Japan Class Series - Takoyaki February 10, 2018
What is Takoyaki? Batter ball similar to Okonomiyaki but grilled in a sphere pan •Tako (Octopus) •Yaki (grill) Made with Batter Recipe •1 Bag Okonomiyaki Mix •3 Eggs •¾ Cup Water Apply onto batter in Takoyaki Pan (not all at once) •¼ Small Cabbage finely chopped •5 Long stem onion finely chopped •3 Tbsp Chopped Beni Shuga (red pickled ginger) •2 Cups Tenkasu (tempura flakes) •3 Tbsp Bonito flakes •1 Leg Octopus finely cubed •1 Cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded Topping Recipe Dr
Blue Mondays - Sake & Cheese Pairing February 5, 2018
Sake Kikusui Junmai Ginjo Itteki Jinyu 100 Poems Cheese Raclette Cheese •Distinctively musty yet sweet •Creamy, milky flavor and texture •The browny orange colored rind and yellowy cheese adds a splash of color onto the plate Pairing Notes •A light bodied dry Sake with ample acidity is an ideal pair for sumptuous raclette •The crispness of the dry Sake will cut through the creaminess of the cheese •The dry profile won’t overpower the raclette’s delicate flavors CLICK Image To
Japan Class Series - Okonomiyaki February 3, 2018
What is Okonomiyaki? Okonomiyaki translates to: “Grill As You Like” •Okonomi (as you like) •Yaki (grill) Sometimes referred to as by non-Japanese speakers •“Japanese Pancake” •“Japanese Pizza” It’s more like frittata meets pancake Made with •Flour •Eggs •Tempura flakes (Tenkasu) •Cabbage •Pork belly slices (with or without other meats/seafood) •Topped with a variety of condiments like •Okonomiyaki sauce •Japanese mayonnaise •Dried seaweed •Dried bonito flakes CLICK Image To O
Japan Class Series - Shochu January 21, 2018
What is Shochu? Shochu is a Japanese traditional hard liquor, distilled spirits made from grains and vegetables. The most common base ingredients are sweet potato, barley, rice, buckwheat and sugar cane. Manufacturing Process Shochu is distilled liquor, similar to brandy and vodka. Alcohol Content As a distilled beverage, Shochu has an average alcohol content of 25% to 37%. Because of its higher alcohol content, Shochu can be enjoyed in variety of ways. The Main Ingredients S
Palm Springs Sake Mimosa
Rule #1 Throw out all of your old beliefs. Sake is no longer that grainy bold hot ricy beverage sold at your local Sushi restaurant. Sake today is quite different. It’s sophisticated, multi-faceted, and more importantly it’s fun!!! the Sake Mimosa is the latest from the only Japanese home goods store in the Coachella Valley, “Wabi Sabi Japan Living”. Made with chilled flavor infused Nigori Sake, this refreshing pool side, brunch, or anytime drink will bring you to a whole
Japan Class Series - Bonsai 101 Class January 14, 2018
The Art of Bonsai Personal and Spiritual The art of bonsai is a personal and subjective art that can be seen as an extreme form of gardening or a path to spiritual enlightenment. It is an art form fused with horticulture that takes aspects of culture, religion, craftsmanship and discipline. It is created, shaped and maintained to represent an ideal of nature. Like Ikebana, the art of bonsai is a form of Wabi-Sabi, the Japanese art in which beauty is found in the imperfectio
"Tetsubin" Cast Iron Tea Kettle Care
For hundreds of years, cast iron tea kettles, known as "tetsubin", were used in Japan and they are still a part of the Tea Ceremony in Japan. Why Use a Cast Iron Tea Kettle? Cast iron absorbs heat evenly allowing for the tea leaves floating in the water to evenly heat up. With the distribution of heat, the leaves gradually heat up infusing the greatest amount of tea flavor into the water. You get more flavor and the nutrients are infused water with the even heating. Your t
