Konitchiwa! Or Moshi Moshi! ( Good day or Hi Hi!)
- Mike B
- Jun 2, 2019
- 3 min read
Hi!
As I mentioned in my previous blog, I visited Tokyo last month on business and had some frenetic meetings and met some great people. I also had the good fortune to meet an old friend of mine from Mitsubishi - Sugawara san ( san means Mr. Mrs. or Ms!) who has now retired but graciously offered to meet me for lunch at one of Tokyo's best French Restaurants kept by Chef Inoue called Chez Inno www.chezinno.jp
Serendipitously, I also had the pleasure of meeting with Chef Inoue to discuss the future of training chefs in Japan in the art of cooking the impressive range of Aquaculture species now available , instead of the traditional Wild Capture. He was absolutely delightful and a real passionate chef dedicated to French Cuisine with a 'sly' Japanese twist ! He very generously gave me a signed copy of his latest Cook Book and I look forward to trying out some of the recipes. I look forward to meeting him again next time I am there. If any of you visit Tokyo be sure to book well in advance especially for dinner as is is a very popular restaurant.
I shall look through the cook book and pick out something special to prepare for Adele's birthday in July!
I am sure she will like The Works!
When I was last there in 2001 Sugawara san took me to visit Shimizu port in the shadow of Mount Fuji where the majority of Japanese Sushi and Sashimi Tuna ( super frozen down to - 60 degrees) is landed. Here he ordered a sumptuous sushi lunch which was without doubt, the best tuna sashimi in the world served at the renowned Suehiro Restaurant.
www.shimizu-suehiro.jp
www.portofshimizu-intl.com
That was after he had taken me to the famous Tsukiji Fishmarket ( sadly no longer there but moved to a new site called Toyosu ). Here I had the Grand Tour of the market ( captured on my video cam which I shall upload when I publish the book covering my Fishantrips later next year) and finishing off at 7 am in the morning drinking beer and supping on Torafugu shirako - Tiger pufferfish's shirako ( fresh sperm!) at the best Sushi Restaurant at the market called Daiwa Sushi (Now moved to Toyosu Shijyo Toyosu 6-3-2 Tel 03-6633-020)
...and if you oder the Puffer Fish Sperm make sure you have a large glass of beer or similar to hold it down!
Super Frozen Tuna being landed at Shimizu Port in 2001
I also had the chance on my trip this April to visit one of the many Cookery Schools in Japan and try my hand a chopping a bit of parsley!
...and the trip was rounded off with a few glimpses of the famous Cherry Blossom....although I was told I had just missed by one week the very best displays!
After returning from Japan, I was invited together with Adele to London and the launch/naming ceremony carried out by by Princess Anne of the latest UK Fishing vessel, The Kirkella.
I have seen some really fascinating and innovative technologies over the last few months including the Kirkella ( catching Cod and Haddock for UK fish and chip shops) with its ability to catch, electrically stun the fish as it comes on board - which is not only humane but makes for some of the best quality I have seen outside of Ikijime - ( a Japanese method of killing fish instantly by inserting a metal spike directly into its hindbrain ) and then instead of throwing all the viscera ( guts!) over board they actually process them into a feed ingredient!) Nothing gets wasted...that is progress.
Check out the website for the Kirkella here....
www.ukfisheries.net
....and listen to their CEO the redoubtable Jane Sandell....brilliant!
Whilst waiting for the evening festivities to kick off Adele and I visited and the hidden gem of Greenwich England's largest Painted Hall (sometimes described as the Sistine Chappel of the UK),which I shall cover in my next blog along with a trip to The Hebridean Islands, Bergen Norway ( again!) Aalborg in Denmark, Delft in Holland and Corsica.
Stay busy....!
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