Chichibu – 秩父

Two years ago we went to see an exhibition of meisen kimono and I totally felt in live with this new technique to make more affordable kimonos. I like how it is linked with the societal changes that were occurring at that time, freeing women, and the cultural changes with Japan in between western and traditional cultures. The vibrant colors, the rough patterns are characteristics of meisen, but not only. In the 1930’s there were several regions that were producing meisen. Hachioji and Chichibu are two close to Tokyo. A few month ago, one of our friends moved to Chichibu so it was the perfect occasion to visit her and check the meisen museum and visit the city.

Chichibu is about two hours by train or car from Tokyo in Saitama prefecture. It is a small city nested in a valley where the Arakawa river passes, and surrounded by mountains. The city expanded significantly with ghe meisen industry and a lot of buildings from the Taisho-Showa periods remain. The meisen kan 銘仙館is a former factory. The wooden buildings are really nice and it explains simply the history of meisen and the techniques used to make meisen. They still make meisen with new contemporary patterns. What attracted me to that place was that it is possible to make some meisen: there are three activities cutting-dying-weaving. I really wanted to dye but it was not possible that day so we weaved, and it was fun. Strolling in the city that has many cafes and craft shops was also great. I came back to Tokyo with second hand kimonos and wood furniture… and pumped up with greens and mountain air!

May 29, 2017

Parisian addresses for travelers

Our hotel life in Paris is continuing with a few nice discoveries and rediscoveries that I really want to share for those away from home in Paris. First of all the hotel. Finding a good hotel in Paris with all the services and the quietness is nit an easy task.

Hotel:

After trying many many hotels in many different places, left bank, right bank, I think we’ve finally found our home in Paris: La Reserve. I wanted to stay at the Mandarin oriental again, because I liked the swimming pool and the large rooms, but A. didn’t like it that much (sloppy room service and poor attitude of the security staff and bellmen at the door) so he convinced me to try La Reserve, and there has been no disappointment from start to end. The pool is nice, little used, the hotel is sizable and the staff super nice, the rooms are very quiet and well furnished. The service is very personalized and all is about smiles and freshness. The location is also great (nearby many galleries and in the midst of green) and the little things like the courtesy chauffeur are just nice surprises.

Restaurants:

Flora Danica, is a real classic Danish restaurant in the Maison du Danemark on the Champs Élysées, that has been there forever in Paris. We used to go when we lived in Paris. It has changed many times but the quality of the food is steady and the dishes are simple and delicious. The nordic Scandinave interior is beautiful and cosy. The dishes, mainly salmon and mackerel are really nice. Ingredients come first, no fancy arrangements.

Haï Kaï is a restaurant in the 10eme by the Canal Saint Martin. A hipster area of Paris. The place interiror is very simple and the dishes really great. The discovery menu is mking some ambitious and provocative combinations, the a la carte menu is more considerate and has some beautiful dishes like the merlan au beurre or the Parisian gaspacho. A nice new address in Paris with a cheffe (woman chef!).

April 16, 2017

White asparagus with parmigiano cream

One ingredient again that is not that easily found in Japan and that you can find everywhere at farmers markets in France at this time of the year: white asparagus! Indeed, in Japan green asparagus are quite common but white are rather rare and most of the time imported, so I never buy some. But in France in spring it is really common.

One recipe I love that I tried when eating at Thoumieux (not the Brasserie, the Hotel Thoumieux restaurant) and prepared by chef Jean-Francois Piege, was white asparagus with just melted comte cheese. The dish was normally served with black truffle (a common pairing with white asparagus), which I don’t like so mine didn’t have it. And the balance between the creamy asparagus and the salty cheese was perfect. I really loved it. But white asparagus also go very well with creamy sauce. I had a delicious combination at Piere in Osaka the other day. But my mother had her own recipe that she taught me. Very simple, and a good combination: parmegiano cream! For that she first clean the asparagus and peel them, removing the hardest parts. Then simply steam them. In a little pan she warm some cream and add gratted parmegiano, about 1tbs per person. Once the parmegiano has melted she serves on the hot asparagus. Add a little bit of black pepper for the color if you want.

Now I am back to Paris, and hotel life so no more cooking in the next days..

April 13, 2017

Parisian walks

So, here am I in Paris just for one day before heading to Aix-en-Provence for work. Spring is turning heads here as much as sakura and hanami were in Tokyo and the beautiful warm weather and the jetlag invite for random walks and terraces farniente. With the Paris marathon raging on the right bank we decided to stay on the left bank and enjoy the fresh green of spring with a walk in the hospital La Salpetriere that has a beautiful park nearby the central church, before heading to the classic chic jardins du Luxembourg and finish on the Seine bank after browsing the art galleries in the 6eme. Paris is definitely a city to visit on foot, selecting random streets and seating here and there randomly to have a drink and a break. I personally love to seat at the jardin du Luxembourg drink stands at les Editeurs, place Saint Sulpice or place de l’Odeon. My favorite drinks when jetlagged and in France are some childhood drinks: diabolo menthe (mint syrup and sparkling soda) or straight freshly squeezed lemon juice. Have a beautiful week ahead!

Fontaine Medicis in the jardins du Luxembourg

April 9, 2017

Pierre

There are quite many Michelin rated restaurants in Kansai, many are Japanese cuisine restaurants. For A.’s birthday I was looking for a nice place to spend the evening, many are closed on Sunday and I couldn’t make a decision. After spending some time at the Saint Regis hotel, we checked in at the Intercontinental hotel (because it has a swimming pool, something I really enjoy when on business trip) and that’s only at that time that I realized their restaurant Pierre was a newly starred on the Michelin list. Their menu attracted me for being both simple and creative and I was not disappointed. Since I have a list of things I don’t eat that can scare more than one chef and A. has also his preferences that are different than mine I assume that we are a headache!!! But everything was perfectly adjusted and the plates were beautiful, fresh, and perfectly sized for us. Contrarily to many places in Osaka where meat is central, at Pierre local vegetables are playing a main part. If you are in Osaka, I warmly recommend that place, the service lacks a bit of confidence, but the food is exquisite. Wine pairing with the menu was really nice too. Booking is more than recommended as it is quite busy and if like me you have likes/dislikes the chef can accommodate more easily.

Pierre @hotel Intercontinental Osaka near Umeda station and Grand front.

Japanese spring vegetables at Pierre

pictures from the official website

April 1, 2017

To Osaka!

En route to Osaka for for a few days! Which means no cooking and fewer posts from me. What I love with traveling in Japan by train, is this habit that people have to eat on the train. Eating on the train is part of the journey and at the station finding the lunch box (bento-弁当) that you would like to eat is whole part of it. At Tokyo station you have plenty of options. If you commute by train there is a nice underground bento shopping district. If you arrive directly to the station by bus or taxi I recommend the underground floor pf Daimaru, which offers serious eating options. Plan a good 15 to 30 minutes to browse all the different shops! Today I had a crush for sakura rice and it was a very goodd choice. Something I will try to cook at home too. See you in a few days!

March 26, 2017

Little getaway: Bise

In the end of winter when spring is coming but too slowly, there is nothing such as a little getaway to the southern islands for a bit of real spring, with temperatures above 20 degrees and the ocean around 22 degrees. And with my parents visiting we all took off to Okinawa main island for the weekend. It’s only 2h30 flight away from Tokyo, but it’s a totally different world! This time we headed to Nago and enjoyed the sea, the nature, the culture of the Ryukyu islands. Very typical architecture, pristine blue water, lush green of the tropical forest… Swimming, marine sports, hiking are probably the main activities. The biggest surprise of our trip was probably Bise. A beautiful small village by the sea with alleys of trees that create a magic atmosphere, and where for some reason we’ve not been before. We stayed in a house just by the sea and surrounded by these beautiful trees. We also enjoyed some local food of course, the delicious tofu from Okinawa, with a different mode of preparation than tofu from the mainland (they keep it warm in the supermarket instead of having it in a fridge!); the umi budo; the gusuku seaweed; the pork long cooked and all melty; the natural black sugar; the shikwasa and the tankan citrus fruits to count only a few. The best to visit the island is to rent a car, it’s very easy to drive around. To stay in Bise try Ocean Blue or Chanya for a unique beach side experience. The huge marine park near Bise has a beautiful exhibition about the Pacific islands culture that I warmly recommend.

Other things to do in Okinawa main island: Shuri-jo and a walk in the narrow streets around; Nakamura house; Gyokusendo caves; beach, beach, beach

March 6, 2017

Souvenirs from Sicily

After one week in the south of Sicily trying local products and visiting historical sites, it was obvious I would not come back to Japan with empty hands. And with both Christmas and my birthday I was spoiled. Here is a bit of the Sicilian delights and gears I took back with me. Starting from the top right corner and going clockwise. First a new ravioli rack and the wooden roller, for large ravioli this time. I already tried it for the foie gras ravioli and for the ricotta ravioli, amazing! Very easy to use, larger ravioli seems much easier to make than smaller ones! Then a cooking book of Sicilian cuisine: “la cucine Siciliana”. My rusty Italian has gotten much better this year, so reading in Italian would not be a problem. Then some speck, some fresh ricotta salata. A little gnocchi rack to shape my gnocchi instead of using a fork! Sicilian flours for bread and pasta, polenta. A ceramic fruit plate from Caltagirone, I am totally in love with these ceramics, but I had a hard time finding some vintage ones. And in the background a new apron! So, very soon on Tokyo-Paris sisters some recipes using all these! And you, what do you bring back when you travel?

January 2, 2017

Food habits

Travelling abroad and eating at some friends’ place, doing some shopping in the local organic supermarkets and trying some local products definitely impacts my food habits. Trying new delicious products or simply eating differently from what we eat in Japan everyday is really interesting. In Germany I was expecting to eat a lot of dark cereal bread like black bread, pumpernickel… and to buy flour to make some, which I did. But at our friend’s place I also tried freshly prepared porridge and I really love it. First milling the oatmeal (or spelt or whatever you want), then preparing some warm liquid: this time on the picture is homemade chai latte, then some fresh topping: plums, and finishing with linen seads and dates. Perfectly nourishing and warm for a chilly autumn morning and before a long forest hike in the Wine county. Hiking, walking being outside, if not possible, swimming, are all for me the best ways to recover from jetlag, together with a good breakfast.

September 24, 2016