Sunday, September 27, 2009

Cooking Club: German Sausage Making

Oktoberfestis a sixteen-day festival held each year in Munich, Germany during late September (and running to early October). It is one of the most famous events in Germany and the world's largest fair, with some six million people attending every year, and is an enjoyable event with an important part of Bavarian culture. Other cities across the world also hold Oktoberfest celebrations, modeled after the Munich event.The Munich Oktoberfest, traditionally, takes place during the sixteen days up to and including the first Sunday in October. In 1994, the schedule was modified in response to German reunification so that if the first Sunday in October falls on the 1st or 2nd, then the festival will go on until October 3 (German Unity Day). Thus, the festival is now 17 days when the 1st Sunday is October 2 and 18 days when it is October 1

The Ockoterfest in Yokohama this year was held from Oct 12-18 at the Red Brick Warehouse in Minato Mirai Sakuragicho. It was always crowded and expensive! But the crowds were worth fighting through for a chance to sample some good German beers and sausages. The best part was everyone coming together for a toast chant every 10 minutes or so for another excuse to drink more beer! Ein Prost! Ein Prost!
VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHkSDs0PAzQ&feature=PlayList&p=992D16052FA8D0A2&index=4

Making sausages from scratch is not as difficult as many of the students thought. The key is to make sure that all your tools are clean and that you use the freshest ingredients. ソーセージを作るのは簡単でした。 あなたのすべてのツールが清潔であり、非常に新鮮な成分を使用するのを確認してください。
ドイツのソーセージ
SAUSAGE RECIPE: German Sausage3-lbs boneless pork butt or shoulder
1 lb pork fat, lard (3-1 ratio)2-tsp fresh sage
3-tsp. salt 2-tsp. ground white pepper 1-tsp. dry marjoram (2-tsp. crushed red chili )2-tsp. ground cayenne pepper1-tsp. ground nutmeg 1-tsp. allspice 1 tsp fresh thyme
Make sure all tools are dry and clean.
Clean and cut pork meat (and fat, if necessary) into chunks.Spread out on a cold cookie sheet and place in the freezer to chill (not long enough to freeze, just long enough to become firm)Grind the meat and fat together twice, using a coarse blade and meat mincer. 肉挽き機3で豚肉肉とミックスを切ります: 1の部品
Rodger will show you how to use it- Be careful!
Place minced meat in freezer after each mincing to cool down and firm up.Add the spices to the meat and fat mixture and knead it in thoroughly Sausage flavoring should be done bycooking 新鮮なスパイスをソーセージ用挽き肉に加えてください、そして、よく混入してください.肉のわずかなさじを料理して、風味をチェックしてください。 up a small portion to taste
The sausages can be stuffed into prepared casings. Slowly load the soaked 塩分を除くためにソーセージケーシングを水につけてください。
Casings onto the sausage gun nozzle. Fill each casing to desired length and twist to close. 豚肉肉でソーセージケーシングをゆっくり満たしてください、そして、終わりを摘み取ってください。
Fresh sausages should be cooked right away. Either by boiling in seasoned soup or pan fried on a lightly greased pan until golden brown.
熱いなべで油でソーセージを料理してください。

The most difficult part was being patience as the pork meat slowly fills the sausage casing. Filling the sausage casing too quickly causes them to rupture and break.豚肉肉がゆっくりソーセージケーシングをいっぱいにしたとき、最も難しい部分は忍耐でした。 また、断食してください。そうすれば、ケーシングは壊れるでしょう。
We finished the German Cooking with a Tasting session of various German Beers. A Dunkel(dark) beer, a weiss(white) beer and several Pilsners beers.私たちは様々なドイツ人のビアースのTastingセッションでドイツのCookingを終えました。ダンケル(暗い)ビール、weissの(白い)のビール、および数個のPilsnersビール。 Thank you all for coming. Gutes Appetit!

Friday, September 25, 2009

Super Easy Sauerkraut

Super Easy and Super Healthy Sauerkraut 最高の簡単なSauerkraut
Perhaps because it’s often paired with hot dogs, sauerkraut doesn’t have a reputation as an especially healthy food, but that’s been changing in the last few years. One reason is that sauerkraut is a live-culture “probiotic” food.

Fresh sauerkraut contains lactobacilli, beneficial bacteria that improve the functioning of the digestive tract. Probiotic foods such as sauerkraut and yogurt are often recommended for people taking antibiotics, which kill both the beneficial and harmful bacteria in the body. Live-culture foods can help restore the beneficial bacteria.
Sauerkraut also is a good source of fiber and essential nutrients, including iron, vitamin K and vitamin C. In fact, in the 18th century, sailors ate sauerkraut on long voyages to prevent scurvy, a disease caused by vitamin C deficiency.
Another interesting health claim was made last fall by a group of Korean scientists. They reported that feeding an extract of kimchi to 13 chickens with avian flu led to a much lower mortality rate in the birds. More research is needed to support this claim, but the announcement fueled a spike in sauerkraut sales last year. Scientists also are studying cabbage and other vegetables in the brassica family for their potential to prevent breast cancer.


Sauerkraut Recipes
2 large heads of cabbage (about 5 pounds)2 to 3 tbsp noniodized salt
Grate 1 cabbage and place in a crock or plastic bucket. Caraway seedsキャラウェイシード(cumin seeds will work just as well)Sprinkle half the salt over the cabbage. Grate the second cabbage, then add it to the crock along with the rest of the salt. Crush the mixture with your hands until liquid comes out of the cabbage freely. Place a plate on top of the cabbage, then a weight on top of the plate. Cover the container and check after 2 days. Scoop the scum off the top, repack and check every 3 days. After 2 weeks, sample the kraut to see if it tastes ready to eat. The flavor will continue to mature for the next several weeks. Canning or refrigerating the sauerkraut will extend its shelf life. Yields about 2 quarts.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

GK Cooking SEPTEMBER ドイツのソーセージ

GK COOKING Club October Festival
German Sausage Cooking and Beer Tasting
日時:September 27th Sunday 時間:1:00-5:00pm in Yokohama
今回のメニュー Homemade Sausagesドイツのソーセージ
German Potato Salad ジャーマン ポテトサラダ
Sauerkrautザワークラウト、German Beerドイツビール
場所:横浜技能カルチャーセンター
(in Japanese and English) 持参:Bring an apron, towel, and an appetite!(エプロン・タオル・容器) >連絡先Reservations/Contact:要予約 
mobile : thejokerfish.i-news@docomo.blackberry.com

Sunday, September 20, 2009

How to Eat "ONE MAN Ramen"

In Yokohama we found this small ramen shop that catered for the solo eater, those who don't want to be bothered by the company of other human being while slurping up their hot, wet noodles. It's not a public spectacule. (I suppose for the self-conscious noodle slurper, who has terrible table manners or the alienated diner who needs some private downtime with their pork slices.....whatever the case, I highly recommend it purely for the ramen itself and the experience. The noodle shop has branches everywhere in Japan(centering mostly from Fukuoka City, whereit originated) We found the shop in Yokohama, adjacent to the View Building, across from the JR Sakuragicho station. The restauirant is called ' ' which more or less translated to 'leave me alone' When you first enter the shop be aware that it's dark and ominous and their is no 'welcome to our shop' until you sit down at one of the many enclosed booths. There is only a small roll screen in front of you.

You are first given a questionaire from a faceless waitress who asks you to fill out the form and call her when you've complete it. The basic questions are 1. How would you like you noodles cooked? 2. What type of broth would you prefer? 3. Would you like your ramen mild or spicy or super hot? While you are waiting you are given a soft boiled egg to peel yourself and a small packet of salt. (only if youve order the topping) I recommend ordering two, one for an appetizer and one to add to your ramen. After a bit, the waitress brings your meal and says please enjoy, then she closes the shutters and you are left alone to contemplate your exsistence with the steaming bowl of ramen. Should you finish off the noodle in no time flat, you can request a second helping by calling the waitress back with a call button located at the top of the counter next to the water fountain.

A second helping of noodles is called 'Karu tama' and the waitress will press a metal chip on the computer IC readers and a noodle chime song will play. She'lll ask you again how you would like your noodles cooked: 'Futsu' regular , 'Tatta men" al dente, of "bari katta" starchy tough, barely cooked and close to raw!
After you've finished your noodles you simple say "Gochiso-sama" and leave the counter. I felt so lonely and helpless eating alone in a closed ramen shop, but I might go again, just to keep myself company.....

Sunday, August 23, 2009

"Matsuri" Festival Food

Summer is a time for many festivals in Japan. One of the best things about every festival is the wide variety of foods! 夏はフェスティバルのための最も良い時間です。
Azabu Juban Matsuri, Tokyo




The streets of Azabu-Juban are lined wall to wall with many yukata clad people hungrily scowling the street-venders for summer delectables!

Working in the food booths is hard and smokey. The shear volume of hungry people and gross inventory over 3-days is staggering!
"Squid tentacles anyone?"

Octopus Dumplings. Small whole octopi are cooked in eggy batter and formed into round, bite-size morsels covered it sauce and eaten with a toohpick.

Fried potato spirals were a big seller this year.The whole spud is sliced and stretched out on a skewer then fried-like a long potato chip....on-a-stick!

You can choose from various dipping flavors: cheesy, spicy, seaweed, or plain sea salt. Miki-chan here chose a "double dip extra CHEEZY"

Sunday, August 9, 2009

Cooking Club: Turkish Cooking (Part Two)

Turkish Delight ロクム


I would often see confectionery stores displaying colorful rows of these sweets in store markets in Europe and often received them as gifts from friends who had been abroad to Istanbul (as well as the UK) The colors were a bit offsetting but once you bite into the rich jelliness of the candy and the surprising crunch of the nuts then let the awhiff of the rosewater carry you away to Narnia. I can see now how the boy was tempted away by the Icy Queen to betray his family. (I so much wanted to betray someone just to have some more....lokum!)
(トルコ語:lokum)は、砂糖デンプンナッツクルミピスタチオアーモンドヘーゼルナッツココナッツ)を加えて作る、トルコの菓子。マシュリクバルカン半島ギリシャの他、欧米でも知られている。英語ではターキッシュ・ディライト(Turkish delight、「トルコの悦び」)と呼ばれる。作り方は、砂糖をに溶かして火にかけ、コーンスターチなどデンプンを溶き入れ、飴状になったらナッツを混ぜ入れ、デンプンをまぶした型に入れて冷まして固め、冷めたら正方形に切ってデンプンと粉砂糖をまぶす。ゆべしに似ている。ネスレカナダ社が「ビッグ・ターク」(Big Turk)というロクムをチョコレートで包んだスナックバーを製造している他、イギリスオーストラリアではキャドバリー社が同じくロクムをチョコレートで包んだフライズ・ターキッシュ・ディライト(Fry's Turkish Delight)という菓子を製造している。


Turkish Delight

The recipe itself is very simple- however, the timing and having patience are required.

  • Make sure you have two pots. Pot A and Pot B. Pot B should be larger because the two pots will be combined. Stir the sugar into the water and allow to dissolve. Place on heat and bring to a boil- be sure not to let it boil over! Just after topping off reduce the heat and let it simmer for 30 minutes to reach 115 on a candy themometer.
In Pot B combine the cornstarch and water-again dissolve first before placing on heat. Stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Be wary, the mixture will thicken in an instant so keep stirring!




Combine the sugar syrup slowly and break up as many 'icebergs' as possible. Continue simmering and stirring for one hour- unti the cornstarch lumps dissolve.




Cool slightly and add nuts(blanched) and rosewater .Then pour into a 9" pan lined with waxed paper. Let set overnight. I had prepared one the night before. We sliced it and generously coated it with powdered sugar.

RECIPE:
材料 80個分【ローズ】グラニュー糖 5カップ水 5カップ半レモン果汁 小さじ2コーンスターチ 1カップ半酒石酸 小さじ1ローズウォーター 大さじ2食紅 少々サラダ油 少々粉砂糖 1カップ厚手の鍋(大、小)23cm四方の型
1.23cm四方の型にラップをしき、サラダ油をぬる。2.砂糖、水2カップ、レモン汁を鍋(小)にいれ、中火にかける。砂糖が完全に溶けて、沸騰するまでかきまぜた ら、火を弱める。ブクブクと泡立つ状態(115度)に なるまで、かきまぜずにとろ火で煮る。3.酒石酸とコーンスターチ1カップと1/4を鍋(大)にいれ、中火にかる。ダマにならないように、残りの水3 カップ半を徐々に加えてゆく。沸騰してもったりとした 糊状になるまで、かきまぜつづける。    4.3に2をくわえ、よくかきまぜたら、火を弱める。こげつかないように、よくかきまぜながら淡い黄金色になるまで約1時間、とろ火で煮る。
5.4にローズウォーターと食紅をくわえ、かきまぜる。用意しておいた型にながし込み、平らにならす。そのままふたをせず、室温でひと晩ねかせる。   6.まな板に、残りのコーンスターチ1/4カップと粉砂糖をふりかける。その上にターキッシュディライトをあけサラダ油をつけた包丁で2.5cm角に切る。7.くっつかないように粉砂糖をよくまぶす。まるい箱に入れ、緑色の絹のリボンをかける。

※以下のフレーバーの場合はローズウォーターと食紅の代わりに以下のものを入れる。【レモン】レモン汁 計大さじ5レモンエッセンス 小さじ2着色料(イエロー)【ミント】ミントリキュール 大さじ2着色料(グリーン) 少々
【オレンジ】オレンジリキュール 大さじ2     着色料(オレンジ) 少々【バニラ&ナッツ】バニラエッセンス 大さじ2ナッツ 1/2カップ※空煎りしたアーモンドもしくはウォールナッツ。きざんでおく。

Cooking Club: Turkish Cooking (Part One)

Falafel ファラフェル
I used to have Falafels almost everyday after school at a small Turkish Restaurant in New Haven, Connecticut- the name of the restaurant eludes me- but my study group would always take up residence at a corner table and munch on falafel after falafel and chase them down with harsh, black Turkish coffees that were as thick as mud and loaded with enough pure caffeine to keep us awake studying til the break of dawn!

The consummate junk food of the Middle East. I would see them being made on almost every street corner in Istanbul and Egypt.
ファラフェルもしくはファラーフェル(アラビア語: فلافل 、ヘブライ語: פלאפל、英語: Falafel)はヒヨコマメまたはソラマメから作ったコロッケのような中東の食べ物。

Cooking Class.
We made whole wheat pita bread from scratch, rolling out the flour dough and allowing it to 'puff up' when baked.


ピタ英語pita, ヘブライ語 pitah פִּתָּה, アラビア語kmaj كماج)、ピタパン(pita bread)は直径20センチくらいの平たく円形のパン地中海沿岸、中東北アフリカで広く見られる食文化。
小麦粉砂糖イーストを加えて、一時間ほど発酵させ、高温のオーブンで一気に焼上げる。中が空洞のポケット状になっているところから、英語ではポケットパン(pocket bread)とも呼ばれ、フムスヒヨコマメのペースト)など様々なソース類をすくって食べたり、中にスブラキケバブファラフェルなど野菜や肉、豆類などの具材を挟みいれたサンドイッチとして食べたりする。




The dried chickpeas (you can also used dried fava beans-but not canned)were soaked overnight and we made them into spicy falafels. Before mixing the ingredients together and using your hands to form balls it's wise to coat your hands with oil first to make it easier to prevent the falafel (tumeric, collander, and cumin)spices from staining your hands. Also, allow the mixture to sit awhile so that the spices can flavor the beans thoroughly.

Deep frying the falafels is a little tricky. Be sure to allow them to heat all the way through to the center or else the chickpeas inside will be tough or doughy. The outside of the falafel should be hard and crispy(the outside layer of chickpeas cooks quickly) Rotate the falafels frequently so they are cooked evenly.


When your falafels are ready- you're ready to eat! Slice the pita breads lengthwise into two half pockets and fill with lettuce, tomato and cucumber slices, then drizzle with Tahini sesame dressing.


RECIPES:
Cafe Gecko's Falafel Recipe
1 cup dried chickpeas1/2 large onion, roughly chopped (about 1 cup)2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro1 teaspoon salt1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper4 cloves of garlic1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon tumeric1 teaspoon baking powder4-6 tablespoons flourVegetable oil for frying
Method:1. Put the chickpeas in a large bowl and add enough cold water to cover them by at least 2 inches. Let soak overnight, then drain. Or use canned chickpeas, drained.
2. Place the drained, uncooked chickpeas and the onions in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade.(if there’s no food processor you can use a blender with 2 parts water, strained and retain course puree) Add the parsley, cilantro, salt, hot pepper, garlic, and cumin. Process until blended but not pureed.
3. Sprinkle in the baking powder and 4 tablespoons of the flour, and pulse. You want to add enough bulgur or flour so that the dough forms a small ball and no longer sticks to your hands. Turn into a bowl. Leaving refrigerated for several hours is best for the spices to blend- but they can be cooked right away.
4. Form the chickpea mixture into balls about the size of golf balls.
5. Heat 3 inches of oil to 375 degrees in a deep pot or wok and fry 1 ball to test. If it falls apart, add a little flour. Then fry about 6 balls at once for a few minutes on each side, or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Stuff half a pita with falafel balls, chopped tomatoes, onion, green pepper, and pickled turnips. Drizzle with tahini thinned with water.