Company

The cicada hatching from their long, underground sleep, are back, as is the humidity. Summer is in full force, and for the first time ever, I had a friend visit me in Japan! Hooray! Too bad it has been the hottest week in Japan since I arrived a year ago.

For the last week, my good friend "Blondie" has been visiting me in Japan, and it has been a a blast. It wasn't until she arrived that I realized how used to Japan I have come, and how much I have still yet to learn. It is strange seeing my apartment, city and life in Japan as foreign, through the eyes of somebody else. Blondie pointed out to me the smallest ways in which I have adapted and changed in my new environment, and the small things I have forgotten are strange.

Possibly the coolest part about her visit is that I felt like a tourist again. When the sun didn't promise to bake us in mere seconds, we got out to explore the gardens, palaces, museums, restaurants, bars, and shops. I got to show off my new hometown, Kanazawa, then we went for four full days in Tokyo...Neither of our pocket books will ever be the same. We took a drive up the coast, and a drive on the coast (literally, driving on the sand is weird!), went to an onsen, ate strange delicacies, and explored Japanese History and culture.

notably, she is currently living and working in Korea, so exploring Korean history through a Japanese point of view was very enlightening for both of us. Korea, for example, calls the body of water between Japan and China The Korean Sea, whereas Japan calls it The Sea of Japan. The details of the Korean War and Japanese occupation also had some major contradictions. It made me begin to wonder about the education I received in America.

Certainly my American education was very Western, possibly to a fault. At best I learned some light European History, and a sprinkly of Mexican History, but I can't remember a single lesson about Asian History. How sad, ne? A large part of the reason that I came to Japan was my awareness of my lack of Asian exposure. My trip to China, and my time in Japan has been a starting point, but I am beginning to feel buried by the amount of information I don't know anything about.

I am also learning how intricate, long, and documented Asian History is. My study of American History has been very in-depth, but has only really covered the last 400 years at most. How surprising it is that so little history is taught...

Iron Chef!

Somehow, the word that I enjoy cooking has gotten out, and thus I was invited to compete in a mock Iron Chef competition. There were four competitors, each representing a regional cuisine, and each of us had to prepare 30 dishes in 60 minutes...no small feat...

The competitors:

• Iron Chef Massive Arms representing Portugal with Seafood Paella and Fruit Salad.
• Iron Chef Crazy Assistants representing Luxembourg with Knuddlin (s/p?) with a Bacon Sauce, Apple Compote and Chocolate Mousse.
• Iron Chef Chinese Chick representing China with Garlic Oysters and Watermelon in Coconut Juice with Tapioca Balls.
• Iron Chef Me representing California with Seared Ahi Tuna with a side of Mesclun Salad, and Sopapillas with Cream and a Caramel Sauce.

The competition was fierce. Sweat glistened on the foreheads of all four chefs as they fried, boiled, chopped, seasoned and stirred. Iron Chef Massive Arms ran into trouble early when she realized that the burners at Stadium Kitchen were hotter than her practice kitchen. Would she save the Paella in time?

Iron Chef Chinese Chick was cool as a cucumber, steaming her oysters to perfection, lofting hypnotic scents of garlic throughout the room.

Iron Chef Crazy Assistants seemed to have everything under control and well prepared assistants, but his Knuddlin was not obtaining the desired consistency...would his dough thicken before the end of the competition?

Iron Chef Me seemed to be working smoothly, however she, that is to say, I, ran into trouble when half of the desert took up 30 minutes. With only half the allotted time remaining Iron Chef Me was in a panic to finish all her/my dishes in time.

5 minutes remaining.

With five minutes to go Iron Chef Chinese Chick appeared to have completed all of her creations and was merely garnishing her dishes to a beautiful piece or art, however Iron Chef Massive Arms was struggling to stir her Paella. With 10 pounds of seafood, and 20 cups of rice, she brought out the big guns, and powered through her dish. Iron Chef Crazy Assistants was desperately praying his chocolate would cool, so cream could be added, while Iron Chef Me had thrown all rules out the window to complete her dishes, flipping fish with her bare hands and throwing salad on plates.

The tasting.

Guests who paid a scant ¥1000 ($10.00), were allowed to try each of the four dishes. After a half hour consumption period, and a small debate, pencils began scratching scores on tablets. Was Iron Chef Crazy Assistants able to cool his chocolate in time? Did Iron Chef Massive Arms save her concoction from burning? Did Iron Chef Chinese Chick misjudge the perfection of her dishes? Did Iron Chef Bel finish in time????

And the winner is:


IRON CHEF ME!

It was a close match, and all competitors performed spectacularly, but in the end Iron Chef Me with her California Cuisine turned out victorious. Iron Chef Chinese Chick and Iron Chef Crazy Assistants tied for 2nd, and Iron Chef Massive Arms landed in fourth.

Another amazing battle in Kitchen Stadium...

The recipes I used/created:

Seared Ahi Tuna with Mango Salsa

• 4 large sashimi grade tuna filets
• 1 lime
• Olive Oil
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Mango Salsa (recipe below)

Pour 2 tbsp olive oil in a frying pan and heat over high heat.
Slice 2-4 slits in the filets lengthwise on both sides. Cut the lime in half and rub onto filet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Massage olive oil into flesh
Sear tuna on each side for 30 seconds to 1 minute until the outer layer is slightly charred. Inside should still be pink.
Cut into strips perpendicular to slits. Top with mango salsa and serve warm or chilled.

Mango Salsa

• 1 large mango peeled and chopped
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• ½ c. diced green onions (scallions)
• 1-3 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• ½ c chopped cilantro (coriander)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp shredded lime peel
• Juice of one lime
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp pepper

Combine all ingredients in a medium sized mixing bowl. Mix well and chill for half an hour to an hour before serving.

Mesclun Salad

• 6 c. small mixed salad greens
• 1 apple or pear cored and chopped
• 1 firm avocado chopped
• 1 c. crumbled blue or feta cheese
• 1 c. candied walnuts or almonds (recipe below)
• 1 c. Pear Vinaigrette (recipe below)

In a large salad bowl, combine mesclun, apples/pears, and avocado.
Pour dressing over salad
Top with cheese and nuts.
Serve

Candied Walnuts

• ¼ c powdered sugar
• 1/8 tsp chili or cayenne pepper
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 4 oz walnuts (other nut may be substituted)

Preheat an oven to 350˚
In a medium sized bowl, combine the sugar, pepper and salt.
Bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Add the walnuts and blanch them for 3 minutes.
Drain well, and immediately roll the walnuts in the sugar mixture until thoroughly coated. The sugar will melt slightly
Transfer the walnuts to a baking sheet lined with foil. Bake, stirring occasionally, until they are a deep golden brown, about 10 minutes. Watch carefully because they can burn easily.
Cool completely before serving

Pear Vinaigrette Dressing

• ¼ c Pear Nectar
• 2 tbsp walnut or salad oil
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon-style mustard
• Black Pepper to taste

Combine ingredients in a screw-top jar. Cover and shake well.

Sopapillas with Cream and Carmel Sauce

• 1 pkg 6-inch tortillas
• 1 c. sugar
• 1-2 tbsp. cinnamon
• 4 tbsp butter
• ¼ c. brown sugar
• ¼ c. honey
• 1 c. whipping cream
• ¼ c. sugar
• Oil

Combine 1 cup sugar and cinnamon in a medium sized container with a lid. Cover and shake well.
Cut tortillas into thin triangles
In a deep pot, bring oil up to 350˚. Add tortillas and fry until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on a towel for one minute, then put into container with cinnamon and sugar. Shake gently and remove.
In a saucepan, over low heat add butter and whisk in brown sugar. Do not boil. Add honey and continue stirring for 4-6 minutes.
Whip cream in a large mixing bowl until stiff peaks form. Add ¼ cup sugar, and whip for one minute more.
Put cream into a decorating bag with a star tip. Press ¼ cup of cream onto serving plates, spike with tortillas and drizzle sauce on top.

More Fire & Violence

In a way, I am glad most of these photos didn't come out, it sorta captures the chaos of the moment.

A float on fire in the middle of the street

Crazy fire, crazy people

The best shot I have of one of the floats

My crew

The galliant float carriers

Fire

Fire & Violence

One of the most popular festivals in my prefecture is called the Abare Matsuri, or loosely translated the Fire and Violence Festival. This may sound silly, but it was truly one of the most violent things I have ever witnessed live, oh, and there was some fire too.

Now, I know what you are thinking, "What was she expecting at something called 'Fire & Violence?'" But, really, you don't have any idea. My temptation is to give a run down of the night, but I think it would actually be best to just shout statements, to give you a better idea of how it went down.

Hundreds of large wooden floats stacked with children carried by drunk men.

People running.

Large groups of men throwing large wooden floats to the ground (minus the children), in attempts to destroy it

Huge, wild fires burning near telephone wires, trees, buildings, and people.

Infinite amounts of sake provided by strangers.

Gallon-size, communal bottles of sake.

strangers insisting you drink from there bottle.

Carrying floats that weigh over a ton while inebriated.

Marching floats down narrow streets that have wide ditches or rivers at the edge.

Borrowed clothing.

Wooden shoes.

Paper lanterns.

More fire.

More violence.

Yelling

Rage

Insanity