This day saw us becoming real tourists and taking a tour bus to the town of Nikko. This is a small town  about 150 km north of Tokyo, in the Tochigi Prefecture area. 

We started our day at a rather chaotic bus station, where there were buses and tour guides departing, everywhich way ! We boarded our bus and set off for a rather long bus ride to Nikko. Nikko is famous for a Toshugo Shinto shrine built in 1617. It is also famous for a Botanical garden , which has according to Wikepedia over 2,000 species . There is also a 35 km avenue of 13,000 Cedar trees, ( listed in the Guinness book of records )which was established over 400 years ago when  200,000 trees were planted . The Cedar tree is the national tree of Japan.

  

  

  

  
  

  
 Apart from the impressive shrine, we had lunch at a road side café, which catered just for the bus loads of tourists, which were carefully stage managed by the various tour guides, so that not everyone descended at once. What was quiet amazing was that we 

  were given a choice on boarding the bus, meat or vegetarian and you will see from the lunch time photo, that it was impressive. We could have eaten the freshly grilled fish which looked and smelled just wonderful .
It is a long dive for Tokyo, but given our time restraints, this was the only way. 

So we are actually still on day two, getting a bit behind here, but the days are jammed packed and so little time to do anything else.

So after our Sushi lunch we headed towards the Imperial Palace, one of the best sites in Tokyo for Cherry Blossom viewing. As with any blossom, the season is hit and miss and one torrential down pour or gale force winds, and they are gone! But we were  in luck, they were in full bloom and so along with half of Tokyo we joined in the shuffle around the lake to enjoy this absolutely magnificent sight.

In Tokyo, the best viewing area is the Ueno Sakura Matsuri which is the park by the lake. During the Cherry Blssom festival the park is lit with over a 1,000 lanterns for nighttime viewing. The park expects several hundred thousand visitors daily, hence the shuffling . There are over 600 trees in this park alone.

Throughout Japan, there are cherry trees at this time of year and depending on your location the blooming time will vary. For example in the mountainous region it will be later than in Tokyo. There are over one hundred varieties of cherry trees, ranging from white to pale pink to dark pink and even to yellow and green. Most of them have five petals but some have 10 or even twenty. One of the most beautiful is the Shiarezakura, the weeping cherry. Also in bloom at this time, of course are plenty of other spring flowers , but as is usual , blossom time brings rain and wind! After all they are not just there for our enjoyment! 

    
    
    
 

So Day Two here in Tokyo saw us at the TSUKIJI  fish market, which is not far from the Ginza district.
Tsukiji Market (築地市場, Tsukiji Shijō) is one of ten wholesale markets that deal with the distribution of fruit, vegetables, meat and fish for Tokyo. The  Tsukiji Market is one of the world’s largest fish markets, handling over 2,000 tons of marine products per day. Rumour has it, that the market, will move out of the city to a new site, later on this year. The market has attached to it, a fruit and vegetable market as well. The tuna auction takes place here also and any visitor has to apply at the auction office, early in the morning, only 120 visitors are allowed each day and they are also divided into 2 groups, the first being admitted at 5.25 and the second at 5.50. It reminded me very much of Billingsgate in London ( smaller) , though without the banter ( watch yer back darlin!) The other difference being is, in London the porters skilfully manoeuvre large metal trolleys around, whilst in Tokyo it is motorised carts,the porters, constantly beefing at all who should dare to get in the way ! Of course there is lots of Tuna but besides that all sorts of fish, fresh, dried and frozen! Some recognisable and some not ( should have come with my worldwide fish guide). One interesting item was Octopus eggs. Apparently they are intelligent animals and are protected within the EU. The male dies soon after mating and the female guards her eggs for up to 53 months ( depending on species) and then she dies! No fun being an Octopus then! So was very interested to see the eggs on sale, but am really not sure what to do with them!

 

 

  

  

  

  

  

 

After a very interesting morning looking at Fish we stopped for lunch, also in the the TSUKIJI area, some of us had Sushi whilst others Tempura or baked fish, but no matter what, all were very good. I was tempted to try the Omelet on a stick from a street vendor, ( but had just had lunch). Interestingly they make it in a rectangular pan, quiet thick, and then cut it into lengths and put on a stick! Very innovative, I think I just need to  buy one of those pans!  

  

So now it is off to the Royal Palace to look at the Cherry Blossom!

  This trip sees us in Japan, at the moment in Tokyo. Last night at the request of himself ( he who had fond memories of his various visits here) saw us eating in a traditional restaurant ( named Karen) eating Shabu-Shabu. Roughly translated it means Swish-Swish! Which is the sound the beef makes as you swish it, just one time back and forth around in the hot pot.

Apparently, according to Wikipedia, Shabu-Shabu  was invented in the 20th. Century by the Suehiro restaurant in Osaka and they registered it as a trade mark in 1955.

So what beef do they use for Shabu-Shabu? Well again according o Wikipedia it is generally Rib Eye, although I have never seen in the UK or the USA beef that is as finely marbled as that which we ate last night. 

 On arriving at the Karen restaurant which is in the Ginza district of Tokyo, we were greeted with a ” oh my bad knees ” moment as it appeared that we would have to squat at worse or sit cross legged at best at the table, which was at floor level. However we were all pleased to find that although we needed to clamber down to the floor, the table was actually set over a pit, so we basically sat normally but at floor level! Very enterprising, I should say ! 

 We ate copiously and the star of the evening was the Kuroge Wagyu, Japanese Black beef, from and area called Kagoshima . We were fortunate enough to be in the company of a Japanese friend and her husband, who had connections with the Kagoshima meat industry. So feast your eyes on our wonderful  dinner, and this was just day one!

   
    
   

  I am currently on an Indian kick, so tonight it was a version of Kedgeree or it could be an Indian Risotto. The word kedgeree is an English variation on the Indian word Khichri, and it is supposed that the  colonial British brought the idea back from India, though there are records of it being in Britain, very much earlier than that. The traditional Britihs version usually contains smoked fish along with rice , hard boiled eggs, white fish and maybe shrimp or prawns. 

This version is made with lentils and rice with mushrooms.

For three people

1. 100 grams yello or red lentils ( pigeon leas , toor dal,)
2. 350 grams basmati rice
3. 2+2 tabsp ghee or olive oil 
4. 1 tsp cumin seeds toasted
5. 1 onion sliced
6. 3 cloves garlic, chopped
7. 1tsp turmeric
8. 750 mls  vegetable stock
9. Salt to taste.

For the mushrooms

1. 500 grams mushroom sliced not washed but cleaned with a mushroom brush.
2. 4 tbs olive oil 
3. 4 cloves garlic chopped 
4. 1 tsp chilli flakes

Melt 2 tabsp ghee, add the cumin and toast/fry until it pops, add the garlic and the onion , sauté until soft but not brown. Stir in the lentils and the rice. Add the stock, turmeric and salt. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for about half an hour. Add more stock or water to keep it to a risotto consistency. When cooked switch off the heat and keep covered to keep hot.

Whilst the risotto is cooking heat the oil and add  the garlic, sauté until soft but not brown. Add the sliced mushrooms and the chilli flakes and stir until the all of the liquid generated by the mushrooms have been absorbed.. Add all to the rice/lentil mixture saving a few for garnish. Melt the remaining ghee. Plate the risotto and pour over some of the melted ghee and garnish with the remains mushrooms. 

 

On returning to London from Mexico City it was to a cupboard bare. So after a trip to the local supermarket followed by another trip to Church St. market, I thought I would treat himself to a Mexican treat for Sunday breakfast. So it was going to be Poched eggs with a chilli tomato sauce. As mentioned in my previous blog I created a recipe for this Mexican delight. However I added some extras, which included some sauteed chopped red peppers, mixed in with the canned tomatoes mixture and whizzed to a fine purée . The was heated and if it was too thick I diluted it with some water.

Instead of coriander, this time I used water cress ( which actually was perfect) . Again a soft poached egg ( or two) and some toasted sourdough bread.

Unfortunately , I do not have the chipped enamel bowls in which to serve the breakfast, maybe on my next trip to Mexico, I will be able to hunt done the bowls. Meanwhile, I served it in some old Japanese bowls. 

 

Breakfast in Mexico City is an interesting affair. It ranges from the street stalls that cater to the itinerate workers, who come into the city in their droves, often leaving their homes long before dawn to ride one of the many, rickety buses, down the crowded freeways to work. There are food stalls on every street corner, but none more so than the areas around the bus stations.So from Street Stalls to high end Hotels Breakfast can last the whole morning.

In the area known as Colonia Condesa there is an abundance of good middle of the road eating establishments. One of the new ones is Lardo and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and I have been there morning and night and not been disappointed.

On my last visit the slender blonde said that one of her favourite breakfasts was “Huevo pochados pimientos,epazote y verdolagas” so translated poached eggs with tomato pimento sauce, Mexican herbs and purslane. Epazote is an ancient Mexican herb with a distinctive flavour and used widely in Mexico and Central America , it is sometimes called Mexican Tea.  Purslane on the other hand originates in Central Asia, but has spread world wide. It grows just about everywhere, but I am not sure I have ever seen it growing, or if I did, I didn’t have a clue as to what it was. Many gardeners consider it a weed and a nuisance, as it goes to seed very quickly. But it is apparently rich in Omega 3, so maybe not so bad after all.

However, both of these ingredients are not readily available in the local grocery store, so I have come up with alternatives.For Epazote I have substituted some coriander and for the Purslane a few sprigs of watercress .

To make this sauce yourself, could take a little time and dedication, however there is a cheats version.

For two people take a can of chopped tomatoes with chillies, a large white onion chopped, a couple of chillies de seeded and chopped and a few sprigs of coriander. Sauté the onion and chillies together until soft, add the can of tomatoes and Wizz altogether to make a smooth sauce. Taste and adjust the seasoning. 

My method of making poached eggs is simplicity itself. Boil some water in a pan with a dash of lemon juice, add the required number of eggs, carefully cracked , bring back to the boil, turn off the heat and leave for the whites to solidify. Remove from the pan with a slotted spoon. If you like your yolks firmer then leave in the hot water for a while longer.

Heat the tomato sauce, pour into bowls add the newly poached eggs, top with a little sour cream and a sprig or two of watercress for garnish. Serve hot with freshly toasted sourdough bread! 

 

Mexican food is not Tex Mex! Having lived in Houston Texas for many years we were led to believe that Mexican food, is, what they served in such restaurants/diners such as Pappasitos Cantina, Gringos Mexican Kitchen or Ninfa’s on Navigation ( don’t you love the name, a really seedy part of town!) But as much as we enjoyed going to one of these, it was always the same, a huge amount of deep fried tortilla chips, with lashings of salsa and guacamole. Then for the main course, it was always a plate which included, refried beans ( think calories) Mexican rice, some salad, some tortillas and meat or fish of your choosing. I always ended up saying ” hold the rice and beans!”

Now however there is a new menace on the block, in the USA and the U.K. It is called Chipotle! Founded in the USA, it has now spread to Europe, including the UK. The one near me in London always has queues outside, especially at lunch time and I am not sure why! They market themselves as “Food with Integrity” , but Wikipedia reports that, MSNBC health .com rated it as one of the worse 20 , in the USA. It has had numerous serious outbreaks of various forms of food poisoning over the years, including E Coli, Salmonella and Novovirus ! And on top of that half of what they serve is not even Mexican ( Burritos and Tofu for example) oh, and one final note, each burrito is only about 1,000 calories! Which is even more than a Big Mac. !Steer clear is the message!

Here, in Mexico City, and not even in a high end restaurant but just a local one, it is much more refined and much better food. So we were at La Capitale, neighbourhood  restaurant, in an area called Condesa. 

 we had tortilla chips with guacamole , tostadas with tuna, small tortillas with shrimp, pulled pork ( pubil) and some tortillas with fajitas ( arranchera) steak. Take a look!