Food - Notes
Trip Start
Unknown
1
22
Trip End
Ongoing
Tokyo,
Japan
Friday, February 22, 2008
Japanese formal dining takes place in private rooms. It is the chef's choice that is served. It is a choice dictated by strict and elaborate rules the most important of which is that the menu mush highlight the season. Plates, bowls and accoutrements are chosen to suit the food. Colours and patterns must match the season. "Moritsuke" dictates how the food is arranged on the dish. True appreciation of Kaiseke requires a deep understanding of Japanese history, nature, culture and art as well as a good nose. I am a noob and my single Kaiseki dinner doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of this art form.
Gladly the majority of dining and cooking is far less complicated. Seasonality remains a cardinal rule despite today's ability to fly naturally ripened strawberries in the middle of winter. Family meals used to comprise sashimi/ vinegared dish, a grilled dish, simmered dish and rice. If that sounds like a lot of work, well it is. Modern day Japanese women with jobs and a life outside the home do what the rest of us do and head to the ready meal section of the local supermarket.
Our 3 hr cooking lesson with Emi-san was a revelation in Japanese home cookery. From the layout of her kitchen to the combination of flavours and technique. Assisting in the creation of lunch was a delight. Emi has an encyclopedic knowledge of day to day Japanese cuisine. She tailored the lesson to our needs. The decision to have a lesson was a spur of the moment thing. Next time around I'll plan in advance. Nb. Insert a reference to her website. Emi will be in the next issue of the Rough Guide to Japan.
Practising our new found skills would have been good but for the lack of facilities. Department stores hid cavernous food halls in basements. There was a bewildering array of foods with vendors calling out to customers particularly at the end of the day when discounts are applied. It was a feast for my greedy eyes. Sadly my stomach's capacity was rather more limited.
In the cold winter it was the hot foods that were hitting the spot. Soba, udon, ramen in soup or rice in tea warmed the heart on frosty mornings. As much as I love sushi the freezing temperatures did not encourage. Unlike UK supermarkets who freeze premade sushi for defrosting everything in Japan is freshly made. I guess the locals would have it no other way. This makes greatest difference to the taste and texture of the rice. I have vowed to give up on supermarket sushi in the future. Okonomyaki is also a food to warm both body and spirits. Mainly because the hot hibachi in the table is a great place to warm the fingers.
If all the places we ate my favourite was a sall traditional Izakaya. It was my yen to try yakitori that compelled me over the threshold of a Japanese pub. It was initially a little intimidating but we were soon made to feel welcome. Here food was served with drink. And very affordable it was too. Expertly grilled morsels of chicken, pork, liver, minced pork and shiso were grilled over charcoal and served on skewers. Stomach was gizzard and soft bone was gristle and cartilage. Grilled rice balls were an absolute delight. Favourite was plum brandy and soda.
2 american pilots.
