tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191835248953933738.post7288769079061253439..comments2023-11-24T16:34:16.891-08:00Comments on WASHOKU - Japanese Food Culture and Cuisine: Restaurants MenuGabi Grevehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16362456518166174106noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191835248953933738.post-19710636360024732032013-12-27T17:55:20.265-08:002013-12-27T17:55:20.265-08:00izakaya 居酒屋 drinking shops for sake in Edo
.izakaya 居酒屋 drinking shops for sake in Edo<br />.Gabi Greve - Edopediahttp://edoflourishing.blogspot.jp/2013/12/food-vendors.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191835248953933738.post-88385051815218655282013-12-25T21:15:05.225-08:002013-12-25T21:15:05.225-08:00EDO
all kinds of Chaya, not only selling tea . ....EDO <br /><br />all kinds of Chaya, not only selling tea . . .<br /><br />fuuzoku, fûzoku 風俗 Fuzoku, entertainment and sex business <br />.Gabi Greve - Edopediahttp://edoflourishing.blogspot.jp/2013/12/fuuzoku-business.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3191835248953933738.post-50610321445260062132008-08-30T23:55:00.000-07:002008-08-30T23:55:00.000-07:00New washoku comes of age By ROBBIE SWINNERTONJapan...New washoku comes of age <BR/>By ROBBIE SWINNERTON<BR/><BR/>Japan Times 2002<BR/><BR/>The first Shunju -- the name means, simply, "Spring, Autumn" -- opened in 1986 in the trendy but well-off-the-mainstream Mishuku district. Its synthesis of cutting-edge looks (the creation of interior designer Takashi Sugimoto), its sophisticated but casual Japanese food and its stylish, late-night bar hit just the right note for the times. It has proved so popular and enduring that it has spawned five larger, more central sister operations and helped spark a movement that has spread through the city.<BR/><BR/>As Iwatate explains in her foreword, the principles of this modern washoku are no different from those of the old -- the bounty of the mountains, oceans and rice paddies of this country, harvested in season and served as close as possible to their natural state. That means lightly cooked, indeed often raw, and, above all, presented with the artful simplicity that lies at the heart of Japanese culture.<BR/><BR/>What propels the modern ryori, as espoused by Shunju, into the present tense, distinguishing it from anything that has come before, is the willingness to incorporate foodstuffs and cooking styles from other parts of the globe into traditional Japanese recipes. Lemongrass, avocado, cream cheese, herbes de Provence and spicy Korean kochujang chili paste: These are just a few of the many non-native ingredients embraced by Shunju and the new generation of Japanese chefs.<BR/><BR/>The recipes in "Shunju" assume a familiarity with the fundamentals of Japanese cooking, and many are likely to prove too complex and time-consuming for all but the most adventurous and committed cooks. They also include ingredients that, even for readers in Japan, will be hard to come by, and suggestions for alternatives would have been appreciated.<BR/><BR/>But the other reason why it is more likely to remain on the coffee table than in the kitchen is because it's just too beautiful to sully. "Shunju" is without doubt the most sumptuous book on Japanese food produced this year, and it arrives at just the right time for the Christmas gift-giving season. <BR/><BR/>The menu is classic Shunju, but also introduces several new ideas for the first time. The starters are exquisite, inventive and tasty, with a more noticeable Vietnamese accent than before. The nama-harumaki spring rolls are filled with crab meat, cucumber, yama-imo yam, lettuce and slivers of apple (and no harusame vermicelli filler), and are served with a dip prepared from kani-miso (the innards of the crab shell) and nuoc mam fish sauce.<BR/><BR/>Or try the banh xeo, crisp, golden pancakes filled with green mung bean sprouts, morsels of pork and tiny sakura ebi shrimp. You eat them with a lettuce leaf and spicy miso.<BR/><BR/>Like many modern izakaya, Shunju makes delicious homemade tofu. Their on-dofu (hot tofu) is perfect for the winter season. It is prepared from scratch, using fresh soymilk heated up in small, individual do-nabe casseroles with a nigari coagulant. The taste is warm and savory, like a beany custard with the consistency of blancmange.<BR/><BR/>They offer an excellent selection of charcoal-grilled foods, including king crab; various kinds of fish; tasty, juicy jidori chicken; and excellent vegetables -- especially the shimanita negi, a type of leek.<BR/><BR/>But the main addition to the Shunju repertoire is their selection of Dutch-oven dishes. These heavy, cast-iron casseroles are perfect for slow cooking, sealing in the steam so the food cooks in its own juices. They have eight varieties, ranging from simple oysters steamed in ginjo sake to a delectable mixture of snapper and root vegetables cooked with thyme and other herbs in almost pot au feu style.<BR/><BR/>http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fg20021206rs.htmlAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com