Golden Week begins

Today was Showa no Hi, the birthday of the former emperor Showa (Hirohito's posthumous name). Why exactly we celebrate his birthday I'm not sure, but this was the first of four public holidays that make up Golden Week and I'm not about to complain.

Hideaki and I made a visit to Kichijoji to run some errands and while we were there had a quick lunch at a Chinese place called Kisshousaikan. We both had lunch specials, with me getting kurozu no subuta (sweet and sour pork with black vinegar) and my husband had pork stir-fried with matchstick potatoes. Both were excellent, and the potatoes were a surprise as I'd never had them cooked that way before, and had no idea what they were when I first tried them (I hadn't heard my husband's order), thinking maybe they were zasai pickles or bamboo shoots. They were soft and giving but had a slight bit of a firm crunch left: very nice. Both our lunches came with egg drop soup, zasai, salad, rice and annin-doufu (almond jelly) with mango sauce, all of which are surprisingly good, considering they are usually afterthoughts with this kind of set lunch.

On the way home we stopped at Planetes for a treat to bring home. My raspberry tart got banged up quite a bit on bumpy ride home but Hideaki's "chocolate royal", while arriving home a bit worse for the wear, stayed mostly intact. It contained three rich layers of chocolate, plus the chocolate fans and gold leaf on top: very decadent. My tart, while not much to look at, was super and had the perfect crust. Really, it's mostly the crusts that I buy tarts for--if they just sold empty crusts I'd buy them by the dozen. Not that I mind the filling though (and besides, if I only bought the crusts I'd miss out on the raspberries, and lord knows how hard they are to find in Tokyo).

So about this Golden Week. The holidays don't all run together, so unfortunate should like my husband are back to work tomorrow for three more days until the holidays resume, but a few lucky folks like myself have the whole week off. I'm headed tomorrow to the in-laws in Osaka, where I'll hopefully be able to keep you updated with a moblog post or two.

Wishing you all a week as golden as mine!

Kisshousaikan (Japanese link)
0422-41-0628
Uchida Building 3rd Floor, Kichijouji Minami-cho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo
Open daily 11:00 to midnight (last order 11:00)

Patisserie les Planetes (Japanese link)
03-5933-1233
5-8-20 Oizumigakuen-cho Nerima-ku Tokyo (Also outlets in Omiya and select Tokyo department stores)
Open 10:00 to 7:00, closed Wednesdays

Comments

[JoeInVegas]

You always have such good photographs, and such pretty food. Thanks for sharing.

[Quentin]

Hello.

I am currently engaged in writing freelance about Japanese food, and found your blog by googling asari trying to find out what on Earth 'kohakusan' is. Apparently, if there's too much of it in the asari, they turn bitter. I should re-google you with the 'cache' function, really, but I'll definitely be taking another look here. Oh, also, I really like the name of your blog - Blue Lotus.

[Quentin]

Found it - succinic acid, apparently. I have kojien to thank for that. Don't know why I didn't try that in the first place.

Great blog!

[sandy]

oh that chocolate cake thing looks so good, what was inside I wonder? Beautiful pictures too!

[Pomegranate Girl]

Gorgeous blog! You are a whimsical writer and an excellent cook to boot. You really put a smile on my face :]!

I hope you don't mind if I put a link to your blog on my (very amateur, very recently started) food blog. Happy Golden Week!

[Niall Harbison]

I am a keen reader of food blogs but just stumbled upon yours. I really like the clean design and simple layout. I started blogging myself a year ago and always thought that clean design was key. The fact that you also have good photos does help a lot. I have just started a website for bloggers, chefs and foodies to meet and share all their photos, recipes and videos called www.ifoods.tv. Anyway keep the great work up on the blog, have it bookmarkd now and talk soon. Cheers

[toniXe]

Hi , just the place for us to get acquainted with "authentic" japanese cuisine , such as raw fish and incredible green and orange colors being the current cool rage in Kuala Lumpur .
At least for many food bloggers here we noticed ! TQ

[Sean]

Zacai is eaten straight as a pickle in Japan? Interesting!

[Mark]

Hi,
Being an expatriate in California, I'm truly amazed at your deep understanding and vast knowledge of things Japanese.
And at the way you put them into words so precisely. It's like learning my own culture all over again!
Keep up the great work and make me hungry and a bit homesick every time I come here.

[nipsum]

How do you do.
I hope to see blog.
Please link to this site.

[Hyung Lee]

Hi

I am a publisher of THE EAST; the only English newspaper, which is mainly focused on the East Asian information (at the beginning of every month, more than 12,000 free copies are distributed throughout the London area, particularly, where East Asian Networks are established).

I looked at your blog the other day and have been wondering if there would be any chance that we could publish some of your interesting articles on the paper.
We think some of your blog articles should be very helpful to the Westners who are interested in Asian Culture.
The East cannot afford to pay for your articles right now (as we are non-profitable organisation). However, if you wish, we can still offer you:
1. Advertising space
2. Link to THE EAST web site blog section

We look forward to hearing from you shortly.

Many thanks and kind regards,

Hyung Wook Lee
Publisher
MBA(Edin)

THE EAST, The East Asian Monthly Business Newspaper,
Elephant Consulting Limited, 37 Charter Court, Linden Grove,
New Malden, Surrey, KT3 3BN, UK
Tel : + 44 (0) 7912 608 321 / Web site: www.theeast.org / E mail : publisher@theeast.org
Registered in England & Wales, Company No. 6254454

[Amy]

Thanks for the comments folks!

Quentin, I had never heard of either kohakusan or succinic acid. Glad you found it out on your own, I certaincly wouldn't have been any help!

Sandy, inside was more chocolate! In cake and mousse form, as well as a harder layer at the bottom.

Sean, it's eaten as a side dish or beer snack on its own, or chopped up and used in cooking.

[Ashtonian]

I would like to have the "Chocolate Royal" please, it looks absolutely decadent.