torakris

Thanks Jim! I will give that recipe a try!

Jin that sounds incredible, wish my leftovers sounded so good! Last night BIBIMBAP with salmon sashimi, mizuna, daikon, cucumbers and yellow pepper served with lots of kochujang wakame and egg soup

the newest from Dominos: pie on pizza a pizza topped with a lattice pie crust? http://www.dominos.jp/ and you can try it on their new porcini pizza!

word for 9/29: 里芋　さといも satoimo (sah-toe-ee-moe) This the Japanese variety of taro, the Japanese taro tends to be quite a bit smaller then the taro seen in other parts of the world. The most popular ones tend to be about the size or a golf ball and slightly larger. I am not sure of how many varieties of taro there are in Japan but it seems that every village has their own maybe this is why they are called sato (village or hometown) imo (potato). Or maybe it is because they seem to be the imo (potato) that was native to Japan. Peeling of satoimo can cause severe itching in people that are sensitive and it maybe best to wear gloves when handling them, because of this and the fact that peeling them is very time consuming it is very common nowadays to buy them water packed or frozen. Satoimo are mostly commonly used in simmered dishes. satoimo: http://www.maruka-ishikawa.co.jp/images/ve...ure/satoim4.jpg

Fall really is the best time for takigomi gohan, chestnuts, sweet potatoes, gobo, etc, etc My huband and kids don't really care for it so I don't make it nearly as much as I want to............... We went out for dinner on Saturday and had a plate of sanma sashimi that was REALLY wonderful!

I have discovered a trick to eating futo maki. I will try to explain it. Hold it in front of your mouth with the hand directly in front of your face and your pointer finger at the 3 o'clock position and the thumb at 9 o'clock. Don't try to bite it in half, instead go for about 1/3 of the total maki but at the same time try to get 2/3 of the filling, as you take your bite slowly bring your finger and thumb together to bring the maki back into a circular shape again "hugging" the filling so it doesn't fall out. This can then be eaten in one bite. The other point is to study the roll before you eat it and try to get in the first bite the stuff that is in small pieces (rather then chunks) and will fall out and make a mess, things like denbu (the fluffy pink fish stuff) and kampyo (gourd strips). Save for the last bite the big things like the chunk of egg, cucumber, etc

Friday night : bulgur pilaf with zucchini and feta (from Foodman's class on Lebanese cooking) carrot and pine nut salad sauteed spinach and bacon dessert: chocolate chip cookies

Foodman, I made the bulgur pilaf last night, the variation with zucchini and feta and it was wonderful! Even my pickiest child loved it! Thank you!

I was quite a picky child so you name it I didn't like it. Some of the things I have come to like: cilantro shiso anko (red bean paste) uni ikura natto still can't touch brussel sprouts or beets

moving away from food just one more time word for 9/27: 運動会　うんどうかい undoukai (uhn-doe-kah-ee) This is the sports day event that is held in schools and neighborhoods all over Japan. Children (and adults) break into either white or red teams and compete against each other in a variety of events. The school undokai's are attended by the whole family often the grandparents as well and are marked mid way by the eating of the bento lunch that the mother slaved over for hours! This is what I should be working on now, so I will cut this short and be back later (maybe even with pictures!)

jiji means old man and often in a derogatory way, only when small children use it as a shortened form of ojiisan (grandfather) does it have a nice meaning. ojisan (with a short i) is general term for an older man or for an uncle and can turn derogatory depending on the tone of voice used. kusai means stinky or smelly and is the common everyday word for some thing that smells bad so combine them and you have a place that reeks of stinky old men, essentially a seedy place, you guessed right Gus!

That was wonderful! One quick question How long can you keep the garlic and tahini sauces?

I wonder if it was a take off on the ten-musubi, the onigiri (rice ball) with tempura (usually shrimp).

I had a feeling you would be saying that! I also like salmon satsumaimo (sweet potato) kuri (chestnuts) matsutake

Thursday dinner: saba no amazuke -- saba (mackeral) was cut into small pieces and deep fried and then put into a "marinade" with sugar, soy, sake, mirin, vinegar, chiles and ginger, then I added julienned carrots, zucchini, and onions, then let it sit for a couple of hours hiya yakko -- cold tofu served with ginger, red cabbage sprouts and tamari miso soup with potatoes and onions Japanese rice

they having been frying rolls in Japan for a while now.........

what are some of your favorite fall foods in Japan?

word for 9/26: さつまいも satsumaimo (sah-tsu-my-moe) Japanese sweet potato Central American in origin this was brought to Japan by European traders to Okinawa and Kyushu. Okinawa has become famous for its purple fleshed sweet potato that is most often made into sweets. Satsuma and area in Kyushu is how the potatoes enterd the rest of Japan and thus their name, the satsuma potato (imo). Jaapnese sweet potatoes normally have a pinkish red to burgundy colored skin while the flesh varies from a light yellow to a golden yellow. One of the most popular preparations is the yaki-imo, the potato grilled whole over charcoal and eaten while still steaming hot, rarely made at home these are usually bought from the yaki-imo truck that drives around the neighborhood, normally in the early evening hours, announcing its presence over a loudspeaking while the potatoes roast in a special "oven" in the back of the truck. Other uses for satsumaimo includes, soups, rice dishes, salads, deep fried and simmered foods. satsumaimo: http://www.maruka-ishikawa.co.jp/images/ve...ure/satsum5.jpg

nagashi somen was discussed a little back on the summer season food thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...T&f=19&t=23071& If you try to eat it in Japan make sure you are here in the summer or you might not find it.

Good question Tad! They do have tempura type foods rolled into sushi here, I have no idea or how old the practice is though. I have eaten soft shelled crabs here, but it was at Red Lobster restaurant I have never really thought about it or noticed it in restaurants, of course I am not really in a big crab producing area.......

Weds night: polenta topped with Italian sausags simmered with tomatoes, onions and fennel salad of baby spinach and arugula with sliced smoked duck breast and orange slices roasted button mushrooms

Sounds a little too small to be yuzu, and yuzu isn't round. It might be either a sudachi or kabosu, these were all discussed (with pictures) in the daily nohingo thread: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST...&t=20174&st=120 scroll down just a tad........

I made the aromatic duck curry on page 326 and really liked it, though I found the duck legs a little tough (this could also have been from my choice in legs). I haven't cooked from this book in a little while, time to pull it out again! The most incredible recip is on page 358, the salmon and roe salad, I still have dreams about how wonderful this was!

word for 9/25: ごぼう gobou (goh-boh) burdock root Though it grows in various parts of the world, the Japanese are the country that actually eats it, in other countries it is used for its medicinal properties. The Kanto (general Tokyo) area is place of origin of the nagai (long) gobo, the most common being the takinogawa gobo named for a river in Northern Tokyo. In Kansai (general Osaka) area there is a mijikai (short) gobo that has t leaves eaten as well. Then in early spring there is the shin-gobo (new gobo) that is quite thin and light brown ad often for sale with part of the leaves attached. The average long gobo is about 2 feet in length and inch or so in diameter and is a medium to dark brown, they are normally sold with the soil still attached. Occasionally you will see what is sold as arai gobo (washed gobo), but once the dirt is washed off there storage life shorten to a day or two so these should be avoided unless they are to be used immediately. Gobo does not need to be peeled just scrubbed well, it also discolors very quickly and should be placed into acidulated water soon after cutting. Gobo is so wonderful it even has its own thread: http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergreensee...s/edburgob.html pictures of gobo, long and new types: http://www.evergreenseeds.com/evergreensee...s/edburgob.html

I think is hard to find becasue everyone spells it differently! In Japan it can be found in small glas jars, but that is a Japanese brand and I find the Korean ones slightly better, though the Japanese made kochujang tends to be sweeter, so if that is what you are looking for........... As to that kimchi no moto, the only thing it is good for is the garbage disposal!