Happy New Year!
I respectfully offer my New Year's greetings.
I sincerely hope that you all are able to welcome the New Year with a refreshed and cheerful spirit.
Thank you very much for your exceptional support throughout the past year.
In keeping with the Year of the Horse, which symbolizes dynamism and progress, we intend to strive to make this a fruitful year in which we can powerfully and rapidly advance.
We would like to ask for your continued support and encouragement this year as well.
This would be my New Year's greeting.
We spend the New Year holidays relaxing and welcome New Year's Day at home with our beloved dog, Chocolat. The time we spend together in the kitchen from the morning, busily preparing this and that, has become a cherished annual tradition.
The New Year's flowers decorating the Japanese-style room are from the flower shop in Ohiradai that we always rely on.Kusa-sou sou-We once again asked Maiko Takemura, the owner of "[shop name]", to create the arrangement for us this year. With Japanese white pine as the main element, she has luxuriously arranged auspicious flowers such as ping pong chrysanthemums, decorative chrysanthemums, spray chrysanthemums, ornamental cabbage, sweet peas, corkscrew willow, nandina leaves, and Deptospermum 'Copperglow'.
This arrangement beautifully harmonizes the strength unique to the New Year with gentle, vibrant colors, making it a truly uplifting start to the year.
"Assorted spiny lobster sashimi"
vessel:"Gaku Shakunaga Gen Large Plate
This year, due to the rising cost of ingredients, we were worried that there would be fewer restaurants handling spiny lobster, but we were able to procure some successfully, and we were able to create a magnificent sashimi platter befitting a celebratory occasion. The lineup was truly extravagant, featuring the star of the show, spiny lobster, along with Ise sea bream, fatty tuna, abalone, winter yellowtail, salmon, striped jack, sea urchin, salmon roe, and red shrimp. This year's spiny lobster had a sticky texture and a concentrated umami flavor, so delicious that it made me sigh with pleasure from the very first bite. I usually prefer lean tuna, but the fatty tuna I tasted first was exceptional, and it was a moment of pure bliss that made me feel like I was in heaven.
"Fujin Gaho's Osechi (New Year's Feast) - Three-tiered Japanese Box (Hana)"
Ordering Osechi (traditional Japanese New Year's food) online is one of the things I look forward to every year as a way to celebrate the start of the new year. I was eagerly anticipating it again this year as it adds a touch of splendor to the beginning of the year. This year, I chose the "Fujin Gaho's Osechi: Three-Tiered Box (Hana)," which is famous for its gorgeousness. The three-tiered box contains a total of 73 items, each one a feast for the eyes, and you can feel the attention to detail in the ingredients and flavors of each dish. From the moment you open each tier, a special feeling unique to the New Year spreads. Surrounded by this celebratory Osechi, which is fitting for the start of a new year, I will enjoy a relaxed New Year's Day.
《First Layer》
The 14 items include red and white kamaboko, marinated round conger eel in sweet and sour sauce and lemon syrup, simmered shrimp potato, rolled omelet, sweet potato paste and candied chestnuts, whole shrimp and mochi skewers, simmered black beans and lilies, candied red and white hair ornaments, simmered octopus, walnut mochi (red), walnut mochi (white), salmon roe marinated in soy sauce, Hokkaido herring roe and Matsumae pickles, grilled yuba rolls and kumquats in honey, grilled Spanish mackerel with rapeseed, mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms simmered in soy sauce, whelk and flying fish roe salad, seared blackthroat seaperch with pine needles and chopped kelp with yuzu flavor, and young chicken three-color roll.
《Second Layer》
The 14 dishes include smoked scallops and candied young peaches, steamed chicken with basil, octopus with plum vinegar, burdock root with sesame and cheese, sweet potato with lemon and cranberry walnuts, grilled fish cake with cheese and decorative rose (red), smoked tongue with salt and lemon and candied apricots, cream aurora wrapped in pastry, salted tomato and sweet bean paste and tomato and spinach wrapped in a cloth, smoked salmon, capers and roast beef, raisin bread, chicken checkered roll, sweet potato shinjo with Setouchi lemon and decorative rose (white) and purple cabbage salad, spicy baby cucumber and smoked duck.
《Third Tier》
The 12 dishes include: pounded burdock root and purple kidney bean stew, plum-shaped konjac, lotus root stew, okra pickles, chestnut paste and bamboo leaf dumplings, squid jelly salad, seafood sweet and sour salad, grilled silver salmon with salt koji, sweet and sour bamboo shoots and clam teriyaki skewers, simmered abalone, plum-shaped lotus root, simmered komatsuna and fried tofu, karasumi (cured mullet roe), barracuda with plum paste and nanban sauce, Hinode Kinuta roll, red and white namasu (pickled daikon radish and carrots), crab-flavored Tosa vinegar pickles, uguisu fukusa (a type of sweet), and gold leaf yokan matcha and three-color skewers.
This visually stunning dish features over 10 kinds of pressed sushi, including conger eel, salmon, battera sushi, pickled plum and daikon radish, snow crab, egg, wasabi and pickled mustard greens, sea bream, shrimp, pickled plum and bonito roll, and salmon roe.
This luxurious mosaic sushi, with its colorful array of ingredients creating a mosaic-like appearance, will add a touch of elegance to your dining table.
The bite-sized portions make them easy to eat, and the ability to enjoy a variety of flavors in small portions is another appealing feature.
"Nigiri sushi"
The nigiri sushi consisted of four pieces: fatty tuna (otoro), sea bream (madai), salmon, and red shrimp. The combination highlighted the unique characteristics of each ingredient: the melt-in-your-mouth sweetness of the fatty tuna, the refined umami of the sea bream, the moderately rich flavor of the salmon, and the delightful firm texture of the red shrimp. I savored each carefully selected ingredient one by one, enjoying a truly luxurious moment.
"Ozoni (rice cake soup) made with clear broth"
A light and refreshing clear broth ozoni (rice cake soup). Kintoki carrots and daikon radish are used to represent red and white, creating a colorful dish befitting a celebratory occasion. The comforting umami of shrimp taro, the aroma of shiitake mushrooms, the pleasant bitterness of rapeseed blossoms, and the refreshing mitsuba (Japanese parsley) are added, and two rice cakes are placed on top. This hearty yet cheerful bowl, which brings out the best in each ingredient, will gently conclude your New Year's feast.
"Red and white pickled turnip and Kintoki carrot"
For a palate cleanser, we've prepared a namasu (pickled daikon radish and carrot) dish featuring turnips and Kintoki carrots arranged in red and white, with a delicate hint of yuzu peel. The balanced acidity and gentle sweetness refresh the palate, building anticipation for the next dish with each bite. It's a refreshing yet elegant dish, perfectly suited for a celebratory meal.
Sake tasting is an annual tradition that we look forward to. This year, we prepared two famous sakes from Niigata and one from Toyama, where my husband's family is from, and we savored the taste of each one.
[Niigata]Hakkai Brewing Co., Ltd."Hakkaisan Junmai Daiginjo"
This wine is impressive for its clear mouthfeel and crisp finish, and its beauty stands out for its lack of off-flavors.
It has a stable and refined flavor that enhances the taste of the food.
[Niigata]Kamo Nishiki Sake Brewery"Kamo Nishiki Junmai Daiginjo"
A delightful fragrance and a soft sweetness unfold, creating a modern and sophisticated impression.
Each sip offers a rich, lingering aftertaste.
[Toyama]Takazawa Sake Brewery Co., Ltd."Ariso Akebono Junmai Ginjo Special Edition"
It has an extremely soft mouthfeel, with a refreshing, mineral-rich sweetness and a pleasant balance of citrus acidity.
The finish is sharp and crisp, with a subtle hint of maturity that stimulates the appetite, making it the perfect drink to enjoy with a meal.
Comparing the three different types of sake, each with its own distinct character, and enjoying their pairings with the food made for a truly luxurious New Year's moment.
Chocolat popped her head out onto the table, seemingly asking, "Is there one for me too?", and sniffed around. I made her usual homemade meal a little bit more festive for the New Year, and she happily ate it all up.
Standing before a feast prepared early in the morning, we take a moment to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and savor each bite. As we appreciate each dish, appreciating its aroma, texture, and evolving flavors, our minds naturally become calmer. It is a moment when we are reminded that for us, eating is not merely about satisfying hunger, but a precious time that enriches our lives and connects us with others.
"Fujin Gaho Exclusive - Izumiya Winter Wagashi (Japanese Confectionery)" 6 types, 6 pieces
vessel:"Shimoo Design "Floating style round tray"
These adorable, motif-adorned wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets) are perfect as winter gifts. Just like with the Osechi (New Year's food), we chose these from "Fujin Gaho's Online Shop" this time. From "Kyogashi Tsukasa Izumiya," a long-established Kyoto wagashi shop that cherishes tradition while staying close to modern life, comes a winter set offered seasonally exclusively through "Fujin Gaho's Online Shop." Each nerikiri dough is carefully crafted by artisans and filled with a variety of bean pastes such as chestnut paste, roasted green tea paste, and brown rice tea paste. The designs, featuring winter and New Year's motifs such as winter peonies, lucky plums, and camellias, are a feast for the eyes.
The flavors include six varieties: winter peony, narcissus, plum blossom, dwarf camellia, sasanqua, and temari ball. We enjoyed this assortment of high-quality wagashi (Japanese sweets) that reflect seasonal scenery and the craftsmanship of artisans, along with green tea.
Having savored the New Year's Day feast, our hearts and bodies are filled with contentment, and another year has quietly begun. Like the graceful forward movement of the Year of the Horse, we will continue to carefully capture the beauty of daily life and the seasons, walking alongside you to deliver memorable moments.
