Jillyanna in Japan
My culinary adventures in the land of the rising sun
I went to Japan for three weeks a few months ago. I was on a small, well organized tour for two weeks and with friends for one. Sometimes lunches, arranged by the tour, were surprisingly good and special (like the time we stopped at a family run Hoba Miso restaurant in Takayama.) Hoba means magnolia leaf. The dried leaf is dipped in water then placed on a cast iron skillet. Sweet miso is spread on the leaf and the whole thing goes on top of a hot miniature brazier, usually heated by charcoal. Once the miso starts to bubble, scallions, mushrooms, carrots, bean sprouts and, if you like, beautifully marbled Hida Beef are added. Soon the fragrance of the magnolia is released and perfumes the meal. The beef, which is seasoned by the miso melts in your mouth. Oh, Hoba Yaki, how I loved you!
Many dinners were not included on the tour so I was left on my own to determine where I wanted to eat. I bought lots of books, referred to respected travel bloggers and looked at online reviews of famous restaurants. Without a reservation, one could end up in a very, very long line or turned away at the door. A friend of mine who was averse to making reservations sometimes ended up at the 7-eleven and he grew pretty fond of one particular grab and go snack…egg salad made with Kewpi mayo and served on fluffy Japanese bread.
I ended up at a few excellent sushi restaurants savoring slices of glistening raw yellowtail, uni, bluefin tuna and warm delicately seasoned rice. One of the great hotels in Kyoto served me Shabu Shabu which contained buttery waygu beef briefly cooked in a delicious kombu infused broth. Some street food vendors provided great treats such as warm little cakes filled with sweet red bean paste. To drink, I often indulged in cool, dry sake presented in overflowing glasses and when I was tired of touring shrines, I tucked into tea shops and inhaled the finest matcha whisked until frothy— the same green tea that is drunk religiously by Buddhist monks.
Not everything I consumed in Tokyo or Kyoto or Hiroshima was to my liking. The oysters in Hiroshima, for example, were as big as Oliver’s face and I couldn’t even begin to suck them down. Traveling to a foreign land, however, is all about taking risks. I took them in Japan and I am so happy that I did.
One of the highlights of this trip was my dinner at Monk, a 14 seat wood-fired restaurant in Kyoto. My tour guide, Mariko, understood that I had miraculously snagged a reservation at this tiny restaurant, but it was off the beaten path and, as many of you know, I am navigationally challenged and not at all fluent in Japanese, so getting lost was a big concern. Mariko made sure that our tour bus dropped me off at the bottom of “Philosopher’s Path” and she sent me photos of every unique shop or eatery I would see along my way to the restaurant. Thanks to my caring tour guide, I did not feel any stress wandering by myself at dusk in a strange land. In fact, it felt really good.
At the bar of Monk, I sat next to a lovely woman who turned out to be married to the childhood friend of chef Yoshihiro Imai. She spoke perfect English and we watched the chef skillfully prepare many simple dishes in his wood-fired oven: roasted, freshly harvested local vegetables, partially grilled fish (He then steamed the fillets in sake) and finally, pizzas. We had a choice of toppings and although I was pretty full, I wanted to taste his dough made with Japanese flour and his specialty topping of the day: venison ragu! As I was seated so close to the chef at the bar, I was able to politely quiz Yoshiro’s sous chef (He was from Philadelphia) and ask a few questions about wood-fired techniques and preparations.
Everyone wants to be in Japan during cherry blossom season and unfortunately, I missed that magnificent display by about a week… but look at the consolation prize that awaited me when I returned home!
There are so many eye opening experiences that happened to me in Japan and they inspire me to be a better cook and wiser teacher. Most of all, I love learning how different cultures use fire and wood to enhance the flavors of their ingredients. I may offer a special Japanese wood-fired dinner this year if there is sufficient interest in Japanese inspired food. Do let me know if you are interested.
In the meantime, there are plenty of familiar offerings that I hope will appeal to you at Jillyanna's Woodfired Cooking School In the last newsletter, I elaborated a bit on those classes so I won’t repeat myself. But I will again list those classes and events by name. They are hyperlinked and when you click on the name, full descriptions and dates will be revealed. You may purchase tickets online, but if you have any questions or wish for us to process your tickets, or if you’d like to book a private party, feel free to call us at 207-967-4960. If your private group loves a certain class, but has a different date in mind, call us. We will try to create a date that works for your group.
Please remember that our classes are small, dates are limited and events sell out quickly. Tickets are non-refundable, but you are welcome to send someone in your place and/or reschedule if I think it is possible.
Woodfired Beef Tenderloin Dinner
Woodfired Neapolitan Pizza Intensive
Home Oven Detroit Pizza Intensive
Can’t wait to see you this year!
Jill
