Fish Eggs in the Supermarket

Fish eggs are an essential part of the seafood culture in Japan. Popular types include salmon roe (ikura and sujiko), mentaiko (spicy cod or pollack roe), tarako (salted cod or pollack roe), and tobiuo (fish eggs from flying fish). Fish eggs in general are called gyoran. My favorite is mentaiko that you can schmear into bread or with pasta. It can also be grilled and had with sake. We have tried some fish eggs like from maguro or fugu, but those are not as popular and rarely in the market. Karasumi is similar to bottarga and is great with a dry sake.

Here is what the gyoran selection looks like at a large supermarket.

Tofu in the Supermarket

Back home in Minnesota, my tofu options are slim pickings. Soft or Firm. That is about it. Imagine then coming to a Japanese supermarket and having all of these options at the supermarket in the tofu section. Fresh tofu, deep-fried tofu (thick and thin), tofu mixed with vegetables and deep-fried (ganmodoki), soy milk, and okara (the lees).

No wonder we eat so much tofu. In the hot summertime we have it as hiyayakko, chilled topped with nothing more than grated ginger and soy sauce, or with some katsuobushi. We love it in soups, miso soup, or in a creamy corn chowder, or in egg drop soup with some vinegar and rayu chili oil for a sweet and sour twist. Tofu is easily put into stir-fries or with ground beef for a mabo dofu. And, the abura-age (thin, deep-fried tofu pockets) can be stuffed with cheese and grilled for a low carb grilled cheese.

Japanese Supermarket - Corn

Although I was born in Tokyo, I was raised on the shores of Lake Wobegon in Minnesota. Summer meals were filled with corn growing up. Roadside farmer's markets sold freshly picked corn on the cob, a large paper sack for $1 for about a dozen. I even spent a summer detassling corn. Walking down long lanes of corn, pulling out the tassles on the top of the cornstalk.

Imagine then, my jaw dropping when I came into this Japanese supermarket and saw the corn laid out so carefully and artistically. The attention to detail and how produce is cared for is impressive here in Japan.

Yesterday at lunch with a friend at a kappo restaurant, the chef grilled fresh corn. He said that, like melons, all of the corn on a stalk were sacrificed except for one. The one corn then gets all of the nutrition and energy from the plant creating a very expensive corn.

Shinji's Bento 進児の弁当

I love putting together Shinji's bento each morning. It is a great ritual and by planning ahead, the night before, I can have most of the items ready, they just need to be assembled into the lunch box. Lately we have been putting something on top of the rice, which is the top part of the bento. The bottom part will have five different dishes in a variety of colors and cooking preparations (pickled, steamed, stir-fried, etc.).

Top Bento:
Over the rice is scrambled eggs and tori soboro (seasoned ground chicken) - a kind of mother and child combination.

Sides are Japanese-style mashed potatoes, kampyo, stir-fried cabbage and Satsuma-age (fish cakes), spinach with a sesame dressing, and saba miso (mackerel).

Bottom Bento:
Over the rice is chirimen (dried anchovies) and salted salmon flakes.

Sides are mentaiko and mayonnaise with potatoes, kinpira konnyaku, green beans with a sesame dressing, egg omelette with nira (garlic chives), and cucumbers pickled with yukari (dried red shiso).

Yamamotoyama in Nihonbashi 日本橋の山本山

While working at Takashimaya in the historical Nihonbashi district of Tokyo I passed Yamamotoyama everyday on my way to work. The tea shop has a rich history dating back 310 years to 1690. That is older than the United States of America. I am always amazed when I see shops that have been operating for that long in Japan.

My favorite item at Yamamotoyama is their kukicha. It is tea that is made from the stems and twigs of the tea bush. We drink it hot in the winter, and in the heat of the summer, right now, we steep it in cold water and then strain it and put it in the fridge. It is a refreshing drink.

Yamamotoyama is not only a shop that sells tea and nori, but there are two cafes in the shops as well. In the front of the shop you can have some simple sweets and tea under red paper umbrellas. In the back of the shop are tables and chairs for tea and wagashi or sembei. The photo here is an order of both the wagashi and the sembei.

Yamamotoyama 山本山
Chuo-ku, Nihonbashi 2-5-2
03-3281-0010
10:00 – 18:00, no holidays
www.yamamotoyama.co.jp/main.html (Japanese)
www.yamamotoyama-usa.com/ (English for USA site)

Tako (Octopus) Recipes タコのレシピ

Recently Shinji and I visited a tako factory in Ibaraki to see how octopus are processed in Japan. I think in the area there were about 8 octopus factories. We were inspired to try a variety of recipes at home and here are some of the results. When we asked the octopus factory for their recipe suggestions we were told that in curry it was excellent. Which it was. A nice change from beef or chicken and the texture was great.

We ate the head meat as sashimi (not pictured) and it was very juicy while the tentacles were much more meatier (and not as juicy).

We also tried a Spanish style, Pulpo Gallego, which we also loved, over cooked potatoes with olive oil and paprika. Simple and delicious - and a nice contrast to how we eat in Japan.

Finally a simple Greek style salad with olives, olive oil, and lemon juice. Also very nice.

We made a few attempts at grilling and cooking the octopus, but the quality of what we had is so good it was best just sliced and served, without adding heat to it, which often toughens the meat.

And, have you ever seen the eyes of an octopus? Here is a great photo (on top) where you can see the eyes of the octopus!

Street Food in Enoshima 江ノ島の屋台

Growing up in Minnesota I was accustomed to great street food. Minnesota is home to one of the greatest state fairs in country. However, street food in Japan takes this to a new level, especially at seaside resort cities like Enoshima.

The selection here is fresh seafood. Your options are simple, either have it raw (sashimi-style) or grilled. Choose from scallops, abalone, squid, sazae (turban shell) and the local specialty, nama shirasu (tiny raw anchovies). Check out how fresh these are and the diversity of offerings.

Enoshima is close to Tokyo, just south of the city on the Sagami Bay. This could be a day trip, or ideally, come and spend the night at a ryokan. The island of Enoshima itself looks like a small version of Mont Saint Michel.

Enoshima Shirasu Dinner 江ノ島のしらす

Our summer holidays focused on coastal seaports for seafood. Enoshima, a short distance from Tokyo, has long been on my list of "to go" places since it is often covered on TV for its shirasu. Shirasu are tiny anchovies. It is often sold at the supermarket quickly blanched in salted water. We love it over a bowl of hot rice. Shinji wanted to have "nama shirasu" which are the baby anchovies before they are blanched.

On the day we asked at a few shops and they informed us that as the weather was not good that morning the fishermen were unable to harvest any. We stopped at a temple to pray for good weather for the next day's harvest.

Our dinner was at a restaurant famous for its shirasu ryori. The bottom photo is kinmedai (splendid alfonsino) simmered in a sweet soy sauce. The 2nd to the bottom is the dish we came to eat, shirasu over a hot bowl of rice.

Seafood at Jimpei Minshuku in Chiba 千葉県甚平民宿の魚料理

Our summer holidays took us to Chiba to Jinbei Minshuku famous for its sakana ryori, locally procured seafood. Here is the manpuku course we did featuring 12 different seafood including awabi (abalone), uni (sea urchin), sazae (turban shell), hotate (scallops), kinmedai (splendid alfonsino), and much much more.

http://www.jimpei.co.jp/

It is a 90 minute bus ride from Tokyo station and there is a lovely beach a few minutes from the minshuku.

Shirasu in Enoshima 江ノ島のしらす

Enoshima is famous for its shirasu. On our summer holidays we were lucky to get nama shirasu, uncooked shirasu, which you can only harvest when the weather is good. The day we arrived in Enoshima we were told that the water was too rough to harvest shirasu. But, the next morning when we woke up the waters were calm and we could try the nama shirasu. It is rich in flavor and intense unlike the cooked shirasu that are light and delicate. The other dish we tried was tempura of shirasu and sliced onions. The onions added a nice sweetness to the tempura. This restaurant was on the island of Enoshima off the main street into a small alley.

Shinjuku Ika Center 新宿いかセンター

There is a restaurant in Shinjuku that specializes in squid. You can even get it sliced up sashimi style while it is still living. Shinji and I had this once in Fukuoka and loved it.

Shinjuku Ika Senta-

Shinjuku-ku, Nishi-Shinjuku 7-10-13, Gaia Bldg. 5F

03-3366-2600

Tsukiji's Shouro Tamagoyaki 築地の松露玉子焼

Shouro Tamagoyaki
Chuo-ku, Tsukiji 4-13-13
03-3543-0582
www.shouro.co.jp

Our favorite tamagoyaki shop in the market, Shouro has a variety of savory egg omelettes including:

tobitama - with green flecks of aonori
karatou - sprinkled with ichimi (dried red chili pepper) so it has a bit of a kick to it
Kishu - with tart Kishu umeboshi
Kame age - with sakura ebi (dried shirmp), negi, and mitsuba
oyakoyaki - with ground chicken and mitsuba
umaki - with unagi
komaki - small round egg omelette
Shouro - their basic tamagoyaki
aigamo - with duck meat
matsutake - with matsutake mushrooms
Tanba - with chestnuts

Shouro also has branches in depachika like Mitsukoshi in Ginza.

Kuya Monaka in Ginza 銀座の空也

Kuuya 空也
Chuo-ku, Ginza 6-7-19
03-3571-3304
10:00 – 17:00, Saturdays 10:00 – 16:00, closed Sundays and holidays
www.wagashi.or.jp/tokyo/shop/0337.htm (Japanese)

Started in Meiji 17 (1884), Kuya is a 4th generation shop selling only one item, monaka. The outer shell is a crispy, delicate, toasty wafer surrounding slightly sweet, crushed azuki beans (tsubuan).

Ginza Natsuno Chopsticks Shop 銀座の夏野

Ginza Natsuno 銀座夏野
Chuo-ku, Ginza 6-7-4
10:00 – 20:00, Monday – Saturday
10:00 – 19:00, Sunday and holidays
www.e-ohashi.com/natsuno/ (Japanese)

This small shop is packed with a dizzying array of chopsticks some handcrafted by artisans. There is a collection of seasonal hashioki (chopstick rests), bowls, and many things for the table. The chopsticks are made from a variety of materials including lacquer, bamboo, or gold and silver-tipped.

Fukumitsuya in Ginza 銀座の福光屋

Fukumitsuya 福光屋
Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-5-8
03-3569-2291
11:00 – 21:00, Monday – Saturday
11:00 – 20:00, Sunday and holidays
www.fukumitsuya.co.jp/english/index.html (English)

Fukumitsuya is a sake shop representing a brewery from Kanazawa that opened in 1625. Rest your feet at the small tasting bar and try a few before purchasing. The bottles are stored in small box refrigerators in the back of the shop, as all good quality sake should be. There is a nice selection of cups and bottles, both traditional and modern, for serving sake at home.

Pierre Marcolini in Ginza

Belgian Pierre Marcolini has two shops next to each other, one for chocolates and the other for ice cream. On some days there is a long line out the front doors.

Pierre Marcolini ピエール マルコリーニ
Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-5-8
03-5537-0015 (chocolate shop)
03-5537-2047 (ice cream shop)
11:00 – 20:00 (Monday – Saturday)
11:00 – 19:00 (Sunday and holidays)
www.marcolini.be/EN/accueil.html (English)

Uogashi Meicha Tea Shop in Ginza 銀座のうおがし銘茶

Cha Ginza 茶銀座
Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-5-6
03-3571-1211
11:00 – 19:00 (closed most Mondays, check website)
www.uogashi-meicha.co.jp/shop_01.html (Japanese)

This cool, sleek modern building dedicated to tea in the heart of Ginza, this shop definitely draws the attention of passersby with its glass façade and long, narrow counter on the first floor. Uogashi Meicha has a shop in Tsukiji Market and this Ginza outpost is a great place to take a break from the shopping and to recharge with a healthy cup of green tea. The first floor is a minimalist retail shop with a long wooden counter where you can sample some tea. The 2nd floor is a café ideal for chatting with friends while the 3rd floor is a zen space better suited for introspection and meditation.

Akebono Sembei in Ginza 銀座のあけぼの

Ginza Akebono 銀座あけぼの
Chuo-ku, Ginza 5-7-19
03-3571-3640
9:00 – 21:00, until 20:00 on Sunday
www.ginza-akebono.co.jp/ (Japanese)

Akebono, the very small store, has an interesting assortment of modern sembei that include cheese, almonds, and pine nuts. There is also temaki natto (dried natto wrapped in nori), and an uni sen (uni flavored sembei). And some unusual styles like genkotsu sembei that are very tough and hard to chew. Akebono also has a wide assortment of wagashi including a kuri monaka (monaka with a chestnut inside), dorayaki, and manju. Akebono has shops in most depachika. The shop in Ginza is located just behind the corner police box (koban). If you are lucky and come in the spring you can try the ichigo daifuku, a whole strawberry surrounded by azuki and wrapped in delicate mochi (sticky rice).

These photos taken in the spring show green apricots and one of my favorites, mame daifuku, azuki paste surrounded with mochi that is studded with black beans.