We have almost always spent our golden weeks in Soto Boso, even before we had a house there. Our first golden week, we spent it in Onjuku in a fishing minshuku, except that we weren’t fishing! Then for may be 4 or 5 years we came by scooter, touring from north to south, and also the central part of the peninsula. I very well remember the first time we went to Otaki castle, how when driving between the rice paddies, looking at the beautiful colors of the freshly planted rice, the blue sky, and the dark green of the trees I totally was under the spell of this Japanese countryside. And now it’s been probably 4 or 5 years we’ve been spending the golden week in Ohara with friends visiting us and staying with us. It’s a time to be outdoor and to cook quite a lot then.

It’s the perfect time for starting the day with a great breakfast taken in the garden. I like to have all the best products from the region: eggs, strawberries, honey, jams, cheese, ham… and freshly baked bread.

And similarly, for lunches I like to have a few things that can be eaten with no specific order, that please everyone and that are fresh snd local. And with all the snap peas and potatoes now, a big salad is perfect. I chose it because it can be made a bit ahead and kept at room temperature, allowing to be prepared when it is still quiet in the house, and enjoy time with friends.

Potatoes and snap peas salad

– 2 potatoes per person

– 1/2 new onion per person

– 1 handful of snap peas per person

– olive oil, salt, pepper and eventually mustard

Peel and cut be onions and the potatoes. In a large pan heated add olive oil then the onion, and the potatoes. Half cover with water and cook. Prepare the snap peas, add them 2 minutes before the potatoes are ready or before most of the water is gone. Add olive oil, mustard… and serve