How would you like Japanese fusion sweets for today's teatime? Here is another idea using slices of YOKAN (Japanese traditional sweets), to make DORA-yaki style sweets.
DORA-yaki is a type of Japanese confection, which consists of two small pancakes wrapped around a filling of sweet Azuki bean paste. As we have similar one for the pancake here which is called pikelet, I used it and made a handy sweets snack.
For the filling, I prepared slices of YOKAN instead of Azuki bean paste, and some optional ingredients of whipped cream, green-tea powder, fresh strawberres, for attractive looking and making this one more fusional taste.
Found a little bit difference in texture of the pancakes from the one of original DORA-yaki, but it was still great tea-time snack. Of course I enjoyed Japanese tea with it.
Pinot Noir, one of representative wine in NZ, which has elegant note, good depth and complexity. Since I had been charmed with the silky and smokey palate of Pinot Noir, I had thought about the matching food for these years.... Meat dishes, yes of course! Fish dishes, yes probably! Japanese dishes, it must be mysterious!!!
Maguro (Tuna) dish was one of them. As a cut of Maguro became available to purchase at local shops sometimes here, I tried to make a dish to taste it with Pinot Noir.
********Zuke-Maguro(Marinated Sashimi of Maguro) for Pinot Noir********
《serves 4 / Entree size》
200～250g Tuna (Maguro)--- Cut and slice to Sashimi-size. Marinade with : 2 Tb.spoon Soy sauce 2 Tb.spoon Mirin 2 Tb.spoon Balsamic vinegar 1/2 tea spoon crushed garlic
1 White onion (or new season's onion)--- Slice finely like paper thin. Marinade with : 4 Tb.spoon Extra Virgin Olive oil 1~2 tea spoon Dijon mustard a little salt
After 2 hours, arrange both marinated Maguro and onion with salad mix of mesclun, mizuna, alfalfa, chives, etc. Cracking salt & pepper on top.
I opened Seifried Pinot Noir 2010 as a matching wine tonight. Slightly spicy aroma came to nose and felt elegant silky taste. It was great matching with my Zuke-Maguro dish. Adding Balsamic vinegar connected well this dish to Pinot noir. Mustard flovored onion added refreshing touch to it.
I prepared one more dish of Beef roll of vegetables with Red-wine-miso sauce, which was nice as well to match to the Pinot Noir. They were truly connected each other deliciously on the table.
～ If we have a speciality, let's perform it ! If we got a result of endeavors, let's show it ! ～
Last year, I induced my daughter Renon to make a plan of Piano home concert together. We induced one more person who was a professional violinist (also he was a great ski instructer as well) to join in, and we played together as ensemble concert in August 2011.
We did this year again, and it was on 13th October, 2012. Unfortunately the violinist couldn't come to Wanaka this time, so only Renon & I performed. Because we chose Japanese musical pieces, we put on Japanese traditional style of YUKATA (casual type of KIMONO) as our costume. Kitsuke (how to wear YUKATA or KIMONO properly) was important, then I asked our friend, Katie, to do it for us. She was awesome, like a Kitsuke specialist. Canadian Katie was much better in Kitsuke than me of Japanese!!
ケーキは午前中に完成！ 特大サイズのチョコレートスポンジをグランドピアノ型にして組立て、 たっぷりのガナッシュをコーティング。 「いつかは本物のグランドピアノを・・・」とか思いながら。。。 I made a Grand-piano cake coating with plenty of Chocolate ganache.
I prepared assorted sushi, finger foods, chicken dishes, special beef curry & rice, as well.
After 5pm, people arrived. Thank you very much to bring wine and pot-luck dishes, friends!!! Soon after full of people were here around living, dining, kitchen, everywhere. We toasted with bubbly, then started our performance.
曲目は：
「さくら幻想曲」連弾
"Sakura Fantasy" ～Kozaburo Y.Hirai～ : played by Renon & me
As Renon had been staying in Nelson, we had a limited time for practices together only when she was back to Wanaka for school holiday. Renon & I, sometimes fighting each other, worked hard to study them, looked forward to showing the performances in front of friends.
I also would like to say thank you all friends for supporting us regarding Renon and the school in Nelson where she is attending. We have regretably got a news that such a precious school would be closed at the end of this year, and we have to find out other way for her now, it's hard though. Playing piano and keeping practices for the annual concert, that would be great incentive for us. Please stay in touch with us. Of course welcome you to join us to play next time !!
