Toraya - Japanese Confectionery

Hello, we are in the process of transferring all Japan-related posts over to Jane's ZENBU TOURS site. 

This post has already moved  - you will find it HERE. 

Thanks!

Wagashi わがし

Hello, we are in the process of transferring all Japan-related stuff over too Jane's ZENBU TOURS site. 

This page has already been  moved - you will find it HERE.

Thank you.

Natsu Mikan なつ ミかん

                                 

I've been wanting to try one of these for so long but somehow every time I stopped to admire them in the shiny glass cabinets of the local food hall I would shrug my shoulders, turn and keep walking... there was some lingering memory, way in the back alleys of my child-mind that somehow linked to the vision and reminded me of those "healthy" kid's b'day parties from my childhood when some "do-gooder" parent would go to the trouble of making relatively "healthful" party treats - when all we wanted was some cocktail franks, fairy bread and lolly bags filled with all kinds of crap  - and on that odd basis I was worried I'd be disappointed in this delicacy as a dessert.  Particularly odd and ironic as I would be the first one to be "do-gooding" should I be hosting my own children's parties... should I not have forgotten to have kids...  

Natsu Mikan is a particularly large summer Mandarin or Tangerine - they are very refreshing, a little tart but with just enough sweetness. This wagashi (traditional Japanese sweet), from Kyoto's famous Oimatsu in Arashiyama, is available in early summer when the fruit is in season. I was fortunate enough to be gifted one by my friend Tamai san when he came to visit one afternoon. I was extremely happy to receive it as, finally, I would get to taste this sweet that I'd been ignoring for the most obscure of reasons. 

It was delicious - served chilled , the sweet-tart jelly made from the freshly squeezed juice was one of the most refreshing desserts I might ever possibly enjoy on a summer's evening.  I highly recommend seeking one out if you are in Kyoto town during summer. And I might just have to steal the idea for my next book... shhhh...

Ippodo - Kyoto いっぽど

Recently I met with friend Kyoto Foodie at Ippodo - a famous Kyoto tea shop on Teramachi dori north of Nijo dori and South of Marutamachi dori. He introduced me to Koicha - a very thick tea made from a larger than usual quantity of matcha (maccha) or high quality, powdered green tea.  Michael tells me it has about 5 times the amount of tea powder normally used and therefore packs quite a punch of caffeine - however the buzz is not that of coffee (due to a component in tea that brings on a certain calm and relaxation) -so one is awake but not climbing up the walls. 

Although the mixture has the appearance and viscosity of green wall paint its flavour is smooth, savoury and deep - meaty if you like.... I love Matcha but this is not a version I would opt for every day... a special occasion Matcha perhaps. It is certainly a must to try once. 

As always with Matcha/Maccha a traditional sweet (Wagashi) is served alongside it. As it is the beginning of summer the colour of the top sweet reflects cool and calm. At formal tea ceremony you are usually invited to eat the sweet first before drinking the tea but its fine to be more casual at Ippodo - sipping and nibbling as the urge takes you.

Once you have finished the majority of the Koicha the waitress will remove your cup and whisk hot water into it so that you can enjoy the rest of the tea as the standard thinner matcha. A two for one deal - what's not to like. 

I won't give too much detail about the tea itself or Ippodo - instead I will link you to Kyoto Foodie's post from 2007 plus a link to the shop itself. If you have never experienced a traditional Japanese tea ceremony but want to taste some professionally made matcha then make sure you check out Ippodo - its only a short walk north on Teramachi from the city shopping district.  You can pick up a variety of tea to take home too!

While we are on the subject of sweets - ok so not quite on but lurking around it, any excuse and all that - check out these beautiful summer offerings. They both turn up in shops around May/June for the rainy season and early summer.   The first, made from beans, with a jelly like top set with Kanten and green maple leaf promotes the "feeling" of cool. 

The second is a speciality made from a seasonal fruit - Natsu mikan or summer mandarin/tangerine. The slightly bitter juice is sweetened and made into a jelly before being set in the hollowed out fruit skin. It is chilled and sliced into wedges for serving -  and eaten with a small spoon. So refreshing on a hot day. 

Fast Food

Sometimes you just have to get take-out...

Especially when the take-out is from one of Japan's fabulous Department store food halls....  Here is a teensy sampling of what's on offer (well back in October at least..). OK, so we waved a piece of wagyu over a flame for a couple of minutes but apart from that all the work was done for us. 

As you can see the lovely Olivia from Australian site Have You Eaten was thoroughly enamoured with her steak....

Of course it wouldn't  have been complete without a parfait from a box....

And with tea....  a few traditionally based bean confectionary - gone all modern n fancy with subtle hints of cinnamon, lemon, vanilla, brown sugar and walnut....

What's on Mee Mind?

OK, so I couldn't help myself. It is day one back in Japan but after 22 trips you would think I might have outgrown sniggering at the unusual and often comical use of English words  - but no. What is actually on my mind? Kyo-yasai (Kyoto Vegetables), Wagashi (Japanese confectionery) and my home for the next few months - Kyoto. Here she is - the view from my balcony - it was a rather dark and chilly morning but the sun started to peek through the clouds over Higashiyama, the Eastern Mountain range about 9am. Manganji, a quiet temple frequented by Kyoto's infamous large black crows is like a friendly neighbour watching over me protectively and I am happy to make his acquaintance again. (yes, it is a he, I am sure of it) 

 The late red autumn leaves still boldly dot the scenery but the now gold Ginko are preparing for landing.

After breakfast with a friend I took myself for a long walk to re-acclimatise. It feels incredibly surreal - I have been back in Australia for 8 months but it seems like I was just here yesterday. Everything is familiar and comfortable. Possibly more home than home.  I love my little pocket of Kyoto - there is something in the air here that makes me float. It is beautiful, friendly, quirky and zen-like - even if the monks zip around on mopeds...

I head over the Kamogawa (literally duck river) into the city to gather some provisions. The sun has burnt off most of  the cloud cover and people are making the most of the weather before it grows cold over the next few weeks. 

I remembered the "ecofarm" market in the "Zest" underground arcades from this time last year and hoped to find it still operating - I was not disappointed. And am happy to note that the err, delightful? if slightly irrelevant Christmas decorations also remain.  And there's nothing tacky about these umbrellas.... sorry did someone say irrelevant?  I just had to share.

Veggies, rice, pickles, eggs and some prepared items from local farmers fill a small underground courtyard providing a handful of Kyoto-ites ( including me!) with super fresh organic produce. Personal photos accompany each item  - leaving no doubt that the farm folk stand proudly by their product! Ebi-imo ( prawn potato - for its curved shape and stripy appearance), Nanohana ( the buddish tips of rape/canola), Daikon in hot pink and purple, Kyoto's famous red carrots, tiny Kyuuri ( cucumbers), feathery Mizuna, large immaculate shiitake and Kaiware ( daikon sprouts) all went in the basket with some eggs with the sunniest yolks you will ever see. 

Returning home along Nijo dori I stumbled across a small store selling Wagashi so naturally purchased a few essentials including some intricately decorated sweet peanut senbei ( rice crackers), Kuri manju (a type of crumbly sweet containing a thick chestnut paste ) and yomogi mochi (the green outside layer is made with glutinous rice and both coloured and mildly flavoured with mugwort - in the centre is anko ( sweet azuki bean paste). The pretty jellies have a modern edge as does the curious pumpkin sweet which turns out to be a small Japanafied version of pumpkin pie - basically a puff pastry pocket filled with pumpkin puree.

I throw together a quick dinner including a few small squares of local wagyu with stir fried shiitake and lotus root and a petit salad of mizuna and sweet kyuri ( Japanese cucumbers - the best cucumbers in the world in my opinion) with goma (sesame) dressing - but not before I gaze once more at the view, this time awash with sunlight,  to remind myself how lucky I am to be here.  Apparently it will dark ol' rainy day tomorrow. Perfectly timed for my morning shiatsu and afternoon gallery view the exhibition of my friend Myong Hee's artwork. 

In my happy place. And yes, I look so natural here (perhaps a little constipated?) bathed in sunlight while I pretend not to take my own photo...