Depachika: Sanma-zushi

October 20, 2009 5 Comments

Aozakana season is upon us here in Japan. Aozakana literally means ‘blue fish’. Aozakana isn’t a species but a category. Aozakana are varieties like mackerel (saba), saury (sanma), sardine (iwashi) and so on. The backs of these fish are blue in color and in the autumn and winter they are particularly fatty and oily. Japanese say, abura ga notteiru (脂がのっている).…

Tsukemono: Kiku Kabura (Chrysanthemum Turnip)

October 16, 2009 11 Comments

Autumn is chrysanthemum season in Japan and the flower which has literally countless form, shape and color variations makes numerous appearances in Japanese cuisine, both as decoration and as symbol. This meibutsu tsukmono is from Kamekura a shinise in Kameoka, a small and quaint town west of Kyoto. Kamekura is perhaps best known for its senmaizuke, a Kyoto winter favorite…

Dinner at Yoshikawa Ryokan: Tempura Kakiage O-chazuke

October 11, 2009 6 Comments

The other day I was fortunate enough to be invited for a wonderful tempura kaiseki dinner by some new friends from San Francisco at one of Kyoto’s most famous ryokan inns: Yoshikawa Ryokan. While Yoshikawa Ryokan is a fine place to stay, it is perhaps more famous for its tempura cuisine. Many Kyotoites go there just for tempura dinner. Now,…

Donabe Yaki-kuri Gohan (Roasted Chestnut Rice)

October 7, 2009 9 Comments

Miwa’s Kyoto Kitchen Recipe An autumn favorite in Japan is kuri-gohan, or rice cooked with chestnuts. Chestnuts are in season now and Miwa got a bag full from Tamba. While roasting and peeling chestnuts takes some time, this is an extremely delicious dish, especially when cooked in a donabe earthenware pot. The flavors are simple and straightforward: rice, chestnut and…

Japanese Fruit: Aomikan Marmalade

September 29, 2009 15 Comments

Aomikan is a green tangerine that are available in Japan from around the end of August though September. There are simply tangerines that have been harvested a few weeks early. They are tart and tangy. I love peeling them, surprisingly the green peel gives way to juicy orange fruit. Aomikan are one of my two favorite citrus for eating and…

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