Imo Jochu Nama Choco Ganache at Kyoto Daimaru Department Store Valentine Chocolat Promenade

This year my Valentine’s Day sweet was sweet potato shochu filled chocolate ganache! Regular readers of KyotoFoodie may recall that I was given some delightful fruit vinegar bonbons last Valentine’s Day from Takashimaya. I don’t have a valentine this year so I bought my own. I was encouraged to skip Takashimaya’s Valentine’s Day chocolate exhibition and instead visit the other…
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Donabe Takenoko Gohan (Bamboo Shoot Rice Cooked in Donabe)

A rice cooker is convenient and surefire for making good rice every time. A donabe, or gohan-nabe is an earthenware pot for cooking rice. Getting the amount of heat and time right can be tricky, but once mastered, it produces tastier rice and rice dishes. In a donabe, I cooked my fresh, Kyoto takenoko (bamboo shoot) with rice…
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Sake Kasu Zanmai: Grilled Hon Maguro Tuna ‘Throat’ Kasuzuke

Grilled Hon Maguro Nodo ‘Tuna Throat’ Kasuzuke 本まぐろ ‘のど’ 粕漬け
Grilled Hon Maguro Nodo 'Tuna Throat' Kasuzuke 本まぐろ 'のど' 粕漬け
What do you do when grilled ‘kama‘ fish collars no longer do it for you? Try fish throats! Yes, throat! (I had never even heard of this one.) I spotted these beautiful slices of maguro tuna throats in the store the other day and knew I had to…
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Sake Kasu Zanmai: Chicken Turnips and Nanohana Kasujiru Soup

Late Winter Kasu Jiru Soup with Chicken, Turnips and Nanohana 小蕪菜の花鳥肉粕汁 Late Winter Kasujiru Soup with Chicken, Turnips and Nanohana  小蕪菜の花粕汁
Meet Kasu Jiru: Kasu-jiru is soup made with sake lees. The sake taste is pronounced and the sweet, fruiting bouquet of fermented sake mash is obvious as well. We made this with late winter veggies and chicken.…
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Yuzushu: Japanese Citrus Yuzu Liqueur

How to Make Yuzushu (Japanese Citrus Yuzu Liqueur) ゆず酒 How to Make Yuzushu (Japanese Citrus Yuzu Liqueur) 柚子酒 ゆず酒 ユズ酒
Yuzu is one of Japan’s great tastes. Yuzu is lemony but more delicate and mild, even the peel can be eaten! Try that with a lemon. Yuzu is used to flavor many things from sashimi and grilled fish to mochi and wagashi. Yuzushu, yuzu liqueur is fairly uncommon in…
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