May 22, 2012: Meditations on the Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo #2

“…when we consider how small, after all, the cup of human enjoyment is, how soon overflowed with tears, how easily drained to the dregs in our quenchless thirst for infinity..meanwhile let us have a sip of tea. The afternoon glow is brightening the bamboos, the fountains are bubbling with delight, the soughing of the pines is heard in our kettle. Let us dream of evanescence, and linger in the beautiful foolishness if things.”

“The Book of Tea” by Okakura Kakuzo in the chapter, “The Cup of Humanity”

May 03, 2012: Meditations on the Book of Tea by Okakura Kakuzo #1

“In my young days I praised the master whose pictures I liked, but as my judgement matured I praised myself for liking what the master had chosen to have me to like.”

-from the “Book of Tea” by Okakura Kakuzo quoting a Sung critic in the chapter “Art Appreciation”

November 30, 2010: An Epicurean Redefined

I have been enjoying reading “Marius the Epicurean” by Walter Pater (1885.) The story surrounds the life of a fictional Marius, set in 2ndC.Rome. Marius is somewhat of a classical period Forrest Gump where, through the course of his life, he “meets” (in theory if not in person) such classical heavy hitters like Homer, Plato, Heraclitus, Galen, Asclepius, Epicurus, and he eventually becomes the secretary to Roman Emperor/philosopher Marcus Aurelius. Dense reading indeed, but after reading, last night, the best rendition of the myth of “Cupid and Psyche” that I have ever read, I’m hooked. The way the character of Marius is scanning, he didn’t gibe with what I understood what an epicurean is, and since I’ve always been kind of muddled between the difference between “gourmet”, “gourmand” “gastronome”, “bon vivant”, and “epicurean” I decided to consult Websters, which defines them:

• gourmet: *(implies being a connoisseur of in food and drink and being discriminating enjoyment of them)
• gourmand: one who is excessively fond of eating and drinking
• gastronome: (implies one has studied extensively the history and rituals of haute cuisine)
• bon vivant: (implies the enjoyment of fine food and drink in company)
• epicurean: 1) a follower of Epicurus. 2) (archaic) one devoted to sensual pleasure; sybarite 3) one with sensitive and discriminating tastes, especially in food or wine (this implies and fastidiousness and voluptuousness of taste)

(* Quotations designate synonyms to epicurean and how Websters has defined them to it.)

Well, no wonder I was muddled. They all seem to do with someone who enjoys food or drink. It appears to me that a “gourmet” seems to be discriminating about food; “gourmand” is someone who eats for the sheer pleasure of it; “gastronome” is one  who really studies more the presentation of food and etiquette; “bon vivant” enjoys the social aspect of a meal; and “epicurean” seems to be like a “gourmet” but the way it’s defined, the word seems to have a slightly hedonistic edge to it. So, I did some research to try to find the truth.

Epicureanism was founded by the philosopher Epicurus about 307 BC. who advocated the pursuit of modest pleasures, the absence of bodily pain, and the freedom from fear, in order to lead a meaningful, tranquil, and simple life through knowledge of the world’s workings and the limits of one’s desires. Epicureans valued friendship above all things.

Mmmmmm…let’s see: “modest” pleasures…check; “simple” life…check; “limiting of one’s desires”…check. Well…not quite the hedonistic people they are made out to be, are they?!!!! Yes, pleasure, for the Epicurean, was the goal, as in “absence of pain.” Epicureanism reminds me more of Thoreau (although he advocated the “simple life” I haven’t found any evidence to prove T. considered himself an Epicurean, although he most certainly knew of their ideals.) So where did this idea of the Epicureans being hedonistic come from? Well, you have a popular “pagan” philosophy who seemed to want to live their life in morality and peace…after the first century. Where did the “hedonistic” label come from? Three guesses (and you won’t need the last two!)

October 11, 2010: A Hunter-Gatherer Diet

 

Image courtesy of Method Fitness Blog

 

Last Thursday, I had the pleasure of making dinner for my friend Dan and his charming tenants, Craig and Emily. Dan has just started a diet called the “Paleolithic Diet” which has its own inherent restrictions. I was up for the challenge and the menu Dan and I came up with was:

• Beet Soup (I had whole grain croutons and sour cream for everyone but Dan)
• Salmon and Scallop Duo (Dan provided the “wild” fish)
• Sautéed Portobello Mushrooms with butter, garlic and lemon juice
• Lemon-Leek Risotto (Dan didn’t have this either)
• Asparagus in butter and lemon

The Paleo Diet attempts to reproduce what our Paleolithic (2 million-10, 000 years ago) ancestors ate, with the idea that the modern human genetic profile remains 99.9% the same from the Paleolithic period, yet after agriculture we introduced (variety to be sure) but also harmful things to our diet. The Paleo Diet has no grains, no dairy, no sugar, no legumes, no fermented beverages and no preservatives. The emphasis of the diet is “wild” protein like game, grass-fed beef, free range poultry, wild-caught fish, and vegetables.

Dan (in addition to being a great guy and a good friend) is about as far from a cave man as possible! He is a Harvard grad, a computer whiz, and just about the smartest man I know, so when he say a diet like this “just makes sense” to him, I’m inclined to listen up. Dan has effectively eliminated processed foods, “bad” carbs, sweets, meat with hormones and toxins, alcohol…essentially ALL the things that plague a modern diet, that cause heart disease, many cancers, food intolerances, diabetes, and tooth decay! In one fell swoop, Dan has eliminated ALL junk food from his diet!

Dan cautions me that he has only been on the diet for a little while, and when I asked him if he had any cravings his answer was “Not so far” but admits that many of things he has eliminated from his diet he could live without. Personally, I think diets tend to work because you are paying more attention to what you eat and moderating it, something that is wise, anyway. The danger of a diet is that when you eliminate something in your diet and you miss it, as soon as you go off the diet, you gorge on those things, negating the purpose of the diet. A diet should be something that is achievable, if it’s going to succeed. You make the diet a life-time experience, something that will last.

I think Dan has made a wise choice in his diet. I feel impelled to point on that our hunter-gatherers ancestors burned tons of calories in their quest to survive, so as a dog owner (Dan now owns three dogs, and he is such a kind master that he puts a new emphasis on the phrase “lucky dog”) I recommend that Dan take his beasts out for frequent walks. You’ll benefit, and they’ll love it, keeping you (and them) happy, hearty, and healthy for some time to come!

August 26, 2010: Irish Cuisine at Showa

Photo by Ayuka; student at Showa

Thanks to Yoshio for once again inspiring me to push my ideas about cooking..and yes, Yoshio…you are truly the master in any style of  cuisine! Your corned beef and cabbage was perfect! Thank you to Showa for having me, and special thanks for the young women of Yoshio’s class that were so cordial listening to my talk about Irish-American and Irish cuisine. I really enjoyed meeting you all and your help with the setup and breakdown of the meal was especially gracious! I had such a fun day!

Here the recipes (and the influences) we made for you:

Corned Beef and Cabbage (Irish-American, a variation of New England Boiled Dinner)

• 4 lb “Corned” Brisket of Beef (“corned” is Anglo-Saxon for “salted”)
• 6 Large Carrots-peeled, ends taken off
• 3 Small Parsnips-peeled
• 3 Large Turnips-peeled and halved
• 1 Head of Cabbage-cored and quartered
• 6 Medium-sized Potatoes-peeled (Yoshio had a variety of types)
• Spices/Flavors: 1 heaping Tablespoon of each: Whole Pepper, Juniper Berries, Cloves and Corse Salt. A few sprigs of fresh Parsley-chopped

What you want to do is get each of the harder veggies (carrots, parsnips, turnips and potatoes) in about 2-3″ chunks. Yoshio cooked this dish in a pressure cooker. If you’ve never used a pressure cooker before, please, PLEASE get someone who knows, to show you!!!! You can get same results with a steady boil & simmer in an open pot, but this takes about two hours! Either way, please consult “The Joy of Cooking (JOC)”, p.412 for cooking all the ingredients, in their proper  order for both pressure cooker and open pot.

Colcannon (Irish: “cál ceannann” a truly Irish dish. Essentially, mashed potatoes, onions and/or leeks and kale or cabbage.)

• 2 Lbs. Potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 Lb. Kale (best) or Cabbage (OK), washed, cored. chopped well
• 2 Leeks OR 1 Leek+1 Medium Onion, peeled washed really well (see below);  chopped well.
• Spices/Flavors: Salt & Pepper, 1/4 Lb Butter, 1/4C Milk

I love leeks, but they can be the most dirty of the onion family. It takes a couple of washings, but they are worth it. First chop off the “beard” end (roots) and the green top (save for soup broth…yumm!) and wash stalk well in H2O. Chop well and wash the pieces in a colander and dry by putting colander in bowl for 10 minutes. When leek and kale are dry (I use a salad spinner) fry in wok with a little oil or butter until leeks are wilted…almost brown. Put aside. Boil cubed potatoes until soft. Remove from H2O and dry potatoes in a pan in 300°F oven for 10 minutes. Add to a bowl with S&P, butter and ,milk, mash, then beat until whipped. Fold in kale/leek. Put in buttered pan and bake @ 350°F oven until top is browned.

“Quick” Soda Bread (Irish: “arán sóide” a traditonal Irish and Irish-American dish.) I was pleased how this came out. I followed JOC p. 575 verbatim. Why fool with success?! Remember to cut a cross to “let the fairies out” and find someone else (like me!) to drink the rest of the buttermilk!

“Codling” Cream (also: “Coddling” Cream; f/ 1600′s; Irish w/British influence)

• 8 medium peeled, cored, sliced green apples
• 1+1/4C Wine (recipe called for white, I used port for that pink color)
• 1+1/4C H2O
• 3 Tblsp. Sugar (I used brown sugar)
• 1 Pint Heavy Cream
• 2 Egg Yolks
• 1 Tblp. Rose H2O (optional, if you can find it)

Again, while working cutting the apples, I keep them in H2O to keep from browning. Heat H2O and Wine with apples until they are soft. Strain and discard liquids. Add sugar to apples, mash and cool. Whip cream until stiff. Whip egg yolks separately until foamy, fold into whipped cream. Fold egg/cream into cooled apples. Add rose H2O last. Keep cold.

August 25, 2010: The Flavor of Green Tea Over RIce

I was pleased to have Isaac, Sarah, and Matt over for dinner, last week. In keeping with my “Summer on a Stick” unconscious theme I have going, I made:

• Grilled Fennel and Papaya Skewers in Lime-butter
• Grilled Onion and Chicken Skewers in Lemon-Pepper Sauce
• Greek Pasta Salad
• Chilled Chai sweetened with Coconut Milk

In addition to their wonderful company, these guys really know their movies and in addition to taking some well deserved teasing about Netflixing “Furry Vengeance” I walked away with a list of really good films to add to my list. Seeing Isaac reminded me of a wonderful movie he bequeathed to me a while back, Yasujiro Ozu’s  1952 “Ochazuke No Aji” or “The Flavor of Green Tea Over Rice.”

It seems many critics of this film attack the perils of arranged marriages, and while yes, that’s a part of movie, I think these critics are missing the larger points that Ozu is addressing about the everyday pitfalls of not only marriage, but relationships in general. The married leads Mokichi and Taeko have their issues:. Mokichi tends to be a rather distant to his wife, and for Taeko, nothing Mokichi does is OK. From the brand of cigarette he smokes, the 3rd class train that he travels in, even how he eats his food and the food he enjoys is 3rd rate. Her friends Aya and Takaka are little help. Themselves products of arranged marriages, one of their husband seems to have  a permanent residence in France, and the other is a liar and a cheat. Even the couple’s niece, Setusko who seems to dearly care for her aunt and uncle cannot bring them together.

The bulk of the film describes the relationship for the leads and everyone in their lives, along the way, one sees a lot of Japanese life and customs of, at least, the early 50′s: The spas, the pachinko parlors and the restaurant “Calorie House”, where they hang out. The entertainment of the race track (funny, it’s bikes they are racing. I wonder if this is a 50′s thing?) Home life and even a typical business is explored and worth watching, if only to catch the “Willy Wonka” theme played ad infinitum in the pachinko parlor, and I wonder if a modern Japanese launches into song so readily as they do in the film? I’ll have to ask Yoshio, Teja, Miguel, and Pam if these are true to life.

Mokichi and Taeko reach their biggest hurdle when Taeko goes away for some alone time at the same time Mokichi is given the dictate by his company to pack up and move away to S. America ASAP! As Taeko misses (or ignores) Mokichi’s telegram she returns home to find her husband gone, perhaps forever. Luckily, Mokichi’s plane is delayed, giving the couple one last chance for make or break.

The title of the movie is made clear as the couple struggle to make the dish without waking up their maid. Their final accord is a sweet and intimate encounter and a good example of how making and sharing food can communicate understanding and the importance of the familiar…and reliable!

May 12, 2010: Too Much Fluff

“A man loves the meat in his youth that he cannot endure in his age.” (Shakespeare: “Much Ado About Nothing”)

Well, I haven’t had meat in many a year, but you could easily swap “sweet” for “meat” and that would just about define my recent experience with that American treat: Marshmallow Fluff.

Creating the Bento lunchboxes the other night was an all night affair. I didn’t mind, as Yoshio is always great company, I learn a tremendous amount about his Japanese-fusion style of cooking and he feeds me very, very well! We took a break half way though and he made me a delicious tomato sandwich with melted boursin cheese on Italian bread. There were great snacks available from what he was creating. That night it was fresh mango, perfectly blanched fresh asparagus, and his delicious gourmet rice, all with the constant green tea. All very healthy fare, until, after dawn, he pulls out a jar of “Fluff” and decides (with his mischievous sense of humor) that we take a “Fluff Break!” [It should be explained that Yoshio had never had it before, but living in New England for so long, he knew of it, and he always has a sense of adventure to try a new foods.] Familiar with Fluff (but not having had it since my youth) I suggested why not make a “Fluffernutter Sandwich” and have the real “Distinctly American Treat!”

To those of  you not familiar with Fluff: Marshmallow Fluff was invented in 1911 by Archibald Query in Sommerville, Ma. Originally called “Toot Sweet (hah!) Marshmallow Fluff” (they quickly dropped the faux-french part.) It is  a mixture of corn syrup, sugar syrup, vanilla flavoring, and egg white. OK, let’s break that down: sugar+more sugar+a little vanilla+egg white+air= Fluff. Essentially it is a more malleable marshmallow, one shade denser than the spun candy you get at fairs…only not pink (unless you buy either the strawberry or raspberry varieties of Fluff.) It is the essential ingredient of traditional American snacks like: the “Fluffernutter Sandwich” (Fluff and peanut butter usually on Wonder Bread, with the optional banana slices); “Whoopie Pie” (two small chocolate cakes with Fluff between); “Rice Krispie Treats” (Rice Krispies cereal stuck together with Fluff and baked.) Not to mention “Smores” (slab of chocolate on a graham cracker, topped with Fluff and heated to a gooey puddle of sweetness.) Modern recipes using Fluff are the “Fluffacino” (espresso, amaretto, with spoon of Fluff on top) and the aptly named drink “Coney Island Men’s Room” (a blue martini with a scoop of strawberry Fluff on top) Brrrr!…the thought makes me shudder!

As the quintessential comfort food, Americans love their Fluff. 2006 was big letter year for Fluff: Massachusetts Senator Jarrett Barrios lobbied a proposal to limit Fluffernutter sandwiches to reduce the amount of junk food served in our schools. The proposal just…well…went away! The same year State Representitive Kathi-Anne Reinstein made a proposal that the Fluffernutter be designated the official sandwich of Massachusetts. 2006 was also the first celebration of Fluff called “What the Fluff” in it’s hometown of Sommerville:

http://www.unionsquaremain.org/committees/Special%20Events/fluff%20alt.html

Sweet, versatile, Kosher and gluten-free. That’s Fluff. For me, it was a good “blast from the past” to try it again. I don’t think I will make it a main part of my diet anytime soon, though. As a kid, I couldn’t get enough of the stuff. Of course, I could eat anything then and be OK. With the excess of sugars, alcohol, meat, and carbs finally eliminated from my diet, I feel pretty good. Part of a healthy adult life is getting rid of too much fluff!

April 22, 2010: Review LifeAlive Restaurant in Lowell, Ma

LifeAlive Natural Food Restaurant-Lowell, Ma. (photos by Y. Saito via IPhone)

To be honest…it’s not the easiest thing to get great taste with the most healthy ingredients.  As much as we all know that raw vegetables are the best thing for us, it takes knowledge, imagination, and skill to make raw vegetables not only palatable but a culinary feast.

So, while visiting Yoshio today, and he knowing I’ve been a vegetarian for many years, he recommneded having lunch at LifeAlive, an organic cafe located at 194 Middle St. in Lowell, Ma. They say first impressions are the most important: LifeAlive has a cozy “New Age” decor with real art on the walls and comfortable furniture that made the place feel like a friend’s house. The staff was cheery and informative: whenever Yoshio goes to a new place he seems to query the staff for their opinions on the best food. The staff person immediately replied that while all the food was very good, his current favorite was “The Adventurer” which is base of short grain brown rice and quinoa topped with pieces of kale, chopped beets, bits of tofu, toasted almonds, and melted cheddar cheese with a sauce of sesame-ginger-nama. “The Adventurer” was delicious combination of tastes with each ingredient having a distinct character of its own, yet combined wonderfully together. Special touches like the warm toasted almonds and especially how the slightly sour of the beets combined with the creaminess of the cheese were wonderful. I asked Yoshio if he knew what “nama” was, and when he said “no” I asked the clerk and she said that it was “raw” shoyu (soy sauce)! When I went back to Yoshio to say that I think “nama” was Japanese, he asked me to spell it. He took a second and had that “AHA” look and said “Oh, yeah “nama” is “fresh” in Japanese”

[Yet another example of how bad my Japanese is. Whenever I cook Japanese meals at Teja's house and I ask for "mirin" (Japanese sweet-ish vinegar) Teja...every time...and Teja, I love you man, but is every time, he get's these curly eyebrows and asks "What's that?" After saying 'mirin" three times and then spelling it, he looks at me and says "OH! mirin...yeah I've got some"]

My “Seductress” wrap was also very good: a slightly toasted wheat tortilla warpped around shredded beet and carrot, kale, broccoli and hard-poached egg. Delicious!

We met the owner, Heidi Feinstein, who it turns out is a nutritionist who clearly loves providing this kind of food that is “closer to the source” with 95% of her food from raw ingredients. Bostonians will be pleased to know that she will be opening a LifeAlive at 765 Massachusetts Ave,  Central Sq. this September. Visit their website: http://www.lifealive.com

LifeAlive: tasty, healthy, fun. Food doesn’t get any better (or better for you) than this.

April 01, 2010: Review Of movie “The Ramen Girl”

Being out of touch with the world, as I am these days (no TV, usually not playing the radio, etc.) I was standing in line at the grocery store the other day, scanning the tabloids, and was shocked to see that Brittany Murphy had passed on. Old news to the rest of the world, but being a fan of her roles, both the edgy and the comedic, I was momentarily stunned. I decided to revisit one of my favorite movies of hers: The Ramen Girl.”

Brittany plays Abby, a girl who has moved to Toyko to be with her boyfriend. The boyfriend turns out to be a real sleezeball (why is it that I never trust James Spader in films or anyone who even looks like him?) and abandons Abby. As Abby’s sole purpose for being in Japan is to be near the boyfriend, she’s a fish out of water in a foreign land, language, and culture (yes, it’s OK to make a “Lost in Translation” comparison here).

Forced for the first time to seek her personal raison d’être, in her depression, she is drawn to a local ramen shop. She is taken in by the owners and shown initial kindness by them. Observing the ramen chef’s Maezumi (Toshiyuki Nishida) skill and level of attention making the ramen, she is both soothed and intrigued. Revisiting the shop the next day, she is again served a bowl of ramen and has a kind of magical and transformative reaction to the food, because the chef has especially prepared it for that result (yes…done before in “Chocolate” and “Simply Irresistable”  amongst others, but never gets old for me) and she decides that she want to be a ramen chef.

What follows is a gruelling apprenticeship with the cantankerous and sometimes even abusive ramen chef, that is acerbated by their inability to communicate to one another. The chink in chef’s tyrannical armor is his son who has run off to be a chef in Paris. Abby discovers this and uses it to fight back. Reaching a kind of accord, the chef finally tries to teach Abby the fundamentals of his craft, but continually fails. He attempts to have the one person he respects, his mother, try to break through. Here, I won’t give away the wisdoms the mother imparts, but suffice to say they are the most fundamental aspects of cooking, to the point that the proud and obstinate chef bows and humbly thanks his mother for her reminding him of his essential purpose.

Throw in a little romance ( a new one, from a Japanese man that she has met) a little competition from a rival ramen chef (…and yes, a little of “Karate Kid here) and a cast of loveable side characters, and you have a very rounded, sweet, and enjoyable film with a few life lessons.

The ramen chef, while humorous, is a reminder of what every mentor should NOT be (an anti-Yoshio, as it were.) It is always good to be reminded  (the lessons from the mother) of  the raison d’être of what a good chef should be. The care and perfectionism of the craft of cooking and how important they are to translate into the food, was apropos. The tecnical expertise vs. originality (going “off recipe”) I thought to be an important message. I found the “magical” elements, and a few of the side characters (the non-Japanese friends) a little extraneous, but not ultimately detrimental. It was great to see Brittany in the lighter moments of the film. She looked like she had a good time filming. As one of her last films, I hope that was the case.

Perhaps nothing totally original in this film, but we keep retelling the same stories for a reason. The Ramen Girl”  is good film about finding what you love, finding the right mentor, and following the correct path.

One caution however: after seeing “The Ramen Girl”  you may never want “instant” ramen ever again.

March 30, 2010: Japanese Teas

Considering that almost all of these teas (with the exceptions of Dattan and Mugicha, which are made from buckwheat and barley respectively) are from one plant: “Camellia Sinensis” (the Latin name for the tea plant) it is remarkable that the Japanese have made so many pleasing variations:

Matcha (sometimes “Macha”) also called “rubbed tea” is a finely ground tea powder. Matcha is used in the Japanese Tea Ceremony. It is made from the top leaves of shade-grown tea. Because the tea is not filtered or strained, one is drinking the tea powder mixed with hot water, so the level of caffeine is very high and tends to make the tea bitter. Because of this, it is usually served with a sweet-bean paste to mellow the bitterness. Matcha is also used in cooking, usually desserts like Matcha ice cream or Matcha pastries.

Genmai Cha often called “popcorn tea” or “people’s tea” is tea leaves mixed with toasted rice. The rice sometimes “pops” like popcorn. The tea has a pleasant warm flavor (“…a little like a Cheerio…” says Chef Saito) from the toasted rice. Because the rice is considered a filler and is generally less expensive than other teas.

Sencha (or shincha, literally “new tea”) Sencha has a very pleasant sharp and fresh; robust and “grassy” flavor. It is considered a “daily” tea, but a higher grade than most teas. The first months harvest is available for only a limited time after harvesting (April through May in southern Japan) in Japan and rarely outside of Japan.

Gyokuro is considered the highest grade of tea. It is made from only the best part of the tea leaves with none of the lower branches that most teas are made from. it is specially processed from older shade-grown tea plants and may cost up to $1000 a pound! Gyokuo has been described as “History, Philosophy, and Art in a single cup.”

Hojicha Is a roasted tea made from bancha (or “common” tea, made from mostly the twigs of the tea plant) but can also be made from sencha. The roasting makes the tea a reddish-brown color and is lower in caffeine and so is a good tea for after an evening meal or for those who want a lower caffeine tea.

Dattan is a healthy, decaffeinated “new” tea made from roasted buckwheat. Also called “soba tea” as “soba” is Japanese for buckwheat and is often found in the form of noodles in Japanese cooking. It is high in “rutin” which is an antioxidant found in buckwheat and is also high in vitamin B. Dattan has a “nutty” flavor.

Not shown is Mugicha which is a roasted barley tea that Japanese serve cold in hot months and is also decaffeinated.

Preparing tea correctly can be fairly complex depending on the tea. A couple of rules from Chef Saito: “the higher the grade of tea, the lower the temperature” and “let boiling water settle first before adding tea” and “never boil a good soup or a good tea.”