a drinker, but I sometimes use liqueurs for making desserts.)

I don't have any problems calling any of those preparations a mousse. (No problem eating them either!) The OED defines a mousse as "A sweet or savoury dish made from a puree or other base stiffened with whipped cream, gelatin, egg-whites, etc., and usu. served chilled." Sounds good to me! Although, as someone who enjoys pastry, it would be nice to see more detailed descriptions (chibouste, bavarian, whipped cream) rather than simply calling everything "xxx mousse."

Just to clarify, I'm not calling North Americans shallow for not having a knowledge of regional Japanese cuisine. I'm saying that their knowledge of Japanese regional cuisine is shallow. There's a difference there, the former being judgmental and the latter a statement of fact. In comparison, there's a better understanding of regional differences in Mexican, Italian, French and Chinese cuisine. I believe the lack of familiarity with Japanese regional cuisine is due to two factors: low levels of immigration from Japan and Japan's relative lack of popularity as an overseas destination, compared with the other countries I mentioned. (It also doesn't help that a disproportionately large percentage of Japanese restaurants are run by people who have never set foot in the country.) Also missing from the typical North American's perception of Japanese cuisine is an understanding of the popularity of non-Japanese cuisines like Chinese, Korean and Italian food, and how these have had an impact on what Japanese eat on a day-to-day basis. In the same vein, I'd say most of the non-foodie population in North America would be surprised to learn that Japan is a mecca for French-influenced pastry.

Kris, would you mind checking for availability of any type of green tea liqeur (not just Hermes brand)? Thanks a bunch.

I would say one of the biggest oversights about our perception of Japanese food here in North America is the lack of recognition for regional Japanese cuisines or regional variations. Of course, this is not something exclusive to Japanese cuisine. It simply reflects our fairly shallow perception of Japanese food here in North America, despite its surface popularity.

As others have mentioned, I get the impression that her cooking is "reinterpreted" or possibly "dumbed down." I will watch the segments of her show that take place in China, but that is more travelogue material.

Where can these be purchased? T&T Supermarket?

You might want to pick up some umeshu (Japanese apricot liqueur) to get an idea of how green ume tastes. Tasty and addictive stuff IMO.

Hmm, now I'm very interested after hearing this. Rodney, would you mind perfecting a few flavorings while you're at it?

Thanks for the comments. I'm not ultra-paranoid in any sense (raw eggs=no problem), but I'd still feel more comfortable refrigerating this particular buttercream and bringing it up to room temp for consumption. It's a minor step anyway and only means that I have to clear up some fridge space. I hope Rosie responds to you. Would be interesting to hear what she says.

Does this recipe harden quite a bit at fridge temps, like a typical IMB? What is the consistency like at fridge temps? Due to the whipping cream, I'd be loathe to have this sitting out for a few days, but would consider using it straight out of the fridge or for immediate consumption. Depending on the consistency, of course. Thanks.

Thanks Ling. I'll make a point of checking it out next time I've been there. It's quite possible I've been in the place but don't remember the name/storefront. Dao sa yoong are definitely a treat, although I'm more familiary with the Japanese version (they call them "an donuts").

Did you try 3P Poultry and Exotic Meats in North Van?

When did you move to Tokyo? I certainly wasn't disappointed in the quality of Japanese apples when I left Tokyo in '99, although it doesn't hurt that I spent a fair amount of recreational time in Nagano Pref. (apple-growing region). Of course, taste is a subjective thing, but I happen to enjoy the crisp, sweet apples that Japanese tend to prefer. I would take a Fuji or Mutsu apple over almost any other variety. Luckily, these are increasingly available here in Canada. The selection is wider and certainly cheaper now that I'm in Vancouver, but not necessarily tastier or more consistent in quality. The other thing with buying fruit in Japan is that you often get what you pay for.

I'm wondering about this too...

If they made mooncakes with alcohol, the mooncakes would trump fruit cakes by a wide margin. Seriously though, I think the non-fresh ones are helped by preservatives so, yeah, staleness wouldn't be a problem.

Canucklehead-Thanks for taking one for the team. Looks like I need make a trip out to Anna's. Ling-Is Keefer Baker located on Commercial? I love mooncakes. Sometimes a big hunk of bean paste wrapped in pastry just hits the spot. I assume there are imported mooncakes available from Hong Kong? Would the quality be better or just (somewhat) stale?

The link doesn't work but I can guess what you're talking about. I might look into it. I've been using a dull paring knife and that's worked fine so far. Fortunately, it's no longer an issue since I tossed the non-stick AF pan.

Wow, your writing skills are impressive! I would kill to be able to write like that. Good luck with your bakery. I hope you'll take the time to post in the main Baking forum when your store opens.

This made my day.