Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Here piggy, piggy, piggy ...

Herb Pork Festival 2009

A festival, but not any festival. A festival dedicated to pork, but not any pork - Makkari herb pork. Yah, a Makkari herb pork festival. Be still my racing heart, and someone get me a napkin for my drool. No Seriously. Makkari herb pork is made by feeding the pigs a diet of herbs and spice in the last few months of their glorious lives, giving a delicate herb flavor to the flesh.
To celebrate this wonderful product once a year people gather to sit around drink and snack on different forms of the herb pork. We had heard in everyones disscussion of the festival "don't miss the katsu sando" over and over. So when we turned up it was straight off to find that sando stand only to be told the Katsu stall only sets up at 6 o'clock so we we forced to sit and eat and drink various other forms of deliciousness until the katsu stall was up and running. Tough!

We started off with a few succelent slices of herb pork draped over salad vegetables with an almond dressing. The pork soft and juicy, the veg fresh, yum.

Herb Pork Festival 2009

Next we had a a treat from our favourite local bakery, Jin (who has kindly asked us not not to blog the bakery as they are already to busy so this peek at the festival food is all you'll get), two thick slices of pork chunky pate baked into a rich buttery pastry sided with slices of the fantstic Jin baked bread and pickled purple cauliflower. So TASTY!!! And that's all we'll not say about Boulangerie Jin.

Herb Pork Festival 2009

Herb Pork Festival 2009

By now we were a good way through a bottle of Rica Kerner (a Hokkaido white wine) and feeling pretty good, so we headed back into the fray to pick up a bowl of pork miso soup and a plate of grilled pork.

Herb Pork Festival 2009

The Miso soup with two kinds of pork, one long simmered and one just cooked lets me use the not oft used word untuous, nice.

Herb Pork Festival 2009

The grilled pork also two types, one with salt and pepper the other marinated, along with a mound of grated diakon to smooth it all down is all smokey and delicious.

Herb Pork Festival 2009

Still killing time waiting for the katsu sando we pick up a bowl of pork shabu shabu. Quickly blanched in stock and topped with toasted sesame seeds it's a nice snack.

Herb Pork Festival 2009

By now we notice the whole crowd seems to be on edge, furtive glances re being thrown in the direction of the katsu stand where activity is finally being seen. It seems everyone here is waiting for the katsu .. Kat and Michi nochalanty wander over to see how long before the sando will be ready, and this is all it takes to tip an avalanche of people piling towards the stand. There's no woman and children first here, it was thrown chairs, pushing and shoving all the way. Sweet delicious food driven rioting.!

After the dust had settled there's Kat and Michi standing at the head of a several hundred person queue.

Herb Pork Festival 2009

Herb Pork Festival 2009

Madness. We wander and once you pay your monies your given a small card with a picture of a pig being propelled by a gaseous stomach, you then hand the card over at the sando construction site to recieve your much coverted prize. There is even a one sandwich per person limit ....

Herb Pork Festival 2009

The sando consists of two slices of brown bread lighty toasted and filled with shredded cabbage the katsu and the most delicious japanese bbq sauce with a hint of miso. The katsu in question is a one thick slice of juicy pork crumbed and fried. This is the king of all katsu sandos, all others shall fall before it's mighty mightyness.

Herb Pork Festival 2009

As we sat back in a food induced eyes glazed state, we see the line of hopefulls shuffle forward one by one untill, thats it, no more - sold out till next year, better luck next time. And just like that the stand is packed up and gone. Magic.

Having experienced the mayhem first hand I'll be sharpening up my elbows and practicing my "slip between the crowd" technique for next year.

Score one for the hippies

Tonuts, yeah sounds real delicious. Even when the the dubious word is explained to be doughnuts made from tofu there's still a fair amount of trepidation. Doughnuts should be fried, coated in sugar and cinnamon and all things anti tofu.....apparently.
We rock up to the springs at the base Mt Yotei. The springs being a great piece of work done by the council, piping into the natural springs at the base of the mountain so you can come and fill up bottles of the most delicious natural water for nada, nitz, zero how good is that?

Herb Pork Festival 2009

Taking advantage of the abundance of water a small tofu shop sits on the side of the springs producing tofu from the pristine water.

Tofu shop

Now tofu is tofu and it's all tofu, but this is the best tofu we've tasted so maybe it's not all tofu after all. They have plain tofu, flavoured tofu, tofu drinks, tofu patties all able to be tasted as well my fav is the chilli tofu skin.

Tofu shop
tofu keep under running spring water

Tofu shop
Black sesame and matcha tofu drinks

Tofu shop
Flavoured tofu skins

Tofu shop
Tofu condiments

Tofu shop
The tasting table
Tofu shop
The other tasting table

And then we came to the tonuts......looks like a doughnut....smells and tastes like a tasty, light, perfectly cooked doughnut,

Tofu shop

hmmmmmm maybe we had to buy a few packets for further testing.

Tasting notes: tastes far better than many full blooded doughnuts.

The ultimate sandwich.

A few quick steps to sandwich induced ecstasy.

1. Whip up a quick roast tomato sauce.

ultimate sando

2. Butter some soft white bread

ultimate sando

3. Layer with fat slabs of warm beer braised beef cheek, you conviently have lying around from lasts night dinner party.

ultimate sando

4. Spread with your delicious just made tomato sauce.

ultimate sando

5. Top with the remaining slice of bread, enjoy your trip to endorphin heaven

ultimate sando

Summer shu-making

A stop in to see Ioanna and Hisashi one night times in nicely with the 1 year anniversary of Pelican Burger, as well as the 1 year anniversary of their first attempt at making ume-shu. A handful of friends are around, and we're drinking shu late into the night ... much fun! and this is all that's left:

Shu making

but it inspired us the following weekend to meet at Ionna's and start on the next batch for next year's party. First we pick up some supplies, including bottles, rock sugar, white liquor and various fruits;

Shu making

for the ume's, we're doing 2 different varieties. One a little sweeter, and another trying out pricking the ume's before placing them in the jar, to see if this boosts the flavor.

Shu making

Once the fruit was pricked it was piled into the jar and topped with the rock sugar and then in goes the white liquor ...

Shu making

We also did a pot of cherry and a pot of lemon-shu.

Shu making

We all cheer's to our efforts ....

Shu making

and Ioanna makes a plate of Shin Sapporo blue cheese, ricotta and dried tomato. mmmmm

Shu making

It's been so hard looking at these shu's developing up on the shelf but knowing we have to wait a year before we can savour the hard labour, so we decided to make a new one each month, so that next summer there will be a new one to drink each month ....

Shu making

Monday, September 28, 2009

Rera, outlets off .. and what to eat / drink?

We're off on a road trip with D & A in search of bargains at Rera, outlets off (or outlet mall, anywhere outside of Japan ;)) and don't make it past the million yen toilet before we have a little snack stop ....

Japan-cakes filled with cream cheese, custard & caramel
Road trip

Nama-caramel pan .... mmmmm
Road trip

and a giant sausage on a stick!
Road trip

All that before we've even hit Rera! After a few hours of hardcore shopping, it's time to tackle the lunch choices .... as we walk into the food area we're overwhelmed with choices ...

Rera foods

It's funny how D & Kim both seem to shift towards the sizzling steaks served on top of fried rice.

Rera foods

A & I join the massive que that's forming at the Korean hot stone stall.

Rera foods

I order a hot stone bowl filled with steaming kim-chi broth, with noodles, mince and pickles on the side. It's delicious!

Rera foods

We take a seat outside and enjoy our lunch and the beautiful sunshine ...

Rera foods

After we've finished our lap of the giant outlet centre, what better to find then a tiny little van pumping out espresso coffee and biscotti?

Rera foods
Rera foods
Rera foods

Another day at the office ..

.. and here we are trying to find the ultimate chipping spud. Of course, it has to be a local variety so on we march we the daunting task of chopping, blanching, frying and ultimately trying various types of potatoes ....

In an equal 2nd place, we had the King Danshakyu and new season Toya's. Only to find out the King Danshakyu are only available 2 months of the year .... #fail

Chips Chips

The clear winner was the Kita-akari potato; cut, boiled, then oil blanched at 150C and then fried at 180C. The fries on the left were only blanced then fried at 180C, but the extra effort to double fry them really shows.

Chips

Okay, it's back to work for us ... who know's what next on the cards.

Huzzah! J-Sekka, Hirafu, Japan

Well I know this may seem as though it has come a little late for those of you who have been eating and drinking with us for the last couple of months. But it's because of all of you, we're a little behind on the blog...... not that we're complaining ;)

So with out futher ado ta da the J-Sekka Deli is open.

With our focus squarely on the amazing produce fround right here in Hokkaido, it has been nothing but pleasure to explore the region and find what's out there on offer.
Heres a little walk through.

J-Sekka Deli Opening
yes we are

J-Sekka Deli Opening
looking back at the showcase and a couple of slackers

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Tasty Karintou brown sugar crackers

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Dehydrated vegetable chips

J-Sekka Deli Opening
back into the deli

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Totally wicked in house made blackberry and lemon jam

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Awesome house made toasted chocolate & cranberry muesli

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Rankoshi rice

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Niseko coffee, roasted and groud right here in Niseko

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Benefuki organic Japanese black tea

J-Sekka Deli Opening
A nice little wine selection - we're working on increasing the Japanese varieties

And lets not forget the food in the cafe made from locally sourced Hokkaido fresh produce and utilizing a vast array from the shelves and showcase.

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Our ever changing Hokkaido plate this one with;
Shin Sapporo blue cheese, house made quince paste and sesame crackers,
Smoked quails egg with house blend dukkah,
Barnanabas pork sausage with our eggplant, chilli and fig chutney and
Japanese smoked duck with pickled Niki cherries

J-Sekka Deli Opening
Enjoy your meal with our multi-coloured choose your own adventure hashi

Here' a little sample of our autumn menu, we change with the seasons and produce availability so we can enjoy the best of all there is to offer.

Takenaka sardines on toast

Wild Hokkaido venison burger on a rye bun with house made beetroot relish

Otaru beer battered Hokkaido flounder and chips

Spaghetti with Hokkaido crab, chilli and roast mini toamto

Autumn salad of plums, wild hokkaido walnuts, Shin Sapporo blue cheese and eringi mushrooms

We've had so much fun learning to and running the deli, but don't forget in winter we will be opening up Sekka dining and Maki Bar with its's awesome open fire place.

If your in the area drop in and say hi .. hope to see you soon !

J-Sekka Delicatessen & Cafe
167-3 Aza yamada
Kutchan cho
Abuta gun
Hokkaido
0440081

Telephone 0136213088