Anna N

I spent the morning researching Ochazuke. From Shizuo Tsuji’s Simple Art all the way to fusionistas on the web. I concluded that it would be almost impossible to break any rules. Avocado, (I still try to like them), who knew they had staying power? This one has been in my refrigerator since December 21. I expected to find mush. Next to the avocado some shrimp, then some pickled tomatoes and finally some shredded, seasoned nori. All are arranged over rice. I like tea even less than I like avocado so my broth of choice was dashi. On the side is a spicy condiment made of soy sauce, wasabi paste and mirin. To satisfy my didactic inclinations here is more information for those who are inquisitive — click

One of those “couldn’t do it again if I tried” meals. Noticed some leftover rib sauce that I had frozen at the same time as I noticed the boned and rolled chicken leg in the freezer. Combined those and added some blanched carrots and sugar snaps and served over a bowl of rice.

Mushroom donabe.

A mould makes a lot of sense. I have never seen single serving Spam packets. What an idea. However, I slice up my can of Spam and freeze whatever I’m not using between sheets of deli paper. Works very well. I just throw them into a nonstick pan when I want to use them and give them a bit of colour. P.S. I didn’t post photos of my first ones. Yours looks incredibly good compared to those.

Pickled tomatoes, braised red cabbage and duck breast with a sauce of soy, sake and mirin.

I will check next time I’m there. 😂

Pan-fried ginger pork belly with cabbage.

I don’t know but do remember that they are only good for a few days in the refrigerator. Not a reliable method for dealing with a glut of tomatoes.

Much more of a quickle than a pickle, I thought it was a good way to deal with some cocktail tomatoes that were reaching the end of their useful life. @Shelbywill be pleased to know the tomatoes are peeled. What makes them Japanese you ask. The brine which includes soy sauce, dashi, rice vinegar, salt and sugar. I tasted the brine and had to hold myself back from inhaling it. If anyone is interested here is the recipe. I cut down on the sugar somewhat to suit my own taste.

Thanks! Depending on the weather and on @Kerry Beal‘s peregrinations this may have to wait until spring. But it is certainly something to look forward to.

Ham and egg onigirazu.

You must have been reading my mind. Before I posted anything about our last lunch I had mentioned to @Kerry Beal that a trip to J-Town was surely in our future. We used to go there occasionally. It’s always an expensive outIng but they do carry things that are not available elsewhere in terms of Japanese ingredients and Japanese gizmos. My sense of geography never was good and since I’ve stopped driving has become even worse. I did not make the connection between J-Town and Zen. Your input is always appreciated.

Pork and potato stirfry. This is a different way to enjoy potatoes. They retain some crunch unlike most other preparations. Here

Indeed. I think I will reserve the Brazil nuts for personal consumption.

Well the inner container of the 6 quart is my go-to vessel for Sous Vide when I am using my Joule. 😂

What a delightful sentiment. Thank you.

Perhaps I should have kept them all at home. Not everyone is familiar with Brazil nuts and my suspicion is that these were not as wildly successful as other cookies for this group of people. I did get a thank you but it was more polite than enthusiastic.

Ah. But not so easy to get it just right. Yours looks perfect. It has been many years since I had a custard tart. I would be happy to sample yours.😋

Thank you. Had a look at the website. Seems well worth a visit if we end up in that area. Lunch is only rarely a destination in its own right.

It is very hard to find decent Japanese food where we tend to travel. I have no doubt it is available somewhere in the GTA but so far we have not stumbled across it.

Pink! From label. I did think you bought a couple. My mistake. Shame.

Thanks to the most accomplished and unconscionable enabler, @Kerry Beal, I am enjoying these.

If I’m not mistaken @Kerry Beal did pick up a couple of the lemons so we will have to wait for her report on those.

Today @Kerry Beal and I headed out to Brampton to scratch in itch that Kerry acquired when she fell down a rabbit hole last night! While she researched/shops she asked me to look up Japanese restaurants in Brampton. I ran across Toshi. It looked promising. Tea for Kerry. I loved all of the pottery at this place and especially this tea cup. Warm Ozeki sake for me. Grilled calamari. This just did not do it for either one of us. I found it boring and Kerry detected some ammonia. If it truly was grilled then there was no hint of any smokiness whatever. Ramen for Kerry. Certainly tells you why you should hold off on your Ramen cravings until you can get to a Ramen shop! Chicken yaki udon for me. Again, the bowl caught my attention more so than the food in it. Afterwards we popped into a nearby Oceans supermarket and Kerry spotted these intriguing pink tiger lemons.

Make butter!