1. Japanese food is not what you think (well, not ONLY what you think.) Ask a person in Japan what he thinks we like to eat in Canada/America and he’ll likely tell you hamburgers, fries, pizza and cola. Well, yeah we do eat these things, but also so much more. The same can be said for Japanese food. Yes, you will find sushi, rice and noodles, but the Japanese have lots of wonderful, creative dishes. (And not so wonderful ideas.) For example, did you know curry is a popular Japanese food?
2. Japanese food is, on average, oilier and fattier than you think. Lots of things are deep-fried. Mayonnaise is a staple. Milk is often whole. Don’t believe the myth that you’ll lose weight living in Japan. It may be the opposite. Try to follow the lead of the people in Japan and limit your serving sizes to balance things out.
3. The Japanese take their food very seriously. And, it shows. Every region, and every town has its own specialty. Japan is a land of gourmet. In fact, according to the latest Michelin Restaurant guide to Tokyo, Japan’s capital has more top ranking eateries than Paris.
4. You can find most of your favourite foods at the grocery store. Some things may be a bit tricky to locate, but it’s just about all here. And, if you live near an international store of some kind, you may be able to get lots of your favorites from home. Some exceptions, however: good, crunchy peanut butter made with JUST peanuts; zucchinis; Macintosh apples and, big green peppers. Other things can be found, but are either difficult to track down, just don’t taste the same, or are very expensive. This includes things like fresh basil, hard cheeses, button mushrooms, pickles, olives, pita, etc.
5. Yes, food here is expensive. It may take you a little while to find the good, local food shops, but once you do, you will discover that it can often times be cheaper to eat out than eat at home. With rising food prices globally, and food disputes with China, lots of groceries are pretty pricey. Still, it is important to eat a good mix of food including fresh fruits and veggies, so budget and plan ahead. Oh, and if you do spend ten times as much for some strawberries, for example, you may actually find they are ten times as good as anything else you've ever tasted.
6. Carbs are in, fiber is out. Raw vegetables are not a large part of Japanese cuisine. Most vegetables are either cooked or pickled. This may throw your tummy for a bit of a loop, so try to remember and make an effort to eat healthy.
7. You will need help at the grocery store, and you will make mistakes. Don’t be afraid to confirm with another shopper to be sure you have the right kind of soy sauce, flour, or seaweed product. Don’t worry if your chocolate treat turns out to be read bean, or your mint ice cream is really green tea. It happens to the best of us. Try signing up for a cooking class to learn your way around the grocery store and the Japanese kitchen.
8. You will find new and delicious things you will absolutely love and miss. Things like yuzu, soyjoy bars, burdock, and black sesame and honey paste will one day be long lost favourites.
9. Being a vegetarian is a challenge. Just because there is a strong history of Buddhist influence, doesn't mean you’ll find lots of vegetarian treats. Lots of things are made with fish stock, so be careful. And for the vegans, you’ll find soymilk and tofu easily enough, but not soy cheese or soy ice cream. Allergies can also be difficult to manage for the same reason. And, new foods sometimes lead to the discovery of new allergies. For example, one young woman found out the hard way that wasabi causes her to projectile vomit.
10. Try, taste, and explore. There are so many things to taste in Japan. Many things are seasonal or local delicacies. If you don’t try things when you get the chance, it may be too late. Try the bitter goya in Okinawa, and the lavender ice cream in Hokkaido. Pick up persimmons in the fall, fresh mochi for new years and sakura treats in the spring. And, most of all, savour the experience.
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Showing posts with label food. Show all posts
Monday, June 9, 2008
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Cheezucakey
Maybe not magic words, but certainly mystery words. Delicious mystery words.
I’m not sure when it started, Caitlin swears it was mid November, but with some regularity the word “cheesecake” seemed to turn up often in our cooking class.
“Nanni nanni nanni nanni cheezucakey nanni nanni nanni…”
Nanni being the Japanese equivalent, it seems, for “blah,” or blank, or something.
Huh?
At first, we thought it might be some information about an upcoming recipe we would tackle in class. Something like, “Next week, we will be making cheesecake, so please attend.” But with weekly mentions, and no sign of such a dairy dessert, our hopes dampened.
And then, it started coming up in overheard conversations with other students. Perhaps a comparison? “You bake it, just like you would a cheesecake.” Or maybe, “This is easy. It’s not as if we’re making cheesecake.” I'm just guessing here, of course.
The frustration grew. Not knowing much Japanese, people sometimes tend to sound like Charlie Brown’s teachers. “Wah waw wah waw wah waw wah waw...” And then CHEESECAKE! Words I know. But only the words. No cheese, and no cake to be made or eaten. Week after week.
Well finally, after months of name dropping, guess what we made last night? Yes, cheesecake! Cheesecake with peaches and pears and brandy. The thing is sitting in my fridge right now. Only now, after all the suspense and buildup, can it taste half as good at the cheezucakey I’ve been dreaming about all these months? Only one way to find out.
I’m not sure when it started, Caitlin swears it was mid November, but with some regularity the word “cheesecake” seemed to turn up often in our cooking class.
“Nanni nanni nanni nanni cheezucakey nanni nanni nanni…”
Nanni being the Japanese equivalent, it seems, for “blah,” or blank, or something.
Huh?
At first, we thought it might be some information about an upcoming recipe we would tackle in class. Something like, “Next week, we will be making cheesecake, so please attend.” But with weekly mentions, and no sign of such a dairy dessert, our hopes dampened.
And then, it started coming up in overheard conversations with other students. Perhaps a comparison? “You bake it, just like you would a cheesecake.” Or maybe, “This is easy. It’s not as if we’re making cheesecake.” I'm just guessing here, of course.
The frustration grew. Not knowing much Japanese, people sometimes tend to sound like Charlie Brown’s teachers. “Wah waw wah waw wah waw wah waw...” And then CHEESECAKE! Words I know. But only the words. No cheese, and no cake to be made or eaten. Week after week.
Well finally, after months of name dropping, guess what we made last night? Yes, cheesecake! Cheesecake with peaches and pears and brandy. The thing is sitting in my fridge right now. Only now, after all the suspense and buildup, can it taste half as good at the cheezucakey I’ve been dreaming about all these months? Only one way to find out.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Close encounters of the food kind
I was up at 7 am on Sunday. By choice. My Thursday night cooking class was headed to Karuizawa, Nagano on a fieldtrip and a special invitation had been extended to me and Caitlin, another JET who attends the weekly classes with me.
A quick shower and breakfast and I was off to the Tochinomi cooking school to meet the bus. Looking back, I would have been far better off skipping breakfast. We were fed a slew of snacks on the bus for the first hour of the ride. First, we had boiled sweet potatoes. The potato was white on the inside with a brilliant purple skin. It was sweet, but not as sugary as the orange ones I’m used to. Then, we had large chunks of fresh, pickled ginger – very strong and very refreshing. Next, came a large rice cracker that was simultaneously sweet and spicy. Finally, there were some little manju. These tiny buns had a sweet and earthy taste and were filled with bean paste.
Our first stop was at a grocery store in Karuizawa. I went for the omiyagi – small wrapped sweets to give to my coworkers as gifts. Omiyagi is important for two reasons: 1) the staff and teachers at the school helped me to arrange Sunday’s adventure, and 2) it is tradition. The rest of the cooking gang dived into mounds of cooking sauces and biscuits that were described as regional specialties. It was an absolute mob scene I have only seen replicated around the dessert tray at the Ota City Hall buffet. Women emerged from the grocery store with boxes full of food and filled the luggage compartment of the bus. I was content with a single package of biscuits.
Next, was the culinary highlight of the trip, an Italian lunch at the Prince Hotel. The dinning room itself was stunning, an effect amplified by the building’s design. In order to ender the large room, you must first walk through a dimly lit, carpeted tunnel. It was as if you went from sensory depravation to overload. The hall was filled with natural light and graced by a panoramic view of the mountains, a lovely compliment to our 3800 yen meal.
The teacher had ordered two different meals for us. Each person received one or the other and we paired up to share and sample the different flavours. Some highlights: thinly sliced and lightly cooked octopus with a sweet, pink marinade and a touch of mandarin and yellow tomato; a delicate broth filled with clams, little pieces of broccoli and sprinkle of couscous; ricotta stuffed ravioli in a rich butter and cream sauce with a dash of tomato and sage; thinly sliced beef in balsamic vinegar topped with a persimmon relish.
After lunch, there was a museum stop. We visited an old, traditional style Japanese house and historical site. The three-story house was oddly filled with modern furnishings. I have to admit, that I didn’t get it. The other people in the group, however, seemed highly impressed.
Next, we climbed back on the bus and headed to Ginza dori, a famous and very touristy shopping street. Again, lots of food related opportunities here. Caitlin and I sampled oodles of local jams and pickles. Yes, we basically grazed along the strip.
The town felt strangely European. There were German sausage shops, Italian restaurants, and artwork with various Christian motifs.
Dinner was a brief, and somewhat confusing, stop at a famous takeout spot. Clay pots were filled with rice and baked with shiitake mushrooms, chestnuts, apricot, daikon radish and burdock. There were pickles on the side. The meal was wolfed down in record time before it was again time to board the bus and head home, bellies full.
Click here for more photos.
A quick shower and breakfast and I was off to the Tochinomi cooking school to meet the bus. Looking back, I would have been far better off skipping breakfast. We were fed a slew of snacks on the bus for the first hour of the ride. First, we had boiled sweet potatoes. The potato was white on the inside with a brilliant purple skin. It was sweet, but not as sugary as the orange ones I’m used to. Then, we had large chunks of fresh, pickled ginger – very strong and very refreshing. Next, came a large rice cracker that was simultaneously sweet and spicy. Finally, there were some little manju. These tiny buns had a sweet and earthy taste and were filled with bean paste.
Our first stop was at a grocery store in Karuizawa. I went for the omiyagi – small wrapped sweets to give to my coworkers as gifts. Omiyagi is important for two reasons: 1) the staff and teachers at the school helped me to arrange Sunday’s adventure, and 2) it is tradition. The rest of the cooking gang dived into mounds of cooking sauces and biscuits that were described as regional specialties. It was an absolute mob scene I have only seen replicated around the dessert tray at the Ota City Hall buffet. Women emerged from the grocery store with boxes full of food and filled the luggage compartment of the bus. I was content with a single package of biscuits.
Next, was the culinary highlight of the trip, an Italian lunch at the Prince Hotel. The dinning room itself was stunning, an effect amplified by the building’s design. In order to ender the large room, you must first walk through a dimly lit, carpeted tunnel. It was as if you went from sensory depravation to overload. The hall was filled with natural light and graced by a panoramic view of the mountains, a lovely compliment to our 3800 yen meal.
The teacher had ordered two different meals for us. Each person received one or the other and we paired up to share and sample the different flavours. Some highlights: thinly sliced and lightly cooked octopus with a sweet, pink marinade and a touch of mandarin and yellow tomato; a delicate broth filled with clams, little pieces of broccoli and sprinkle of couscous; ricotta stuffed ravioli in a rich butter and cream sauce with a dash of tomato and sage; thinly sliced beef in balsamic vinegar topped with a persimmon relish.
After lunch, there was a museum stop. We visited an old, traditional style Japanese house and historical site. The three-story house was oddly filled with modern furnishings. I have to admit, that I didn’t get it. The other people in the group, however, seemed highly impressed.
Next, we climbed back on the bus and headed to Ginza dori, a famous and very touristy shopping street. Again, lots of food related opportunities here. Caitlin and I sampled oodles of local jams and pickles. Yes, we basically grazed along the strip.
The town felt strangely European. There were German sausage shops, Italian restaurants, and artwork with various Christian motifs.
Dinner was a brief, and somewhat confusing, stop at a famous takeout spot. Clay pots were filled with rice and baked with shiitake mushrooms, chestnuts, apricot, daikon radish and burdock. There were pickles on the side. The meal was wolfed down in record time before it was again time to board the bus and head home, bellies full.
Click here for more photos.
Sunday, August 26, 2007
I can read this: K-I-B-E spells Kibe?!?!?!
So, it was a rocky weekend for me. I got lost. Really and truly, in a small suburb of Ota. Well, lost… I knew where I was and how I got there, but not really how to get back because the bus didn’t show up at the time marked on the schedule. Or at least, from what I could READ of the schedule.
Yeah, there were a lot of literacy issues over the last few days. I couldn’t read the bus schedule as well as I thought I could and missed firework festivals as a result; I somehow switched my air conditioner to heat in plus 30 degree weather and had to go to the school to find an English teacher to help; and I had to get assistance understanding how to use an iron because I couldn’t figure out how to turn it on. In one word, the weekend was frustrating.
But, it’s Sunday night, school starts tomorrow, and I’m feeling better. Mostly because of the strange and wonderful things I keep finding here in Japan. For example, I just had the most delicious whole wheat bread I’ve ever tasted. And this, after my last bread purchase was so sweet, it should have read, “cake” on the package.
Anyway, back to yesterday and the lost bus adventure. Stuck out of town and missing what I have heard is the best fireworks show in the region, I manage though sign language to have a woman at a dry-cleaning shop call me a cab. My night is ruined, my wallet nearly empty, and my mood black. So, I decide to treat myself to a cheer-up – sushi at this conveyer belt place I’ve had my eye on.
On the way to the sushi, I pass a Brazilian import store and café. (This is going somewhere, I promise.) I go inside to check out the place and don't really find much of interest. It’s in another language I don’t understand and I’m not familiar with most of the products. In the cafe, I ask to check out the menu. It’s a very short menu with a small selection of South American and American food (read burgers and empanadas.) But, something catches my eye at the bottom of the page. Just under the empanadas, in fact, it clearly says, “kibe.” Sorry, what’s this? I read it again. It still says, “kibe.” There’s a picture. It looks familiar (I call them kubba.) Here, in Ota?
I head home and straight to my computer to do a little research on the Internet. It turns out that the most popular fast-food chain in Brazil is a Middle Eastern place called Habib's. So popular, I guess, that kibe makes its way on to a Brazilian menu in Japan. I love this planet!
Yeah, there were a lot of literacy issues over the last few days. I couldn’t read the bus schedule as well as I thought I could and missed firework festivals as a result; I somehow switched my air conditioner to heat in plus 30 degree weather and had to go to the school to find an English teacher to help; and I had to get assistance understanding how to use an iron because I couldn’t figure out how to turn it on. In one word, the weekend was frustrating.
But, it’s Sunday night, school starts tomorrow, and I’m feeling better. Mostly because of the strange and wonderful things I keep finding here in Japan. For example, I just had the most delicious whole wheat bread I’ve ever tasted. And this, after my last bread purchase was so sweet, it should have read, “cake” on the package.
Anyway, back to yesterday and the lost bus adventure. Stuck out of town and missing what I have heard is the best fireworks show in the region, I manage though sign language to have a woman at a dry-cleaning shop call me a cab. My night is ruined, my wallet nearly empty, and my mood black. So, I decide to treat myself to a cheer-up – sushi at this conveyer belt place I’ve had my eye on.
On the way to the sushi, I pass a Brazilian import store and café. (This is going somewhere, I promise.) I go inside to check out the place and don't really find much of interest. It’s in another language I don’t understand and I’m not familiar with most of the products. In the cafe, I ask to check out the menu. It’s a very short menu with a small selection of South American and American food (read burgers and empanadas.) But, something catches my eye at the bottom of the page. Just under the empanadas, in fact, it clearly says, “kibe.” Sorry, what’s this? I read it again. It still says, “kibe.” There’s a picture. It looks familiar (I call them kubba.) Here, in Ota?
I head home and straight to my computer to do a little research on the Internet. It turns out that the most popular fast-food chain in Brazil is a Middle Eastern place called Habib's. So popular, I guess, that kibe makes its way on to a Brazilian menu in Japan. I love this planet!
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