Happy New Year!
I respectfully offer my New Year's greetings.
I hope that you all are enjoying a refreshing and joyful start to the New Year.
Thank you very much for all your support last year.
In a year befitting the Year of the Snake, which brings good fortune,
And we will strive to make this a year full of the Year of the Snake.
We sincerely ask for your continued support and encouragement.
This concludes my New Year's greetings.
As we begin the new year, it's become a tradition for my husband and me to spend New Year's Day at home with our beloved dog, Chocolat, and spend the morning together in the kitchen, busily preparing various things.
The New Year's flowers that adorn the dining table are from the flower shop "Oohiradai"grass (sou sou)The owner of the shop:Maiko TakemuraI asked them to create a tall arrangement using young pine branches, flowering quince, chrysanthemums, ornamental cabbage, sarcandra glabra, sweet peas, and other flowers. They always create beautiful arrangements and wreaths for me each season, and they are an indispensable flower shop for my home's interior.
This year, we received the same gift from Kyoto Gion two years ago, and it was a flavor we really liked.Flower danceOrder Osechi Ryori (traditional Japanese New Year's food) supervised by head chef Shigehiro Maeda. Enjoy authentic Osechi Ryori packed in a special three-tiered box, symbolizing the accumulation of happiness, and create a splendid dining experience.
"Assorted spiny lobster sashimi"
vessel:"Gaku Shakunaga Gen Large Plate
Last year we were unable to get our hands on spiny lobster, but we managed to procure some this year, and we created a gorgeous sashimi platter with a whole spiny lobster sashimi in the center, garnished with gold leaf. The bluefin tuna was a feast of tuna, including lean, medium fatty, and fatty cuts. The dish also included sea bream shaped like a camellia flower, salmon roe, salmon, and 1kg of large Hokkaido scallops purchased through the Furusato Nozei (hometown tax) program to support Shiretoko, Shari town in Hokkaido, and was garnished with fresh wasabi from Shizuoka.
"Tiger pufferfish sashimi"
Tableware: "Gaku Shakunaga mars flat plate"
The thinly sliced tiger pufferfish sashimi is served with grated daikon radish made from Shogoin turnip. You can enjoy the perfect balance of firmness and the smooth, glistening flesh, and when you pop several slices into your mouth at once, you can savor the lingering aftertaste of the direct, delicious flavor.
Kyoto GionFlower dance"Osechi Ryori (New Year's feast) "Yume no Mai" supervised by head chef Shigehiro Maeda"
"Yume no Mai" is an Osechi New Year's bento box that follows Kyoto traditions while incorporating the splendor unique to Hanamai. The large 8-inch bento box is packed with 58 different Japanese and Western dishes. In addition to the highly acclaimed "Simmered Lobster" and "Golden Grilled Crab Shell," this year's selection includes dishes using high-quality ingredients, such as "Grilled Red Snapper with Bottarga Sauce" (made with a special bottarga sauce combining miso and egg yolk) and "Golden Salad with Red Shrimp" (flavorful red shrimp seasoned with just the right amount of salt), resulting in a high-quality finish. The three-tiered box arrives stacked on top of each other, so when you open the lid, each dish is neatly laid out. Please note that after opening the film, we will add decorative cypress leaves and rearrange the dishes.
"Megumi no Ju (19 items)"
First layer ~ Wishing for a warm and blessed year ~
1. Gold leaf black beans, 2. Cherry blossom sweet potato paste, 3. Candied chestnuts, 4. Colorful vegetable confit, 5. Sweet potato simmered in syrup, 6. Young chicken with egg yolk dengaku sauce, 7. Yellowtail wrapped in naruto sauce, 8. Simmered lobster, 9. Grilled Spanish mackerel with golden sauce, 10. Black sesame tofu wrapped in bamboo leaves, 11. Bonito and herring, 12. Mashed burdock root, 13. Salmon wrapped in kinuta sauce, 14. Grilled marinated red salmon, 15. Simmered whelk, 16. Grilled conger eel in yuzu sauce, 17. Quickly cooked firefly squid, 18. Plum-shaped gluten cakes, 19. Simmered green beans
"Kinoju (a box of 19 items)"
Second layer ~Wishing you a happy and joyful year~
20. Datemaki (rolled omelet), 21. Simmered cod, 22. Colorful konpeito (sugar candy), 23. Herring confit, 24. Dried tomatoes, 25. Sweetened green plums, 26. Grilled red snapper with karasumi (cured mullet roe), 27. Salmon roe marinated in soy sauce, 28. Red and white namasu (pickled daikon radish and carrots), 29. Cherry blossom yokan wrapped in Yuzen dyeing, 30. Glazed shrimp, 31. Yuba (tofu skin) with chirimen sansho (small dried sardines and sansho pepper), 32. Simmered roe, 33. Simmered shiitake mushrooms, 34. Simmered freeze-dried tofu, 35. Rapeseed flower Toji roll, 36. Matsuro Shibori (a type of sweet), 37. Snow peas, 38. Simmered plum blossom carrots
"Yui no Ju (20 items)"
Third Tier ~Praying for good relationships and a fruitful year~
39. Colorful Moon Crown, 40. Spanish Mackerel Nanban-zuke, 41. Red Kamaboko, 42. White Kamaboko, 43. Bite-sized Kombu Roll, 44. Walnut Candy, 45. Smoked Duck, 46. Kumquat in Honey, 47. Matsumae-zuke, 48. Crab Shell Golden Grill, 49. Snow Crab Claws Simmered in Broth, 50. Yuba with Yuzu Flavor, 51. Mussels in Garlic Oil, 52. Herring Roe in Turtle Shell, 53. Crab Fragrant Pickles, 54. Onion Marinade, 55. Small Shrimp in Honey, 56. Smoked Scallops, 57. Red Shrimp in Golden Dressing, 58. Red and White Plum Blossoms with Pine Needles
"Chirashi sushi"
Bowl: "Gaku Shakunaga gen small bowl"
This chirashi sushi is like a jewel box, with tuna, sea bream, squid, salmon, crab, thick omelet, cucumber, and dried gourd strips scattered on top, and a generous portion of Hokkaido-produced salmon roe piled in the center and garnished with gold leaf.
"Kanto-style ozoni (rice cake soup)"
Vessel: Gaku Shakunaga "Thin bowl"
The Kanto-style ozoni (rice cake soup) is made by first blanching each ingredient in Japanese-style broth, then adding a little light soy sauce, mirin, and sake, and simmering them together. It is served with grilled mochi rice cakes, shrimp taro, shiitake mushrooms, decoratively cut daikon radish and carrots, snap peas, and mitsuba (Japanese parsley).
"Pickled turnips in sweet vinegar with a hint of yuzu citrus"
Vessel: “Gaku Shakunaga gen small plate」
The turnips are peeled, leaving a small portion of the stem attached to allow the green color to stand up, then sliced into eight half-moon shapes and marinated in sweet vinegar with chili peppers and yuzu peel for a quick pickle.
The jet-black tableware looks beautiful against the festive red and white theme of the dinner table. This year's bento box was black, but I think a paulownia wood box would look better, so I'll reserve one next year.
I enjoy comparing different types of sake every year, and this year I chose sake from Hida City, Gifu Prefecture.Watanabe Sake BreweryWe compared two sakes from the same brewery: "Horai" Nigori Sake and the limited edition Kurano Kansa Hizoshu. And the other one was from Suzaka City, Nagano Prefecture.Endo Sake Brewery"Endo," named after the brewery owner.
It was just before noon when everything was ready and we were finally able to sit down. We played koto music in the background and raised a toast in front of a magnificent sashimi platter and New Year's dishes.
"Watanabe Sake Brewery / Horai New Sake Ichiban Nigori Winter Limited Release"
First up, let's try the cloudy sake. This thick and viscous cloudy sake is the first cloudy sake straight from the brewery, made by kneading the mash just before fermentation is complete. With its rich sweetness and rustic, doburoku-like character, it's an indescribably delicious drink that makes you want to keep drinking.
"Watanabe Sake Brewery / Horai Brewery's Secret Brew - A Limited Edition Available Only Here"
The treasured sake, bearing a sign that reads "Limited edition, only available here and now," boasts a fresh and juicy flavor, a richness reminiscent of honey, and is an easy-to-drink, flavorful undiluted sake.
"Endo Sake Brewery / Unpasteurized Junmai Sake Endo"
This exceptional sake, bearing the brewery's name, is a testament to their unwavering dedication to the deliciousness of pure rice sake. It's pleasantly smooth and easy to drink, making it a truly addictive beverage.
The New Year's sweets that will adorn your table are ones that caught my eye on social media.sekisouI ordered the "Iyasaka Set" of butter sandwich cookies from " andMameya CafeI enjoy it with their dark roast coffee, "Golden Mandheling."
"Sekisou / New Year's Sweets Iyasaka Set"
These butter sandwiches and shortbread cookies, crafted with seasonal ingredients and traditional methods while pursuing new flavors, are now available in a wooden box! The plum blossom cutouts and the "Kotobuki" (longevity) branding are lovely and perfect for the New Year.
《4 types of butter sandwiches》
Apple Cinnamon Raisin
Layers of rum raisin cream and cinnamon cream are topped with diced apple compote.
Sandwiched between cinnamon shortbread cookies infused with sliced almonds.
Roasted green tea and pistachios
Layers of fragrant roasted green tea cream and rich pistachio cream,
Caramelized walnuts are used as a topping and sandwiched between pistachio shortbread cookies.
Strawberries and red peas Dainagon
Layers of high-sugar red bean cream and sweet and sour strawberry cream,
Topped with boiled red peas and sandwiched between strawberry shortbread cookies.
Orange Caramelina
Layers of concentrated orange cream and fragrant caramel cream,
Topped with orange peel marinated in Grand Marnier.
Sandwiched between fragrant caramel shortbread cookies.
《5 types of shortbread cookies》
Purple sweet potato, raspberry pistachio, pumpkin, coffee, black sesame.
The colorful hues are eye-catching, and the crispy shortbread is generously filled with a special butter cream made from a blend of Hokkaido butter and cream cheese. It's a substantial yet light butter sandwich. The crunchy shortbread and the smooth butter cream are a delicious combination. The thin, crisp shortbread is also perfect with coffee!
