It's 8a.m. ...The raining is softly falling, scenting the air with a brisk emollient, " wake-up" call. Even the lonely Sakura' are shyly exposing themselves to the cool temperatures.
Imagine ... I could be snuggly, sleeping in my bed,( z-z-z-z-) instead of braving the weather( br-r-r-r) in search of a new car ... Saddly our vehicle was totalled a few days ago and thankfully we only have the effects of whiplash ... back massages and prayers are definately, the order of the day.
Every car on the lot is either white, shades of white, pearl or grey ( Ha Ha)...OK .. A " Pearl' Nadia will fit the bill... SOLD ...
A more colorful vehicle selection would have cheered my mood, like the decorative florals surrounding the car dealership. Luckily, the skies are lifting, in favour of a more vivid day to come.
We started our sojourn early and now it's already 5 o'clock, way past teatime...so we'll stop at one of our favourite restaurants.
The menu is in the window, all you need to do, is select a
dish .
Classical musical softly meanders through the restaurant creating a lovely delectable mood that offers, traditional to western dining.
TEA...I'd love a cup of tea, in this traditionally thrown pottery cup. It's a tad off kilter, but then what or who isn't today!!!! ( Ha ha)
Our pretty waitress is dressed in traditional garb, favoring an apron and a western teapot. "Times are a changing."
Yes, two cups of brown tea,would be nice ..Thank You.... " Genmaicha", brown rice tea is the Japanese name for green tea combined with roasted brown rice. It's sometimes referred to colloquially as " popcorn tea" because a few grains of the rice pop during the roasting process.
This type of tea was originally drunk by the poor Japanese, as the rice served as a filler and reduced the price of the tea; which is why it is also known as the " people's tea".
It was also used by those persons fasting for religious purposes or who found themselves to be between meals for a long period of time.
Today it is consumed by all segments of society.
This tea is only half fermented, so the quality of taste and goodness is more readily savoured in the each cup. It's flavour is mild and combines the fresh grassy flavour of the green tea with the aroma of the roasted rice... Brown tea is so tasty !!!!
I also enjoy the use of the handmade crudiments jars that compliment the
asian essence of our dining experience...
Don't you !!!!.
We have spicy peppers and seasoned herbs to choose from
or a soft blend of sea salts to season our foods with.
A thin, light soy sauce is the perfect compliment for a tempura dish....
or maybe you'd enjoy a heavier, delicious soy mixture for your Sashimi
OH ..Here's a surprise... a little drawers for the chopsticks( Hee Hee) There's always something to makes me smile !!!!
Your food will be here soon, " Would like another cup of tea?"
Our appetizer is , sesame, teriyaki, honey chicken wings... It's simply delicious !!!
Oops..I forgot to take a picture of the raw egg on top of the Ceasar salad ... You just stir it into the creamy salad sauce, divide it in two ... Yummy ... It's almost gone !!!!
Laughter and giggles abound and often overflow within the fine dining restaurants, creating a happy and relaxing atmosphere. I dare, say there's alot of teatime gossiping going on here too !!!!
Then there are others
who quietly drink tea and discuss their daily business.
Hubby enjoys a feast of Sashimi, with a perfect custard. Just look at that lovely little floral cup. The Japanese dishes are so beautifully presented and varied in size and shapes. It makes the meal , most appealing. The word Sashimi often refers to uncooked fish preparations. It is traditionally considered the finest dish in Japanese cuisine.
The sliced seafood is typically draped over a garnish of Asian white radish, daikon, shredded into long strands accompanied by one green perilla leaf. Wasabi paste is sometimes mixed directly into the soy sauce. A reputed motivation for serving wasabi or pickled ginger with sashimi, beside the flavour, is to kill harmful bacteria and parasites that might be present in the raw fish. Sashimi is an acquired taste that most Asians love.
I chose, tempura.... two shrimps, two white small white fish fillets,eggplant, a cluster of mushrooms and tempura lotus leaf... Rice, dipping soy, pickles and miso soup usually accompany this dish.
Tempura is made of cold water ( sometimes sparkling water) and soft wheat flour to keep the batter light. "Kakiage", is a type of tempura made with mixed vegetables which are deep fried as fritters. Vegetables such as green peppers and eggplants are culinary favourites.
It's a lot to eat and I'm getting a little full.. Aren't you !!!!
Would you like more tea?
It does smell good , but " No Thank You ".... It's time to go home.
On the way out ...I notice a few packaged foods for sale... pickled radishes, bamboo, udon noodles, shredded greens and .....
Salted fish...
Which one would you like to buy for your late evening snack.?
It's past my bewitching hour and time for a rest.
If you'd like another cup of tea.. I'll keep the kettle simmering
To make the best ' genmaicha' brown tea ,
be sure that the water has boiled for at least thirty seconds,
then enjoy the aroma.
Good-night Ladies !!!
