Tokyo Cooking Class

When I went to Tokyo with the bf last year he had to work for a couple of days so on one of the mornings I had to myself I had pre-booked a cooking class with a local instructor named Mari Nameshida. I honestly can’t remember how I had first found about Mari but what attracted me to her class was that it would be carried out in her home: so not only would I be learning to cook some traditional dishes in Japan but I would also have the chance to immerse myself, albeit briefly, in local culture.

The classes are also small and intimate (in mine there were 2 Australian ladies and an English, living in Netherlands couple, as well as myself and Mari) and fairly hands on with a lunch of what you have cooked to follow. Mari contacted me in advance to let me know what we would be cooking: Chicken Teriyaki, Gyoza, Sunomono (Japanese pickled salad), Dashi and Miso Soup. In fact two of the dishes - the chicken and gyoza - I had already attempted at home but I was looking forward to learning both, and in particular gyoza technique, properly.

It was lovely and relaxed: really nice to get the opportunity to chat with my fellow instructees and to get a real feel of local culture from Mari. I learnt some fascinating things that day and also got some excellent knife shopping tips and a little lesson in kanji.

I’ll have some further posts at some point with a) recipes for some of the dishes from when I cooked them at home for the bf and b) a postcard from Tokyo. Here though are some photos from the class itself - if you ever get the chance to visit Tokyo, take it and make sure you book in on a cooking class with Mari! 

Gyoza filling ingredients ready for some mixing

Getting stuck in: lightning fast!

Mixed & ready to wrap

Slicing cucumber thinly for the pickle salad

I wanted to be sure I would know what
bonito to buy to bring home for dashi
stock

Mari demonstrating how to cook the chicken teriyaki

Group effort gyoza wrapping

Pretty pleased with my technique!

A couple of batches ready (we made a lot).

Chicken teriyaki on the left and miso with tofu puffs on the right

The chicken teriyaki is nearly done so the gyoza go on

A happy (and hungry) group

My lunch in full:  and traditionally set out

Further details about Mari's classes can be found here: http://www.japanese-cooking-class-tokyo-mari.com/index.html

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A (long) Postcard From Sardinia

I've just returned from a short (well a week but it was too short and hard to leave) holiday in Alghero on the Northwest coast of Sardinia with my best friend Naomi. We had chosen a number of sightseeing type places to visit but in the end that all went out the window as we got truly into the laid back and relaxed vibe and spent our days reading on the beach, followed by evening aperitivo, fantastic meals, leisurely passeggiata, a digestif or two then bed.  Bliss.

A favourite apertif - Aperol Spritz

Gnochetti Sardi

Culurgiones - Sardinian ravioli

Delicious mixed antipasti with pane carasau

The runny cheese was outstanding

More culurgiones

We visitied an agriturismo one evening to sample a huge 15 course of typically Algherese cuisine, the highlight of which was the roast suckling pig.. oh if only we'd taken it easy with the antipasti and primi..

Delicious salami, cotto & prosciutto

Various cheeses and roasted aubergine

Fregola - a Sardinian pasta

Is that culurgiones I spy?

The suckling pig - yum. There was a lamb dish as well but I forgot to take a pic

Typical dolci

Calamari fritti

Spaghetti all'algherese

 Another evening called for another 15 course blowout - this time of the fish and seafood variety in a fantastic little restaurant in Alghero's centro storico.  Excellent evening made all the more special by the friendly and frankly madcap staff and locals.

Various seafood antipasti - alici, mussels, octopus, fish in different preparations

Mixed seafood and vongole pastas

Taglioni with peas in squid ink

Gamberones

Calamari

Seabass

Gorgeous crema catalana tart

 

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