KIMPIRA Traditional side dish Kimpira is often cooked using with "Burdock". We used silver beet which was now in season, instead of burdock. （Parsnip is also good to use)
TERIYAKI TSUKUNE Popular meat balls with Teriyaki sauce.
We tried with Nigori "White cloud" Junmai-shu. Silky smooth dry sake was served slightly chilled.
つくねの照焼き。 人気のこってり味に、ドライな『にごり』を冷酒で。
How about Wakatipu "Sleeping Giant"? This powerful one was served as "Nuru-kan" (warmed gently to 40℃）. I prepared this sake with careful attention for the right temperature, because of the message from Zenkuro’s head brewer that 40℃ is recommended for this. Umami and texture were surely enhanced by warmer temperature.
SERVING TEMPERATURE: The width of the drinking temperature zone is very wide, which is the feature of drinking sake. It can be enjoyed chilled, at room temperature, or warmed, depending on the type and the quality.
Here are the each names for drinking temperature of sake. （Don't say Japanese is too particular!)
5℃： YUKI-bie (cold as snow) 雪冷え 10℃： Hana-bie (cold as flower) 花冷え 15℃： Suzu-bie (nice & cool) 涼冷え 20℃： Shitsu-on (room temperature) 室温 30℃： Hinata-kan (warm like in the sun) 日向燗 35℃： Hitohada-kan (warm like human temperature) 人肌燗 40℃： Nuru-kan (mild hot) ぬる燗 45℃： Jo-kan (good hot) 上燗 50℃： Atsu-kan (hot hot) 熱燗 55℃： Tobikiri-kan (super hot) 飛びきり燗 (Over 55℃： the alcohol is gone, and balance of the taste collapses. So don't make it too hot!)
As the addition, I prepared "Ginkgo nuts rice" which I mixed Sake-kasu and cooked. These GINKGO NUTS were from Tauranga, and SAKE-KASU (which is byproduct of sake production) was from Zenkuro Queenstown, of course!
YAWARAGI-MIZU (Chaser) I introduced this cool habit "Yawaragi-mizu" in the classes. It means the water which take a sip in the interval to drink sake. We can taste sake more deliciously when we have a sip in each interval. Don't forget this!
I visited "Sake" breweries recently, two places during my stay in Japan this time. 酒蔵訪問、今回は帰国中に二箇所の酒蔵を見学をしました。 初夏は酒造りの時期ではないので、実際に造っているところは見られませんでしたが、冷んやりとした蔵の中ではお酒が静かに熟成を待っているような気配がありました。
One is "Hatsu-mago" (it means first grandchild) in Yamagata prefecture. We tasted all the variations of sake there, maybe more than 15 kinds?? Beautiful taste of the traditional fermenting way of "Kimoto". 山形県の蔵元『初孫』にて伝統の生酛造り の数々をテースティング （15種類以上味わったかな？）
Then, I visited local Sake brewery "Zenkuro" (means All Blacks) in Queenstown. そしてこちら地元でお邪魔したのは、『全黒』オールブラックス、お隣の街クイーンズタウンにあるNZ唯一の酒蔵。 寒い時期のNZでは酒造り真っ只中。
Water and rice are essential ingredients for Sake production. Water is from the Lake Wakatipu of soft water (low calsium content) which is suitable for sake production.
The special rice (Saka-mai) of "Go-hyaku man goku" from Japan was piled up over-crowded.
お米を作っていない国ですから、酒米は日本からの輸入。五百万石がところ狭しと 積まれていました。
This is the tool made by Manuka timber, which is used specially here, at the traditional Japanese brewing practices.
Freshly made sake "Gen-shu" which was just done here. I was allowed to taste it, that was the special privilege. It was so deep, condensed flavor! できたての原酒を見せていただいて、味見もさせていただきました。 うわ～濃い～ィ 凝縮された味わい！ これぞ生原酒！ 造っているところならではで味わえる最高の贅沢！
How about that I introduce their NZ sake at the cooking classes? It should be interested for the local people who knows that the sake got awards at "London Sake Challenge" but hasn't yet tasted.
Bottles of "Zenkuro" SAKE were arrived! For the cooking sessions of "pairing sake & food" in July, I prepared some Japanese style tapas, dishes, and sweets
Japanese cooking in autumn! The color became beautiful outside day by day, we cooked Chan-chan-yaki of salmon and Kenchin-jiru (vegetarian soupy dish).
秋の色濃くなる時期、料理教室ではサーモンのちゃんちゃん焼きとけんちん汁を作りました。
CHAN-CHAN-YAKI OF SALMON: Salmon fillet or steak with medley of vegetables covered with miso-dare-sauce in the foil parcel, which was cooked as a steam-cooking in oven. ちゃんちゃん焼き、こちらでも身近な材料でできるし、オーブン使用のホイルベイクとあって、お手軽。 主役はもちろん脂ののった美味しいNZサーモン。
KENCHIN-JIRU: Hearty simmered soupy dihs of tofu and vegetables.
I introduced an unique food Konnyaku which everyone here eat for the first time probably, which is commonly used for Kenchin-jiru in Japan though. Konnyaku is a jelly-like food made from the starch of Konjac potato. It's a low-calorie and fiber-rich food to cleans our gut.
We tore it by hand to make small pieces so that taste is easy to soak, then we cooked it in the boiling water as a preperation which made to remove the smell from Konnyaku and made the texture good.
味がしみ込みやすいように手でちぎって、下茹でしてから使いました。
We used Kombu-water (Kombu-kelp soaked in spring water of Lake Wanaka for overnight) as one of the stock ingredients for the soup. We also used the Kombu-kelp with chopping finely after soaked and added into the soup. Juice from soaked Shiitake mushroom was added into the soup pot, too. After season the soup, checked the taste and adjusted it with a little more seasoning and dashi stock powder.
ダシについては、ここでは粉末のカツオダシしか選択肢がないのですが、自然食品のお店でたまに見かける昆布を手軽に使うということで、昆布水を使用。 ワナカ湖の美味しい湧き水に一晩浸水させた昆布、昆布水を鍋に、昆布のほうも刻んで追加。 さらに椎茸の戻し汁も加えて奥行きを出します （なるべく粉末ダシの量を抑えたいので、いろいろ工夫してます） 調味料を加えて味見、ここで最終的に味の調整。 深みが足りなければ、粉末だしを少し足します。 Thanks for participating from Australia and from UK. この日は、オーストラリアからとイギリスから、ワナカに滞在中の方々が参加してくださいました。
Other fish fillet can be used for Chan-chan-yaki, instead of salmon, of course. We used Rainbow trout fillet together with salmon on the night. The taste was beautiful, thank you Jules to bring your game!
Group of four ladies, it was the celebration for Georgia who was getting to marry in the following week. 女性4名のグループ、ジョージアが来週結婚するそうで、そのお祝いを料理教室でというプランニング、粋ですね！
Georgia was participation putting on her wedding veil, and a badge of "Help! I'm getting married". Congratulations!
Yakitori and Soba-noodle were done at the cooking classes from January to March. Because there was my hospitalization uproar for acute appendicitis (the appendix) in the end of January, two sessions were postponed. I finally finished the last one the other day. I was sorry to make a trouble to people who booked in.
Next, we moved to BBQ grill. Yakitori can be cooked in the oven (grill function) when it's not suitable weather for BBQ. 串打ちが済んだらＢＢＱグリルへ: ＢＢＱに適さない天候のときは、オーブンでグリル調理できます。
The fire is often too strong for Yakitori and it's easy to burn the outside before it is cooked inside. We used the bricks which were wrapped by foil to adjust the height (distance from the flame). Then put skewered Yakitori which we prepared.
SOBA: How to eat soba-noodle which was the topic every time. It is allowed to make a sound when we eat soba. (Yes, it is for other noodle like udon and ramen, too) It is rather daring and will express it by making a sound if delicious. (Don't say "noise" for it!)
～ Cooking classes April ～ 11th (6pm) & 17th (11:30am) --- available to book for both date. We cook ”Salmon chan-chan-yaki” and ”Kenchin-jiru”(tofu & veges soupy dish). Enjoy those in longer night season.
Feast sushi, "Rainbow roll" which was altered in foreign country is a gorgeous look. We made inside-out roll, then did the topping with pieces of salmon, tarakihi, prawn, avocado, and marinade vegetables. A sharp knife is essential to cut beautifully.
Another sushi, "Temari" zushi of seasonal vegetables. もう一品は、野菜の手まり寿司。
Sushi rice variation : Just add fried carrot leaf (chopped finely and season with sesame oil and salt) to the sushi (vinegared) rice. This nutritive part of carrot leaf becomes nice accent flavor in the rice, and particularly the combination with the vegetables is perfect.
Slice/cut vegetables of eggplant/zucchini/mushrooms, apply oil and grill in oven. Cook asparagus separately in salted boiled water quickly. 茄子・ズッキーニ・ブラウンマッシュルームは切ってオイル塗ってから、オープン・グリル。 アスパラガスは長さを4等分してさっと塩茹で。
Marinade all cooked vegetables in marinade mixture of soy, mirin, sake, for 10-min. Each vegetable which was lightly tasted is going to be topping of pretty Temari-zushi. Apply a little of Mayo between rice and asparagus, then wrap by piece of Nori sheet. Yummm..
Make a cut on prawn. Apply a little Mayo on Temari which was made by carrot leaf sushi rice, then decorate the prawn on top.
海老には少し切れ目を入れて、マヨネーズを 少量のせた、にんじん葉の手まりの上に。
Although I couldn't introduce because of running out of time in the classes, there is also "Gunkan" warship shaped sushi. Make a football shaped Temari rice ball. Wrap around it by piece of Nori sheet, ｔop with chopped sun-dried tomato which is another fusion taste. I think adding of finely chopped anchovy makes nice accent on the flavor.
Home-made sushi with local products in season. It may have the same deliciousness in other countries that grandmas and mothers cooked for long, I imagine. Enjoy the heartful taste!
I will start preparation for OSECHI cooking (New Year dishes) soon. Because of summer New Year's day in the Southern Hemisphere, may I add these summer vegetable sushi in tiered boxes for New Year's Osechi?
Traditional side dish Kimpira is often cooked 
Popular meat balls with Teriyaki sauce.
This powerful one was served as "Nuru-kan"
As the addition, I prepared "Ginkgo nuts rice" 
I introduced this cool habit "Yawaragi-mizu" 
Sake-kasu ice cream 
I hope everyone enjoyed the pairing of 
One is "Hatsu-mago" (it means 
Various kinds sake
旗を振ってノリノリです
日本では数百年に及ぶ酒造りですが、
Bottles of "Zenkuro" SAKE 
Georgia was participation putting on her wedding veil, and a badge of "Help! I'm getting married".
Coloured capsicums get to fit 
Make a football shaped Temari rice ball.
Home-made sushi with local products 
皆さん、今年もご協力いただき