sanrensho

Do you mean a crumbly sort of crust, like this? Those are my favorite sort of manjyu as well, although I find a white bean paste filing is more common. What about sekihan (rice cooked with azuki beans)? You could also make rice gruel with azuki beans (azukigayu), although I've never had it.

If you're talking about setting a table for a fairly traditional Japanese meal in a Japanese home, the short answer is "very rarely." The major exception that I can think of would be curry rice. On average, the cutlery one typically finds in a Japanese home tends to be smaller, perhaps a concession to small Japanese hands. Especially the dessert spoons (and forks), which can be quite a bit smaller than a Western teaspoon. Actually, they are often downright tiny.

Apicio, is this the type of product you are referring to? http://www.rike-vita.co.jp/int/emulsifier/...ion/04cake.html

Phaelon, thanks for your comments and mini-review. It looks there will be a vacuum pot in my future.

Incidentally, and completely off-topic, steamed sponge cake is extremely popular as a snack food in Japan (mushi cake), where it is often made into a type of steamed cheesecake. The texture of these cakes is outstanding. http://tradepark.livedoor.biz/9a7f706f.JPG This not so great photo shows the crumb.

Firstly, I should specify that the Chinese bakeries I am familiar with are typically Hong Kong-style bakeries that produce both traditional Chinese pastries as well as Western-style cakes/rolls and bread loaves. Here's an example of the type of cakes that I buy from Chinese bakeries in our area (Vancouver, BC), which are layered sponge cakes filled with whipped cream and fruit: http://www.annas.ca/Cakes.htm If you click the link, you will see that they specifically mention "baking" their sponge cake, not steaming. Since these cakes are a lot like what the original poster described, I just assumed they were one and the same. Maybe the OP can clarify which type of cake is being referred to.

I'm fairly sure that tarteausucre is not referring to a steamed cake. The steamed cake that I have had has a different texture from the sponge cake used in layered cakes made by Chinese bakeries.

I've tried several recipes for ricotta cheesecake and still haven't found one that I liked. I would also be interested in a good recipe.

My mom, a Japanese immigrant, made the best desserts of anyone I knew. Due to the strong French/European influence on Japanese baking, I was regularly treated to cream puffs (filled with pastry cream rather than chantilly cream), baumkuchen, madelaines, and twisted egg bread. I also distinctly remember being driven all the way downtown from our home in the 'burbs, for the sole purpose of buying good croissants and European buttercream cakes. She is still a great cook, but very exacting and can be hard to cook for if not done right.

The tiffin system in India's major cities is truly astounding. Do a Google search on "tiffin" and "India" and you'll find plenty of information. Interestingly, some of the food court Indian food places around here have begun offering a tiffin option where they fill your tiffin for a discount.

This is the same way ramen and soba is delivered in Japan. Of course, if you really care about your noodles, you don't want noodles that have been sitting in soup for 5-10 minutes. However, for densely populated areas, this kind of noodle delivery is a great convenience for the lazy and those who don't cook, as well as the elderly. One thing I find interesting about street food in SE Asia is the extensive use of plastic bags (rather than cups/bowls/containers) for serving food.

It's quite possible that your tastes have simply changed. Starbucks was how I got hooked on coffee and I used to drink it almost exclusively five years ago. Nowadays, I buy from good, local roasters and can barely tolerate Starbucks beans.

As suggested, I added sugar to taste and the ratio of fruit to sugar was probably 6:1 or higher. We served ours sliced on a pool of creme anglais. Since we still have half left, I think we'll try it with whipped cream tomorrow and ice cream the day after that.

For those that have used the Yama vacuum pots, how does the end product compare with coffee from a drip machine? I am considering having my wife pick one up for me in Japan. Is it fragile in terms of daily use/cleaning? Sadly, glass items don't last very long in my household.

jackal10: What is the approximate ratio of sugar to fruit that you used? Thanks.

Thanks for another great demo. I was actually thinking about making a batch of pralines for a cake I was making. I also have a question. I always thought that a traditional French praline looked like the ones in the photo below. Could you do a demo for achieving pralines like these? French pralines

The raspberries are right in season now, so I would recommend using them as either a topping, mousse filling or jam layer on your cake base. I just finished a cake with a choc. butter cake layer spread with homemade seedless raspberry jam, bittersweet choc. mousse layer, and white choc. mousse layer, dusted with cocoa powder. I really like the idea of different choc. mousse layers (white/bittersweet/milk/mocha) separated by thin chocolate cake layers.

I'm guessing flavored with miso and contains bacon?

"Now's our chance, while mom is messing with the dejikame!" The shiso sausages look fantastic, I think I've had a few in Japan. Would be wonderful to try making at home. Incidentally, one of our major sausage producers here in Vancouver introduced an Arabiki (Mini-)Sausage about a year or two ago. The best thing is that they are actually available at one of our local supermarkets, rather than requiring a drive across town to a specialty Asian food store.

Interesting, Kokuho Rose(Pink) is labeled as a "medium grain rice." I never even thought about this, since I grew up on Kokuho Rose before the premium brands became widely available. I guess this explains why Kokuho Rose cooks soft, IMO. http://www.kodafarms.com/products.html#krose Tamaki Gold is labeled as a Koshihikari "short grain rice": http://www.tamakimai.com/products.html Here's an article about a blind taste test between California and Japanese short grain rices. Doesn't say what California brand they used. Maybe I will try to Email the fellow and find out. http://www.csus.edu/news/020503rice.htm Also, a link from the California Rice Commission confirming that Calrose is a medium grain rice, distinct from the short grain rice generally preferred by Japanese consumers. http://www.calrice.org/b6_types.htm

I'm glad that I'm not the only one who notices the difference. In our household, we did our own blind test, since I didn't know that my wife had bought a bag of musenmai rice. After eating one mouthful of rice, I turned to her and said, "What's wrong with the rice?" She agreed about the difference. Same thing happened when my wife bought a bag of pink Kokuho Rose. (Apologies to SuzySushi.) FWIW, we use a relatively recent IH cooker for all our rice, which might be a factor.

Specifically, what problems are you having with the Vietnamese ice coffee you make at home? I've also found those coffee filters to be finicky to use, since I don't use them all that regularly. I like to use imported Trung Nguyen coffee when I can get my hands on it. The TN roast definitely has a unique aroma to it. One more thing: I usually overtighten the lid (by accident) and end up loosening it to get the right degree of drip.

I don't mean to skirt around your question, but is this part of a quest to find the best Japanese (Californian grown) rice available here in North America? My wife and I usually go with the Hitomebore and Tamaki Gold brands. We did try one bag of the pre-washed (musenmai) rice and it was truly horrible. There is plenty of information about Japanese rice varieties if you do a quick Google search. One more thing: I believe that the Kokuho Rose and Calrose brands are at the low end in quality, though I can't recall specifically buying Calrose at any time. Yes, there is a difference.

I was specifically told at Driediger Farms that their blueberries were "ready" (though not for U-pick). No sale from me, as I have raspberries firmly on the brain for the next week or two. Incidentally, a neighbour of ours picked up some red gooseberries at, I believe, Krause Farms. These were unlike the (sour) green ones I am familiar with. They tasted much sweeter and with the firm skin were likely a slightly tart grape. Yum.

We were at Driediger Farms this weekend and they also had blueberries for sale. I was as mystified as you were. Partly because I need a break between the strawberry, raspberry and blueberry seasons!