Preparing the Kitchen, Utensils & Table
Today I got out all my serving dishes and cooking utensils and started setting up for my Tampopo Dinner & a Movie. I set up my long table for sitting on the floor, dressed it with a tablecloth and table runner, both in Japanese patterns, and arranged all the empty serving dishes, just so I know where I want to put everything when the time comes to serve dinner. With all the various dishes on my menu, it's going to be a tight fit, so I didn't want to leave anything to chance. This way, with the help of my son Will, he will know exactly where I want him to put each dish so we can all sit down to dinner together while everything is still perfectly chilled or piping hot. My living room now looks like a Japanese restaurant.

I emptied the fridge of all the things that don't absolutely have to be refrigerated (I keep a lot of my grains and cereals in the fridge to ward off grain moths). But they're okay on the countertop for a day or two until I'm done with my dinner prep. This way, I have plenty of empty space in the fridge to store the chilled stuff until time to serve dinner.

And all my new kitchen utensils are standing poised and ready like a surgeon's tools: a sharp new sushi knife, a cleaver, kitchen shears, and a mandolin for uniform slicing. Can't wait to try them out.
12:06 AM PDT Permalink |

Fresh Fish & Produce
I did a bit of calling around town today, trying to locate fresh seafood for my Tampopo dinner. At first I was just going to buy it at Vallergas market, Napa's best gourmet grocery store. They always seem to have a really nice selection. But the only 'sushi grade' fish they carry are tuna and salmon. And although I want to keep it simple, I was hoping for a little more than just those two varieties. So I called two of our local fish markets, and discovered that both also carry hamachi, as well as fresh scallops and tobiko, the crunchy orange flying fish roe. So I think I'll be buying my fresh seafood at Omega 3, the little fish market closest to my house. I'm told I can pick up my order either the evening before, or the afternoon of my dinner.

I've also already shopped for my fresh produce. I was going to wait til the day of the dinner, or the evening before to shop for it, but when I looked at my list, the things that were on it were all things that would easily keep in the fridge for a couple of days: Scallions, green & red peppers, lemons, eggplant, mushrooms...nothing too delicate or quickly perishable like fresh herbs and delicate lettuce. The only thing I'm missing now is the giant daikon radish root for my sashimi garnish.
12:14 AM PDT Permalink |

Taking Photos
I’m going to be taking photos of all the ingredients, the cooking process and the finished dishes again this month. They turned out especially nice for my Scent of Green Papaya dinner, thanks to Rene, my sweetheart and dinner companion. This month, however, I may put my son Will to work as the staff photographer for my Tampopo Dinner & a Movie. I've ordered a new digital camera from TigerDirect.com, which is in Florida, so I hope it arrives in time. Otherwise, we'll have to use Rene's camera again.
12:09 AM PDT Permalink |

Ready...Set...Go Tampopo
After shopping online at AsianFoodGrocer.com last month, and shopping in San Francisco's Japantown last week, with the exception of my fresh seafood and vegetables, I'm all set for my Tampopo dinner & a movie. I called Vallergas, my favorite gourmet grocery today to inquire about how often they get deliveries of fresh fish and when I should plan to shop for it. The butcher told me that I should call in a few days ahead of time, or visit in person to place my order for the seafood I will need for my menu. He recommended that I wait until the day of the dinner to pick up my fresh fish and seafoods, and promised to have my order ready and waiting for me. So...I guess I'll be shopping for all my fresh produce that day as well.
12:19 AM PDT Permalink |

Deciding on the Fresh Fish
With less than a week to go, the countdown to my Tampopo Dinner & a Movie has begun. Now it's time to decide on the fresh fish so I can order it from Vallergas tomorrow. I definitely want to include maguro, that lovely bright pink tuna. And salmon is another favorite. Hamachi is always an excellent choice, and maybe some red snapper too. Those varieties will be for both sashimi and nigiri sushi. And I want to order some imitation crab legs to make California rolls, and tobiko, the tiny flying fish roe, for a colorful garnish. I also want to include several kinds of shrimp: medium-sized prawns for sushi and the really large ones for tempura, along with a few tiny bay shrimp for my sunomono appetizer. Since I'm making so many other dishes, I think I'm going to skip the exotic stuff like eel, urchin, squid, octopus, and clams. Besides, the fresh, raw fish is always my favorite anyway.
12:12 AM PDT Permalink |

What to Wear
Having lived in Japan for a couple of years, I have lots of Japanese clothing. I have two kimono and a beautiful, silver haori. I have a cotton yukata, and I even have a few men’s kimono, yukata and haori for the fellas too. It’s always so much fun to dress the part when enjoying a Japanese meal at home. I would never wear a kimono out in public, since it just doesn’t seem appropriate somehow, although I do wear my haori from time to time. It’s a short silk jacket, styled much like a kimono, but much less formal. They’re designed to wear as an outer garment over a kimono, but they look really nice as a wrap for an evening dress, or even something to throw on with a pair of jeans. Anyway, we’ll be dressing up Japanese style for the occasion.
12:06 AM PDT Permalink |

About the Fresh Ingredients
When preparing a Japanese dinner, the most important element is the freshness of the ingredients, especially since many of the dishes are served cold or raw. Ideally, shopping should be done the day before the meal, so that all the ingredients will be available for any preparations you might want to do the night before. Things like marinades and vinegared salads.

Believe it or not, the fresh vegetables required to make a Japanese dinner are not especially esoteric. Garden-variety cucumbers, carrots, garlic, scallions, onions, bell peppers, mushrooms and potatoes. However, if you wish, you can get a little more exotic with specialty mushrooms like shitake, tiny Japanese eggplants called nasu, fresh daikon radish, shiso leaves, and whole ginger root.

For the fish, it’s important to buy the very freshest you can find. If you have to buy frozen fish, only use it for dishes that will be cooked. Anything served raw, such as sashimi or sushi, should be purchased specifically for that purpose. So be sure to ask your butcher if the fish is ‘sushi grade’ and therefore safe to be eaten raw.
12:07 AM PDT Permalink |

Japanese Beverages
The beverages most commonly served with a Japanese meal are green tea, beer and sake. Your local Asian grocer may also carry a variety of Japanese sodas and sports drinks.

Green tea, called o-cha in Japanese, comes in both loose tea leaves, and teabags, both regular and decaffeinated. Everyday o-cha is quite different from the powdered matcha used for the tea ceremony. Oolong-cha is another Japanese favorite, especially in the summertime, and barley tea called mugicha is a popular wintertime treat.

Brands of Japanese beer include Sapporo (my favorite), Asahi, Kirin, and Suntory.

There are dozens of brands of Japanese sake, which may be served either hot or cold. The unfiltered white sake is traditionally served cold in little wooden boxes. And the traditional hot sake is served warmed in ceramic flasks, with tiny, thimble-sized cups for sipping.

Tea may be served throughout the meal, beer is especially refreshing with snacks and salty dishes, and sake is the proper beverage to serve with sashimi.
12:12 AM PDT Permalink |

Designing a Table Setting
The traditional Japanese table setting is simple and uncluttered. No fussy floral arrangements, no ostentatious linens, no multiple pieces of silverware for each course. Just clean and simple.

This time, I’m going to set up a long, low table for sitting on the floor. I have some nice lengths of fabric with Japanese patterns to use as a tablecloth, and an interesting assortment of serving dishes. I got really lucky in San Francisco's Japantown yesterday, and found some elegant table runners, placemats, chopsticks and dozens of serving dishes, so I now have a lovely assortment of attractive tableware. I may go so far as to create an ikebana floral arrangement, but other than that, and a candle or two, I’m going to let the food itself serve as the main aesthetic element.
12:06 AM PDT Permalink |

Awesome!
My birthday getaway to San Francisco was fantastic from start to finish. We stayed at the Hotel Miyako in Japantown in a room on the fifth floor overlooking the garden, with a nice view of Geary Street and the Peace Plaza pagoda. We had a quick dinner at an all-you-can-eat sushi place called Umeko. And then Rene treated me to the most wonderful surprise: orchestra seats to a stage performance of The Lion King at the Orpheum Theater. Words fail me to describe the experience, but if I must, then these will have to do: exhilarating... dazzling... opulent... a feast for the eyes and the ears... an African extravaganza! Before the opening pageant was over, I already knew that I can't wait to see it again.

Afterwards, we went back to the Miyako for a soak in the furo and one of the best night's rest I've ever had in a hotel. We requested a late check-out and headed back to Umeko again for lunch. Their all-you-can-eat buffet includes nigiri sushi, sashimi, sushimaki, tempura, steamed crab legs & lobster, pot stickers and egg rolls, oysters on the half shell, miso soup, assorted vegetables and fresh fruits.

When it came time to go shopping in Japantown, I must admit I got a little carried away. But with the abundant variety at such incredibly low prices, I couldn't resist. I bought every imaginable size and shape of Japanese serving dish, a sushi knife and a cleaver, a set of steamer baskets, two sushi molds for shaping rice balls, several pairs of lacquer chopsticks, two table runners, and a matching set of placemats, napkins and chopsticks for six, and finally...a beautiful clay pot! I searched for one last month and couldn't find it, so I was quite pleased to find one for all those Asian recipes that are best cooked in a clay pot.

I also stopped by the Japanese grocery for a few staples, like pickled ginger, tofu, soy sauce, miso, kombu seaweed, and sake. So... with the exception of the fresh fish and vegetables, I think I'm all set for my Tampopo dinner & a movie.
08:46 PM PDT Permalink |

O-Tanjobi
Today is my birthday, so I'm off to San Francisco's Japantown with Rene for a little R&R. While I'm there, I hope to get some shopping done as well, not to mention enjoying copious quantities of sushi at Isobune or Hana :>)

For my Tampopo dinner, and as a little birthday present to myself, I'm going to purchase several items I've been coveting for awhile. I want a mandolin for uniform slicing, a grill pan for stovetop grilling, a REALLY sharp knife, and a set of rectangular dishes in a classic Japanese design for receiving sushi and other bite-sized foods. There's a wonderful Japanese housewares shop there that will surely have a nice selection of those items at modest prices.

But since Rene always likes to surprise me, who knows what else he has in store...
12:45 AM PDT Permalink |

Japanese Cooking Utensils and Serving Dishes
Preparing a Japanese dinner doesn't require a lot of fancy or expensive cookware. In fact, with the exception of a few modest time-saving devices, the average kitchen probably already has everything needed to prepare a basic Japanese dinner.

A few months ago, I wrote an article for ThingsAsian titled Japanese Cooking Utensils and Serving Dishes There's lots of useful information for those who are just getting started with preparing Japanese cuisine at home.
12:07 AM PDT Permalink |

A Chronology of Japanese History and Culture
Jidai is the Japanese word for the division of time into specific eras throughout its history, from prehistoric times to the present day. Distinct periods in Japan's history are also categorized according to its reiging emperor, or the ruling shogunate. An imperial era begins with the emperor's ascension to the throne and ends with his death. The divisions of the shogun era are based on the length of the most powerful clan's reign of power. The most recently completed era in Japan is the Showa era, which began with the the ascension of Emperor Hirohito in 1926, and ended with his death in 1989, ushering in the present era which is Heisei, with the ascension of Emperor Akihito.

JOMON (10,000 - 300 B.C.) The earliest of Japan's historic eras, during which tribal clans were formed, hunter-gatherers made the first pottery from coils of clay, and the first emperor, Jimmu the Divine Warrior, is believed to have descended from the Sun Goddess Amaterasu Omikami in 660 B.C.

YAYOI (300 B.C. - A.D. 300) This second historic era marked the first cultivation of rice, early metalworking, and the use of the potter's wheel, all of which were introduced from China and Korea. The era gets its name from the area in Tokyo where an archaeological excavation revealed wheel-turned pottery. The Shinto religion began to organize, and family clans formed small local governments.

KOFUN (YAMATO) (300 - 645) Family clans grew in size and power. Interaction with continental Asia increased. Enormous gravesites with keyhole-shaped mounds called kofun were built to house the remains of powerful clan leaders. The Yamato clan established its family lineage back to Jimmu and the Sun Goddess Amaterasu Omikami, marking the beginning of the imperial dynasty that includes the present day emperor. Both Buddhism and the written alphabet were introduced from China. Emperor Shotoku Taishi (574-622) established a centralized government and encouraged the spread of Buddhism and the teachings of Confucius.

ASUKA (645 -710) Family clans continued to rise in power, along with a great governmental reformist movement called Taika no Kaishin (Taika Reforms), modeled after the Tang Dynasty. The Empress Kogyoku was removed from the throne and replaced by her younger brother, who became Emperor Kotoku. His inner minister Nakatomi no Kamatari, who later joined the powerful Fujiwara clan, helped facilitate the Taika no Kaishin.

NARA (710 - 794) Nara was designated as the imperial capital of Japan. Buddhism became more widespread through the encouragement of the imperial family and was eventually adopted as the state relition. The Kokiji (Record of Ancient Matters), a written record of the early myths and legends was compiled, along with Nihon shoki (Chronicle of Japan).

HEIAN (794-1185) The imperial capital was moved to the city of Heiankyo, now known as Kyoto. Ties with China were severed. Imperial power diminished with the rise of the bushi warrior class. Buddhism continued to flourish in Nara and spread throughout Japan. Japanese culture grew more refined. Literature emerged with the development of the simplified kana alphabet. Murasaki Shikibu, a daughter of the Fujiwara family and lady-in-waiting to the Empress Akiko, wrote the world's first novel, Genji Monogatari, the Tale of Genji, in 1002, while other women of the court added to the proliferation of Japan's growing literary collection.

KAMAKURA (1185-1333) The rise of Japan's feudal system began with the establishment of a military government in Kamakura by the warrior Yoritomo of the powerful Minamoto clan, Japan's first shogun, with the title Seii Taishogun, Great General over the Barbarians, bestowed upon him by the emperor. The Emperor Go-Toba became a figurehead on the throne in Kyoto, as the shogunate siezed power over the people of Japan. The invasion of Mongol tribes under Kublai Khan, although defeated, weakened the power of the Kamakura shogunate.

MUROMACHI (1333 -1568) Ashikaga Takauji established a new shogunate in the Muromachi district of Kyoto. Zen Buddhism emerged as a distinct scion of the religion. Japanese culture flourished and grew in refinement, including the arts of brush calligraphy, painting, topiary gardens and the tea ceremony. The 10-year Onin no Ran (Onin War) further weakend the Kamakura shogunate, and Sengoku Jidai, a great civil war ensued. European weaponry was introduced by the Portuguese, and Christianity was introduced by Francis Xavier.

AZUCHIMOMOYAMA (1568 -1600) The country was reunified after the civil war by the great warrior Oda Nobunaga, whose work was continued by Toyotomi Hideyoshi after his death. Hideyoshi attempted imperialist colonialization in Korea without success. The aesthetic and martial arts continued to flourish among the ruling class. Christianity continued to spread.

EDO (TOKUGAWA) (1600 -1868) Tokugawa leyasu established a powerful shogunate in the city of Edo (now Tokyo). Japan closed its ports to foreign trade, with the exception of Chinese and Dutch traders at Nagasaki. Christianity was restricted. A strong governmental and social hierarchy brought peace and order to the country. Cities grew in size and number, and free commerce flowed between them. The middle class of merchants and artisans grew in wealth and power. Music, theater, literature, publishing and especially Ukiyo-e printmaking and painting reached its height. Commodore Matthew C. Perry demanded entry into Tokyo Bay, and Japan opened its ports to foreign trade for the first time in two hundred years. The Boshin Senso, a great civil war against the Tokugawa shogunate brought about the fall of the feudal system in Japan.

MEIJI (1868 -1912) After a great uprising against the Tokugawa shogunate, the Emperor Mutsuhito, now known as Meiji, was restored to the imperial throne of Japan. The shogun, samurai and bushi became common citizens under the rule of the emperor and Japan strived to build up its military and industrial power. Japanese colonialism on continental Asia resulted in two wars, the Sino-Japanese War in 1895, and the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, as well as the occupation of Korea in 1910.

TAISHO [1912-1926] The Emperor Yoshihito reigned over Japan. Economic growth continued in Asia and the Pacific islands. The beginnings of political reform began with the support of a Liberal party government. Emperor Yoshihito, in failing health, appointed his son Hirohito as Regent.

SHOWA [1926 -1989] Hirohito, Japan's longest ruling emperor ascended the throne. Military occupation in Asia continued. Japan joined the Axis powers in World War II and waged war against the United States. Japan surrendered to the Allied Forces after atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. A constitution was drafted and a democratic parlimentary government was established. U.S. troops continued to occupy Japan during the post-war reconstruction. Japan joined in the economic and technological boom of the next four decades, becoming one of the most prosperous and significant economies in the world. Japan hosted the Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964, and the 1970 World Expo in Osaka. Japan resumed diplomatic relations with China in 1972. Emperor Hirohito died January 7, 1989.

HEISEI (1989- ) Prince Akihito ascended the imperial throne in 1989, where he has ruled to the present day. The economy of Japan continues to flourish in peace and prosperity on both a domestic and global level.
12:03 AM PDT Permalink |

About Japanese Cuisine
For those of you who are generally unfamiliar with basics of Japanese cuisine, I wrote an article for ThingsAsian a few months ago entitled Of Rice and Zen: The Essentials of Japanese Cuisine. It's a good place to start.
12:52 AM PDT Permalink |

Oops!...
I just realized that I've overlooked the obvious with my Tampopo dinner: The movie is all about a quest for the perfect bowl of ramen, and I haven't included a single noodle dish in my repertoire. Yikes! But that's because I make homemade ramen all the time...at least once or twice a month. I add chicken, mushrooms, napa cabbage, onions, ginger root, soy sauce, sesame oil and water or chicken broth to packaged ramen noodles, par-boiled and stir fried with the extra ingredients. Y-U-M!

So I'm not especially inspired to make ramen for this particular dinner. I'm much more focused on trying some new dishes. And besides, there's so much more food-related humor in the film than just the ramen, that I think just about anything goes...
12:11 AM PDT Permalink |