PopcornHomestead

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

A massive weekend affair that is great fun and features a variety of fruits and vegetables and prepared products from all over Japan. Plus, the curry I had during my last visit from one of the vendors was plate-licking good. (I refrained, but only just.)

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in January

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in January

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Kichijjoji Market Back on the Radar

2012-01-23T00:00:00.000-05:00

A few months ago the Kichijoji Farmer's Market seemed to fall off the radar. I couldn't find a listing for it in the usual places, and worried it had folded for a lack of customer interest or leadership. Imagine my delight this past weekend then when I happened by in the pouring rain to find a slightly chilled but incredibly cheerful group of growers and producers (primarily from Tohoku) on hand with an assortment of fruits, vegetables, and sweets. (Those who follow me on Twitter will have had a preview of the photos here and my exuberance at finding the market.)

Held the third weekend of each month, the market thrives. (Even as I chatted with market manager, what's-her-name, I had to keep a careful eye on the "strawberry cats" I'd spotted earlier.) Small but with good variety, visitors will find fifteen to twenty vendors set up under bright red awnings. Kids are guaranteed a bit of fun as well with a hands-on crafting activity.

The market may be done for this January, but watch for it as part of the monthly schedule of Tokyo farmers markets and plan to head on over.

Kichijoji Farmer's Market
Third weekend each month
10am to 5pm
Map
Directions: Head out South Exit of Kichijoji Station toward Inokashira Park. Cross the small street and continue south to the park. You'll see the market at the next large intersection just in front of The Body Shop on the first floor of the Marui Department Store.

Tokyo Farmer's Markets: January 21st and 22nd

2012-01-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

Asakusa Festival Bean Sellers

Not to be missed this weekend is the rocking UN University Night Market and the ever-lovely Ebisu Market along with Gyre's cozy market. While there are more possible places to go this weekend, the selection on offer won't be remotely limited. Catch the bounty of winter while you can!

Sunday, January 22*

11am to 5pm

A nice sized market held on the terrace just in front of Ebisu Garden Place that will always be special to me for introducing me to dried natto and tea seedpods.
*A bit of a guess as the calendar on the site has not been updated for January as of this publication. I'll confirm as I can.

Saturday, January 21 and Sunday, January 22

A gem of a market hidden away in one of Tokyo's high-end shopping districts offering seasonal favorites in a way that feels homey yet rather boutique-y.

11am to 5pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

10am to 4pm

Saturday, January 21

A unique event in the heart of the city that a vegetable loving geek like me wouldn't miss for the world. What better way to get the healthy vitamins and minerals you need to sustain an evening of karaoke and izakaya hopping?

8pm - ?

Every Saturday in January

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in January

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Ume Hachimitsu Jam

2012-01-16T00:00:00.000-05:00

One of the leftovers of umehachimitsu are the plums or ume. Last year I made marmalade with the yuzu peels I removed from the yuzushu, but I never quite sorted out what to do with the ume from the hachimitsu or the umeshu. This year I decided to try making jam.

Remembering the damson jam served from the larder of good friends in England and those sampled at Ludlow, I perused a few recipes. These simple ones and this one for plum butter caught my imagination, but for the first batch I thought I would keep additions to a minimum. The flavor would be different as these weren't fresh dark damsons plucked from the tree by Daniel's Mill, but rather these little fatties had loitered in honey and vinegar for a handful of months. In the end, I based my experiment in the Ball Blue Book recipe for damson jam.

The resulting flavor is tart, salty, and sweet, and not quite what one might expect on morning toast. I think with cheese it would be lovely, although I am enjoying it very much on its own. It's also not an overly attractive jam - nothing like the octopus-resembling eggplant pickles - but it's still darn yummy.

Ume Hachimitsu Jam
1 kg ume from the bottom of the umehachimitsu jar
3 cups sugar
3/4 cup water*

Place ume, sugar, and water* in a saucepan, and slowly bring the mixture to a boil. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves, and stir regularly to keep it from burning. Once it boils, then continue boiling rapidly until the jam reaches a gelling point. Remove it from the heat, and lade the hot jam into hot jars leaving a 1/4 inch head space. Process in a hot water bath canner for 15 minutes.

Caveats
Water - I opted to use some of the ume hachimitsu liquid for no reason other than the fact that it was on hand. It may have made it stickier and the flavor stronger overall. My next batch I will opt for the water and see what happens.

Pits - Ume are a stone fruit, and while some folks opt to leave them in I decided they represented a high enough dental hazard that I should get them out. The ume skin proved rather resilient even after a fair amount of cooking, so I brought out my antique potato masher from America. (Pictured with the pits at left.) It crushed the ume nicely, which released the stones for me to spoon out. My husband later took them to the office as a unique sweet treat, and a co-worker said the taste reminded her of tamarind.

Amount - By morning's end, I found myself looking at about three pints of jam. I was a little disappointed, to be honest, as I come from the land of big batches for big canners. Next year, I may commit a canning sin and simply double the recipe.

Tokyo Farmer's Markets: January 14th and 15th

2012-01-13T00:00:00.000-05:00

Heirloom kabu at December's Earth Day Market

The list for this weekend might be small, but sometimes having fewer choices is a good thing. And remember, it's only the possible locations to visit that are limited. The selection of items - from crafts, to fresh fruits and vegetables, to pickles, to jams, to a big, beautiful bag of rice or a small package of tea - knows only the boundaries of the shopping bag in hand and the creativity of the growers and producers present that day. If you ask me, there's no better way to spend a winter weekend.

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in January

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in January

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Tokyo's January Farmer's Markets

2012-01-07T00:00:00.000-05:00

A new year, and a new calendar of markets and food events! As this goes live I'm savoring my last days of Hokkaido snow, but looking forward to getting back to my garden chores (seriously) and making a list of markets around the country that I want to hit. (There's one near Osaka that a new market friend put me on to, so I'm dreaming a road trip there. We'll have to see.) Meanwhile, perhaps I'll see you out and about at one of these!

SUN Grocery in Shinjuku

Saturday, January 7

11am to 3pm

A once-a-month outreach effort by the students running a neighborhood grocery featuring fruits and vegetables from independent farmers.

Shinonome Earth Day Market
Sunday, January 8
9am to 2pm
A great little market worth a visit not just because it's all organic all the time, but you'll have those free samples all to yourself as well as a great opportunity to meet a small handful of growers and producers who don't necessarily make it to the larger market in Yoyogi.
Map

Sunday, January 8 and Sunday, January 22*

11am to 5pm

Saturday, January 21 and Sunday, January 22

A gem of a market hidden away in one of Tokyo's high-end shopping districts offering seasonal favorites in a way that feels homey yet rather boutique-y.

11am to 5pm

A December visit to Tokyo's Earth Day Market revealed the occurrence of a new occasional organic market in Kichijoji. This one takes place in Inokashira Park - a perfect spot for a market if ever there was one - and promises only to grow. I remain hopeful that some of our Mitaka growers will move in and strut their stuff.

Another sad note here as C-Cafe's building is undergoing demolition. The cafe will be closed for about a year, but may resurface periodically for fun food events. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

Sunday, January 29

10am to 4pm, Rain or shine!

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

10am to 4pm

Saturday, January 21

8pm - ?

Every Saturday in January

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in January

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

A Few of My Favorite Moments

2011-12-31T00:03:00.000-05:00

Erika Dreifus recently tweeted this blog post from Lisa Romeo that varied slightly from the usual year-end reflection concept. Rather than thinking solely about New Year's resolutions, the author suggests focusing for a moment on what was accomplished. The idea struck a chord with me as 2011 has been a busy one with extra teaching responsibilities and an increased effort on writing while still attempting to farm, garden, visit farmer's markets in Tokyo and beyond while studying Japanese and trying out new recipes while perfecting some old ones. It's all been good fun, but it's also no surprise that our winter Hokkaido vacation finds me leaning towards the nap as a favored activity.

Daizu Revolution and Takashi Watanabe Interview

I first met Takashi Watanabe in January at an eco+waza event at Earth Day Market headquarters in Tokyo. Intrigued by his story and the birth of Tozaiba, a non-profit organization bringing people together in fallow fields to grow heirloom varieties of daizu (soybeans) along with a little bit of community, I later followed up with an interview for a Real Time Farms blog post. I don't see soybeans the same way any longer.

Osaka's Odona Farmer's Market

We self-evacuated after the March earthquake to Osaka to take a break from the aftershocks and to see what might happen in those early days. I was on crutches from a dancing injury (don't ask), and it seemed like a safe choice. Not one to let earthquakes, nuclear disasters or a strained Achilles keep me away from vegetable exploration I bumbled my way over to a market I'd missed during our January visit. Wow. My visit to this rockin' market went up a few days later on Summer Tomato.

Satoyama

One of Japan's most unique farming practices is that of satoyama - a farming practice that leaves itself a buffer of half-wild, half-managed land between it and the surrounding wilderness - that offers a viable enough set of sustainable techniques that an international organnization, The Satoyama Initiative, began implementing and studying similar practices and projects around the world. My assignment from eco+waza to cover it was another eye-opener.

Blogathon Year Two

Perhaps one of the most formative blogging experiences I've had yet, participating in WordCount's annual Blogathon shaped my writing life and introduced me to a great community of fellow writers. The challenge of writing a post a day every day for the month of May always sounds easy, but it isn't. Inspiration occasionally runs dry, and a busy schedule of planting and teaching sometimes means a post written in the haze that settles over me just before bed. All that, and I'm looking forward to doing it again in 2012.

Ludlow and England

September found us tromping about with some of our favorite people in the world on their home turf: England. They introduced me to the Ludlow Food Festival, and I am nearly desperate to return in 2012 to sample, meet, sample, and learn. It was just amazing. The resulting pleasure of eating at The Talbot Inn after picking perry pears at Oliver's Cider and Perry were two unforgettable highlights that I shamefully have not written about yet. (I know. Focus on what was accomplished, but I loved doing those two things so much.) Next year, maybe a trip to the Eden Project, the RISC Roof Garden, and another day perry picking would be a dream. The four extra kilograms I put on are worth the risk.

Hokkaido Bike Tour

No big hiking trip this year due to that darn Achilles, so we opted to try biking instead. We folded up our bikes, packed them on a plane, and made our way north. After a glorious week of cat-sitting, we packed our backpacks, unfolded our bikes and hit the road for places like Akeshi, Nemuro, and Hamanaka. It was glorious, albeit exhausting, and I'm hoping to find myself doing it again this summer, too. (The leg was fine, by the way.)

Too Much Other Good Stuff

The list is getting too long, so I'm going to wrap up and get ready to greet the year of the Dragon on our current trip to Hokkaido. The year is ending well as I meet weekly with a good friend working on a first book to talk about writing and goals, and hope to visit farmer's markets again in Aizu Wakamatsu and Sendai to see how farmers in areas affected by the March 11th disaster are faring. See you then!

Got a few highlights of the year? Let's hear it!

Winter Thoughts: Reprise

2011-12-30T00:00:00.000-05:00

We are in Hokkaido again satisfying our taste for winter. Three summer visits - two camping and hiking in Daisetsuzan and one very homemade bike tour - left us curious to see what those same landscapes might look like covered with snow. One day after our first cross-country ski at Asahidake, the island's tallest peak, we remain dazzled by the magic of the landscape. While it might be odd for a farmer-gardener type such as myself to adore this season of bitter cold and frozen landscapes, I most certainly do. Here's a 2008 post (pre-Japan and very early blogging days, indeed) setting out a few reasons why I feel this way.

Winter is easily my favorite season. A friend asked me recently as we set out on a cross-country ski adventure why that is the case. Was it because I'm originally from Wisconsin? I theorized that it is perhaps because my birthday is in Winter. (It seems logical that any season in which one receives presents could well be a favorite.)

I like the starkness of Winter, I confess. I like the cold air that freezes my throat and lungs a bit when I breathe it in. I like the contrasting colors of a gentle snowfall that sketches the texture of tree branches and bark so that I feel as though I see them all for the first time. I like the drifts that look like frozen time that the wind deposited. I like the snap of stars on a cold, cold night, and the squeak it makes when I walk. There is nothing so beautiful to me as a moonlit night of still, bitter cold on that white, blue, and black landscape. It thrills me with a sense of magic and life like no other moment.

Winter feels in its frozen grace like life. Perhaps it is the contrast with what we so often think of as representing life - green lush leaves, bright petals waving at passing bees - that appeals to me. It is the potential for life just under the ice and snow, the knowledge that these branches so clear to me now will be obscured by a bounty of green leaves in a few months.

Yet, that does not feel like the right answer, either. And perhaps it doesn't matter. The cold wind fills me with joy when I breathe it in, and comforts me as it sings me off to sleep. The glint of sun or moon on a hillside is pure happiness.

Mitaka Vegetable Stand and the Urban Farmscape

2011-12-29T00:00:00.000-05:00

Mikiko and Satoru

Maybe it was the bright white of the daikon or the fat haksai (Chinese cabbage) loitering on the table that first caught my eye, but the result was the same as usual: we stopped for a closer look. Out on one of our urban hikes earlier this week in our Tokyo neighborhood, we found a new vegetable venture.

The Mitaka Vegetable Store, opened just recently by Satoru and Mikiko, does something so simple it borders on the profound. In a day and age when it is easy to find tomatoes from Okinawa, apples from Yamanashi, or potatoes from Hokkaido in the local supermarket, these two showcase produce from the nearby urban farmscape. Carrots, komatsuna, and small red daikon join the aforementioned vegetables to make a small but splendid display of winter produce. Sourced from conventional as well as organic farms (including the organic family farm C-Cafe partners with for its monthly organic buffet), the store sells Mitaka vegetables to Mitaka citizens.

"Mitaka has many good vegetables and farmers, and people don't know," said Satoru when I asked him why they decided to start their business.

And I couldn't agree more. While I love the abundance of Tokyo farmer's markets and the amazing people I meet there, I also often wonder why Tokyo farmers aren't represented. Even in Kichijoji's market, one train station east of where I stood talking with Mikiko and Satoru, there wasn't a grower or producer from the neighborhood that I could find. It seemed mildly absurd to me that one of Tokyo's greatest resources - it's urban farmers and their fantastic offerings - weren't represented.

When I talk to my farmers about this, they say they don't see the point in carting their harvest to a far-away market (it would be at least a forty minute drive even to the Earth Day Market in Yoyogi Park or the UN University Market near Shibuya) when they can sell directly to the community from a vegetable stand.

"We can talk with the customers and build a relationship," they said one day as we harvested haksai for delivery to our nearby Ito Yokado. The surplus that the big supermarket won't take lands at a table just outside the farmhouse gate where it gets snapped up almost immediately by passers-by. Those in the know venture one block over to find us in the greenhouse or field for a chat and to sometimes even choose for themselves. These visits result in conversations about the weather, cooking, family, current events, and even the occasional bit of gossip.

Yet, people are shocked to learn that our farm exists and even more so when they learn that we sell to the local branch of a major supermarket. Many believe the names and photos of farmers often featured on packages or signs in the produce section are simply part of a grand marketing scheme to entice them to buy. I've heard people laughing as they see the tag for our Musashi Sakai broccoli or cabbage, doubtful of its origins. I can't blame them, but as someone who prepared that field, planted that crop, and probably helped with that very harvest it feels a little heart-breaking. (Now that I'm more confident in my language skills, I would probably introduce myself and let them know that in this particular case what they see is true.)

There aren't so many farms left in Tokyo, but I'm a firm believer that we should support those that are still here and keep them in business. Not only are they are unique feature of our cityscape and a living segment of history (farmers were encouraged to settle the Tamagawa plain during the Edo Period to feed the city's growing population), but they are something to bank on for a future in a country with a low food-security rate and declining population of farmers. And there's nothing so delightful as finding a field of eggplant, trellised kiwi vines heavy with fruit, or nashi orchard in full bloom in a sea of concrete and glass.

Mitaka Vegetable Store
Monday through Friday
11am to 5pm
Directions: Exit Mitaka Station from the south side and head down the escalator to the street level. Cross to the left side and walk down about two blocks and look for two enthusiastic people with a great variety of seasonal local produce. (Map and detailed location information soon to follow!)

The Joy of Dirty Hands: Reprise

2011-12-27T00:00:00.000-05:00

It feels like I'm rooting around in the attic these days, sorting through old photographs and trinkets for fun and nostalgia. The end of the year is almost always a time for reflection, and I seem to be hearkening back to our first days in Japan at the moment. (Early writing again, so bear with me.) I'm also thinking hard about farming, gardening, food, and writing, and so re-reading posts like the one below (first appeared on this blog on December 19, 2009) and Farmwork Thoughts seems appropriate. Perhaps I'm taking inventory, reassessing, or just plain checking in with myself. Hope you enjoy it, and let me know what you think. -JLB

Photo Note: This photo was taken in March, 2011 while I was on crutches and a few weeks after the earthquake. The garden was the only place I found peace in those days, so it seems a good fit here.

When I was a kid I hated gardening. My mother asked me to help her in the garden, and I'm pretty certain I whined and was such a miserable companion that she finally found great relief in letting me just stay indoors to read or watch TV. It was too hot. It was boring. It was dirty. And tomato hornworms were just too gross for words.

Gardening is now something I find I can't live without. Our move to Tokyo in March of this year was only feasible in my mind because I had a chance to have a garden. (That first one fell through, but then another and even better opportunity presented itself.) I didn't even have a garden of my own until we moved into a farmhouse in Michigan more than five years ago. There, along an old fence, I dug out the sod in a strip about two or three feet wide and about ten feet long and planted my first tomatoes, beans, kale, swiss chard, basil, parsley, and beets. It wasn't long before nasturtiums and johnny-jump-ups, and a couple bush squash plants were added. The next year the garden jumped the fence - literally and figuratively - to become about four times larger. Popcorn, cardinal climber, morning glories, potatoes, cosmos, chives, and peas joined the green chorus.

Morning found me in dew soaked slippers with a steaming coffee checking the progress of seedlings or just soaking in the thrill of seeing those plants. Before heading into the house after a day at work I'd walk over to the garden to see how the day had gone, and more than once a nice skirt received a swish of dirt from an irresistible urge to weed "just a little bit" before even greeting my husband.

I found in gardening a chance to do something concrete. It put food on our table, in our freezer, on the pantry shelves, and made for some great gifts. Canning tomatoes, drying herbs, and whipping up batches of pesto for winter pasta remains satisfying work. And the task of eating them is work I tackle with relish.

I found great beauty. Thick veined cabbage leaves are one of the most beautiful things I think I've ever seen. Cobs of homegrown popcorn glinting in the sun thrill me to the bone. My own eye for color and composition is still developing, but I confess I don't work too hard at that. I like the increasing madness of my garden as the season progresses.

I made new friends. The praying mantis, the assortment of bees, the birds, and the occasional neighborhood cat are welcome visitors. Not to mention the instant bond that develops with a fellow gardener when we learn of each other's passion. There's nothing better than a good chat about growing vegetables. It's what bonded the Takashi's and I almost instantly despite a language barrier.

It's in my blood. I've written about this before (not for publication), and I think about it more often than not. I come from a long line of farmers (who doesn't, really?), and the joy I find in planting, weeding, harvesting, monitoring, eating from, composting, and viewing the garden (mine and others) courses through my veins. The rolling landscape of hay, corn, horses, wheat, and cows with woods, rivers, lakes, and kitchen gardens the same square footage as many homes in new developments is a part of my heritage of which I am most proud. As I tend my own small plot or work with the Takashi's to tend their fields, my mother and grandmothers and friends and family (here and gone) who've gardened and farmed before work beside me. The joy in that alone wheels me out to the garden and farm again and again.

Gardening and farming presents a chance to explore my own history, the history of others, to find common ground through food and the growing of it. It presents an intellectual and creative challenge each and every day of the year. And an element of surprise in the volunteer nasturtium, the sneaky fresh potato crop. I could write about this for hours, years, and thousands of words, and still not quite hit it right. But when I see dirt still stuck under my fingernails while at my office (I only have so much patience with a nail brush) it reminds me of who I really am and what I love best.

Inspired by the essay contest over at Gardens of the Wild Wild West. This is probably too long, but it was too much fun to stop.

Farmwork Thoughts: Reprise

2011-12-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

This post first appeared in April, 2009, a little more than a month after we arrived in Japan and I started at the farm. While showing a friend around Tokyo's Earth Day Market recently, our conversation turned on the relevance of such markets (it's all organic and fair trade as well as predominantly local) and farmers and why I believe in them so much. And then I remembered this post where I first started tracing some of the thoughts and resulting steps that brought me to where I am now. It's a bit long and a bit rough (early writing, you know), but it still conveys what I feel nearly three years later.

Photo Note: Taken at the farm last year during a workday project sorting togarashi (Japanese hot peppers) for distribution to area restaurants and shops.

As I work along at a local organic farm planting epic numbers of vegetables - 5,000 cabbage one week and 1,000 broccoli the next - or spreading what feels like endless amounts of manure on fields for eggplant and zucchini, something my friend Amber once said keeps coming back to me.

It was last summer and we were camping in Canada. We were building a fire and setting up camp while the lads muled the rest of our stuff to the site from the car. She was cutting kindling and firewood, and while she sawed she held one end of the branch firmly with one foot while standing on the other. I'm sure I made some attempt at humour, and then we fell into discussion about how we wanted to live our lives. She said, “Doing this, I'm using my whole self - body and mind - together.”

“This” referred both to the branch she was cutting and to her work at Ambry Farms. Farming is no easy task in general, but at Ambry they combine horses and tractors to get the job done. One challenge is to find which tasks are better done with what, and then figure out how to do them best. The other challenges (farming has a long list) include fixing whatever is broken, damaged, or so neglected that it takes your whole soul to recognize the flicker of life still lurking in the horse-drawn planter or hay rake. And it can take your whole soul to have faith that that flicker of life is strong enough to be revived.

It was also last summer when I decided to leave my position at a small non-profit. In many ways it had been a dream job for me - working with volunteers on assorted gardening projects around the properties with a little bit of writing thrown in and all in the name of being helpful to my community - but I could feel hints of burnout.

So I left. I cried, packed up my desk, cried some more, hugged everyone in the building (no small feat considering the staff numbers about twenty), dropped off my keys, cried some more, and headed out the door. It felt like jumping off a cliff. What was I doing? Was I crazy? What about that degree I'd gotten so I could do this kind of work? We'd just bought a house. My parents would disown me.

But then, I thought about it. I was tired of the commute (45 minutes one way, door to door), and I was becoming tired of the work. The thought of organizing one more event, large or small, made me feel sick to my stomach. It didn't feel right any more. Yes, it was helpful, and yes, it made a difference in the lives of individuals and for the community at large, and yes, I worked with fantastic people not only in my office but all across the city and county. But I was drained.

Luckily, two things were in place. One, we pretty much knew we were moving to Japan the following year. A job was in the works, and we felt it was more than a safe bet that it would be offered. Two, some good friends with an organic farm about two miles away from our home generously offered to make me part of their crew for the summer. Another dream job was about to unfold.

I worked at the farm, and loved it. OK, I didn't always love the weeding and there was a day when mosquitoes literally chased us from the back field, but it was the second best summer I've ever had. (The first was the summer I worked at the farm early in our Michigan days, and I was between jobs.) Weeding, harvesting, talking, working quietly, washing vegetables for market, going to market and rumbling home again in the truck was glorious.

Now in Tokyo slinging assorted manures and planting seedling after seedling, Amber's words run through my mind again and again. My arms turn to jelly and my back is sore. I'm sweating like mad while I make sure I've evenly spread the manure or gotten the seedling planted deep to where there is some moisture in the soil. I imagine the eggplants settling into their new home and feasting on what they find to create glossy fruits. I tally the components and wonder what other farmers use, and how their plants will compare. The steps seem so simple – set out the seedlings, crouch to plant, gently press, or spread this then that amount evenly over the field – but behind me and with me is all of the planning and experimentation of multiple generations. New items and strategies and some that are age old. I am lost in the meditation of it all, but simultaneously present for each seedling and toss of manure. My whole body and mind are engaged in this effort from the tips of my gloved fingers to my toes where soil, as usual, has snuck into my shoe.

I come home at the end of the day bone tired, sore, and dirty, but so incredibly happy. It is the joy of a job well done and the good companionship of the farmers. It is the excitement of learning, laughing and working together, and seeing all those plants happily waving back at me from their new home in the field. And I think of the broccoli and cabbage that will come, and how that will feed so many so well, and my joy is nearly inexpressible. Birds hop about, a cat trots across the field, and bugs hum in the trees nearby. What aching back?

A Few More Gift Ideas

2011-12-18T00:02:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned earlier, I love giving presents. What's more, I love giving presents that are handmade. Yes, it's more work and yes, it requires a bit of pre-planning (where I often fall a bit short), but a handmade gift often possesses something a bit extra. As I stir the marmalade, knit the socks, or even assemble a tasty package of teas and treats, I'm thinking of the person destined to receive it and all that I think is best about them. Plus, all that bustling means I have a wonderful excuse to eat holiday cookies!

Homemade Gifts – A gift made by hand, whether a pair of socks (mended will do, too), a plate of cookies, or a jar of marmalade, is one of the best ways to capture the spirit of the season. They do require a bit of planning, but once done are as satisfying to give as they are to receive. Homemade marmalades are easier than you think, and perfect for all that citrus decorating the trees just now. Pickles are quite simple, too, as are homemade liqueurs such as umeshu, yuzushu, or even blueberry shu. The liqueurs, though, do need to be started a few months in advance, but now would be a wonderful time to put up some yuzushu for next years' round of gifts.

Handcrafted Foods – If making your own gifts isn't an option, consider heading out to one of Tokyo's many farmer's markets for some season-a-licious treats and more. There you'll find a fun atmosphere in which to sample as well as buy jams, pickles, vinegars, wines, breads, juices, and even some great craft items. Rice – black, red, or white – also makes a unique and tasty gift, as do heirloom varieties of soybeans and miso. Really, the sky (and the carrying capacity of your shopping bag) is the limit.

Classes – Events or workshops are something most of us dream of participating in but always manage to put off for a later day. Classes are a great way to meet people, try something new, and warm up those chilly days with a bit of exercise or a new recipe for a perfect winter dish!

Big Picture – For the person who has everything, including a table heaped with holiday food, why not consider giving a donation of some kind in their honor? Such gifts go a long way toward improving our world and telling the other person it's extra special because they are in it. For a slight variation on that theme, consider purchasing items from Tohoku or those specifically made using fair trade practices.

Photo information: We took this photo in January on a trip to Hida Takayama in the old part of town. Housed in one of the Edo Period warehouses there, this little shop is home to, as I understand it, Tanaka Shinsaku's woodblock prints. Usually made into mokuhangawashizara (wood block on paper plates), here crafted into animal shapes in cloth printed with his designs and stuffed with momigara. Utterly brilliant and beautiful, these would also make excellent gifts.

Got some other good gift-giving ideas? Drop a note and let me know!

Tokyo's Farmers Markets: December 17th and 18th

2011-12-16T00:05:00.003-05:00

At last, cold weather. Let that bite in the air put a spring in your step as you head out the door to one of the many farmer's markets dotting the city.

The markets are a great source of gifts for those near or far as well as seasonal fruits and vegetables. I should also mention there is no shortage of food carts showcasing yummy treats to warm you up from the inside out. Really, there's no good reason not to go, especially as the Night Market will be swinging it! Keep in mind, too, that later in the month as we near the New Year Holiday these markets most likely won't be running. Grab that daikon while you can! (And that's not a euphemism.)

(Photo Note: Kouko Suzuki of Guru-Guru Farms near Sendai took a moment from talking with her many customers to pose for a photo. Their stand was particularly busy as it was their first visit to the market since the March disaster. It was my pleasure to talk with her, admire her vegetables, and bring home some of their yummy organic brown rice!)

Sunday, December 4 and Sunday December 18

11am to 5pm

A nice sized market held on the terrace just in front of Ebisu Garden Place that will always be special to me for introducing me to dried natto and tea seedpods.

Sunday, December 18

10am to 4pm, Rain or shine!

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

10am to 4pm

Saturday, December 16

8pm - ?

Every Saturday in December

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

A Few Gift Ideas

2011-12-14T00:07:00.002-05:00

I do love giving presents. My favorite spouse watches our stock of jams, marmalades, pickles, and shus like a hawk to make sure there is enough left in the larder for us to enjoy as I tend to lift jars out on the spur of the moment for sharing. And this time of year, of course, finds me pilfering our stock left and right. It is a double pleasure to see our shelf space open for future jars of goodness and later see the delight on the faces of those receiving the gift.

So, in that spirit I'm going to share a few ideas for gifts that I would love to receive.

Green Curtain Kit – Give the gift of summer shade with a homemade green curtain kit. Easy to assemble – one pretty pot, some seeds, and a bit of netting – all packed up in a pretty furoshiki, the kit is sure to please. Choose morning glories for their heart shaped leaves and brilliant blue blossoms or the classic goya for a curtain that supplies the main ingredient for scrumptious chample. Cucumbers, gourds, watermelon (a little heavy, but so yummy!) or other vining plants make fantastic curtains, too.

Winter Salad Set – If summer feels too far away, why not consider a few winter vegetables? A wide variety of edibles enjoy winter's cooler temperatures and friends will enjoy a fresh taste of the season. Leafy greens such as komatsuna, mizuna, or spinach adore this time of year as do peas, kabu, violas, and herbs like cilantro and parsley. Head over to a nearby nursery for seeds or even seedlings, a cute pot, and give an edible gift that's green in more ways than one!

Handmade Tokyo – A creatively written work documenting a community workshop examining one of the best and greenest things in this metropolis: its gardens. Braiterman and Berthelsen's work combines photography and text to share and explore green spaces large and small and their meaning to Tokyoites and beyond. Arriving in its own handmade wrapper fashioned from cast-off kimono's, there's no wrapping to worry about!

Tokyo Flower Walks – Sumiko Enbutsu's classic should be in the hands of any resident of Tokyo or visitor who happens to be a garden lover. Her seasonal walks range over the city and guide followers of her detailed directions to some of Tokyo's best corners. Clear maps mark the route as well as local points of interest, recommended restaurants, and shops. Each section introduces a particular flower or plant with a narrative description of its relevance to Japanese culture. A great way to explore the city and start developing satoyama sense!

Got some ideas of your own? Let me know and we'll add them to the list!

Photo credit: The favorite spouse took this during our trip home in February while out for a ski on the family land. It was a perfect, perfect day.

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: December 10th and 11th

2011-12-09T00:04:00.004-05:00

By the time this goes up we should have had our first sloshy snow in Tokyo, and I should still be smiling with the thought of tromping about in it until my toes hurt and my gloves dripped with melt water.

Let that be the inspiration you need, too, to get up and out to a farmer's market or food related event around town. There's heaps going on, and let's remember: food makes a most excellent gift! Pickles, marmalade, jam, or just a big bag of rice are welcome presents this time of year (always, really) so don't be shy. Farmer's markets are one of the best places to find super yummy, locally made gifts that will not disappoint!

(Photo Note: Today's picture again comes from Matsushima, a small coastal town just north of Sendai, where I met this lovely woman and her fantastic assortment of vegetables. As usual, I ended up with two daikon in my backpack at the end of our chat. Who needs a gym?)

Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11

A gem of a market hidden away in one of Tokyo's high-end shopping districts offering seasonal favorites in a way that feels homey yet rather boutique-y.

11am to 5pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in December

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Toziba's Daizu Revolution

2011-12-05T00:03:00.001-05:00

This past August I had the good fortune to interview Takashi Watanabe, founder of Toziba, an innovative non-profit that is one of the most sock-rocking food-farm-community organizations out there. We first met at an Eco+Waza event in January where I was deeply impressed by his story and the motivation for founding Toziba. (I do write for Eco+Waza's website and magazine, by the way.) Munching on early edamame from the farm, I recalled meeting him and decided he'd be an interesting person to interview.

And, so, with the help of a good friend translating we sat down at the Earth Day Market and talked about soybeans (daizu), the importance of heirlooms, and the effects of March's triple disaster on food and how people in Japan are thinking about food. You can read the full article over at Real Time Farms, another sock-rocking food-farm-community organization, for the full scoop.

Tokyo's December Farmer's Markets

2011-12-02T00:01:00.003-05:00

I've said it before and I'll say it ad nauseum: Winter is Tokyo's season of bounty. My refrigerator drawer overflows with the fantastic greens, root vegetables, and fruit available now at my nearby vegetable stands. We're cleaning up fields (peppers and eggplant most recently) and I'm back at canning again. I'm almost afraid to go to a farmer's market as I know I'll not be able to resist the kaki, apples, yuzu, or the next heirloom daikon or kabu I see. I like to think of it as vegetable therapy, but mostly it's just plain fun. I can't recommend it enough. (Plus, pickles or marmalade make an excellent gift!) Grab a shopping bag and hit the road!

(Photo: Taken on a recent trip to Matsushima, a beautiful coastal town just north of Sendai, these little guys were too adorable to not photograph. Seriously, who can resist rubber duckies and kaki? The town, by the way, suffered comparatively little damage from the tsunami despite being so close to the epicenter. I'd recommend a trip up there any time of year!)

SUN Grocery in Shinjuku

Saturday, December 3

11am to 3pm

A once-a-month outreach effort by the students running a neighborhood grocery featuring fruits and vegetables from independent farmers.

Sunday, December 4 and Sunday December 18

11am to 5pm

A nice sized market held on the terrace just in front of Ebisu Garden Place that will always be special to me for introducing me to dried natto and tea seedpods.

Saturday, December 10 and Sunday, December 11

A gem of a market hidden away in one of Tokyo's high-end shopping districts offering seasonal favorites in a way that feels homey yet rather boutique-y.

11am to 5pm

Sadly, it seems this market no longer exists. I'm in the process of finding out more, and will keep folks updated. It seems a shame, although maybe some of our Mitaka-area farmers could move in and strut their stuff?

Another sad note here as C-Cafe's building is undergoing demolition shortly. The cafe will be closed for about a year, but may resurface periodically for fun food events. I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

Sunday, December 18

10am to 4pm, Rain or shine!

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

10am to 4pm

Saturday, December 16

8pm - ?

Every Saturday in December

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in December

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Eggplant Pickles: Summer's Official End

2011-11-28T00:01:00.003-05:00

It feels absurd to write that title near the end of November and just after friends and family in America celebrated Thanksgiving. But there is a grain of truth of in it as the eggplant field still remains at the farm, home to the summer vegetable of Japan.

Since arriving in Japan in the 8th century, it's made itself right at home. The exact road it traveled I don't know, but this is a country that loves it with a fervent passion. The first eggplant of the summer is met with a joy that merits a holiday of its own, and the last of this deep-hued favorite is similarly mourned. Even though it is not my favorite vegetable and summer is nowhere near my favorite season, I well understand the sadness that comes with the end of the season. I am sorry to see one of the grandest of our fields and crops come to a close.

The low slant of light this time of year always engenders a certain nostalgic feeling in me, not in the least I'm sure, because it makes everything around me look particularly beautiful. Every sight takes my breath away as the light perfectly highlights deep red leaves, brilliant orange kaki, the rich green leaves of the broccoli and cabbage as they ponder producing their fruits, and the dazzling blue sky arching over it all. Hurried as I might be on any given day, my steps slow inevitably slow each time I walk through the farm gate to drop off compost or begin whatever task is set for the day.

The eggplant field, beaten up by another unusually hot summer and one of the strongest typhoons to hit the city in years, is scheduled for destruction next week. We've not harvested for sale for at least two weeks, and unusually large fruit now hang from some of the vines while others burst open to spill their seeds in a last shout of glory. Spiders string their webs everywhere to catch the last of the butterflies and dragonflies still moving about these days. The elaborate latticework of poles and bands and string will be removed. Branches will be cut and trunks pulled. The plastic mulch taken up and all this will be composted, pitched, or stored until the next seedlings arrive in the spring.

It seemed only appropriate then to try my hand at a new pickle recipe. I have a limited supply of canning jars here, so this is actually a big decision. (Anyone who cares to send along a box or two of half-pint or smaller jars should leave a comment for my address. I promise to send a sampling of the proceeds.) I found the recipe while searching for something to do with a bounty of red peppers (another summer vegetable that recently closed up shop for the season), and thought it might be interesting. I'm worried about the slime factor, but it could be good. If life isn't about trying something you think might be weird, then it is about nothing at all.

Aubergine Pickles

4.5 cups of water

5 lbs eggplant (about four large or whatever combination of small and large you think)

1.5 cups white vinegar

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 Tbsp. granulated sugar

1 Tbsp. dried oregano

2 tsp pickling or canning salt

6 cloves garlic

- taken from Ball's Complete Book of Home Preserving (courtesy of much-beloved and missed friends at Ambry Farms)

Eggplant Preparation

Bring the water to a goodly boil while quickly peeling and topping the eggplants. Cut them into strips about 3 inches long (7.5 cm) and 3/4 inch (2 cm) wide. Plop them into the bubbling water immediately and gently boil them for about 10 minutes. Every couple minutes press them down into the boiling water to make sure they cook thoroughly. When the pieces are sufficiently tender, drain them and rinse thoroughly with cold water to stop the cooking process. (You are, in effect, blanching the eggplant.) Let them loiter for a moment in the strainer while prepping the jars, lids, and canner.

Meanwhile...

Peel and prep the cloves of garlic so they are at the ready when it's jarring time.

Once the jars are literally moments from being ready...

Stir together the vinegars, sugar, oregano and salt and bring it to a boil over a medium-high heat. Plop in that eggplant and bring it to a boil once again. Then, remove from heat.

Place one clove of garlic into the jar, pack in the hot eggplant pieces, and ladle that steaming brine over the top. Leave a 1/2 inch (1cm) headspace and remove air bubbles. Once that's done, check the headspace again and add more hot brine if necessary. Wipe the rim, put the lid and screw band on, and repeat!

Process jars for 15 minutes in a boil water bath canner.

Caveats

I peeled and topped as quick as I could, but this process, while not as slow as those darn chestnuts, is not fast. The eggplant begins to brown rather quickly, so popping it in the water stops that process while starting another. I ended up doing two batches, so a few pieces turned an unsightly shade while I waited. I'll use them in something else, but yet again, canning shows what a great group process it can be. My advice would be to have at least one more pair of hands working away to get the eggplant ready.

I used cider vinegar instead of white vinegar as that is what is available in my local grocery store.

Speaking of the brine, I recommend tripling the amounts listed here. I ended up with only three pints in the end with lots of eggplant bits left over. Operator error may be the culprit here (it wouldn't be the first time) and I may try again. I would be grateful to hear word from anyone else who gives this a go.

Please be aware that these are not attractive pickles. My husband just asked if they were octopus, which ought to be telling.

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: November 26th and 27th

2011-11-25T00:02:00.001-05:00

December approaches and the winter bounty continues. Head on out to one of these most excellent markets to see what the season has to offer. And don't hesitate to share a recipe or two, too. I'm always on the look-out for something new to make!

Saturday, November 26 and Sunday, November 27

A gem of a market hidden away in one of Tokyo's high-end shopping districts offering seasonal favorites in a way that feels homey yet rather boutique-y.

11am to 5pm

Sunday, November 27

10am to 4pm, Rain or shine!

Every Saturday and Sunday in November

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in October

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Taken in early November at one of my favorite nearby farm stands, this seasonal bouquet shone like a star. Our bags were full, but there was no resisting its burst of color on that gray afternoon.

Chestnut Liquer ala Tokyo

2011-11-21T00:00:00.000-05:00

I am an imperfectionist. At times I refer to it as laziness, i.e. not removing the pith from the yuzu when making yuzushu, and while other times I imply a certain creativity. Really, it's a blatant disregard for direction. Even as I read a recipe I wonder if a step is really necessary or if a particular ingredient could be switched with something I have or can easily find in Japan. Even so, despite faithfully-made shopping lists, I change my mind in a flash as I catch sight of another potentially scrumptious addition, and the original formula carefully concocted by professionals and those much more experienced than I is lost.

Such is the case with my first ever batch of chestnut liqueur. Spotted on Twitter the concept sounded like a perfect fit with my year of shus. How could I not add this one to my little family of blueberry, rhubarb, plum, and two varieties of ume shus?

It was no surprise then that one late October afternoon found me parking my bike in front of a little fruit and vegetable store (yaoya) near the university. I pass it nearly everyday, but almost never stop because I am running late or because my nearby farmstands have filled my larder to the brim. The yaoya owners, an older couple who live upstairs and have a fantastically large (yet small, of course) bonsai forest on their balcony, are often seen puttering about the shop. While she usually rearranges a display, he sits peeling potatoes or, most recently, chestnuts for their customers convenience. It was the latter, of course, that brought me over.

Chatting for a bit about the persimmons hanging to dry in front of the shop (hashigaki), I opted for the bag of unpeeled chestnuts. It seemed like cheating to take the pre-peeled ones. "I'm a farmer," I thought. "I don't need no pre-peeled chestnuts." Besides, the outer shell would make good fodder for the compost bin. (See recipe and caveats below for my current thinking on that.)

Chestnuts, known as kuri or marron here in Japan, are a distinct flavor of autumn. The rich brown shell gives way to a sweet-fleshed nut that turns golden when cooked. Good steamed simultaneously with rice, the Japanese turn them into any number of wonderful desserts that simply knock the socks off your taste buds. Different from the tochi, these nuts come from a shorter cousin. The kuri don't require as much preparation and effort as the nuts from their taller tochi cousin in order to eat, but are just as delicious.

Tokyo Chestnut Liqueur

500 grams chestnuts, peeled*

150 grams honey

200 ml water

640 ml brandy**

Peel the chestnuts.

Easily the most tedious part of the process, peeling chestnuts is never much of a pleasure. Knowing the seasonality of the nut is some comfort as are thoughts of the dish to come. I tried Wright's suggested method of boiling and then peeling, but if I do this again I might return to Takashi-san's simple soak-overnight-then-peel concept. It is ultimately less painful physically and emotionally, and I would not be left with a crumbling mass of sweet chestnut flesh.

Craft the liqueur.

Boil the chestnuts in 200ml of water for about 10 minutes and then drain. Stir in the honey and cook the solution until the honey dissolves. (Wright's directions are a bit different, and it's worth a look for the sake of comparison.)

Place the nuts in a jar and pour the water-honey mix over them but through a sieve. Pour the brandy over them and seal up the jar. Wait.

*Listed amounts are 'give or take' meaning that while John Wright's original recipe called for a specific number I fudged it to suit my needs.

**This number is exact. I wanted the fluid to cover the chestnuts, and so I simply put in the whole bottle.

The Usual Caveats

As I mentioned earlier, if given the opportunity, buy pre-peeled fresh chestnuts. Do not confuse this with a recommendation to use canned or precooked chestnuts, though. It might work, but I believe fresh is best to give the liqueur full flavor.

Soak the chestnuts overnight to loosen the peels. Doing this is much easier than cooking them as there is a great deal less risk of burns (those solid little things really hold the heat!) or cutting off a finger while simultaneously juggling and peeling.

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: November 19th and 20th

2011-11-18T00:02:00.002-05:00

Quite a few more markets than last weekend, including the most excellent UN University Night Market. Lots of good stuff to be had as always at all of them, so make a list for the week and make your way. It's a great chance to practice Japanese, learn new recipes, and get a peek into Japan's evolving food scene.

Sunday, November 20

11am to 5pm

A nice sized market held on the terrace just in front of Ebisu Garden Place that will always be special to me for introducing me to dried natto and tea seedpods.

Sunday, November 20

Another hidden gem, but this time over in Mitaka and of some of the best local organic eats around. Wear your elastic-waist pants and make the trek!

11:30am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in November

10am to 4pm

Saturday, November 19

8pm - ?

Every Saturday in October

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Today's photo comes right from our Tokyo neighborhood. A nearby farm sells their produce directly each afternoon, and these radishes were too pretty to pass up.

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: November 12th and 13th

2011-11-11T00:01:00.002-05:00

Only a small handful of markets this weekend, but that only means it will be easier to decide where to go! As temperatures drop, dishes like oden, houtou udon, or sweet potato stew sound more scrumptious than ever, and the best part is that all the ingredients are in season at this very moment. Why, it might even be time for a fresh batch of kimchi, too!

Every Saturday and Sunday in November

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in October

A recent first visit to this market was good fun, and the covered roof means its perfect for damp days, too.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

11am to 5pm

Peace Boat Relief - Ishinomaki

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Taken at the Roppongi Farmer's Market in October, these apples got me dreaming of all the tasty ones I sampled during our trip to England. And got me thinking about my yuzu-apple-ginger marmalade, too. You can probably hear my stomach growling from here...

Himomo Sprouts New Life

2011-11-09T00:08:00.000-05:00

The brilliant himomo or ornamental peach tree, a much admired spring bloomer, showed signs of new life recently. Blown down by Typhoon Roke in late September, the farmers left a somewhat tall stump standing in hopes new sprouts would grow.

These little leaves are the first signs of new growth, and since taking this photo two weeks ago a handful more dot the trunk. A quick count of the rings showed the tree was a mere ten-years-old when the storm arrived, which means with any luck we'll work again in her shade again soon.

Ishinomaki's Tsunami Gardens

2011-11-07T00:05:00.003-05:00

This past Saturday we returned from a week of volunteering with Peace Boat in Ishinomaki. Devastated by the March 11th earthquake and tsunami, Ishinomaki presents another facet of the disaster. These days the majority of media attention focuses on the Daiichi Power Plant and Fukushima Prefecture's efforts to emerge from that radioactive shadow. Yet, what's not covered is the continuing struggle of Tohoku's coastal communities - large and small alike - to emerge and rebuild.

What we saw was both uplifting and heart-breaking, and I struggle to wrap my mind around it all much less find the words to describe it in a meaningful way to others.The water forced its way into each and every home and business without exception, and left behind a jumbled mass of debris large and small. Many buildings have been cleared and cleaned, but many more remain broken and jumbled. Trees stand mostly dead with branches still full of debris, and the landscape is mostly barren of life. I have never seen such devastation, and try as I might I cannot imagine the fear of that moment. And I cannot imagine the grief permeating the lives of those left behind to shovel and shift debris, to forge ahead on the edge of a sea that can be as generous as it can be vicious. The best I could do was add my back to the thousands of others trying to push the region forward to some kind of stability, some kind of normality. It didn't feel like enough, but I know it made a difference to a few.

What I did see, though, that made me smile were the gardens. On empty lots where homes once stood, next to tsunami bent rebar still clutching bits of cement, or in front of homes with blue tarps for windows were vegetables and flowers. Planted to reestablish a sense of normalcy while residents wait to find out if the government will allow them to return, the gardens removed a very thin layer of the helplessness and hopelessness filling their lives since March. My guess is that a homegrown cabbage never tasted so good.

Get Involved

Volunteer or donate with a well-organized effort committed to the long-term redevelopment of the community and region.

Tokyo's November Farmer's Markets

2011-11-04T00:01:00.004-04:00

November is the beginning of my favorite season wherever I live: winter. I thrive in cooler temperatures and crisp winds. Tokyo's trademark blue skies this time of year are bonus material of the best kind, and if snow crunched underfoot I'd be the happiest of citizens. In lieu of that crunching snow, though, I get what I firmly believe is one of the best growing seasons here. The absolute bounty of greens, fantastic root vegetables, as well as dried fruits and crafty concoctions like miso is an eater's delight. And what better place to find all of these and more than a local farmer's market?

SUN Grocery in Shinjuku

Saturday, November 5

11am to 3pm

A once-a-month outreach effort by the students running a neighborhood grocery featuring fruits and vegetables from independent farmers.

Sunday, November 6 and Sunday, November 20

11am to 5pm

A nice sized market held on the terrace just in front of Ebisu Garden Place that will always be special to me for introducing me to dried natto and tea seedpods.

Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6

Saturday, November 26 and Sunday, November 27

A gem of a market hidden away in one of Tokyo's high-end shopping districts offering seasonal favorites in a way that feels homey yet rather boutique-y.

11am to 5pm

Sadly, it seems this market may no longer exist. I'm in the process of finding out more, and will keep folks updated. It seems a shame, although maybe some of our Mitaka-area farmers could move in and strut their stuff?

11am to 5pm

Sunday, November 20

Another hidden gem, but this time over in Mitaka and of some of the best local organic eats around. Wear your elastic-waist pants and make the trek!

11:30am to 2pm

Sunday, November 27

10am to 4pm, Rain or shine!

Every Saturday and Sunday in November

10am to 4pm

Saturday, November 19

8pm - ?

Every Saturday in October

A recent first visit to this market was well worth the trip for the number of organic growers and getting to meet a Tokyo farmer from just down the tracks in Kokobunji.

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

Another nice market not far from the sumo stadium in Ryogoku it's worth casing out for the neighborhood as well as the vendors.

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Aizu Wakamatsu Farmer's Market

2011-10-30T00:01:00.002-04:00

A couple of weeks ago we spent a whirlwind weekend in Aizu Wakamatsu. Located in Fukushima Prefecture, the city is steeped in fascinating history and heaps of good food. Well west of the ailing nuclear power plant, the city like so many others in that prefecture, has seen a dramatic drop in domestic as well as foreign tourists due to the taint of radiation. Hoping to lift that shadow and rebuild trust with visitors far and wide, the city invited us and ten other foreigners to spend some time.

My favorite, of course, was the farmer's market. Aizu Wakamatsu is part of the bread basket that is Tohoku - the region filling the north and east of Japan's main island and where the March 11th earthquake and tsunami did the most damage - so it stood to reason there would be a market of some size somewhere in the city. A quick question at Tourist Information in the station got us a map, a location, and off we pedaled on our rented bikes.

Looking for all the world like a standard supermarket, the interior bustled with customers picking and choosing from some of the best the season had to offer as well as an assortment of traditional pickles, seven varieties of rice (polished on the spot, too!), soba in many forms, and more. I could have spent all day there, but the rest of the city beckoned. We did manage to come away with a fair number of items: brown rice, soba grain (like the buckwheat we ate in Kazakhstan), puffed soba, some groovy beans, as well as a recipe or two. I can't wait to go back.

Finally, here's the video for a quick tour. Enjoy!

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: October 29th and 30th

2011-10-28T00:03:00.002-04:00

Temperatures are steadily dropping and with any luck you've started on your winter vegetables. (In case you haven't, here's a little primer I wrote for eco+waza reader's that should get you rolling.) Meanwhile, to watch the season's change vegetable by vegetable, check out these great markets around town!

(Today's photo of daikon thinnings comes all the way from Aizu Wakamatsu in Fukushima Prefecture. We stopped at a market there the likes of which I've never seen before: supermarket-sized indoor vegetable and flower and local product extravaganza! It was a wee bit of heaven.)

Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30

11am to 5pm

Sunday, October 30

10am to 4pm, Rain or shine!

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in October

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: October 22nd and 23rd

2011-10-21T00:03:00.002-04:00

Chill winds and clear skies mean the cool season crops are on their way. If you don't grow your own, check out one of the wonderful regular markets happening this weekend. There's more than enough treats to be had from growers happy to share recipes, information on how to grow it yourself, or just swap stories. (Or, as in my case, patiently wade through my basic Japanese to have a chat.) It's all good!

(Today's photo is from the Ludlow Food Festival, which still makes me smile every time I think about it. We sampled some of the rhubarb-ginger liqueur from Ludlow Distillery, and my only regret is that I didn't bring a bottle home with me to Tokyo.)

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in October

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Tokyo Farmer's Markets: October 15th and 16th

2011-10-14T00:01:00.000-04:00

More beautiful days are afoot and that means it's high time to hit the markets. For Tokyo growers winter isn't the time to hang up the trowel. Daikon, kabu, kaki, daizu (soy beans) and an assortment of winter greens are just busting onto the scene, and they are well worth a journey by train, bicycle, or even on foot to find. If you ask me, winter is where it all happens, so head on out!

(Today's photo is another from our September trip to England. Taken at the Borough Market in London, I caught the garlic sun-bathing in the late afternoon light sneaking in under the bridge overhead.)

Sunday, October 16

11am to 5pm

Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16

11am to 5pm

Saturday, October 17

8pm - ?

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in October

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

Roppongi Farmer's Market Review

2011-10-10T12:08:00.004-04:00

It is as important for writer's to head out and experience the world as it is to stay glued to the keyboard or notebook and pen until the last word is wrung out of the story. I decided this past weekend to take the advice I'm constantly tweeting to others or mentioning in blog posts, and that is to head out and enjoy some of this amazing fall weather in the lovely environs of a farmer's market. I talked a friend into joining me and we took a journey down to the Roppongi Farmer's Market - a weekly market that often seems to have some interesting event occurring as well - to see what was happening.

Roppongi, I will admit, is an area of Tokyo I try to avoid with all my might. Nightclubs and expensive restaurants and bars are not so interesting to me these days. (Those wild days are long over, although they were undeniably fun at the time!) It's the kind of ex-pat scene that doesn't suit me, really, although I do occasionally hear of interesting things happening...like the market.

And it was amazing! An excellent selection of organic rice, vegetables and even some fruit in a market not as big as the UN University one, but also not entirely as organic and fair trade as the Earth Day Market, either. It was well worth the journey. And you can read my full review of it at Summer Tomato!

Roppongi Farmer's Market

Every Saturday

10am to 2pm

Getting there:

Go to Tameike Sanno Station and head for Exit 13. As you come up the steps to street level, go straight about five minutes always keeping the double-decker highway on your right. After you cross a small "street" (really the driveway for the big hotel there) look for a set of stairs and an escalator on the left. Head up those to the courtyard there, and get ready to shop!

Tokyo Farmer's Markets: October 8th and 9th

2011-10-07T00:08:00.001-04:00

Fall is upon us, and to fully enjoy that good weather I suggest heading out to a farmer's market. (I know you're all just shocked!) There's a nice bundle of events this weekend and tables ought to be heaped full of squash, garlic, and some of those first winter greens. A trip to the UN University Market this past Saturday had my mouth watering at the sight of all those pears, apples, and some of the most amazing pickles ever. Seriously, they were so tasty!

Oh, and speaking of tasty, don't forget about C-Cafe's organic brunch this Sunday! Yummy.

(Today's photo hearkens back to a market visit in Bridgnorth. It was a lovely, lovely Saturday during our trip to England.)

Saturday, October 8 and Sunday, October 9

Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30

11am to 5pm

Sunday, October 9

11:30am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in October

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

October Farmer's Markets

2011-09-30T00:09:00.002-04:00

Where has September gone? Somewhere between Hokkaido and England the month disappeared. While I'm feeling jostled by my to-do list at the moment my great comfort is knowing that October marks the beginning of what is for me a season of favorites: squash, kaki, nashi, and a heaping variety of hearty greens are all about to make their way to the table. And that is a very, very happy thought. My stomach is growling already. Better get to a market!

SUN Grocery in Shinjuku

Saturday, October 1

11am to 3pm

Looks like they'll have lots of garlic this month, so perhaps just follow your nose...

Shinonome Earth Day Market

Sunday, October 2

9am to 2pm

Sunday, October 2 and Sunday, October 16

11am to 5pm

Saturday, October 8 and Sunday, October 9

Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30

11am to 5pm

Saturday, October 15 and Sunday, October 16

11am to 5pm

Sunday, October 9

11:30am to 2pm

Sunday, October 30

10am to 4pm, Rain or shine!

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

10am to 4pm

Saturday, October 17

8pm - ?

Every Saturday in October

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in October

11am to 5pm

Know of a market? Give me a shout and we'll add it to the list!

In Terms of Vegetables: Translation Philosophy

2011-09-25T00:02:00.002-04:00

We're back home in Tokyo and getting settled in after our trips to Hokkaido and England. Both were extraordinary adventures, but it's nice to be home again and getting into old routines. While I'm running around catching up on chores in the garden, at the farm, and here at the computer I thought I'd share a post I wrote about translation for Intralingo. Being back in Japan and relearning how to wrap my mind and tongue around the language and grammar here has me pondering the topic all over again.

Language is probably the most important tool I could possess at the moment, but it can be the most difficult to wield. Sometimes it feels cumbersome and overwhelming, and to be honest there are times when I simply want to give up. But then comes a moment of revelation or learning, the spark of a new friendship, and I am motivated to pick it up, dust it off, and dig in again.

In Memory of an Ornamental Peach

2011-09-24T00:09:00.002-04:00

Some might remember reading this past May about an extraordinary tree on the farm here in Tokyo. A bright bloomer, the ornamental peach or himomo, stopped people in their tracks as they went about daily errands. Women in kimono stopped to have their photo taken under it's branches while standing on ground sparkling with pink petals. The blossoms attracted bees galore and birds fluttered about its top regions busily chatting about the season's work ahead while we passed to and fro with seedlings and produce below. The thick and brilliant green leaves provided deep shade for the table and tent where tomatoes, green beans, eggplant, and edamame turned into little bundles to be sold at the farm stand or the local supermarket.

Typhoon Roke, though, brought the beloved himomo down on Wednesday. High winds proved too much for this old friend, and she now lies stricken in front of the gate. Given our lack of space and her prone position across one of the main access points for the farm and fields, she'll have to be taken away. Sun and cloud, wind and rain, life and death are all part and parcel of farming, but there are times when it isn't easy to accept. It goes without saying that our hearts are breaking.

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: September 24th and 25th markets

2011-09-23T00:06:00.005-04:00

It may be near the end of the month, but it's nowhere near the end of opportunities for finding some good fresh vegetables and fruit. Fall is one of the most splendid seasons for eating in Japan, if you ask me, and I can't help but encourage you to head on out to the markets and see what's on offer. And while the markets are great for learning what's in season and how to cook it, they are also fantastic places to find local craftsmen and women selling their wares!

Sunday, September 25th

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in September

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in September

11am to 5pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in September

10am to 4pm

Another photo from our Hokkaido trip, but this time of dried konbu. We met the fisherman or ryoushi who harvested it (and made a mean bowl of ramen to boot!) while camping in Hamanaka. Yummier than it looks!

A View of the Wargrave Allotments

2011-09-22T00:02:00.002-04:00

England is full of castles, assorted ruins, historic sites, cathedrals, museums, churches, and gardens. Not the least of the latter are allotment or community gardens, which I'd begun learning about via Emma Cooper's The Alternative Kitchen Garden and fantastic website. Allotments popped up almost everywhere I went, but opportunities to step inside were rare.

One morning, though, before breakfast and touring I snuck over to one in the village of Wargrave for my own little sight-seeing trip. Established in 1903, this allotments patchwork of flowers and vegetables plots made a feast for the eyes of color and texture, and looked as lovely as any formal garden might. Opening the massive metal gate and venturing up a brick-lined lane an old apple tree stood sentry as much as greeter. The fruit that didn't prove a mild tripping hazard made a tart snack while exploring. A bulletin board sported posters for classes, meetings, and garden workdays along with a stern reminder that taking produce from a garden without permission constituted a criminal offense. Strawberry thieving, while understandable on some level, was also understandably not appreciated.

Purple kale (really a variety of brussel sprouts, I learned from Lane Cottage at the Ludlow Food Festival) along with dinosaur and curly, artichokes, tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, winter squash, runner and pole beans, calendula, sunflowers, dahlias galore, assorted fruit trees, raspberry canes, strawberries, and rhubarb were just a few of the lovelies I met with there. Old bathtubs filled with water dotted the landscape at regular intervals as did various kinds of compost bins. Mini-greenhouses and cloches also dotted the landscape now and again, while a few plots had chairs or picnic tables. Judging from the amount of netting (as seen in the above kole crop photo) and scarecrows local birds must be fat as Thanksgiving turkeys from eating so much.

Seeing these vegetables growing was a pleasure, of course, for a gardening geek such as myself, but it was also a reminder of some of my favorites. Japan is home to many a wonderful fruit and vegetable, but root crops can be challenging. Beets, sadly, don't exist in my supermarket nor do parsnips or brussel sprouts. My gracious hosts, incredulous as they were at my request, fulfilled my desire again and again.

Daniel's Mill: Whole Wheat Flour Like They Used to Make

2011-09-21T00:04:00.004-04:00

This trip to England has been full of little day trips as well as a very nice handful of wanderings on local footpaths. One of these took us not too far down the road to a place called Daniel's Mill. Located just on the outskirts of Bridgnorth and almost directly under one of the trestle's for the Severn Valley Railway, the white building housing the equipment and accompanying water wheel make for a picturesque view at the very least and a bag of lovely freshly ground whole wheat flour at the most.

Managed by the George family for more than 240 years (a fraction of the history of a site where a mill has operated since the 13th century), our tour inevitably combined family history with that of the mill and its workings. Peter George, our guide and a current operator/owner, brought his ancestors to life for us - vividly describing personalities and appearances - while walking us through the building and teaching us how grain gets made into flour. George drew us into the tale not just with his family portraits, but by turning each of us into the ancestor or illustrating one of their characteristics via us.

"She was about your height," George would say pointing to one of our group, "but your build," pointing to another, "which meant she was the right height for moving about down below and sturdy enough to haul the bags."

It was easy then to imagine the people working the mill floor as it gently shook with the turning of the wheel and stone with ears ever attuned to the subtle changes in sound that signaled too much or too little grain, a need for oil on a gear, or some other warning sign requiring attention. Working the wheel was woman's work - moving the grains and managing their flow - while the fixing and adjusting of equipment was men's work. Not always, but often, and it was easy to see, too, how a whole family would be absorbed into the labor. It would have been dark, dusty work filled with a certain amount of personal danger - fingers and arms tangled in heavy moving machinery - and a constant wariness of flame. A single spark from a metal on stone would mean an explosion and an end of life and livelihood.

"Marry a miller's daughter, and you marry hard work," was the saying George repeated as he guided us along. Marrying into the family meant becoming an extension of the wheel and millstone, being absorbed into the workings and traditions as soon as rings slipped over fingers. It meant maintaining a dam to fill the pond with water that fed the wheel that turned the stone while minding children, customers, accounts, and changing times and technologies. I may never look at a bag of flour in the same way again.

The mill still operates, but not on any fantastically large scale. Early days would have seen an assortment of grain turned into flour and cattle feed for local and regional use, but now it's mainly wheat passing over the grindstone to be sold at the mill itself and a handful of local shops. We sampled its possibilities in the hearty scones served with the usual slab of butter and steaming cups of tea in the nearby shop, and a bag now sits downstairs waiting to help with the fruit crumble for our evening dessert.

Daniel's Mill

Eardington, Bridgnorth

Shropshire, WV16 5JL

Map and Hours

Squash Trellis: Updated!

2011-09-20T00:04:00.002-04:00

Trellis' seem to be a favorite topic of gardeners as the search for space to grow just one more thing continues. Farmers and growers in Japan and Tokyo have pondered the same question for generations. Here's one of the solutions spotted at a nearby farm.

As a self-confessed vegetable geek who helps at an organic farm in Tokyo and has a garden, I still get an irresistible urge periodically to head out to the local vegetable stands to see what's on offer. Inevitably a good deal, I usually come away with a little Japanese practice, a recipe, and sometimes a new vegetable. The other day I came away with a new idea.

Reminiscent of the kiwi carport, this squash trellis is my new favorite find. (OK, it's not really a new idea, but it's the biggest trellis of its kind that I've ever seen and not uncommon on local farms.) Full green leaves fluttered along strong vines sporting not just the usual showy squash blossom but lovely, lovely squash in various stages of growth. Hanging at about head height they did seem like a bit of a hazard, but still stunningly beautiful. Surprisingly, there were no supports for the squash as I thought there might be, although I'm planning to head back again to see how it progresses. Metal poles with sturdy netting running across the top and down the sides made for a perfect little alcove. (I confess I was so transfixed by the squash that I didn't look to see if anything was growing underneath.)

Update: The area underneath is used to grow some winter greens when the squash is finished up. This last year I spotted cabbage happily growing in the space below.

The trellis itself runs along the south end of what is now a large and busy garden, but at one time must have been part of a much larger field. (I surmise this based on the size of the adjacent farmhouse and bamboo grove, both of which are some of the largest I've seen in this area.) A grape arbor with the ripening clusters in little white bags at the moment to protect them from greedy birds and bugs runs along the north end as does a rather long row of sunflowers. The associated vegetable stall while a bit out of the way, is still one of my favorites and always worth a visit.

Update: Another neighboring farm has a trellis made of the same heavy duty materials. The set up is permanent, which means the same crop is planted in the same place each year. This strikes me as risky for disease and pests, which is the only drawback of this kind of structure. On the other hand, the cucumber trellis we set up at our farm is not permanent. The ability to move it around from year to year while mildly tedious is probably safer in the long run.

London's Garden Museum

2011-09-19T00:03:00.000-04:00

While staying in London on this trip to England I had the great pleasure to visit The Garden Museum. One bridge over from Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the museum is a little green treasure. Dedicated to the history of gardening n England, it is utterly satisfying despite being such a small thing tackling such a large subject. In my few hours there, whole new worlds opened up and I found it rather challenging to leave even after I'd seen everything, eaten at the cafe, and done a bit of shopping.

The permanent collection includes a variety of items ranging from a catalog of John Tradescant the Elder's amazing collection of flora discovered while traveling in pursuit of new specimen's for his employers to a thumb pot (a watering can that released water only when the thumb is removed from the top) to an early lawn mower to a seed dispensing machine. Joining these items are an assortment of drawings and paintings of gardens and gardeners, tools for the working as well as the gentleman gardener, and special exhibitions.

Tradescant's catalog deserves a short word as it is thought to be the first of its kind to be published in Great Britain and it is the keystone around which the museum was formed. Published in 1656, this little volume recounts in short entries what must have been an extraordinary life of travel and adventure for the elder Tradescant and his son, John, who followed literally and figuratively in his father's green footsteps. The Garden Museum copy, once owned by diarist John Evelyn, sits rightfully untouchable in a light and temperature controlled space, but thankfully still readable. Peering in visitors can find for themselves what some of the specimens were and where they were collected. The museum's first acquisition, it was an absolutely thrilling read for a gardening geek like me.

The knot garden, through the cafe and out a back door, is another of the gems of the museum. As Big Ben chimed the hour I walked the paved paths past samples of some of the plants the Tradescant's collected as well as their grave. (Captain Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame is also buried here. According to a docent, he lived in the neighborhood after retirement and was an avid gardener in his own right.) Markers, of course, give common and Latin names as well as when the specimen was first collected and where it can be found. Regions represented include North America, West Asia, Europe, and even southern Turkey and Central Iran with dates ranging around the mid to late 1500's. It is staggering to imagine the journey out to find and gather it as well as the return journey with loads of plants, seeds, leaves, and flowers carefully stored in hopes of settling in a new home.

The museum cafe seems as popular as the museum itself. A steady stream of customers flocked in for a latte, a fat brownie or a vegetable tart with soup and salad. I opted for the butternut squash and leek soup with a slice of fresh bread with a plate of one of the more unique looking salads I'd ever seen. Peas, baby radicchio and chard, string beans, red onion, and a few arugula leaves all drizzled with olive oil were the perfect companion to my lovely deep bowl of squashy-leeky goodness. (I still regret not asking for the recipe.) If the series of talks, events, garden tours, and upcoming exhibits wouldn't be enough to make me a regular, the cafe would certainly seal the deal.

From my spot I surveyed the reading tables on the central floor and the gift shop offering an excellent range of gardening books, postcards, seeds, and other gifts of the useful and fun variety. Long wooden reading tables for adults and children alike spread evenly across the hardwood floor making it easy for someone even remotely enthusiastic about gardening to want to while away the hours reading and exploring. Needless to say, I did eventually have to leave, but it wasn't easy.

The Garden Museum

Lambeth Palace Road

London SE1 7LB

Satoyama: Japan's Sustainable Farming Philosophy

2011-09-18T00:01:00.002-04:00

Roaming the hills and byways of Shropshire these past weeks means steeping myself in one of England's loveliest areas. Full of farms and fields outlined with deep green hedges and dark stone walls and dotted with sheep and hay bales it's easy to see how something like the Ludlow Food Festival could bloom here.

And it's got me thinking about all things agricultural, especially as an article I recently wrote about satoyama, a traditional Japanese farming practice, for Eco+Waza is still rolling through my mind. The slightly wild edge of well-ordered fields, satoyama is often thought of as a managed forest ring around farm fields. Trees would be harvested for fuel as well as construction, while wild animals also used it as a food and shelter source. It would have been carefully used as a kind of common space by everyone in the village, but always with an eye out for avoiding overuse. Destruction of even one part of the system would mean a collapse of the whole. My scavenging of raspberries, sloes, and damsons from the hedgerows as we walk the footpaths, ancient right of ways as one of my friends said recently, lacing the region is perhaps a (delicious!) way to partake in a similar tradition here.

C-Cafe's September Organic Buffet

2011-09-17T00:01:00.002-04:00

Just in case folks are looking for something a little unique to do this weekend, I'd like to suggest C-Cafe's Sunday Organic Buffet. It's all-you-can-eat all-organic all-local food for the lovely price of 1,000yen, and I promise you won't be disappointed. Feast on seasonal dishes of extraordinary flavor and creativeness, and please don't forget to try the curry. It's seriously one of the most wonderful things I've ever eaten, and that includes my mother's meatloaf as well as her coffeecake. I'd also recommend wearing something with a comfortable waistband. It's that good.

Mitaka's C-Cafe

Sunday, September 18th

11:30am - 2pm

1,000 yen

Access Information

Photo Note: A close-up of Silent Cafe's banana milk and perfectly sweet cookies. More yumminess!

Tokyo Farmer's Markets: September 17th and 18th

2011-09-16T00:05:00.003-04:00

A little more action in terms of farmer's markets this weekend! Grab a shopping bag and head on out to explore the city and get some good fresh vegetables. Remember, too, that markets are a fun place to take visitors whether from abroad or just another city in Japan. The UN University Night Market is an especially unique outing, and Kichijoji in general never disappoints.

Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th

11am to 5pm

Saturday, September 17th

- until 8pm!

Every Saturday in September

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in September

11am to 5pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in September

10am to 4pm

This week's photo is from our visit to Nemuro in Hokkaido. A community gathering to remember the loss of the Kuril Islands after the war and the struggle to get them back from Russia sported some local food and this vegetable truck. Nemuro is primarily a fishing area with fierce winds and unpredictable weather year-round, so gardening and farming is pretty challenging. All of the produce on this truck came from other parts of the island.

Footpath Harvest

2011-09-15T00:05:00.001-04:00

Confession: I'm cheating a bit here, and back-dating this post. We've been having such a great time exploring England - London to Shropshire to Herefordshire - that I've got more than enough to write about and not enough days to do it in. And I still have some great spots to share that we visited during our bike tour in Hokkaido. Such a difficult life I lead...

England, thankfully, is riddled with footpaths. These ancient rite-of-ways, as a good friend called them during a recent outing, are a real treasure. Not only do they afford a fantastic way to explore the countryside as well as a handy shortcut through the village, but this time of year they overflow with damson plums, black raspberries, sloes, as well as an assortment of apples and pears. So far we've made two fruit crumbles, a.k.a. fruit crisps - one with red and green plums as well as apples, and one with just apples - with another on the menu for tonight. (I think we'll give damsons a go in this one, and see what we get.) Jane made a beautiful batch of damson gin (the drink that started my love affair with that particular fruit and perhaps inspired all the shus I've since made), and we're contemplating damson cheese, too. (The sample we tried at the Ludlow Food Festival proved inspiring, to say the least. Damson cheese is, essentially, a fruit butter poured into a mold and served up in slabs like cheese.) No wonder my pants feel a bit more snug.

Guest Post: Kris Bordessa's Chorizo-Tortilla Soup

2011-09-14T00:00:00.002-04:00

I 'met' Kris Bordessa during the 2011 Blogathon this past May. Discovering other bloggers and new blogs, is one of the great pleasures of participating in events like the Blogathon, and Attainable Sustainable is no exception. Following is a guest post from Kris detailing one of her yummy recipes. Enjoy!

(Photo of an assortment of peppers we grew on the farm last year as an experiment. Hot times, indeed!)

When people think about Hawaii, they generally imagine warm, palm lined beaches with an ‘ukulele playing Hawaiian music in the background. (Right?) But that’s not always the case. I live at the 1,000-foot elevation where it’s lush and green and mild. But this summer has been unseasonably wet and cool. In spite of our tropical location, I find myself serving soup a couple of times a week.

One of our favorites is a spicy soup with a Mexican flair. It’s easy to put together (especially if you have a food processor for chopping the vegetables) and utilizes tomatoes and peppers straight from my garden.

Chorizo-Tortilla Soup

1 teaspoon olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 green bell pepper, finely chopped

3 oz cooked chorizo or vegetarian Soyrizo

3 cups finely diced or crushed tomatoes

2 cups chicken broth

½ - 1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

tortilla chips (the remains of the bag work well)

3/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, garlic, bell pepper, and chorizo. Saute until onions start to brown. Add the tomatoes, broth, and pepper flakes. Simmer on low heat for an hour. Stir in the cilantro. Divide soup between 4 bowls and top with tortilla chips and cheese. If you have teens as I do, or like leftovers, I recommend doubling this recipe.

This recipe works well in a slow cooker, too. Simply combine sauteed ingredients, tomatoes, broth, and pepper flakes in a slow cooker and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

###

Kris Bordessa lives on an island and dislikes depending on a barge for her needs. She strives daily toward a more self-sufficient lifestyle, writing about her successes (and failures) at Attainable Sustainable.

Ludlow Food Festival: Still Full Two Days Later

2011-09-13T00:08:00.004-04:00

Good friends of ours took us to one of their favorite local events this past weekend: the Ludlow Food Festival. In it's 17th year, the festival takes place inside as well as outside Ludlow Castle grounds, and showcases a huge variety of foods all produced locally. Foodie or local food enthusiast or farmer this festival is testimony to how much great food can come from one region. I was stunned, stuffed, and thrilled to have been able to attend. When we next come to the festival, it will be for all three days. And with a planned exercise regime. I believe I gained three pounds in cheese samples alone.

It is also testimony (any one in Detroit reading?) what an economic engine food can be. While these folks won't get super rich, they can support themselves doing something they love. As a community development geek with vegetables at heart, it was inspiring to see how one town built on an agricultural and food heritage (and a very nice castle ruin) to become a buzzing hub of yumminess in all price ranges that people come from far and wide to savor. I'm not from Ludlow nor am I English, but I was very proud of what I saw there.

The pleasure of such festivals, of course, is not just the food. It is the opportunity to meet and talk with the people who grow, produce, make, and concoct the fine foods on the table before us. I learned how cider is made (not just any apple will do, apparently), that there is a wild boar farm not far from here (lock your doors, please), and that damson plums make a fine ketchup. I was stunned at the level of enthusiasm the vendors maintained to the last moment of what must have been an intense three days of customer interaction.

Here are a few highlights.

Cider. From Ralph's to Oliver's to Rosie's, there was more cider than it was possible to sip in a single day, although my husband certainly gave it a good try. Who knew there was such a thing as a cider apple containing the yeast and sugar already? Who knew that cider stored in old rum barrels could be so lovely? Or that 300 kilograms of apples would make 45 gallons of this appley delight?

Cheese. Welsh, farmhouse, cheddar, damson, and more passed my lips and filled my bag by the end of the day. An amazing array of flavors and textures that I can't even begin to describe were on display and getting scarfed up by attendees standing three and four deep. I'm heading back to the Ludlow Food Centre, though, for their cheddar. A pretty yellow cheese rippled with blue the flavor is both strong and subtle, and good enough to draw me back over Clee Hill to make a purchase.

Preserves. Damson, greengauge, rhubarb marmalade, picalilly, mustard, and chutneys galore were out in their finest to tempt and seduce. While I fell rather hard for Ludlow Jam Pan's damson ketchup, I opted for their damson jam. (Damson's are, literally and figuratively, a sweet little plum I fell for three years ago, and I've not looked back since.) Sadly, I was too full by the end of our day to even think of buying a jar of What A Pickle's Tomato Chilli Jam, but I did love the sample.

Sausage, salami, and pie. Wild boar, venison, pork, pork and leek, and more were just a few of the savory sausage samples sending our taste buds soaring. Pie Mania's uniquely flavored Thai Chook Pie (free range chicken, fragrant Thai green curry, sweet potato and lime) had us all swooning as did Legges of Bromyard wild boar and pork sausages.

Vegetables and fruit. Fresh produce did not dominate this festival, although it was certainly present. Where, after all, do all these good things come from if not raw ingredients? A friend shared some of Lane Cottage's tomatoes, which had me hopping over to their booth to marvel at their kale, marrow, carrots, and other lovelies. Purple curly kale is a new variety for me, so we came home with heaps of it and some dinosaur, too. Court Farm's fruit caught my eye at the end of the day, and I came away happily loaded down with plums, raspberries, and strawberries but interesting facts about their varieties and growing practices. (Marjory Seedling came as a recommended plum variety, and the one I tried was perfect.)

Meringue, black pudding, ales, liqueurs, smoked garlic and onions, granola, cakes, olives, oils, books and more were also in abundance, but I couldn't get to them all as much as I tried. Despite that, it was a fantastic day of eating, drinking, learning, and fun. Would I go again? Without a doubt. Would I recommend it? Definitely.

Serving Up Purple Carrot Greens: Reprise

2011-09-12T00:10:00.004-04:00

When I first published this post last year I blithely commented that the next time I visited England I'd visit the carrot museum. Well, as this goes up I'm trotting about that fair isle, but since realized it's digital! (Mild embarrassment there.) All of that aside, this is a recipe I regularly serve and savor. It's so satisfying to use the whole plant, even though I don't mind turning things over to my friends in the compost bin. Munch away!

A friend once observed that I have an almost absurd penchant for purple vegetables. Purple cabbage is (or at least was in America) a regular ingredient in our salads. Beets are a favorite in any way, shape, or form, although beet caviar remains my favorite version. Purple basil - also known as Opal - has found it's way into my garden or flowerpots regularly, and the purple bloom of bergamont is rather tasty, too.

So, it's no surprise that on a visit to the Ebisu Farmer's Market when I spotted a display of purple carrots I veritably dashed over for a closer look. So dark they almost looked black, they stood in stark contrast to their lush green tops. Their orange neighbor carrots seemed rather dull in comparison. If their earthier taste wasn't enough to sell me, it was their appearance upon slicing that really took my breath away: a center burst of white surrounded by deep purple.

According to The Carrot Museum website, the first known cultivated carrots came from Afghanistan and were purple. Orange didn't come on the scene until sometime in the 1500's, and by then yellow and red carrots were also available. This particular cultivar may not be quite that old, but I like to imagine it's forebears made their way here on assorted trade vessels long ago. As a root vegetable, I presume it traveled well, and would been one of the few "fresh" things sailors might have eaten.

The Leaves

As the title suggests, though, the greens also got my attention. Usually, I simply cut them off and send them off to the compost bin. But these seemed so verdant and I noticed as I moved them about they gave off a scent reminiscent of shungiku. Could it be?

Any other deep green green is deemed incredibly edible, good for you, and profoundly delicious. Our garden and menu often includes kale, komatsuna, shungiku, spinach, broccoli (even the leaves), and others of that ilk. More and more studies show that leafy green vegetables arebeneficial in a variety of ways (fending off diabetes and assorted cancers, maintaining vision, staving off heart disease and high blood pressure, great sources of calcium, etc., etc.) and that anywhere from five to 25 cups of them (as well as other fruits and vegetables) need to be eaten in a day. (Check out this great alternative food pyramid from the University of Michigan. More attractive than it's government counterpart, it's also more sensible.) For me, these are all side benefits of the fact that they are incredibly tasty.

I liked the idea, too, of using all of a plant and leaving nothing to waste. (I'm channeling Emma Cooper here, perhaps, whose book The Alternative Kitchen Garden I reviewed.) The leaves, again according to The Carrot Museum in the UK (a next vacation destination if ever there was one!), are edible, nutritious, and full of everything a body needs. I fingered these lovely leaves thoughtfully for a moment, and then decided to charge forward with a grand experiment. Why not make them just as I do Goma Ai Shungiku?

The Results

Using the chrysanthemum recipe for cooking the carrot greens offered mixed results. The stems close to the carrot itself were quite thick and required a bit more cooking time. The feathery parts of the leaves and nearby stem were delicious, although they also would have benefited from a slightly longer cooking time. I would suggest cooking them for 90 seconds or even a full two minutes. I'll be trying this again, and will post results of future experiments.

A Few More Resources

Darya Pino over at Summer Tomato wrote this piece on the myth of super foods that offers good advice for thinking of food as not just nutrients, but as food and the power of eating a diverse diet of whole foods.

Purple carrots aren't new to the world, but knowledge of their specific health benefits is. This article, suggests they may be the next super food for their antioxidant properties. (Make sure you read Darya's article first, please!)

This recipe for purple carrot and purslane salad sounded lovely. I've already imagined replacing the pine nuts with walnuts, making the feta cheese soft tofu instead, and using rice vinegar rather than red wine vinegar for the dressing. (It also appeals to me as purslane is one of those unsung garden heroes, in my opinion.)

London's Borough Market: A Quick Visit

2011-09-11T00:01:00.000-04:00

Any vacation of mine is surely going to include vegetables and a trip to a food market of some kind. Matron from Down at the Allotment tipped me off to London's Borough Market, a bustling market place near the heart of the city that brims with vendors, vegetables, and treats of all kinds. Despite a short and fast visit, I managed to come away with the usual armload of bags of scrumptious things. Here are a few of the highlights.

Heirloom apples and tomatoes. I'd not forgotten about tomatoes, of course, but I had somehow forgotten the signature taste of apples in fall. Japanese apples tend to be monster fruits with pretty good flavor, but those I've had so far don't compare remotely even to the windfalls from a house down the road from where we are staying. A variety of flavors and textures and colors all remind me of the season I am enjoying this very moment.

French breakfast radishes. I have read any number of blog posts and articles about this little vegetable, but never eaten them. This bundle looked too good to pass up, and since I was strolling the market with Delphine Cheng of Le Panier de Piu it seemed only appropriate to purchase some. She recommended eating them with a bit of butter and some bread, which we did the very next morning. That little bite with the creamy butter was almost as a good a start to my day as that first cup of coffee.

Bread. Good pastry and cakes are easy to find in Japan, but good bread can be a challenge. This was an item on my agenda for this trip, and the market featured any number of bakers selling all sorts of yeasty things. My favorite, though, turned out to be the flowerpot loaves from The Honest Carrot. Baked right in the flowerpot ( a brilliant idea if ever there was one!) loaves came large or small, whole wheat or white. Adorable as well as yummy and clever. (See top photo.)

Truffles. Again, I'd never eaten a truffle or properly seen one despite reading a number of odes to them. Delphine zeroed in on this jar immediately, and we went in for a sniff. As she lifted her head from jar Delphine said without hesitation that this was the smell of the forest in France. Pungent and smokey, I could only imagine what the flavor must be.

Baklava. It seems only appropriate that one of the first vendors we came across sold this dessert. This weekend Sybil and Maan host their annual lamb roast, and once again we are far away. Lamb, hummous, tabouleh, Maan's beans, and a variety of sweets will deck the tables before sunset and the leavings will be just as good for the clean-up crew the next day.

Planning to go?

Borough Market

Tube: London Bridge

Thursday: 11am - 5pm

Friday: 12pm - 6pm

Saturday: 8am - 5pm

Tokyo Farmer's Markets: September 10th and 11th markets

2011-09-09T00:03:00.005-04:00

The first week of September was chock full of markets, and this weekend feels a bit slower. My advice would be to check the status of the Ebisu Market, too. It may have cropped up on the calendar since this post was scheduled. That's always a fun one in a nifty part of town. Otherwise, head on out to explore and see what vegetable adventures there are to be had!

Every Saturday in September

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in September

11am to 5pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in September

10am to 4pm

Today's photo is from our trip to the Fuji Five Lakes in July, and has my mouth watering at the memory of those lovely peaches. Wasteful as they are, I do find their little styrofoam sweaters rather cute, too.

Maan's Beans: Tomatoes and Green Beans Meet Garlic

2011-09-07T00:09:00.004-04:00

While I'm on vacation for a bit - England rather than Hokkaido this time - I'm bringing forward posts that readers seem to head for most often. This one, it is no surprise, is a regular favorite. The dish, lab-man in Lebanese, is a favorite of mine and is truly as much a taste of home as my mother's meatloaf. There's a fair amount of olive oil, but it's well-balanced by the feast of garlic that goes with it. Enjoy!

Our neighbors, Sybil and Maan, are famous for their food. One cannot enter their home without finding a dish of tasty nuts, a warm bowl of soup, or a plate of hummus and tabbouleh. Their annual lamb roast is an event we scheduled our Michigan lives around, and a dinner invitation is never declined. (They are also incredible company, so it's not just the food we go for.) The best is when Maan lets you help make the dish of the day. My favorite memories undoubtedly include watching my olive oil soaked hands disappear into the verdant green of parsley, mint, garlic, tomato and bulgur to mix the neighborhood favorite - tabbouleh.

So, at a gathering of the Michigan Lady Food Bloggers the theme for the potluck was Summer in January. I wanted to use some of the canned goods I was trying to work my way through. Berries and fruit were covered - strawberry shortcake, homemade ice cream, a berry crisp - so vegetables seemed a good choice. Then I spotted the jars of tomatoes and green beans. Instantly, I saw it. Maan's green beans and tomatoes bubbling away in a big pot.

Maan makes this dish with fresh green beans and tomatoes, and lots and lots of garlic. It is, of course, best when all the ingredients are fresh and brought over from Frog Holler Organic Farm down the way. I used my canned beans and tomatoes, and the "lots and lots of garlic." (While the rest of America might be slowly turning into corn, Maan is quite possibly turning into garlic and thankfully taking the neighborhood with him.)

Maan's Green Beans (offered with permission)
2 quarts canned tomatoes
4 pints canned green beans (hold back the juice)
Medium onion, chopped
Two heads of garlic, peeled*
2 small cans of tomato paste
Salt
Olive oil
*Maan has left the garlic unpeeled in the past making for a fun exercise while eating this dish.

Saute the onions in olive oil until they are very brown, nearly caramelized. And use a generous amount of olive oil to do so. Then plop in the tomatoes and tomato paste, the beans, the garlic, and the salt. Bring it to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Salt to taste. When the beans are fresh, simmer until they are well done. When the beans are canned, simmer until the garlic is soft and you can't wait anymore. I left it for about five hours, but it was even better the next day after more time sitting. If you make it early in the day it could be perfect for an evening meal. Best if eaten with fresh pita bread, but tasty on its own or served over rice.

September Farmer's Markets

2011-09-02T00:04:00.002-04:00

September promises (maybe) cooler temperatures and a gradual switch from summer produce to fall favorites. I can almost taste those first leaves of komatsuna, karashina, and arugula now...but I'm getting ahead of myself. As always, there's more good farmer's market opportunities in Tokyo than one might have ever imagined possible in this megalopolis. Markets here, just as they are anywhere else in the world, are a great chance to explore, meet people, practice language, and create little bits of community while talking food. Sounds like heaven to me.

Sun Grocery in Shinjuku

Saturday, September 3rd

Still no time listed, but I'd bet on 11am to 3pm.

Nishi Sugami Earthday Market

Sunday, September 4th

12pm to 5pm

A new one for me, but I imagine it to be something like the Shinonome Market: small but good.

Saturday, September 17th and Sunday, September 18th

11am to 5pm

Saturday, September 17th

- until 8pm!

Earthday Market

Sunday, September 25th

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday in September

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in September

11am to 5pm

Every Saturday and Sunday in September

10am to 4pm

Today's photo comes from June at the farm when beans (engen) were in full swing. The fall planting is in, but August's high temperatures may have struck the seeds too hard. I'm feeling hopeful, and so am posting this picture.

Hokkaido Expedition: Biking to Hamanaka

2011-08-31T00:04:00.000-04:00

After the grilled oysters in Akeshi and a little exploring around the area, we unfolded the bikes and loaded them up to began the ride to Hamanaka. We weren't entirely sure how long the nearly 40 km ride would take, but we were eager to see more of the amazing coastline. Our previous vacations and weekend trips usually focus on mountains or urban hiking, so this adventure along the coast was new territory.

Our road (covered with broken seashells that presented a unique biking hazard) took us past fishing villages large and small, and while there were some hills this leg wasn't too bad. The scenery, when visible, was extraordinary. The coast here is full of steep cliffs and rocky outcrops carved by the sea, and we marveled at the tiny villages with their huge konbu drying fields (large spaces made of gray stones that we first took for parking lots) that we passed. It seemed as though high tide surely must come right to the doorstep.

A cloudy day perfect for biking, our way alternately ventured past the ocean and through forest. We stopped to admire the blooming cliff-top meadow of Akeshi's Ayami Prefectural Park with it's horses and stunning ocean views that faded in and out of view. It felt like the clouds came and settled on us as we walked, and sure enough shortly after we started biking again the rain began.

Mitaka's Organic Food Gem: C-Cafe's Sunday Organic Lunch

2011-08-27T00:01:00.001-04:00

If you're not headed out to a farmer's market this weekend, another great option for Tokyo-ites is C-Cafe in Mitaka. The third Sunday of each month they host an outstanding organic buffet (tabe-hodai or all-you-you-can-eat) for a mere 1,000 yen. Featuring vegetables from a local organic farm, it's hard to beat for flavor, health, and fun. And while it is a bit out of the way, Keta-san's curry is enough reward for the effort you'll expend.

Check out my article over at Eco+Waza describing it, and then mark your calendar for the September buffet! You'll be glad you did.

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: August 27th and August 28th

2011-08-26T00:01:00.000-04:00

The last weekend in August finds many of the regular markets still underway and sporting transitional fare. Squash are just coming on the scene while tomatoes exit. Eggplants aren't quite the center stage players they were a bit ago, although we'll be seeing them until November's chill winds arrive to redirect the action. Check out Roppongi's handbell choir and hula dance group, and venture off to the others, too, to see what's underway!

Every Saturday (except for the 13th!)

10am to 2pm

This Saturday, August 27th will feature a handbell choir as well as a hula dance troupe. Vegetables aside, that combination alone makes it worth the journey.

Every Saturday and Sunday

11am to 5pm

Every Saturday and Sunday

10am to 4pm

Know of any other markets? Give me a shout!

Hokkaido Expedition: Akeshi Oyster Grilling

2011-08-25T00:08:00.000-04:00

This year's Hokkaido adventure took us from Kushiro's byways and sashimi to Akeshi. A bit further along the coast, this port town is most famous for oysters and some stunning coastal scenery. Our campsite (this time regular not urban) was near the base of one of the best viewpoints in the area, and we soaked in one of our first long views of the magnificent shoreline.

Thanks to some fellow campers we also got a taste of some of those oysters. We arrived in wind and rain to set up our tent and contemplate dinner. In a not at all unusual turn of events, once the folks making dinner in a nearby picnic shelter spotted us they invited us to join them. We gratefully accepted and brought along our meager offerings of instant noodles and cup sake.

Japan likes to grill, and will take any opportunity to cook over open flame. It is another of the great surprises we've had since coming here. Everything from chicken to beef to vegetables to internal organs (horimon) to seafood is fair game. This time Akeshi's famous oysters and a few scallops were on the menu.

Preparation was simple and straightforward: place oyster on hot grill. Turn periodically. Try to avoid the spit of liquid that fired out periodically. Crack open and serve piping hot on the half shell. Scallops underwent a similar process. Grilled on the half shell, we simply waited until the scallops bubbled and browned a bit before serving. Took the chill edge off that rainy evening in no time!

Hokkaido Expedition: Pickled Vegetables

2011-08-24T00:00:00.000-04:00

As I mentioned in the previous post about Kushiro's Washo Ichiban, we found a vendor selling an extraordinary variety of pickled vegetables but wouldn't allow photos. Such is life. If there is anything we love it's a good pickle, and so we scooped up a samples of whole garlic cloves pickled in red shiso, dried daikon pickled in a sweet brine with a bit of togarashi, and round green eggplants with a taste that defies description except for yummy. (I confess we ate all the garlic before remembering to take a photo. It was that good.)

We wanted more - sakezuke, at least one of the wide selection of kimchi's, cucumber in miso, mushrooms in some kind of lovely brine - but bicycle touring means limited space even for delightful food bits. I suppose it's good to leave some parts of the pickle frontier untasted for the future.

Hokkaido Expedition: Washo Ichiban Sashimi Feast

2011-08-23T00:07:00.000-04:00

Hokkaido is known for many things, but the first thing many Japanese people will mention right after they say how beautiful the island is is the seafood. They lean forward a bit and say with great passion: "The seafood is very good, very fresh." And as one of the world's leading consumers of fish as well as fishing, the Japanese should know.

Since this year's visit focused on the eastern coast of the island, we decided it was time to finally sample some of the island's famed fare. A friend recommended visiting Washo Ichiban not far from Kushiro's port. Here a visitor could wander aisles of any number of sashimi vendors to eyeball and choose whatever piece of fish looked the most delectable. A diner might sample the day away trying fish not found in other parts of the country, or in our case never seen before in our little part of the Midwest.

We remained relatively tame with samples of salmon, tuna, squash (a vegetable geek even when surrounded by fish), sanma (in season at the moment), and aji. Other diners all around us, though, were not so shy and we saw bowls heaped with squid, crab (also in season at the moment), octopus, and other fish I've never met joyously devoured in short order.

This little indoor fish market also offered up other famous Hokkaido delicacies: a zillion different varieties of seaweed, cheese, fruit, fish jerky, and pickled fish. One stall sold perhaps some of the most amazing pickles I've ever had, but unfortunately photos weren't allowed. They were delicious, though, with our camp lunch the next day!

Washo Ichiban

10am - 6pm Daily

Buy a bowl of rice as big or little as you wish, and start wandering the aisles.

Steps from Kushiro Station.

Hokkaido Expedition: Kushiro Farm Stand

2011-08-22T00:02:00.000-04:00

After our train ride adventure, we landed in Kushiro: a small port town on Hokkaido's east side famous for seafood and it's proximity to the magnificent wetlands. We unfolded the bikes and started roaming through town. Along the way we found this little farm complete with work horse.

Little, actually, is not quite the right adjective. Covering roughly two city blocks the farm is a series of greenhouses holding tomatoes, sweetcorn, eggplant, and cucumbers. Outdoor beds held more sweetcorn and zucchini, and some sported freshly tilled soil waiting for the next round of planting.

The mother and son team we chatted with that day were selling lovely bunches of asters, deep green bundles of spinach, cucumbers, still-dirty carrots, and a nice variety of tomatoes. We picked up some of all except for the flowers (not practical on a bike tour), and bit into a Momotaro Gold Tomato - a new medium-sized orange-gold variety - on the spot. While we ate, we learned the farm had been going for nearly seventy years, a relatively young age for Japan, but not unusual for this somewhat late land acquisition. Loaded up with vegetables for the rest of the day, we pedaled off!

Hokkaido Expedition: Trackside Gardens

2011-08-21T00:03:00.000-04:00

Let me start by saying it's very difficult to take a good photo from a moving train. Some of these are blurry, but I'm sharing them because I loved seeing these little gardens as we rolled through cities, towns, villages, and hamlets. I was particularly struck by the fact that, as always, no space goes unused.

Right next to the tracks often were gardens full of scarlet runner beans, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, eggplants, shiso, and heaps of cosmos, sunflowers, and petunias to name only a few. I was reminded a bit of the colorful patchwork of tiny backyard gardens I saw in London years ago from the train. These gardens, though, occurred in even the remotest of areas where it would seem there should be plenty of space elsewhere.

For more regular updates on our recent Hokkaido adventure, check out my Twitter page.

Hokkaido Expedition: Train Station Soba

2011-08-20T00:06:00.001-04:00

We started our trip by folding up the bikes and hopping on a series of local trains to take to Kushiro in Eastern Hokkaido to visit the Shitsugen or wetlands that are home to the Red-Crowned Crane or Sarurunkamui. At one of the stations we had a few moments to step out and stretch our legs, and to sample some local soba.

Most stations offer some kind of bento - ekiben - and are often famous for a particular type (Shinjuku purportedly makes a mean fried chicken), but we usually have an onigiri or two on hand. The smell wafting out the window of the little soba shop at this station, though, proved too much. We gave in and shared a bowl of sansai (mountain or wild vegetable) added to a steaming broth and good thick soba noodles. Served up fresh and steaming in a blink of an eye in a styrofoam bowl (the only bummer about the dish, really) it is incredibly cheap (350 yen), ridiculously delicious, and tremendously satisfying.

Tokyo's Farmer's Markets: August 20th and August 21st

2011-08-19T00:04:00.002-04:00

Heaps of markets this August weekend means heaps of vegetables and fruits. Note the events at the Roppongi Market, a slightly different weekend for the Earth Day Market, and the UN University Night Market is this weekend, too. Plenty of opportunity to stock up on summer favorites as the season for many is coming to a close!

Every Saturday (except for the 13th!)

10am to 2pm

This Saturday, August 20th will be Cooking for the First Time workshops for whipper snappers.

Kichijoji Farmer's Market

Every Saturday and Sunday

11am to 5pm

Saturday, August 20th and Sunday, August 21st

11am to 5pm

Sunday, August 21st

10am to 4pm

Every Saturday and Sunday

10am to 4pm

A short visit last month showed heaps of new vendors!

Saturday, August 20th

-until 8pm

Rock out with good music and your favorite vegetables and fruit until all of 8pm.

Photo: Toziba's hand-woven dishcloths give even the dirtiest dish a good cleansing. Check them out this weekend at the Earth Day Market!

Know of any other markets? Give me a shout!

Hokkaido Expedition: After Square One

2011-08-18T00:12:00.000-04:00

Posts have been sparse these past days since leaving Square One to begin bike touring in Eastern Hokkaido. Our expedition is rather make-shift in all regards: folding bikes with added on baskets, urban and regular camping, local train only travel via juhachi kippu, Couchsurfing, Rider Houses, and, of course, plenty of visits to local gardens, national parks, farmers, and out-of-the-way food places. Internet and cell phone connections are sparse, so I've been trying to Tweet as much as I can, and taking copious notes and photos along the way. It's been amazingly beautiful and interesting, and I'm in slightly better shape now to boot. What more could a girl ask of vacation?

(Although, I would be happy to omit the two recent earthquakes near where we are staying. That's an adventure I'm not interested at the moment.)

Tokyo Farmer's Markets: August 13th and 14th

2011-08-12T00:05:00.000-04:00

Tokyo gets a bit quiet in August as people head back to their hometowns for Obon celebrations. Some Tokyoites say it's the best time to be here as the city gets a little quieter, and the trains less crowded. What it also means is that there's less of a fight over that last lovely red tomato at the August farmer's markets!

Gyre Farmer's Market

Saturday, August 13th and Sunday, August 14th*

*Careful on this one. The calendar says both days but the text at the top only lists one. Perhaps plan to head over the hill to Shibuya (a very pleasant walk) and the UN University Market, too.

Every Saturday (except for the 13th!)

10am to 2pm

Every Saturday and Sunday

11am to 5pm

Every Saturday and Sunday

10am to 4pm

Know of any other markets? Give me a shout!

Sumomo Shu: Another Jar 'Plum' Full of Winter Warmth

2011-08-11T00:03:00.003-04:00

Like all the rhubarb and blueberry shus underway for the year, this one is an experiment in fruit. I'd ventured down to the July Earth Day Market with a good friend to interview Takashi Watanabe from Toziba about his Daizu Revolution, and was pleasantly surprised to see so much fruit on offer in addition to the usual round of vegetables. (A quick side note: Don't forget to check out the markets for August and notice a few schedule changes due to the Obon holidays.)

Peaches (mom0 in Japanese), prunes (a dusky hued plum), and plums (sumomo) sat fat and sassy in their crates just waiting to be scooped up. Last year they would have inspired visions of jam in my head, but this year my brain is turning to shu. (No intended double meaning intended there.) Energy concerns, summer's ridiculously high temperatures, and a lack of time as the semester ended with writing deadlines and packing for Hokkaido to be done, shu seemed a logical choice.

Sumomo or Prunus triflora, are a species of plum found in Asia and usually smaller than their American cousins. A little research tells me the half-ripe plums are usually turned into shu, which would be in keeping with what I know about ume, too. The ones I purchased at the market were quite fat, more in keeping with the American varieties I know, and terrifically sweet and ripe. In American Gardening (1891, A.T. De La Marre Printing and Publishing), there is a hint about making a vinegar as well, which sounds intriguing. For now, I'm sticking with simple shu.

Sumomo Shu

1 kilogram sumomo (plums)

700 grams rock sugar*

1.8 liters white liquor

Soak the plums for a few hours in order to soften the stems for removal. Meanwhile, give the jar (a four liter one in my case) a good scrub and dousing with a freshly boiled kettle of water. Dip each plum in the liquor as a sort of quick disinfectant, and place in the jar immediately. Plop in the sugar and pour on the liquor. Cap and tuck away until winter. Try to remember to give it a good shake every so often to help ensure mixing of the ingredients, and to check out how things are progressing.

A Few Thoughts and a Question

In hindsight, I do wish I'd tossed in a few star anise and a cinnamon stick or two. My hunch is that these would make a lovely flavor with the plums. Ever tried something like that? I'd love to hear more.

Green Beans ala Square One

2011-08-09T00:06:00.001-04:00

One of the pleasures of being in Hokkaido is the food. While seafood and ramen are high on the culinary list of most visitors, I'm more about the fresh fruit and vegetables. Muskmelon are in season at the moment, and watermelon are lurking nearby, too, although my daily rounds of nearby vegetable stands have yet to yield either of those. (I need to get out there a little bit earlier, I think, but my excuse is that I am on vacation.)

What I am finding heaps of are tomatoes, pima (sweet green peppers), cucumbers, zucchini of all types, greens, and green beans. Green beans finished up a few weeks ago at our farm, and so it's a pleasure to be able to plop a bag or two in my bike basket once again. Yet, staying at someone else's house means my usual set of ingredients are not on hand, and so a little improvisation was required. Here are the results.

Green Beans ala Square One

1 bunch of green beans (about 200-300 grams)

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon maple syrup

1 1/2 Tablespoon minced garlic

Wash and trim the ends off the beans while bringing a pan of water to boil. Plop in the beans once a good rolling boil occurs, and cook them for about four minutes. Drain (save that water for the beginnings of a tasty soup base!), plop in a bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly and eat. Can also be chilled, if you can wait that long.

Tokyo's August Farmer's Markets

2011-08-05T00:05:00.007-04:00

Forecasts are calling for a cooler August, which means the season's bounty might stretch out a bit longer. Tomatoes and eggplants will carry on strong, although the former may begin to disappear by the month's end. Squash and garlic should still be around to turn the mind to cooler season's and tasty dishes like houtou udon. Before turning on the stove though to whip up a batch, give that watermelon or sweet corn a second look. They'll be gone before you know it!

SUN Grocery's Noni-Shinjuku Market

Every Saturday (except for the 13th!)

10am to 2pm

It looks like Saturday, August 20th will be Cooking for the First Time workshops for whipper snappers, and August 27th will feature a handbell choir as well as a hula dance troupe. Vegetables aside, that combination alone makes it worth the journey.

Saturday, August 6th

No time listed, but between 11am and 3pm sounds like a safe bet to me!

Ebisu Farmer's Market

Sunday, August 7th

11am to 5pm

Only one this month due to the scheduled Obon Holidays, so load up your shopping bag while you can!

Gyre Farmer's Market

Saturday, August 13th and Sunday, August 14th*

*Careful on this one. The calendar says both days but the text at the top only lists one. Perhaps plan to head over the hill to Shibuya (a very pleasant walk) and the UN University Market, too.

Kichijoji Farmer's Market

Every Saturday and Sunday

11am to 5pm

A great little market to visit! My write-up should be appearing in the ether soon to fill folks in on what's there, what I got to try, and what I'd love to go back to sample.

Saturday, August 20th and Sunday, August 21st

11am to 5pm

Small but packed with punch this market is sure to satisfy, although you may have to fight the crowds making their way to Inokashira Park.

Sunday, August 21st

10am to 4pm

All organic and fair trade all the time. One of the happiest places I know of in Tokyo, too!

Every Saturday and Sunday

10am to 4pm

A short visit last month showed heaps of new vendors!

Saturday, August 20th

-until 8pm

Rock out with good music and your favorite vegetables and fruit until all of 8pm.

Know of any other markets? Give me a shout!

Latest Installment in the Shu Chronicles: Blueberry

2011-08-03T00:03:00.002-04:00

A local farm literally only a few blocks away sells blueberries by the tubful. There's also a U-Pick option, which sounds lovely but doesn't work with my schedule. Their business is a bit up this year as most people who would normally travel to Gunma, Ibaraki or other prefectures a bit north of Tokyo for a fruit vacation aren't because of concerns about radiation. Fruit growers, like tea farmers and so many others, have been hard hit by the Daiichi Power Plant crisis resulting from the March 11th Earthquake.

My motivation is vaguely similar at best. The blueberry patch at the farm lost out to dreams of expansion, and so I bought a small bush for the balcony. Clearly, though, that wasn't going to get me enough for jam any time soon, so I kept a watchful eye on the farm up the way. (They also have chickens, so I'm working on a relationship so I can beg some manure in the future.)

The berries are expensive (about 600 yen for 250 grams or upwards of $7.00), so I decided to freeze some and make blueberry shu out of the rest. I'd need a goodly number of berries for jam, and while I love the flavor I've also got to heed current calls for conservation. While the energy would be well-used, I can't quite justify it. Plus, it looks like we'll be needing to conserve into the winter months and it occurred to me that a pretty little glass of blueberry shu might warm me up as much as my long underwear.

Blueberry Shu

500 grams of blueberries

1.4 liters white alcohol

250 grams of rock sugar

I essentially followed the same recipe I used for the ume, yuzu, and rhubarb shus. Wash the jar, plop in the ingredients, screw on the lid, and wait. Our laundry area, a.k.a. the 'shu closet', is getting a bit crowded these days, but I can't resist a good experiment!

Note on the photos: The top photo is looking down into the jar. The smell was fantastic! The bottom photo is a side view of the jar to see how things are progressing after about ten days.

Monday's Sunday Reading, July 31st

2011-08-01T00:13:00.000-04:00

This week's round-up is slow in coming, but arrives nonetheless with the usual dose of mild wit, and one affirmative "Amen!"

And the "Amen!" goes to Richard Mabey's book Weeds: In Defense of Nature's Most Unloved Plants in which the reviewer writes: "Mabey reminds us with wry and subtle humor of weeds' usefulness: they stabilize soil, curb water loss, provide shelter for other plants and repair landscapes shattered by landslides, flood, fire, development and artillery." While I might mulch against them, I don't abhor them entirely, either. Some are pretty and attract pollinators, some are edible, and some simply must be admired for their tenacity.

Adrian Higgins offers an overview of the thinking behind the laws of lawns and the recent spate of news stories about gardeners penalized for growing food on their front lawns.

Straw bale finds a home with some councils in the UK as they look for energy efficient options for their public housing builds, which gave me great pleasure. Impressed ever since talking with the Weymiller's about why they built Square One, I've got a soft spot for straw bale.

This grant series sponsored by Awesome Food looks like it will be chock full of opportunity and ideas for ways to improve America's food system.

And finally, this TEDxTokyo Talk from Junko Edahiro of Japan for Sustainability (JFS) on the changes she has witnessed in Japan's sustainability movement and specific examples of people and their work.

Tokyo Farmer's markets: July 30 and 31st

2011-07-29T00:09:00.001-04:00

The last weekend in July is as chock full of fruit and vegetables as the first, so head on out to get some of the season's hottest picks: tomatoes, potatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, and even some garlic!

Saturday, July 30th

10am to 2pm

United Nations University Farmers Market

Sunday, July 31st

10am to 4pm

Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st

10am to 4pm

Kinshicho Farmers Market

Saturday, July 30th and Sunday, July 31st

11am to 5pm

Photo: Chiba-san from Cosmo Farm hosts an array organic vegetables at Kinshicho Farmers Market.

Where's your favorite place to find fresh vegetables and fruit? Give me a shout and we'll spread the word!

Atlas on a Bicycle: Fuji Fives Lakes Bike Touring Experiment

2011-07-28T00:01:00.001-04:00

Our spontaneous trip last weekend to the Fuji Five Lakes area proved simply amazing. We had a great time bike-touring for the first-time, and are excited about upcoming plans to visit Hokkaido. This recent trip was a bit of a reprise of another we took early last spring, and was an experiment to see what it would be like to carry our world on our bikes while riding a bicycle. While a few adjustments need to be made, we think we may have a handle on a system that works for us.

More details on the trip later, but I did want to share the photo here of a new friend I made while picnicking in Kawaguchiko. At the end of our ride we flopped on the grass by the lake to enjoy some sweet corn we'd bought from a roadside stand near Lake Saiko. We'd bought some the day before on our way to Lake Motsuko and loved it enough to stop again on the return. Apparently, this little fellow in the photo with me loves sweet corn, too. While I chomped away on one end, he took little sips from the other. A match made in heaven!

Beets Over at Attainable Sustainable

2011-07-26T00:10:00.000-04:00

Even though I can't grow beets very easily here in Tokyo, I still love them and plant seeds in hope each season. And this guest post over at Attainable Sustainable tells a bit of the story of where some of the passion for this purple vegetable originated.

Note: Internet problems at home mean posts are a bit less frequent at the moment. While we enjoy a certain lack of technology, we're also learning how much we depend on it!

Sunday Reading, July 24th

2011-07-24T00:02:00.000-04:00

There was an absolute bevy of good reading I stumbled across this week, and so here are a few highlights.

While searching for a beet photo I ran over to Frog Holler Farm's Frog Log and found this article remembering founder Ken King, one of the best people I've been lucky enough to know.

I also ran across this fascinating entry at Dragonwood's blog (good friends growing just up the road from Frog Holler, in fact) about soaking and pre-sprouting seeds.

As we plan a trip to England, I'm perusing different places to visit that a grower-market-goer like me would like to see. A Tweet from Get Growing UK pointed me in the direction of Growing Communities, a London organization bent on sorting out a sustainable food system. Their Saturday morning market at St. Paul's looks like it may make it onto the list of things to do!

Get Growing also mentioned Project Dirt, a website that looks like a clearinghouse of information of things happening that ought to give me somewhere food and garden related to drag my beloved family and friends to, and Capital Growth, an organization focused on creating more than 2,000 growing spaces for London by the end of 2012. (They are the same group mentioned in an article about bees in last week's Sunday Reading.) And last but not least in the recommendations from Get Growing was OrganicLea, a growing (literally and figuratively) worker's cooperative in the Lea Valley just outside London, that also looks and sounds amazing.

And finally, before I overwhelm folks with more reading and sites to visit, I'll end with this video via the Practicing Writer of Robert Caro discussing a sense of place. Place for me is a grounding force in my writing, thinking, and living, so it resonated with me on a number of levels. It is long, so perhaps plan to be undisturbed for a moment or two to watch.

For those wanting something a little shorter but that as effectively evokes a sense of place, here's a lovely poem about cornfields and birdsong by Christina Rossetti.

Tokyo Farmer's Markets: July 23rd and July 24th

2011-07-22T00:07:00.000-04:00

The typhoon blew in some cooler weather making it a perfect opportunity to head down to a farmer's market. In season just now are edamame, tomatoes galore, potatoes by the dozen, eggplant, and perhaps a few last green beans. As for fruit look for peaches and those lovely red and yellow cherries, too! And do a little shopping for me. We're off to Kawaguchiko for a bit of biking and Mount Fuji spotting!

Gyre Farmer's Market

Saturday, July 23rd and Sunday, July 24th

11am to 5pm

United Nations University Farmers Market

Saturday, July 23rd

10am to 2pm

Saturday, July 23rd and Sunday, July 24th

10am to 4pm