Suvir

Peony - A symbol of richness, honor, bashfulness, prosperity and perseverance, will now symbolize joy for me

Whilst the peony is called the King of Flowers in China, it is also considered mischievous and bashful, life giving and graceful. A symbol of perseverance. 

Most commonly a herbaceous perennial, it can also can share much with us humans about our loves, lives, hopes and despair. About our struggles and victories, that are perennial beyond our own lifespan.

The peony is a temperate plant that can help in tempering our reactions to it, and to life. 

Watch the photos taken with an iPhone and macro lens, by Charlie and me.

Read the words too, they might make sense. They are inspired by peonies we had in our life. 

Adele's world is imagination beyond delicious details.....

Adele Fernandes likes to read on her sofa. She is a huge fan of Janice Wong from whom she would like to learn more techniques about working with chocolate. Japanese culture is occupying her mind currently, and she is hoping to explore it further. 

At my room by the seaside with incredible views of Mumbai at The Oberoi, I found myself staring intently on a welcome amenity that was beyond what I could have imagined even in my wildest dreams. 

The attention to detail, and the artistry that went into this amuse if you will, was clearly of the Japanese ilk.

Crafted with care and respect for craft, culture, profession, employer, and guest. Nothing seemed to have been left undone by Adele in putting together this plateful of deliciousness. Culinary alchemy was met with respect for craft, dedication to ones job, and to the pleasure of the guest being served.

Uedaya - Temple of the Master of Fish and Seafood Butchering and Cookery

Chef Mitsunori Ueda, in Osaka, could easily be considered one of the handful of masters of fish and seafood. In his hands, fish and seafood meet a clean, quick, easy and worthwhile end. Seeing him butcher these living animals, fresh out of his tank, is like watching a priest prepare for a ceremonial prayer.

** This blog post was in my drafts waiting for completion. The notes from that night in 2010 are now lost. But the memories are still fresh and most blessed. I am sharing the blog post incomplete, as even in that form, it is rather precious and telling of a beautiful chef, butcher, restaurant and experience**

Touzan - Home to Devilishly Good Food and Ambiance

The devil is in the details, and at restaurant Touzan at the Grand Hyatt in Kyoto, there seems to be no shortage of wondrous, transportive, restorative and exceptionally marvelous details. Everywhere you look, you could spend hours contemplating if you should live in the reality of the moment, or the mysteries that are presented in the shadows, the layered design elements and the golden light cast by the design of the space. But to make this all even more appealing there is the food crafted under the able supervision of Executive Chef, Shaun Keenan. From Down Under, but certainly not working with any handicaps that could keep him or his food down. All his moves, and that of his team, are perfectly in sync, keeping with the energy, feel and brilliance of the hotel he inhabits for hours each day. And they keep elevated the experiences and spirits of their guests.

Boulangerie Etretat in Yamazaki - A call for us to wake up and do what is right

Mana Itoh and her husband Tomohiro Furuta have a wonderful pastry shop a stones throw from the Yamazaki train station, a short trip from downtown Kyoto. We were at the Yamazaki train station for a very different reason. We had eaten a hearty and amazing breakfast. Sated our sweet tooths with wonderful (brilliant really) French toast prepared by Shaun Keenan at Hyatt Regency Kyoto. And still, the discovery of Etretat and the treats within, made us hungry, happy and sad, all at once.

Toshi Yoroizuka - A dessert bar with elegance and style

Toshi Yoroizuka worked in Belgium we were told, and cooked for royalty and commoners alike. It was there that he polished his talents as a pastry chef, and came back to Japan, to open two very popular and busy eponymously named pastry bars. In the gorgonzola cheese cake above, you see Y (for Yoroizuka) as the crown-jewel to his creation. Why is pastry so much better in Japan, than so many cities and towns in the US? We are so much closer to Europe. What do we not get? Or do we do not care for quality?

More Gyozas - This time in Tokyo, and GREAT dumplings they are!

As soon as we walked in, and even before Shinji and Charlie were settled into their seats, I proclaimed that these would be great gyozas. Why? It was the face, concentration and the energy of the lady making the gyozas that told me that. In the above photograph, you see her somewhat distracted, and that was as distracted as she got, in the couple of hours we spent eating gyozas and some other goodies.

outRAGEous cocktails with refreshing & addictive flavors

Indescribable would be the way to describe Bar Rage. Tucked away in a small street, off the beaten path. Hidden three floors above a sign that lists other concepts, but not this one, it is one of the many treasures brought alive for us to savor by Culinary Navigator/Tokyo Fixer, Shinji Nohara, who becomes your walking GPS/Blackbook if he agrees to open Tokyo, its bar and food scene and other hot spots for you.Or, find the above building, and take the elevator to the third floor, and you shall find yourself in a world of spirits, unlike any you had ever known.

An exceptional Japanese Tea Experience

Our first afternoon in Tokyo could not have begun on a sweeter more wonderful note or leaf (tea leaves or powder). Shinji Nohara, who is considered the "Black Book" of Japan and "Culinary Navigator Extraordinaire" amongst many such superlatives invoking titles, and the foodie most trusted by locals and foreigners alike, brought us to what will perhaps be the best tea and tea service we encounter in our stay in Japan. Thanks Shinji!

Sen Mon Ten - Chinese Dumplings (Gyoza) in Kyoto

Golden Light certainly, but dumplings are far from Gyoza gold. They are a new addition to Japanese cuisine and culture. Introduced I am told only in the 17th century. Funny, that Charlie and I were looking at each other and saying, "Sally and we make better dumplings"! Hah! We had a Gyoza evening last night. Inspired by Chef Lee Anne Wong's hunger for them in Kyoto. Perhaps our luck with them would have changed if she were at our side, enjoying them with us.