Shunju. Takashi Sugimoto
Published by Periplus Editions
with editorial offices at
61 Tai Seng Avenue, #02-12
Singapore 534167
Copyright © 2002
Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd.
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0714-4 (ebook)
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Japan
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Creative director: Christina Ong
Book design by Loretta Reilly
Design and layout consultants: Marcia Iwatate
and Toshiaki Hirai
Printed in Singapore
10 09 08 07 2 3 4 5
contents
Spring is the season of new life, the beginning of a New Year in the lunar calendar. Wild vegetables peek out from the mountain soil and the most eagerly awaited is the bamboo shoot. Our recipes provide all the variations for preparing this vegetable and all other Spring delicacies.
Celebrate the arrival of summer with ayu (sweetfish): this section provides various recipes for this summer favorite, and for other delights of the season, including tofu and miniature eggplants.
The most representative of the autumn delicacies is the fungus family, and matsutake, or pine mushroom, reigns supreme. Enjoy a selection of wild mushrooms prepared in different styles, or a selection of other delectable recipes for the season, such as lamb chops broiled over charcoal or exquisite duck and scallion miso grilled on magnolia leaf.
Among the seasonal specialties are blowfish, crabs, oysters and anglerfish, all of which are served in simple, unpretentious styles. Throw a stylish dinner party with chicken meatball hotpot, with cauliflower mousse and braised daikon with glazed sauce, then finish it off with fragrant jellied yuzu (citrus fruit).
- step by step preparation techniques
- chefs
- mail-order sources of ingredients
foreword
Traditional Japanese cuisine is noted for its elegant simplicity and exquisite purity of taste, method, and appearance. Here at Charlie Trotter's we have practiced and appreciated the minimalistic Japanese approach for many years—in the use of Japanese ceramics, flavorings, and even fresh fish from Japan. It was for this reason that I was so excited to learn of this new cookbook from Tokyo's pioneering restaurant group.
The Shunju restaurants created by Takashi Sugimoto and Marcia Iwatate epitomize the aesthetic of their country to such an extent that they have almost single-handedly created a revolution in Japanese cooking akin to the "new cuisine" movements that swept France, the United States, and Australia during past decades.
Like most revolutions, Shunju's is rooted in the past but looks to the future. It represents a return to the essence of Japanese cooking—beginning with a search for the finest ingredients, including freshly-caught fish, organically-grown seasonal vegetables, and free-range, hormone-free meat and poultry. It eschews processed industrial foods and the overwrought fine dining preparations that have become all too commonplace in Japan as elsewhere—in favor of a truly modern (and at the same time truly traditional) approach to dining. Back to basics but also forward to a new awareness.
The other thing I appreciate about Shunju is the superb "traditional meets modern" Japanese interiors and the emphasis on savoring a meal slowly with friends over glasses of fine sake, shoju, and herbally-infused tonics.
The recipes and photos on these pages are truly a delight for all the senses. This marvelous work will inspire amateurs and professionals alike.