We were invited for picking work by Sandy, the owner of Hazledine brothers vineyard, this year again. The vineyard among peacefull scenery. In the distance, the view of deer farm spread.
Full of crate, so heavy. 収穫されたぶどうで、クレートが次々いっぱいに。 かなり重い! 何十キロあるのかわからないけど、私の力では持ち上がらない。 After a couple of hours, we finished for the all of Pinot Noir. The crates were all loaded onto a trailer for the delivery. 2時間ほどの作業で、全ピノ・ノワール終了。 トレーラーに積んで、これから出荷です。
At the other side...there were grapes of Chardonnay still under the net. Photographing inside through the net. Grapes were smiling in the sunlight. 隣のレーンでは・・・ネットがかけられたままのシャドネー種が並びます。 こちらの収穫日はもう少し先。 ネット越しに、ぶどうが陽を浴びてゴールドに輝いていました。
After seeing off the delivery, we enjoyed teatime & wine time. 出荷を見送ったあとは、ティータイム&ワインタイム。 アワードを獲得したチーズの数々 皆の手がいっせいに伸びます。 ホームメイドのソース・ディップ・ プリザーブなどをつけて、 スモークサーモンと一緒に いただきました。
The wine: Of course these bottles. ワインはもちろんコレです! Chardonnay (2012) シャドネー: Pinot Noir (2011) ピノ・ノワール: Magnum bottle !!
By the way, the grapes of the Pinot Noir which we harvested on that day seem to form a line in the market as wine in 2016. At that time, the wine taste would be deepened more while remembering this crop day...
I got some autumn harvests of vegetables from my neighbourhood. And some flowers of courgette too, which are said to be a summer crop though. "Why don't you cook the flowers as a Tempura?" She said and gave me them. It was the first time for me to cook them. Very interesting ! Yes, will cook them in Japanese style !
I made filling from Tofu, chopped courgette, prawn, and egg white. After open the flower petals carefully, sprinkle cornflour over, then stuff the filling into it.
Here is one of indispensable place for autumn scenery in Wanaka. Rippon Vineyard. I enjoyed the spectacular view from the horseback on the perfect sunny day.
" Ready, Sprite? Let's start trekking! " At first we climbed the slightly elevated hill and went into the forest. How nice! The scenic thing of the town to look down at on the way. Yes, I tried to take pictures of course, but...
I should actually have the reins with both hands, but I had them of both sides with left hand somehow, and I held a camera with right hand. However! As for one hand, zoom couldn't be adjusted! If I take off both hands from the reins, I seem to fall. Need one more hand!! Out of focus in shaking consistently on him!
Here is a proper one that I found from the photograph of 130 pieces that I took on. この日撮った130枚の写真の中から、ようやく見つけたまともな一枚。
"Go Sprite" "Good boy" "Beauriful sky, isn't it!" I talked to him often patting his neck. He seems to hear me with letting his ear jiggle. 途中、スプライトの首をなでながら 何度も話しかけたら、スプライトも 耳をピクピク動かしてこちらの声 を聴いている様子。
He stopped several times to do his business. 何度か立ち止まっては、落し物・・・
Gradually getting used, and finally I came to be able to photograph the scenery. そのうち慣れてきて、一瞬なら、両手でカメラを操作する余裕が出てきて、ようやく 撮影可能。 撮りまくります!
後ろを振り返る余裕も・・・ ブロ友さまと白い馬、絵になる。
Majestic vista of lake and vineyard! ブドウ畑の向こう、ワナカ湖に浮かぶルビーアイランドと澄み切った空、 今日は一段ときれい! ネットの中は、収穫前のたわわに実ったぶどうがいっぱい!
Got a great guidance from Jodie. She explained the history of the winery, the climate and the relations of the grape to us whom she took behind.
After the trekking, we brushed horses. 2時間弱のトレッキングを終えて、 馬たちにブラッシングをしてあげます。
"Thank you & Good bye"
スプライトと記念撮影。 パドックでお別れしてから・・・
Then, tastying time now. もうひとつのお楽しみ、ワイン・テースティング。
Seven kinds were prepared in total for the tasting on that day. So good with comfortable fatigue after the horseback riding and the view of the beautiful vineyard that spread out under eyes while tipping a glass.
One of them, he (looks like Santa Clause!) came to the class for the first time. Then I asked him if he knows about Miso, as it was one of Miso-cooking course on the day. He talked us his story that he stayed in Kohchi in Japan and spent a great time there when his son got married with a Japanese lady. It was wonderful story! Please enjoy the class !
************************************************************************************************ Ingredients today: 本日の食材から: "Here is the ingredients, I got beautiful Daikon (long white radish / left photo), so we use it. But if you cannot find it, please try to use Swede instead." このところ2ヶ月以上も大根が売っていなかったので、あきらめて、代わりにスウェードを使うことにしてましたが、今朝マーケットで発見! それも昨年8月以来の、見た目も質感もGOODな大根です。 細めだけど、きれいにまっすぐ伸びた、みずみずしい一本!
Udon noodles: It's familiar ingredient.
Konnyaku: Here is a strange Japanese food. I explained about Konnyaku, but... forgot to add it to the Ton-jiru... Baggar me!! (Will use it in the next month.) コンニャクの説明もして、「食感や味をあとで試食のときに試してみてね」と言いながら、実際には使い忘れてしまいました!(来月、味噌おでんも追加しようか・・・)
Tama-miso: A traditional seasoning miso made from white miso, egg yolk, and etc. It can be prepared in advance and last long, so let's use it for various cooking. 玉味噌作り: 日本の伝統的な調味味噌、作りおきして冷蔵庫で数ヶ月は持つので、 さまざまな料理への活用法も一緒に紹介しました。
**Two dishes using the Tama-miso: 玉味噌を使った料理2種:
Steam-bake of eggplant & seafood 茄子とシーフードの玉味噌(スティームベイク)
Ton-jiru:豚汁: Ton-jiru & Udon:豚汁うどん: One of the most standard home-cooking soup meal in Japan. By adding udon noodles, it becomes a hearty one bowl dish as a lunch or evening meal of a cold day. これからの寒くなってくる時期に嬉しい具だくさんの汁物。 うどんと合わせると、寒い日のランチや夜食に、おなかも心も満足の一品になりますね。
************************************************************************************************ Dinner time: We enjoyed our beautiful works. Santa-san (one of them, his nickname that I acquired) showed us something in a jar. It was his home-made Ume-boshi. He made it with substitution because it's impossible to get the exactly same ingredients here, with his way. The "Ume-boshi" is another strange Japanese food for foreign country's people, I think. So I was very surprised and admired! I tried one of his "Ume-boshi". How delicious! It's like the original one. His passion to want to reproduce that taste, came through it surely.
*********************************************************************************************** I half left his "Ume-boshi", as I wanted to let my husband taste it, too. After he came back from work... He seemed to be impressed with the taste as well as enjoyed hearing the story.
We visited friend's house, when it was a bit cold day. 2日後、知人宅を訪ねたこの日は、肌寒い日。 Horses welcomed us at the gate... ゲートでは、馬たちがお出迎え。
We suddenly thought of good idea. "Let's fetch apples to give horses!" 近くに野生の美味しいりんごの木があって、馬たちが大好物だから取りに行こうという ことになり・・・・
We picked red & green apples up into basket and bags. 赤いりんごの木と、グリーンのりんごの木があって、たくさん実ってます。 枝から採るより、下に落ちているほうが甘いらしいので、落ちている実を拾い集めました。
I tried to bite... It was sweet !
かじってみると・・・ ホントだ、甘い!
Good for horses, and good for us to take home !
バスケットと袋にたくさん詰めて(お馬さん用と自分たち用にも詰めて)戻りました。
When we came back to the horses with a full of apples in a bag, they approached us soon. 早速、リンゴを持って馬たちのところへ行くと、あちらもすぐに近寄ってきました。
What gentle eyes they have! I'm healed whenever I am with horses. この優しい目、癒されるなぁ・・・ 娘が数年前から乗馬をしていたので、私も馬に触れる機会が何度かあり、そのたびに 彼らの優しいまなざしに引き込まれます。 さすが、ホース・セラピーという言葉があるだけに、触っているだけで気持ちが安らぐ。
They are both big, I think much bigger than others. この馬たち、すごく大きいんです。 娘が乗ってた馬よりもずっと大きいサイズ。 どのくらいかというと・・・
Compared with my car... うちの車と比べると、このくらい
Compared with me... I'm so small, like a dwarf. (This picture was taken before.) 私とくらべると、このくらい 私が小人にみえます。 (これ、夏に伺ったときの写真ですが。)
After the snack time for horses, it's our coffee time. 馬たちのおやつタイム後は、私たちもコーヒータイム。 丘の上の家で一休みさせていただきました。 電気が通っていないこのお宅では・・・
Cooking space: Because electricity does not go through this house, a firewood stove is used for cooking.