ceramica

My friends took me ceramica lesson. Bell Italia in Aoyama, Tokyo. Ceramica is Italian ceramic work. At this time, We have experienced a painting part in Ceramica. There were some samples for painting, so that I've copied lemmon. The sample plate was only lemmon, so that I've added a lime. The teacher said the color will change after being burnt in a kiln. We've choosed the color according to the sample color. After painting, I've asked a student who can speak Italian how to spell lemmon and lime in Italian. She know lemmon, "Limone". but she didn't know lime. I've asked the teacher too, but she didn't know that too. She called a staff in the office. There was a Italian lady in the office today, and asked her that. She said "What is lime?". LOL very funny.. After she understand what is lime, ofcourse, she knew it, She still didn't know how to spell it. I thought there was a lime in Italia, no lime made in Italia? Well, I wrote "Limone" and "Limone verde". In French, Lemmon is Citron, and Lime is Citron vert. So that I wrote that way. It might be correct. a little mystery, Somebody tells me how to spell lime in Italian. We will get the completed product after a few weeks. It's gonna be fun!
We had dinner in a nice Suchi restaurant near Hiyoshi st, the To-yoko line. It's a kinda restaurant you don't wanna tell the other. Any sushi item was very delicous. and it's quite less expensive, you can say it's cheaper!, than I've expected.

golden week!

It's a Japanese long holiday season in May. I take 10 days off at this time!! It's said that many people travel abroad in this year. I will meet friend a couple of time. The days of the rest, I will stay at home to be lazy.

Tonight, I've had those drinks instead of opening a wine, to just take a sip. This spumante, the right photo, was sweet and easy to swallow.

dégustasion avril

I went to a wine tasting event to help as a assistant. A small event, but there were 30 kinds of wines you could taste. it costs only 1000 yen! I think it's cheap and a nice opportunity. I've got some of the rest after the event.The rose on the photo is rose d'anjou, Jean Christophe Garnier. I loved this wine. There are many scents. Strawberry jam, lots of fruits, honey, something that I always smell in Loire white wines, and it's funny, but I smelt Anko, Japanese bean jam. I think it's just only my description and my feeling.

Alsace in April

We've tasted Alsace wines on the Saturday, Bruno Schuellers, ones of my favorite Alsace wines. I've heard of that he is a unique wine maker. Because he acts up to his opinions and ideals. Gérard, his father is too. It is likly that A.O.C,INAO, Bio is not important factor for them. I like that.


First of all, We've tasted this one. Le verre est dans le fruit, Riesling. I've heard of that this grape is made in a grand cru estae named the hill of peach(or fruit?). But this wine didn't allow to call as Grand cru by INAO's check. It's said that it isn't like Alsace wine... But he doesn't seem to care about that. I don't know what is like Alsace wine, and I like his wine at least. Firstly, I've got a feeling of fruits, nice acidy. I can't describe what it is though. I'm very surprised and happy to experience another side of the scents of Riesling. After a couple of hour, I can smell the same as the usual great other Riesling wines.
By the way, How could I describe of the title, "Le verre est dans le fruit"?

Bildstoeckle, Gewurztraminer, Nice smell and I've also got a feeling of mineral or something, and acidy. Some of us prefered Le verre est dans le fruit.



Pino noir. It's nice balanced. Firstly, I smelt like chestnuts, honney, fruit. Usually, I hardly smelt those scent in red wne, but I've got that feeling somehow. Might be wrong description. After turn around(correct?), I smelt like Ume & Katsuo. and nice acidy.

It's more condensed than the first pino. nice balanced too. but the scent wasn't stronger than the first one. I could be more nicer.



1999, Particuliere. It's different character from the two pino noir we've already tasted. It's aged nicely. The color was brighter then the other. but the scent was richer. I can't describe it . but I liked it.


le chant de Oiseaux, 2001. It's similar in nature to Particuliere. and it's better than that, I think. But Tonight, 6 bottle was enough for me. My nose and tongue was insensible. I can't describe anymore. We should've open it next time. it's said that le chant de Oiseaux is a particular plat. Many birds came here to pick the grape which means quite nice quality. This wine wasn't made in every years. They make this wine in a particular year.


One of us brought choux-croute because she had said that she had no chance to open the pot in her house.

bourgogne in April

We've tasted 3 bottle of Bourgogne wine at this time.

I was late 1 hour. The other have already tasted a cava, a champagne and a Bourgogne as I've reached. One of us brought this champagne, De Sousa. This is my most favorite champagne. it was rose and it's quite nice smell at the night! The cava also was nice one!






The bourgogne we've opened were Denis Moret "Marsannay 1999", Mèo Camuzet "Nuits Saint Georges 1996" and Domaine Serafin Père et Fils "Chambolle Musigny 1996".
I liked Mèo Camuzet and Denis Moret at the night. Ofcourse, Chambolle Musigny was nice too. but it might be little faster to taste, because the smell was little weak. this wine could've more strong scent, some of us said. we might need the time to taste it. All wine were nice balanced wines anyway.






This is a Loire wine. it's made with Pineau dAunis. it's spicy and very natural taste. One of us has described it smells like white papper.






This Okowa was fantastic, very tasty! Okowa is a type of steamed rice dish which is the mixture white rice and mochi-gome(glutinous rice) with some vegetables, mushroom, chicken and etc, There is a Okowa named Kuri-Okowa too. Kuri is Chestnut. Mochi is made from mochi-gome. The percentage of the rices and the other ingredient s are different from each cookers. It's said that Okowa was the rice dish by steaming since about Nara era. But Today, people cook it by boiling or steaming. As you know, We eat boiled white rice as a staple food.

Ludens in April

Sunday, April 1st, we went to a park to see cherry blossom this time. But, unfortunately, It's cloudy and windy. We had a picnic for a couple of hours and moved to a house.






After the cherry blossom viewing, We had a party in a house. On this occasion, Everybody ordered something from many places. Someone ordered from Kyoto, Someone ordered from Belgium, as a souvenir from his colleague. I ordered a cake and creme caramel from Hokkaidou, my acquaintance has a patisserie.






This is Tokoroten. tokoroten is made from a certain type of seaweed called tengusa. It's a sort of cold noodle. People like to eating it in summer. The way to eat differ from a region to another. In kanto area, people eat with vinger, soysauce and Japanese mustard, "Karashi". In Kansa, with syrup. quite different. In a region, people eat tokoroten with Katsuo soup and much grated ginger. All way is Ok for me. There is a tool for making tokoroten noodle at this time. set tokoroten into a box, there is some tighten string on the bottom of the box to make the noodle. The box is made with Hinoki, Japanese cypress. the smell was nice.






When I look at the watch, it's 10pm. We spent about 10 hours! We've eaten, drunk, chatted all day. Rapidly and gloriously the hours flew by. Some of us took a short breath and So did I...

Levain

This is one of my favorite bakery in Tomigaya, "Levain". They make all bread with wild yeast. The skin is thick and the inside is solid, moist, and soft.