My flatmate found this place in the Northbridge Shopping Centre called Tokyo Mart, a one-stop shop for everything from yamaimo paste to frozen wagyu beef. It was here that I discovered a mother and daughter team running monthly cooking classes out of their North Shore property, dedicated to kaiseki, something like a degustation menu tailored to the seasons, with an emphasis on presentation. I decided to sign up, partly because I like to cook, but mostly because I'll be doing a homestay within the first few days of arriving in Fukushima. I reckon it'd be wise to start the cultural exchange before I actually get there so I don't look like a complete idiot.
I managed to find their place on the day after trudging about 2km uphill in the rain from Epping Road and together with 5 other students, managed to whip up the following yummies:
Sakizuke (The Appetiser) - Seasonal Fruits in Umeboshi
This was followed by Wanmono (The Seasonal Broth) - Poached Duck with Grilled Rice Cake, Grilled Leek, Mizuna and a hint of Yuzu. I'm kicking myself for forgetting to take a photo of it because it was my favourite. D'oh!
Mukozuke (The Cold Dish) - Tuna Cubes and Calamari Whorls with Watercress, Shredded Daikon and Wasabi Garnish
Yakimono (The Grilled Dish) - Prawn, Scallop, Mushrooms and Sweet Chestnuts Baked in a Salt Crust
Takiawase (The Simmered Dish) - Hiryozu: Fried Tofu Balls with Prawns, Black Fungus, Gingko Nuts and Water Chestnuts Simmered in Broth
Aemono (The Vinegared Dish) - Green Beans in Sesame Dressing
Gohan (The Final Rice) - Crab and Fluffy Egg Rice
The whole thing put together looked like this:
Itadakimasu!
The poached duck soup is in the bottom right, for those who are curious. A very short while later, my place setting looked like this:
Burrrrp! Yum...
It all tasted great, not least because everything had its own flavour, even within each individual dish. Iron Chef, eat your heart out! I was surprised that there's a lot more to J-food than the regular stuff we get at restaurants here. Since I'm going to a somewhat more agricultural part of Japan, I'm sure there'll be heaps more stuff I've never eaten before. Bring 'em on, I say!
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