Tuna for sushi and sashimi

Posted on May 5, 2011 in Hiroko's Blog

For recipe development today I needed a block of sushi/sashimi quality tuna for raw consumption. The best place for me to go for such high quality tuna is Mitsuwa Marketplace in Edgewater, New Jersey (www.mitsuwa.com ). Lacking a US license I do not drive (I acquired a learner’s permit last summer, so I am planning to push myself this summer to get the license) and it is a 2 1/2 hours round trip from my place to Mitsuwa if I use public transportation (the store...

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Preparing UMESH (Plum Wine) in my kitchen!

Posted on May 17, 2010 in Hiroko's Blog

My lucky friends have been enjoying my wonderful five-year old, home-made, rich golden-color, mildly sweet and tart umeshu (plum wine) until the supply began to decrease to the point that I was not longer offering it; hording the remaining “wine” for Buzz and me.  Umeshu preparation, patience and drinking is a continuous cycle of work and enjoyment.  Umeshu is not a fermented product like grape wine, but is simply and extraction of the flavors and juices of the...

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