Mon semainier

pot au feu

2010-03-09T23:30:00.006+09:00

It's snowing and getting colder tonight. So that I cooked pot au feu. I haven't eaten pot au feu in France and This one is just simmered with pork, carrot, onion, white turnip, and sausage. I added one garlic clove, black pepper, clove and etc.
the white turnip are added after simmered hours, and sausage added before 5mins.

I've got a feeling that I wanna drink Alsace wine, so that I got a Riesling.
To tell the truth, I wanna get some Alsace wine, but It's snowing and colder,
I get it in my neighborhood. That wasn't bat at all. sweetness, acidty, and smelling.
It got together with food.

The green leaves were a Japanese salad, "Shungiku"(garland chrysanthemum).
It's made in this season. Usually, It's eaten by boiling, but I liked eat them in fresh when they are young.

trois c

2010-01-20T23:49:00.003+09:00

I've puffed a cigar with chocolate and coffee tonight.
I've heard of that some peoples enjoy this three combination in Europe.
instead of this combination, cognac, cheese, champagne, and ...
There must be the other combination. It would be fun. Tonight chocolate is flavored with whiskey. Royce is a chocolate maker in Hokkaido.

quintero nacionales

2010-01-04T22:07:00.001+09:00

This cigar was nicer than I expected for inexpensive price.

black tfuffle salt

2010-01-03T22:02:00.000+09:00

I've got this salt as my birthday present. It's strong smelling. I've cooked a plate of omelette with this. I'm thinking how to use it besides omelette.

partgas coronas

2010-01-01T21:57:00.000+09:00

I've puffed this cigar in the first day of New year. I've really enjoyed rich smelling.

mochi tsuki

2009-12-20T00:39:00.003+09:00

I've seen a event of making mochi today.

Bolivar coronas

2009-12-15T22:46:00.004+09:00

Tonight cigar was Bolivar coronas. The last time I've puffed Bolivar coronas jr was very hard to puff up, but this one was quite nicer. It smelt woody and little sweet. After puffed half, It's sweet with the sent of spices.

Hoyo petit robusto

2009-12-03T00:19:00.004+09:00

" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oV7840t-tew/SxaJsHrNG-I/AAAAAAAACss/-cOmuzyeYEY/s320/091202hoyo_02.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5410663393399741410" />I've puffed this mini cigar several times, and I knew that I liked this one. It smelt like wood and spices(cinnamon? or something). It's easy to puff. The ash was more fragile than usual.

Bolivar Coronas Jr.

2009-11-30T00:13:00.004+09:00

It's little hard to puff up. but I didn't burned it out while smoking. I've puffed this mini cigar tonight. It's totally simple woody smelling. It's not bad, but I wouldn't smoke as often as I'd like to..

Japanese homemade foods

2009-11-27T00:04:00.003+09:00

This is the foods I've cooked Yesterday.
The left pic was Atsuage(fried Tofu), The middle pic was Arani(a kind of simmered dish), and the right pic was grilled giant eggplant.
Arani was little light taste, I should've added more soy sauce.

Rafael Gonzalez panetelas extras

2009-11-26T22:46:00.016+09:00

I've visited an uncle living in Asahikawa, Hokkaidou while I'd been traveling. My sister told me he sells cigars and cakes. His family used to be as a Japanese sweets shop at first, but Now, The uncle hiro also sells cigars and cakes.

I've bought some cigars from him recently. I've asked him to choose some for me. Because It would be nice, if the shop owner was one of my relatives. You know, he doesn't befool me and teaches me how to find nice cigars for oneself.

First of all, I've choose this cigar tonight, Rafael Gonzales panetelas extras. From now, I will note how I feel each cigars on Blog as my memo.

Before lightning
It's soft and moist be the touch.

First
It smelt sweets,
It's little hard to puff up. rolling it to little tight?

puffed one-third
I stung wire from the cigar end. It's easier to puff.
It tasted stronger and smelt as little sweet, herbal, pencil? and woody.

puffed half
I missed. I've burned it out. and light it up again. still hard to puff.
It's stronger.

the last
I've burned it out again.. I've cutted the ash and light it up again.
It came to strong taste, but It didn't smelt bad. more woody.
I've puffed it with sweetness sherry at the end.

After puffed
I liked the smell, but It would be nicer if it's easier to puff.

Mayuhake omoto part2

2009-10-09T23:19:00.002+09:00

They are growing fast. It's like dancing.

Mayuhake omoto in 2009

2009-10-08T00:11:00.003+09:00

Mayuhake omoto opened up this year too. It comes to a family from this year.

tonight pasta

2009-10-07T23:30:00.001+09:00

I've cooked a pasta with tapenade, swordfish and shishitou(green pepper).
shishitou is hot in rare cases, but It's fine this time.
and This is a white rum that I liked in this summer. It's nice to make Mojito(a cocktail with mints, sugar and lemon or lime) with it.

a vacation to Hokkaidou part5

2009-09-21T23:00:00.002+09:00

We've enjoyed a canoe tour in Kushiro muskeg area. There are many thing to see. birds, deers, and a big nest of eagle(about 1m in diameter).

The last picture is Yokohama on my way home. I wanna go somewhere again.

a vacation to Hokkaidou part4

2009-09-20T22:40:00.003+09:00

In the morning, We can see Japanese deers in the front of the house. There are deer, fox and bear in the forest. We haven't see bear, but see deers in every morning.
There are liver and small lake near the house and can fishing. We can get some tiny fish. There is fossil surface of wall too. Perhaps, This is a nice place to make wine. haha. It would be nice.

a vacation to Hokkaidou part3

2009-09-19T22:22:00.001+09:00

I've visited my eldest sister house located in Akan-cho near Kushiro.
Her husband built their own house about 10 years ago in a deep in the mountains. The bathroom and bathtub(boiled with fuelwoods and it takes 3hours to get boiled!) is outside. We've enjoyed this experience. There is electricity, gas, water, and internet, so that We never felt disadvantage and enjoy the countryside.

a vacation to Hokkaidou part2

2009-09-16T22:15:00.000+09:00

I've been to Nikka whisky.

a vacation to Hokkaidou part1

2009-09-14T22:01:00.002+09:00

I've visited Hokkaidou the end of this Summer to stay my sisters. It happens that there are two of my three elder sisters living in Hokkaidou now. and my friend has opened a cake shop in Furano too. So that I decided to visit them while they live.

the foods and drinks that I've cooked and eaten recently

2009-09-09T23:11:00.006+09:00

The wines that I've been touched.

The foods that I've cooked. tapenade with green olives and some pastas.

My favorite cup that I've got recently. nice texture and velvety touch on my mouth. I love this simple white cup.

weekend meal

2009-07-12T20:39:00.004+09:00

Those foods that I cooked and ate on this Sunday.
the salad with cucumber, tomato and octopus. The dressing was white vinegar, olive oil, ggrated sesame seeds, salt and pepper.

edamae. It is a popular appetizer in summer here. People drink beer with them.

a spaghetti with pesto genovese. There are a bunch of basil that my mother grew. She don't use them even though she grow basil. So, I made the it. She don't use them on cooking, but she eat this pasta. haha.

This is a Japanese simmered dish, "Iwashi no nitsuke". Some people simmer Iwashi(sardines) with Umeboshi(salted Japanese apricot which taste salty and sour. non-Japaense wouldn't be familiar with it).

weekend wine

2009-07-11T23:46:00.001+09:00

the wines that I've tasted tonight. Chateau Branaire Ducru(2001) was nice balanced. I've got the feeling as if there were many scents inside the circle.

pipe and wine

2009-07-05T20:37:00.002+09:00

This wine and pipe went together. this pipe leaves was similar smelling with the wine. I can't describe what it is though.

yakisoba

2009-07-05T13:31:00.000+09:00

I ate yakisoba at lunch. Usually, people add Yakisoba sauce in it, but I didn't use it this time.

a home party

2009-07-04T23:19:00.007+09:00

I was invited a home party tonight.

I brought three white bottles of Japanese wine made by Grace winery. Because people who are wine lovers usually tend not to drink or bring Japanese wine. and I wanted to hear what people said this wine. The variety was kerner. It was the first time to drink this variety and I liked it. It's completely the nuance of a grapefruit. It's a nice wine for drinking outside in a hot summer day. I've also brought a Italian kerner wine to compare. It's far from it. I prefer Japanese one. There were another white wine, but I lost the chance to take the photo. That was Meursault. It wasn't bad at all.

The red wines were full bottle type. It's rich tannin and ripen fruits.

This is a sweet type of wine made by Grace winery. It's not complicated. simple light sweetish dessert wine.

Lovely natural wines

2009-06-27T23:49:00.007+09:00

We've opened those wines below.

The left picture was Sauvignon Blanc. It's rich, but not thick. It's different from usual sauvignon blanc, I think. The middle wasa also the same grape. It smelt like citrus and fresh. I like to drink it in a summer day. The right was Chenin Blanc. It's extraordinary smell. I wanna drink it again.

Recently, I have a chance to taste Bordeaux. I've got a feeling of that Bordeaux wine(might be aged ones) has a style. and It's exellent. But I also liked the wine like these wines tonight. There are lots of charm that I wouldn't have expected. I can't say which is better. Anyway, I'm lucky to have opportunities to taste those wines.

Tonight Bordeaux wine.

2009-06-26T20:35:00.001+09:00

" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oV7840t-tew/Skh_GamRVUI/AAAAAAAACik/H5WO4OJbhH8/s320/090626wine_01.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352667905325618498" />" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oV7840t-tew/Skh_GqGetBI/AAAAAAAACis/giTP-ht6B00/s320/090626wine_02.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5352667909487244306" />We've opened two bottles of wine tonight. Both were aged. 1994 and 1975. The 1975 smelt like Chinese rice wine at first. and enough acid as an old wine. It begun to smell like fruits, spice, meaty smell, and nice smell mushroom after minutes. It's not thick, more elegant. The 1994 smelt like mushroom too. It's better balanced than 1995. I liked both.

Calon Segur again

2009-06-20T16:32:00.003+09:00

I had a chance to drink this wine another vintage. Somehow, I can smell nice mushrooms, currant, spice. when I taste this wine. I've told it might be the smell called "sous-bois". I have some chances to drink Bordeaux recently. A French wine lover invites me. I think Bordeaux wine is also nice. I wanna try aonther Bordeaux sometimes when I can join. The pino was also nice balanced.

eating and drinking in one weekend

2009-06-06T16:26:00.002+09:00

What I drunk and ate in one weekend. Pho, Sauted and marinated Tuna, and a nice elegant red wine, Les plos de baumes 2000 made by Domaine D'aupilhac.

Didier Daguneau

2009-05-30T15:17:00.021+09:00

It's been long time after tasting. I have a time to upload the photos.

We've tasted some wines produced by Didier Daguneau. I've told that his son accede the wine making now, after he were gone by an accident. I wanna drink the wines he makes too.

First of All, We've relieved ourselves thirst with champagne, Gaston Dericbourg. That made a nice start.

I liked both, but Buisson Renard's excellent smell has gone down faster. I wanted to enjoy this smell for more while. it couldn't help it.

We've tasted a red wine before the last of his sweet wine, Pascal Simonutti. It's nice light wine. I like his wine.

The last wine of Daguneau tonight was this, les Jardins de Babylone. What a lovely sweet wine. I also like this label.

While tasting, There were some foods.

And after that, We wanted drink more, so We opened some mroe wines. 2004 Nuitage, Marc Pesnot. Nice natural white wine. 2003 Bourgueil, Yannick Amirault. Nice silky wine. and Beaujolais Nouveau 2004, Jean Foillard. This Nouveau can drinkable after years. What a surprise!

weekend wines

2009-05-23T23:31:00.001+09:00

I've sipped a pouilly fume 2006 and a pommard 1998 tonight. Both were nice balance. The white smelt like grapefruit, nice acid. The red was also nice acid, soft tannin, berries, and little citrus like oranges. It also smelt like pencil. I don't know why I felt like pencil smelling, but sometimes I feel that way.

pipe

2009-05-22T23:46:00.002+09:00

Finally, I've got a pipe. I'm practicing now. Is anyone who can tell me what leaves are nice?

suiton

2009-05-18T23:16:00.001+09:00

Suiton is one of Japanese noodles made of wheat flour. It doesn't look nice, but It was a simple cozy dish. I will cook it nicer next time. It went together with an Alsace wine.

malt whiskey

2009-05-09T23:44:00.002+09:00

I've sipped many whiskeys this weekend. Personally, I liked Highland Malt 1973 and 1976.

We've also sipped liqueur and wine. I've drunk much at one night. I feel like I don't need alcohol for while. But I think I'm gonna have dinner out next weekend and drink some. haha.

katsunuma wineries

2009-05-05T22:21:00.006+09:00

I visited some wineries in Yamanashi pref today. It took about 2hours from Yokohama. It's not that far. By mischance, We were overtaken by a shower in the afternoon, but We could see the field. I hardly drink Japanese wines though, but I rethink it's not bad at all. Some wines have character as a Japanese wine. Personally, I liked Chardonnay and Kerner.
After visiting the wineries, We ate Houtou(a kind of udon noodle in miso soup) as a lunch.

Japanese beer

2009-05-03T22:01:00.002+09:00

I took photos some of Japanese beers that I like recently. The left beer was reproduced as a lager beer for a limited time. It's made in Meiji era. There are the beer made in Taishou era as well, but I prefer the Meiji beer. The right beer was a ale beer released these years. This beer is fruity. I'm glad that some Japanese beer companies can make the beer like this.

weekend wines

2009-05-02T22:04:00.001+09:00

The first week in March in Japan, People can get some days off. We call it "Golden week", meaning like wonderful days off? Anyway, We are looking forward to this week in every year. So, I opened some wines without the anxiety of tomorrow work! The left was an Italian white wine. It smelt like the scent of a perfume, flowery, and bitterness. I loved it. the right was pino. I wonder why the name was "clos blanc"? Was this place used to made the grape for white wine? This wine had nice acidity even though I've heard of 2003 was quite hotter than usual. I wanna try this once more, but there seems hard to find it in Japan.

weekday wines

2009-04-21T23:11:00.005+09:00

I've tasted these wines for several days. Chablis and Saint Chinian. The Chablis was nice. acidity, fruity, mineral, and smell of barrel? I love this cozy wine. Saint Chinia was also nice. It's been mature, but I enjoyed this wine for three days. The third day was also nice smell like Amaretto or nut nut liqueurs. I loved it too.

fishing

2009-04-12T22:58:00.000+09:00

I've been taken to go fishing in sea. Aji(Japanese horse mackerel) is a food in this season. So that We got so many Aji that we can't eat. I gave some to neighbor. I've cooked Tataki, which is a popular Japanese cuisine. just coarsely-chopped the fish meat and added ginger, thinner green onion, soy-sauce. It goes together with rice.

weekend wines

2009-04-04T23:31:00.003+09:00

We've sipped some wines after dinner at a bar. The pino tasted nice acid and soft tannin, after hours, It smelt nicer. The wine of the middle pic wasn't elegant, but nice one. The right pic was that we've tasted old vintage the last time. So, we opened this earlier vitage. Because We thought what we think if we tasted earlier one. Firstly, I felt fruity and no mushroom smelling when I tasted the old vintage. but after hours, I've got feeling little something like that mushroom smell.

Izakaya

2009-04-04T23:10:00.000+09:00

We went for beer in a Japanese food restaurant this weekend. It's kinda Izakaya, but more delicious and a cozy place. We enjoyed the scent of Spring and seafood at the night. Bamboo shoot, wild vegetables in Spring, Japanese littleneck, cuttlefish with filling in it. We ate Bamboo shoot in some ways, Chawan-mushi(hot pudding), Sashimi, and Takikomi-goahan(steamed flavored rice). The sashimi of Bamboo shoot is able to be eatable in early spring. The point was to find them before sticking out the head. There could be less particular bitterness and kinda pungent taste.

Domaine D'Aupilhac

2009-03-04T23:56:00.000+09:00

I've joined a small party with the winery. This time, We've had dinner with Domaine D'Aupilhac, Mr Sylvain and his wife, Madam Désirée. They are nice people and described us about his vinyeard politely and passionately. We are lucky, because the party was small. We asked anything whenever we want while having cozy dinner. Madam Désirée even helped to serve the food Because the wine shop owner has injured his left knee and hard to serve the food.

I've taken his hands too.

weekend wines

2009-03-01T22:30:00.003+09:00

I've had dinner out with friends on Saturday and I've tasted two Bordeaux at the night. It was the first time to taste Calon Segur and I liked this vintage. Grand Puy Ducasse was more thicker and It mostly tasted bitterness, tannin and acidty. but after hours, It tasted sweetness, fruits, and something like nice smelling mushroom. but I've got the feeling it's still closed. I'm looking forward to tastes this vintage after years.

Marc Pesnot coming!

2009-02-15T22:30:00.016+09:00

I've joined a small wine tasting party tonight. We've enjoyed the wine with the Vigneron, Marc Pesnot!! He is one of the nicest vignerons who make natural friendly wonderful wines.

The wine shop owner gave a short sleeves shirt which was printed the label of Melon. Everybody loves this label. This label has triple meanings. The first meaning is Melon is a bowler hat in French. and the second was Melon also means Melon de Bourgogne, Muscadet. This is the reason why INAO( Institut national de l'origine et de la qualité) didn't alow to call his wine as a Muscadet. Because, They said this wine isn't clear and not common Muscadet in Loire, even though he is trying to make nicer wines, tastes nice, elegant and friendly. This is ridiculous. As if INAO says Muscadet has to be more sour. It's fun to read his label somtime. like this. People will hat off to these wines. This is the third meaning.

He makes a red wine with abouriou, but It couldn't become wine this year. Because It's very hard to make the wine in Loire. the skin was so thin , get moldy easily, and week against agricultural pest. So that other vigneron uprooted the tree in Loire. There are less variety now. I'd got the feeling it's similar with gamay when I tasted before. I'm looking forward to he makes it and taste abouriou.

lasagna

2009-02-11T21:37:00.000+09:00

I've cooked a lsagna with leftover pasta sauce tonight. It was nice with an arbois wine. This wine is produced by Emmanuel Houillon since 2002. Pierre Overnoy became the senior adviser.

glassblowing part2

2009-02-07T21:22:00.002+09:00

And this is what I've got, a small flower vase. I gave it to my mother.

fuki no tou

2009-02-07T20:38:00.003+09:00

It's the time for eating fuki no tou(Butterbur sprout) this year. I like this bitterness. I cooked "fuku miso" as usual. It goes together with rice! Of course with sake as well.

glassblowing

2009-01-31T21:11:00.003+09:00

I've experienced glassblowing this weekend with my friends. It's quite hard to make it by myself, so that the staff helped us while making. Anybody could guess what I was making?

Philippe Alliet

2009-01-17T23:45:00.001+09:00

We've had dinner with Philippe Alliet and his wines. We've tasted 3 red wines, Shinon 1998, L'Huisserie 2005, and Coteau de Noire 2005. Personally, I especially liked L'Huisserie. I wanna try it again. He and his wife were kind persons. he wasn't talkative and his wife talked lots instead of him. Of course, He answered our question kindly. I had a wonderful dinner. By the way, The person who played the fool was my favorite wine shop owner. He got the left broken kneecap in the end of 2008 by an accident. but He seemed fine. He told me many nice wines. He has passion to introduce nice wines.

an unique cork

2009-01-11T21:33:00.001+09:00

It's the first time to see the cork like this. Recently, I often see silicon corks, but I hadn't seen the cork like this.

smoking food

2009-01-11T21:27:00.000+09:00

We had a home party this weekend. We emptied many bottles and foods. It's easy to make smoking foods in cardboard boxes.

Kyoto part5

2009-01-03T15:26:00.006+09:00

I've experienced "Ocha-kai"(tea ceremony) in the afternoon. The cousins of my friend have joined one of the schools of Japanese tea ceremony for years, and The father of one of them is a Hyougushi(frame-maker or paper mounter?). Hyougushi is an traditional artisan and they compose Furosaki, Byoubu(folding panel screens), Kakeziku(hanging scroll), Fusuma(sliding doors). Those things are used in the tea ceremony too. So They show us how to do that tea ceremony. She even told me how to brew the green tea(matcha). We ate Japanese sweets and sip the tea. I had a wonderful time, but I couldn't feel one's legs at the end because I sit by Seiza style(fold your legs under yourself) for minutes!

Kyoto part4

2009-01-03T12:29:00.002+09:00

I've visited the Shimogamo shrine near the hotel. There were many people visiting. I don't know about Buddhist religion even though I'm a Japanese though, The atmosphere was nice. There were vivid colored Komainu(a pair of stone-carved guardian dogs), and the river for washing the hands before go into the shrine to purify.

Kyoto part3

2009-01-03T10:56:00.001+09:00

You would think these photos are paintings. But They were fabrics called "Nishijin-Ori"(Nishijin textile). A relative of my friend have many those fabrics by some reasons. He is a Hyogu-shi. I've heard that there are less artisan who make this textile these days. The relative has exhibited them in a room in a small building, but he wanna use the room for other things. So He said he wanna sell them to someone who likes those kind of craft products. It's been several decades, so that they are kinda secondhand articles. He insisted they weren't art objects nor antique, little old craft products. but They may come to be a valuable craft after several decades, because there is the artisan decreasing.

The right photo were reverse side. All products were made like this by hands. I think It would take really long time to complete.

Kyoto part2

2009-01-03T10:41:00.002+09:00

This is a traditional meal in the begging of the year. We call it "Osechi". I don't there is that kinda of traditional meal in the world though, It's kinda Turkey day? There are little different type of meal from prefecture to prefecture. In my family, We cook Ozoni(a soup with mochi) with katsuo bushi base(bonito). It a clear plain soup. In Kyoto, People cook the soup with shiro-miso. shiro-miso is white color and have little sweetness. They add satoimo, zouni-daikon(Japanese small thin radish) and round shaped mochi. Our family use chicken and rectangle shaped(cut) mochi. It was the first time to eat Kyoto version. and I loved it. some people never used to eat it if they don't live in Kyoto and Kansai area.

Kyoto part1

2009-01-02T22:57:00.003+09:00

I've visited Kyoto from the 2nd day of 2009 for 3days. It took about 2hours from Shin-Yokohama st to Kyoto st. You can see Mt Fuji by Shinkansen(like TGV).

pino in France

2008-12-20T23:14:00.003+09:00

We've tasted pino this weekend. Loire, Alsace, and Bourgogne. We decanted some of them by ovarius.

The first of all, We celebrated the end of 2008 with a rose of champagne, De Sousa. This is my favorite champagne. the afterglow was longer. I like it.

So, We started to taste pino noir below. The left wine was Thierry Puzelat. It smelt nicely as soon as opened. The middle of wine was Sebastien Riffault. Firstly, It's closed, but after minutes, It got better and better. the right wine was Gerard Schueller. This pino was quite nice. It's little similar to a Bourgogne. I love this.

and We kept tasting another pino noir, 2 bottles of wine by Philippe Pacalet. Nuits Saint George and Bel Air. the both were nice, but I prefer Bel Air somehow. The tasteing was over, but there were less bottles, so we opened another bourgogne at the end, Lou Dumont 1987, It's aged nicely.

the end of the tasting, We've sipped a sweet wine, 30 lunes, Maisons Brulees. and I brought this Japanese sweet, Ama-nattou. This is a famous ama-nattou shop in Yokohama, "Omoya". You should try this sweet. You would feel their character, not only sweetness. It's different from common Ama-nattou.

weekend rum

2008-12-15T22:00:00.000+09:00

These rum were that I've enjoyed this weekend at a bar and home. The both were made by Samaroli. Especially, The rum on the right photo was difficult to find. The after flavor was long and nicer.

weekend wines

2008-12-15T21:48:00.004+09:00

I've tasted these wines this weekend. The Alsace was made by Marc tempe, Alliance. There are some varieties in this wine. I like the wine like this. La Passion was juicy and a thick wine, but It's not tired to drain a bottle of wine. Alcor and Mizar was more thicker, but smells nicer too. but I wanna drink this after years.

legend of cuban rum

2008-12-06T02:00:00.001+09:00

I've sipped a special rum made by Valdespino, which was a Sherry brewery. I love this rum. It's completely different from the others. There are less bottle released by some reason. You should sip this wonderful rum if you get a chance.

weekend cigar

2008-11-30T14:51:00.000+09:00

I've puffed a cigar this weekend, vegueros. I like the cigar like this.

weekend wines

2008-11-29T22:36:00.000+09:00

I've tasted 2 bottles of wine this weekend. A & G Olivier, Bourgogne blanc. This wine was nice. It was so nice as the inexpensive wine like this. I'm completely satisfied. The other wine was Chateau la cabanne 1995. This pomerol was nice. I hardly drink Bordeaux. It smelt like mushroom(porcini) and berries. This wine was also inexpensive as Pomerol, I think.

weekend pasta

2008-11-29T13:57:00.000+09:00

I ate Orecchiette this weekend. the sauce was made with ground pork, shiitake mushroom and azuki(small red beans). I also added garlic, some herbs and spices in it. this sauce went together with orecchiette pasta.

primeur in 2008

2008-11-22T22:17:00.003+09:00

I've tasted 10 kinds of Beaujolais Nouveau this weekend. This year, all wines were lower alcohol and less sweetness. I've heard of that it's hard get enough sun and there were some grape coming not to fruition, which means less amount, but conversely, the grape would be condensed. It depends on what is the purpose on making wine. The winery could get nice grape if they sorted the grape carefully. But it's very hard job.

Anyway, We've enjoyed the wines. They went together with cheese, and canard ham. Personally, I liked Jean Claude Lapalu's and Philippe Pacalet's. Mr Lapalu's wine has the most sweetness in this tasting. I also liked the others, but It's enough wine for me tonight. I gave up thinking, and just felt and enjoyed the wines. cheers and drink up!!

an ashtray for cigar

2008-11-17T21:49:00.004+09:00

I've made this ceramic ashtray . I made it in a lesson in September. and waited to be baked it. The size is nice for put a cigar. I'm stasfied.

baked apple

2008-11-15T23:40:00.006+09:00

I've got tasteless apple today. I just wanted to eat small apple, that wasn't good. so that I put them in the oven. It's quite better than eating raw.

and there is wines and sake that I've sipped recently. Vercheny(the left pic) was made in Loire, Thierry PUZELAT. It was easy to drink, so that I drained this bottle one night. I hardly drink that much, because I'm a light dinker. It was that nice. La pente de chavigny(the middle of the pic) was also made in Loire, Mikael Bouges. This white wine was nice too. I've drain this bottle for three days. At the first night, fruity, mineral, and I've felt the character of Sauvignon blanc, and second night, I've felt like honey and citrus. the third day was also nice. It's very nice wine. The sake(the right pic) was hiyaoroshi which means brew it in Spring and bottled in Autumn for maturing.

grappa alla liquirizia

2008-11-15T20:10:00.005+09:00

I've sipped a shot of grappa alla liquirizia in a Calabrian restaurant. Calabrian food is basically hot, but It was fun and enjoy the food. I've tasted three kind of hot paste made with pork, calamari, and shirasu(post larvae) at the first as annibble with spumante. and I choose a plate of appetizers, and castagna pasta with cream sauce. and I ate some cookies, and Granite.

baseball

2008-11-03T13:36:00.004+09:00

I went to see the baseball with friends yesterday night since about 10 years. till 4,5 innings was fun. and the score was dead even, 2-2. and till 9 inning, the game wasn't fun, sort of boring. Might be the both pitcher were good. I thought it could went into extra innings. and I'm little bored. But The Yomiuri Giant's cleanup batter hit a home run to win the game in the bottom of the ninth. Phew! He did it. The fans were standing and so excited then. After that, we had a glass of wine and had a toast for good yesterday night.

ginnan

2008-10-26T20:47:00.003+09:00

Ginnan is ginkgo nut. There are some ginkgo trees around here and some people gather them. but Those ginkgo fruit has strong stinky smelling. It's also said that it's good for cough and throat. Any ginkgo tree can make the nut. ginkgo is sort by female and male. the female ginkgo only can make the nut. There is a precaution not to eat much. I don't know the reason why, but It's said so. if you get some, you can eat them by this way below.

1)make crack like the middle picture.
2)put them into a small sack like envelope and fold.
3)put it into oven for 1 minute or so.

It's easy, isn't it? or you can roast them too.

pino noir around the world

2008-10-25T23:22:00.010+09:00

We've had the wines in Oregon, Australia, and New Zealand tonight. Those wines aren't all in the world thought, We've enjoyed pino noir which has many characters.

Those two bottle were both nice. The left one taste berries, and the other smelt herbal as if I walk in the forest.

I prefer the right one, but Somehow I've got the same feeling of petrol which some Rieslings sometimes has. I don't know why. I thought I could smell this in only Rieslings.

Somehow, I don't like it so much.

Both wine was very nice. I've got a feeling of a pencil(iron?) in the left wine.

This wine wasn't pino noir. This was a Souvenir from someone. It was so nice balanced.

kaki

2008-10-23T23:01:00.003+09:00

Kaki is one of popular fruits in Autumn. I don't know people know this fruit in the other countries, though I love this simple fruit. some people prefer much ripened and soften ones, but I prefer harder kaki.

weekend drinks

2008-10-19T21:10:00.004+09:00

I had two bottle of wines and one bottle of grappa this weekend. The rose was nice balanced. I think this is one of my most 5 favorite rose. It's made by Yannick Amirault in Bourgueil, Loire. The red was a Barolo, Manzoni vigna Big 1995. I've got a feeling of berries, cherries, little menthol(might be strange expression though) and something. I like the aged wine like this. The grappa was flavored with juniper berry. Very nice scent too!

weekend dinner with friends.

2008-10-05T14:10:00.004+09:00

I've invited my friend apartment on Saturday. and had dinner with the smoking foods we've made and lots of wines. Having dinner with friends is more fun. We talk, drink , eat. We had a real laugh. I took a photo of wine, Exactly, We opened about 10 bottle of wines at least, which means we drained over one bottle wine each.

petit jo

2008-09-24T23:00:00.006+09:00

" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_oV7840t-tew/SNpI7OEnl6I/AAAAAAAABiE/Xwuj2WRIiLs/s320/080923wine.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249588497880684450" />" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_oV7840t-tew/SNpI7r6XiTI/AAAAAAAABiM/WBM7XO7ndyM/s320/080923dinner.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5249588505890752818" />I've open this wine yesterday dinner, la roche buissiere, petit jo. It tasted juicy and after minutes, It smelt like nut liqueur or Amaretto. It's easy to drink. The consultant is Yann Rohel who is also a vignoron around Rhone and beaujolais. I drunk it with saute of chicken.

risoni

2008-09-21T18:07:00.005+09:00

I've eaten a plate of risoni pasta with simmered shirasu(tiny fish) and broccoli sauce tonight. The beer was vedett, which is made in the same company as duvel. It's different from duvel and lighter taste. I liked it too.

and these photos below are what I cooked and drunk recently. I forgot to upload the photos. tomato sauce with brown butter and black pepper, onion sauce(this is very simple and nice. I found the recipe on a magazine.), and Grolsch premium weizen(I used to like grolsch amber).

weekend wine

2008-09-21T15:59:00.005+09:00

I've drunk two bottles of wine at a bar with friends Yesterday night. A blanc was Michel Lafarge, Meursault 2003. and A rouge was Chateau La Cabanne, Pomerol 1995. I hardly drink a Bordeaux, but I liked this one. It smelt berries and nice smelling mushrooms(like porcini or something). If the common Bordeaux is like that, I will try some more. The blanc was also nice, It's still nice acid and smell, even though We'd already drunk enough at a restaurant.

ceramic

2008-09-14T23:43:00.001+09:00

We took one day lesson of making ceramic this weekend. We've got 2kg of paste. and made things by hands. Some were making plates, some are cups and ornament. I made a ash tray for cigar. They will be baked a month later. We are looking forward to seeing the completed goods.

le temps des gitans

2008-09-10T21:32:00.004+09:00

What a cheery name! It's tasty even though this wine is very easy to drink. It could be served chilled.
Tonight pasta sauce was made with garlic, chili pepper, caper, cumin, green olives, eggplant, tomato, tiny fish(shirasu), and Goya(bitter gourd which is a traditional summer vegetable of Okinawa) in it. Goya taste quite bitter, so that you should rub it with salt and rinse to reduce the bitterness.

the end of summer

2008-09-08T23:13:00.003+09:00

the summer has almost gone while I've been busy. I went a seaside last weekend for a BBQ. It's still hot, but There are less people, so that It's a good time to enjoy BBQ and sunbath.

Domaine d'Aupilhac

2008-08-31T15:20:00.008+09:00

We've tasted the wines of Sylvain Fadat's yesterday night. He is one of vignoron who is dedicate efforts to making wine, Domane d'Aupihac. I've told that he had got a cardiac disease while he was working so hard to bring waste land under cultivation in Cokalieres. Now, he implants a pacemaker in his body and he still grow the grapes and make wonderful wines. I think the wines in Cokalieres have nice acid and mineral. The wines come to a nice texture.

The left one smelt honey. The wine on the right has more nice acid and mineral.I prefer the right one.

Somehow, I prefer the wine on the right. the balance? texture? I can't describe what's the point. The left wine was more juicy and fruity for me. It's not bad at all.

I love La Boda very much. Somehow, I've got a feeling of this wine is different from the other. La Boda means bridal in Spanish. I've heard of that his wife is from Spain. I guess this wine has something nice meaning.

wines in Summer

2008-08-30T15:03:00.004+09:00

I've opened those wines in this summer. I wanted to post them early, but I was too busy to do that. I was exhausted. Those wines are nice anyway.
a white wine by Jean Rijckaert. I've bought thishalf price in sale.

L'erebe(I don't know the meaning) by by Domaine Des Maisons Brulees. I've drunk his petillant before

I've drunk this bottle one night. It doesn't happen so many times as a light drinker.

This wine smells nice. There are many varieties in it.

weekdays wines

2008-07-24T23:37:00.003+09:00

I've been in a short vacation now. So, Those wines were what I've drunk till now. A pino noir in Germany and a white wine in Bourgogne. The pino smelt like coffee beans. and the white smelt little honey and lime. The both weren't bad. I liked them. I've bought those in a wine shop where I happened to find and I've got them half price in sale.

boire tue

2008-07-19T21:02:00.005+09:00

a unique label. but This wine wasn't that dangerous. It's easy to drink and taste nice. In a way, It could be dangerous, Because, perhaps, people would tend to drink much more than usual. Before open the wine, I drunk a can of Japanese beer, Edelpils. This beer was limited beer, and taste nice. By the way, Tonight pasta was alio olio peperoncini with shirasu(Japanese boiled tiny fish).

fuulin

2008-07-19T20:14:00.011+09:00

I've bought some fuulin(Japanese wind bell) in Kawasaki Taishi(a temple located in Kawasaki) today. There are many fuulin gathering all over the Japan. Each fuulin are made with different material and technique. and They have different beautiful tones.

Choix Supreme

2008-07-09T23:50:00.001+09:00

I've puffed a cigar tonight, made by El Rey del Mundo. It smelt nice, herbal, little sweet, and rich scent. It's the first time to puff this, and I liked it.

tonight pasta

2008-07-08T23:05:00.004+09:00

I've eaten a pasta with a glass of white wine tonight. the pasta sauce was made with salmon, caper, garlic, red pepper, some potato, Naga-negi(kinda a Welsh onion in Japan) and fresh tomato. The wine had acidity even though it's made in Faugeres, Langudoc. This is a nice wine.

handmade ricotta

2008-07-05T10:54:00.000+09:00

I've tried to make a easy handmade cheese with milk, fresh cream, lemon, and little salt. It came to be soften when you add milk. It will be get harder with no cream.

Marc Pesnot

2008-06-28T22:36:00.009+09:00

We've sipped Marc Pesnot's wines and one unique Italian wine tonight.

The wine on the left was Muscadet(melon de Bourgogne). On the middle, Gros plant and the tree is over 60 years. Usually, It tend to be aigre, this wasn't. On the right was Abouriou which has thin skin and hard to grow them. Personally speaking, I liked gros plant.
Those wine were Melon de Brougogne. They all included some gas. I've heard of that gas protect wine instead of adding SO2. The right one were like Petillant.
This wine was brewed in Amphora(a brown ware). The variety is Carignan. Everybody haven't expected this wine was Carignan. It smelt very flowery, kinda liqueur. It's like a perfume. I don't wanna drink it with some foods. I'd rather sip it after meal. The vignoron is Giotto Bini who is an architect in Italy.

sawaya matsumoto

2008-06-21T22:04:00.007+09:00

I've drunked a chilled sake tonight. I like this brewery's sake. This sake is also a nice one as daily. There is a Japanese tsumami(nibbles), "Shutou" on the right picture. It doesn't look nice, but nice taste. It's made from the fresh guts of katsuo(bonite). It's cleaned, salted and mature for one year at least. It has bitterness, salty, and like anchovy. Shutou is a kinda of sake stealer in Japanese, which means sake will empty as you notice. It's like too nice to drink with it. I think some people never used to taste this kinda nibbles, but some people love them. Ofcourse, it goes together with rice or ochazuke style!

Domaine de Montcalmes

2008-06-17T21:56:00.001+09:00

I've opened a languedoc wine after a while. This red wine was so nice balanced. It's wild and little more elegant than the other languedoc wines I've sipped. I've tasted some languedoc wines like this. I wanna drink it again later.

volubilis

2008-06-15T21:45:00.001+09:00

I've bought a little sweet white wine tonight, produced by Domaine Des Maisons Brulees. this sweetness is like petillant's. I've got the same feeling when I sipped a petillant. It should be chilled.

mint tea

2008-06-14T15:39:00.000+09:00

I drink mint tea these days, because there is mint in the front of our apartment. Just add several leaves and pour boiled water on it. It makes me refreshed.

fie gris

2008-06-09T22:12:00.004+09:00

I've got the same impression of Sauvignon blanc at the first. It smelt like pine and honey. It has nice acidity, mineral, and little bitterness. and I also got a little feeling something burn like caramel or coffee. Is this grilled oak scent? I don't know. I liked this wine anyway. This wine made by Jacky Preys. I remember I liked his pino-noir. The pasta was tuna sauce with onion, carrot, celery, garlic, pine nuts, green chili, and lemon grass.

demerara rum 1985

2008-06-06T11:26:00.002+09:00

I've sipped a nice rum tonight. It's bottled by Samaroli. This rum was wonderful. It smelt complexly of something I can't describe.

this weekend pasta

2008-06-01T11:40:00.004+09:00

I cooked a oil based pasta sauce with ground pork, bamboo shoots, and cumin. At the end, I dropped some nicer olive oil.

Edelweiss snow fresh.

2008-05-29T21:36:00.003+09:00

It was the first time to drink this nice herbal(more likely flowery) beer, made by Australia. Edelweiss is the national flower of ~~Australia~~Austria.

Domaine de montgilet

2008-05-27T23:19:00.000+09:00

It was a light red wine. The variety was grolleau. It's easy to drink. It has soft tannin and smells like plum. The cheese was also soft, creamy cheese. I forgot the name, but I liked it.

pino noir

2008-05-24T23:16:00.007+09:00

We've tasted some pino noir tonight.

This isn't pino. It was hot and humid today, so that we drink this nice Petillant. It tasted little sweet and smelt like strawberry.

Those two Alsace pino noir are compeltely different each other. The left one was nice tannin and smelt like coffee beans. the right one was easy to drink.

The left wine was charming. and the right one was more tannin.

Those two wine are brewed by one of my favorite vigneron, Catherine & Dominique Derain. I'm a fun of his wine since I've tasted his unique white wine, Mur Mur.

I liked those two pino noir too. Especially, Domaine Pavelot. I loved his white wines.

This wine was served as a blind tasting at the last. That was funny, Everybody couldn't guess this wine was gamay. The shape of the bottle was tricky too. We've enjoyed tonight wine tasting.

ardenistle 1991

2008-05-15T23:30:00.001+09:00

" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_oV7840t-tew/SC0PVGpr8kI/AAAAAAAABW4/Zlmr9Or1JYo/s320/080515ardenistle.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5200829999919919682" />a scotch produced by Samaroli. Somehow, I like Samaroli's rum and whiskey. I puffed a cigar with a shot. The cigar was La Eminencia Palmas Natural, a long thin cigar. I liked this size. It's a nice inexpensive whiskey for daily.

plein sud

2008-05-14T23:14:00.004+09:00

One of my favorite wines made by Estezargues, a Southern Rhone Cooperative. This blanc was nice and nice golden color. At the first, It smelt orange and honey. After a while, flowery, flint, and fruity. It has also nice acidity. I liked it. The dinner was sauted chicken and goat cheese, Mothais sur feuille. The cheese was nice. I thought that I wanted try aged one too.