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torakris

eGullet Society staff emeritus
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Everything posted by torakris

  1. We didn't actually have a wedding, got married at city hall, but we had a huge reception at the Tokyo American Club (think snobbiest of the snobbiest Country Clubs). We had a buffet complete with prime rib, lobster tails, shrimp cocktail, you name it, it was there. Though we only had 160 guest we ordered a buffet for over 200 since half the guests were my husband's football teammates (high, college, and Japanese pro) and there was none leftover. At Japanese weddding the bride and groom aren't allowed to get up and walk around to we had to count on the guests to bring us food, my husband was so nervous he couldn't eat a bite..... .....so I ate his as well! We also ate the cake and what a wonderful cake it was (white cake with raspberry cream), during the wedding planning I was the fussiest about the cake since most cakes at Japanese are fake! They are just used as props for the photos, they don't actually eat the cake.
  2. word for 7/23: 小松菜 Komatsuna (koh-mah-tsu-nah) This is referred to in English as Japanese mustard spinach, it looks similar to spinach but is bolder in flavor. Its uses are pretty much the same as spinach and is common in simmered dishes, stirfries and "dressed" dishes. The name komatsuna is from the area it was originally cultivated, the Komatsugawa region of Tokyo. Though it is grown in greenhouses year round it is really a winter vegetable, and like other mustards a touch of frost is believed to sweeten it. A new thing I am seeing at supermarkets this year is young, tender komatsuna being sold specifically for salad use. Until recently I had never seen a recipe that called for it in its uncooked form.
  3. for those unfamiliar with it, Hiroshima style okonomiyaki: http://www.otafuku.co.jp/us/resipi/cook/c_01d_h.htm
  4. I know what you mean about zaru soba. Unless it is really good, I find it bland and am always wishing for something to liven it up. I really think tororo is a perfect match for it and lots of fresh wasabi of course! I am not a big yaki soba fan and have only tried the Hiroshima style okonomiyaki once and found the noodless distracting.
  5. torakris

    Bread Salad

    Soba you can make a panzanella for me any day!
  6. I do, but I don't know if I really count since I live in Japan. I experiment with new things every year, but my two favorites I can't live with out are shiso and shishito. This summer I purchased a yuzu tree and it already has quite a few fruits about the size of my pinky nail. I am hoping this fall to get a couple more fruiting trees. I live in a rental so I don't want to plant directly in the ground, so my backyard may soon be full of huge containers. I want kinkan (kumquats), sudachi (Japanese citrus) and kaffir lime (though I don't know if it would work here and I have never seen them in Japan.
  7. Rather then struggle over a Japanese meal, let your kids do it! Japanese cooking for children: http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/cook.html
  8. zaru soba are cold soba noodles served with a dipping sauce and some condiments, they are called zaru after the bamboo mat/basket (or zaru) they are served on. picture and recipe: http://www.jinjapan.org/kidsweb/cook/part6/6-2.html
  9. torakris

    Dinner! 2003

    Monday dinner: steaks seared, rested, sliced, then served over steamed baby bok choy and topped with soy-sake-ginger-garlic-red chiles sauce roasted potatoes, carrots, and red onions avocado and red onion salad with lemon juice and EVOO Japanese rice dessert: homemade strawberry frozen yogurt, got this one from Jamie Oliver, you puree some frozen fruit in a food processor then add some yogurt and honey, instant frozen yogurt!
  10. for those who have never made it before her is a recipe for fukuro-ni: http://www.fira.jp/english/yokoso_e/yokoso...yokoso24_e7.htm since it doesn't have any pictures, here is a a site (in Japanese) with nice pictures: http://www.joi.co.jp/thai/recipis/recipi/b...befun/fukuroni/
  11. made some tororo soba for lunch yesterday, lots of wasabi and scallion, damn this is good stuff I think this is my new favorite way to eat it.
  12. made some tororo soba for lunch yesterday, lots of wasabi and scallion, damn this is good stuff!
  13. word for 7/22: ほれん草 hourensou (hoe-ren-sew) spinach not too much to say about this
  14. This is what I am talking about: http://homepage2.nifty.com/zjb/jpg/oyatu04.jpg It is called jumbo corn, but I did find something called walking popcorn that was caramel flavored (different from caramel corn ) but i didn't see a cheese cake flavor. This one thing I hate about snacks/chocolates/drinks in Japan, they put a product out for a month and then remove it never to be seen again!
  15. It has taken me more then 10 years but I have finally perfected the tamago maki, the block of tamago that is sliced up to put on the nigiri. negi-toro is another favorite of mine and I prepare it often at home in the form of a donburi, look for it on the Dinner thread later this week.
  16. torakris

    Waffles!

    This is the recipe I use the most too! I love to make buttermilk waffles, but alas there is no buttermilk in Japan, so I make the yeasted ones. I have a Belgian waffle maker and often toss fresh blueberries in with no problem.
  17. This is a great book! Very informative, a lot of talk and a lot of recipes! I also love Madhur Jaffrey's stuff, I have 7 of her books and love them all. HSSS is another great book as well as their 2 others.
  18. torakris

    Bread Salad

    I love bread salads and make then quite a bit now. I have had both toated and un-toasted bread and I prefer the un-toasted with the crusts on, most recipes tell you to remove them. Besides tomatoes, I add pretty much whatever is in the house (onion, peppers, olives, etc) and lots of herbs. Currently my favorite dressing is just a simple EVOO and red wine vinegar. The only thing I really don't like in it is cucumbers....
  19. torakris

    Fresh Herbs

    I didn't realize that "Greek" oregano was a different plant. My understanding was that it was the flowers, not the leaves that were used. That seems to be true if you've seen Greek oregano packaged. It looks like little dried yellow blossoms, more suited to a potpourri or a dried flower wreath than the spice rack. But I could be wrong. Anyone else here know the answer? Any Greek chefs out there??? I grow both Greek and Italian oregano in my garden, they were sold as seperate plants and they look a little (not much) different and there is a slight taste difference. The Greek is "stronger" but not overwhelming so.
  20. torakris

    Dinner! 2003

    Sunday dinner: Had a huge buffet lunch at the New Sanno Hotel in Hiroo, this is a US Military hotel and they have a wonderful Sunday brunch for $19.95 complete with champagne and caviar (and then there is also the roast beef, sushi, Belgian waffles and incredible salad bar). So for dinner my husband made up some fried rice for the kids and we snacked on sub sandwiches bought at the deli in the hotel. dessert: ice cream
  21. word for 7/21: lets move on to some greens! 水菜 mizuna I am sure most people are familiar with the Japanese green that has made its way onto salad plates all over the world. In Japan it is only just recently that it has being consumed raw, traditional applications all call for it to be cooked briefly. It is common to see mizuna in nabes (hotpots) and in dessed dishes after a brief parboling. Mizuna translates directly as "water green" but in Japan it is also known by the name 京菜(kyouna) meaning green form Kyoto. The small tender leaves are great in salads but the older mature leaves need to be cooked. picture: http://www.saunalahti.fi/lepu2000/mizuna.JPG
  22. torakris

    Dinner! 2003

    Saturday night: We spent most of the evening at a matsuri (festival) at Julia's (age 5) kindergarten snacking on onigiri (rice balls), tako-yaki (balls of batter filled with octopus), and yaki-soba (sort of a noodle stir-fry) so we weren't too hungry when we came home. I made: tonkotsu ramen (instant) with wakame (type of seaweed), corn and scallions dessert: ice cream
  23. plums this time with a mint-uva tea
  24. word for 7/20: 海 umi (ooh-mee) ocean, sea OK this has nothing to do with food (well maybe except for the fact that a lot of food they eat comes from here), but today is the national holiday 海の日 umi no hi (day of the sea or marine day). This is a new holiday only since 1996, sort of a respect for the Ocean day. This is the day that the summer vacation starts for Japanese children and most pools/beaches open for the summer. More information can be found here: http://japan.chez.tiscali.fr/Th-Index/E-Th-Uminohi.htm Since today is a Sunday, the holiday is actually going to be celebrated tomorrow.
  25. tater tots and water
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