From the Heart of Tokyo 東京の中心から

Skating Fun, Fitness, Friends and Food

スケートの楽しみ、健康、友達、食べ物

Recently, we joined a group of friends for a special skating event organized by Yagami-san.  Usually, on  Sunday mornings, we participate in the Tokyo City Run, starting from Ueno and ending at Gaienne/Jingu, but this time we took a much more rural tour from Shounandai to Fujisawa, Kamakura and finally Chigasaki.  On the way, we met up with our friends who have traded in their skates for bicycles since their twin boys came along.  ところで、日本語は下に書きます。

The gathering point was Shounandai, which for us is a little over an hour by train from our home.  Jonah hadn't skated for about a month, and when he put his skates on, he found that his feet had grown since he wore them last, but he toughed it out, giving that pair one last use.  Just a short skate through the town, and we came to a long bike trail that winds along the side of a river through the agricultural and bedroom communities west and south of Yokohama.

Actually this event was called the Jerato Run, because our first stop was a dairy farm where they make and sell this delicious Italian ice cream in many interesting flavors, like green tea, plum, choko, and of course vanilla and strawberry.  I've been here a few times, but this was the first for Monica, Jonah and Martin.  We reached the farm on the trail, took off our skates and walked between rice paddies and vegetable fields to get to the dairy store where we enjoyed looking at the cows while our cones dripped.

Back on skates again, we traveled for about 10 kilometers before reaching Fujisawa, said goodbye to one family and then boarded a train called the Enoden.  I really enjoyed riding this little train, while my friends showed me a map of the route and explained the various stops, many of them famous sightseeing spots around Kamakura.  The area is packed with interesting sites, including the Great Buddha and many temples and shrines.  On one side of the train you could see the ocean, while on the other was lush rolling hills and quaint buildings.  When we reached Kamakura proper, we walked to a bakery which had a wide selection of homemade yeast breads and rolls which we ate standing around outside the shop.

From there, Monica and Jonah, who have busy social lives, said goodbye and took the train back to Tokyo.  The rest of us walked a little further into Kamakura where we found, guess what!  another Jerato shop.  Finally, strapping on the skates again, we headed for the ocean.  Oh, my!  That was the difficult part of the trip.  I've skated along here before, towards Enoshima, and it is always interesting, but this time the wind was soooo strong, the blowing black sand stung like little needles, and the tile surface of the sidewalk next to the ocean was super slippery from the waves crashing.  It was a really challenging 4 or 5 kilometers, and then Yagami-san called a halt and we got back on the train.

Eventually, we came to goal, which was a Pizza and Beer Hall named Mokichi.  Here we had a delicious and fun banquet of pizza and pasta before picking up the train for the late evening ride back to Tokyo.

I love to participate in the Tokyo City Run every Sunday, and the Saturday Night Skate once a month, but once in awhile it's a nice change of scene to see other interesting areas of Japan, touring on skates with my friends, especially if my family also participates.  Here are links to Iwa-san's City Run site, and to Papa-san's SNS site.  If you like to in-line skate, you are welcome to join us whether you live in Japan or are just visiting.  Remember to bring your gear, especially wrist guards, and if you join the night skate, you must wear a helmet and lights.

Other pictures from this event are HERE.  このイベントのマーティンと私の写真はここにある。

Iwa-san's Tokyo City Run site is HERE.  Iwaさんの東京CRサイトはここにある。

Papa-san's Saturday Night Skate site is HERE.  パパさんのSNSのサイトはここにある。

最近、特別ななやがみさんは作ったスケートのイベントに参加しました。 つうれい日曜日の 朝に東京シーティランに参加するので、上野から神宮に滑ります。でも、今度いなかのツアーは湘南台から始まって、藤沢とか、鎌倉とか、茅ヶ崎に滑りました。途中で家族に会いました。その家族は前にスケートが使ったので、赤ちゃん二人はいるから、自転車を乗ります。

家から湘南台に電車で一時間以上かかってので、あそこに友達たちは集まりました。ジョナは一ヶ月間はスケートしなかったので、スケートははいたときに、足は大きくなったと発見しまったが、がんばりました。町からトレールに滑って、トレールは小さい川のとなりです。

実はジェラードランというこのイベントです。最初の止まったのきれいな場所は酪農牧場ですので、店はおいしいイラリアのアイスクリームを買えます。そのジェラードは面白い味だので、抹茶、チョーコー、梅干し、イチゴ、バニラなどです。ジェラードを食べながら、牛を見ました。

その後、１０キロぐらい藤沢に着いたので、自転車の家族にさやならと言いたので、江ノ電車に乗りました。その電車の乗ることはとても楽しかったです。友達たちは地図を見ながら、地方についていろいろ面白い情報を教えました。鎌倉はたくさん神社やお寺があるので、込みで大仏です。 電車から海を見えたので、他の方向は緑の山腹や風変わり建築も見えました。鎌倉に着いたときにパン屋に行って、店の外に立ちながら、おいしいパンを
食べました。

あそこから、忙しいモニカとジョナとさよならと言ったので、二人は東京に帰りました。 残りグループは鎌倉の町を通って歩きました。びっくりだので、ジェラードの店を見つけました。それ後に、梅向かい滑って、江ノ島へ行くつもりでした。それはちょっと大変な部分でした。風がとても強いです。前にそのところに滑ったけど、今度風から、吹いた黒い砂は痛いさせました。表面もつるつるしたので、４～５キロはチャレンジをさせました。それから、やがみさんは立ち止まると決しまいましたので、電車に乗りました。

結局にゴールに着いたので、Mokichiのレストランです。あそこにおいしいパスタとピザとビールも楽しんだから、夜の電車で東京に帰りました。

たいてい毎週の東京シティーランに参加して楽します。そして、毎月の土曜日のナイットランも参加したいです。でも、時々違うの景色を見たいので、やがみさんと参加みなさんに感謝の感情があります。友達たち一緒に特に家族は参加したら、とてもいいです。スケートをしたかったら、上のリンクを見て、もちろんよこうそ。ギアーを忘れないで、とりわけ手首のガードも、夜のスケートを参加したら、ヘルメットが必要です。

61/2 Hours, 16 Friends, 26 Kilometers

六つ時間半、十六人の友達、二十六のキロ

 

下に日本語で書き事です。もっと写真はここにある。More pix HERE.

Wednesday was a holiday, so many of my skater friends didn't have to

work.  Yagami-san took the opportunity to organize another of his adventure skates, and this one was just exactly what I like.  I will list the things I liked about this skating event.

• It was far enough to give us plenty of exercise, 26 kilometers. 
• The route passed through many different areas of Tokyo, special sections like Akihabara, Nihonbashi, and Ginza, each with their own flavor.  Skating near the bay, seeing the Rainbow Bridge and Odaiba across the water, crossing bridges spanning canals, the hub at Shinagawa, the interesting old timey areas of Oimachi and Omori, then the bedroom communities southwest of Tokyo and finally a lovely, tall bridge over the Tamagawa River before reaching Kawasaki City. 
• The route was smooth for the most part, which is more enjoyable for skating.  I don't prefer skating over rough terrain.  I can stand it for awhile, but I don't like to do it for long periods.
• The route didn't include any dangerous areas, such as long downstairs, or steep downhills, or heavy pedestrian or bike traffic or long distances on busy streets.
• The route was always within reach of vending machines, so I didn't have to carry extra tea.
• The weather was perfect.  It wasn't too hot and it wasn't too cold, so I didn't have to carry extra layers, and there was no chance of rain.
• The other participants were all very pleasant people, 15 friends who I enjoy spending time with.  It was really nice that Nobu-san joined, it's been a long time since we've skated together.  He's one of my "oldest" skating friends, he was there the day I broke my shoulder on the Rin Rin Road 7 years ago.
• Everyone knows how to skate well, so there weren't any dangerous newbies in the group who could inadvertently make you fall. (I resemble that remark, see previous comment:)

  

• The food was fun and tasty. Yagami-san choose a fine place for lunch.  The soba was very good, not overfilling.  Then, soon after, we skated to a couple of shops to buy bean paste snacks for a dessert to enjoy in a park further along the route.
• The pace was perfect.  Yagami-san planned very well and made sure we rested here and there along the way for short intervals, and for a long time at the park in Shinagawa-ku.
• The goal was sufficiently grand.  The name of the temple is Kawasaki Daishi, which means Big Teacher, and its an amazing place.  I realized I had been there before, maybe five years ago with a different skating group. 

  

  Here's the website for the temple.   I'd like to go and explore it again with my family.
• To top it off, we enjoyed a Japanese sweet called Kuzumochi.  Mochi is a kind of pounded steamed rice cake, and the light brown kuzu powder comes from a starchy mountain root vegetable, like arrowroot.  I had an ice cream sundae that incorporated these and sweet red beans in a shell.  It was pretty good.
• And finally, getting to the start point, and getting back home were both quite easy, start to finish took about 8 hours.  A really wonderful day.  
• Here are all my best pix of the Fall Kawaski Daishi Kuzumochi Run

先週の水曜日は休日から、スケータ友達たちは仕事に行きません。それから、やがみさんは冒険のスケートを作りました。今度のは私には丁度いいです。そして、下にこのスケートの好きものをリストをしました。（でも、上の英語より、ちょっと短いです。

• ２６キロから、運動は十分です。
• 新しいルートから、たくさん面白いことを見えます。上野から始まったので、違い所に通り抜けた、たとえば秋葉原、日本橋、銀座です。湾の隣滑ったので、レインボーブリジとお台場も見えます。品川は中枢ですので、多い町と大森も面白い近所だので、遠くてきれい橋を渡った後に、川崎に着きました。
• ルートは大部分のすべすべしたので、楽しかったです。
• ルートは危ないじゃない。階段や険しい坂や忙しい道もないだので、安心しました。
• ルートはいつも自動販売機があるので、重いバックパックがありません。
• 天気は完璧でした。すごく厚いじゃなくて、すごく寒いじゃないので、

  

  雨が降らなかったです。
• 参加した人人はとてもいい人です。全部は私の友達です。お久しぶりにのぶさんは参加したので、長い時間前に会いました。７年前に、りんりんロードで角の骨を折ったときに、のぶさんはいました。
• みなは上手なスケータから、危ない新人がありません。
• 食べ物はおいしかったです。やがみさんのランチのレストランはいい選択でした。蕎麦はおいしかったので、うんと食べたの感情じゃなかったです。そして、ランチの後に甘えデザートを買えました。公園で食べました。
• ペースは完璧です。やがみさん上手な計画を作ったので、時々短い休憩を取って、品川の公園でもっと長い休憩を取りました。

  

• ゴールはとても雄大でした。のぶさんは川崎大師の意味は大きい先生と言いました。とても面白いところです。あそこにいるながら、前に来たと気づいていました。たぶん、５年前に、まっちさんとスケータイベントで行ったことがありました。家族とも一回行きたいんです。
• 最後のすばらしいことは、川崎のくず餅です。私はアイスクリムのサンディーを食べたので、くず餅と餡もありました。おいしかったです。
• 最後に、私には、スタートポイントとゴールも大体やさしいです。家から出たときから、家に帰ったときは８時間です。とてもよかった一日でした。
• これは私の秋の川崎大師くず餅ランの写真です。 

  

   

Nonbiri Tsukiji Run

のんびり築地ラン

 

上の写真はささきさんから。ありがとう。日本語は下に書きます。 Thanks to Sasaki-san for the above photo. Look below for my version of this story in Japanese. 

Here's a little story about a recent pleasant Saturday morning in Tokyo.  Nonbiri means "take it easy, or carefree" in Japanese, and we often do Nonbiri Runs in various places nearby, as opposed to the more challenging speed and training skates that Papa-san heads up.  This skating event was organized by Yagami-san, who, along with his family, are skilled and experienced slalom and long run skaters, and he appreciates the value of combining exercise, friendship and good Japanese food in the form of a little Saturday morning tour of Tokyo by skate.  It was a small group, so it worked well for our mission of having sashimi donburi (raw fish rice bowl) for breakfast in Tsukiji.

It wasn't a rigorous skate, but we did work up a sweat.  The five guys I was skating with that day are all younger than me, and we skated right along at a good clip, plus it's true that summer has suddenly come to Tokyo.  We started at Shinagawa train station just after 9am, and skated around by the harbor, enjoyed seeing the Rainbow Bridge and looking across to Odaiba, the man-made island, over bridges that spanned canals, and into Tsukiji's famous fish market. 

It was really crowded, as usual, Tsukiji's a very popular place.  The awning in the top photo says:  まぐろどんぶり、maguro donburi.  Maguro is tuna, Donburi is a bowl of rice topped by something, in this case, raw tuna, onion, ginger, and nori and, of course, wasabi.  When we first skated up to the restaurant, all seven stools were full so we took a little tour of the famous fish market, skating slowly and carefully in the crowd, and came back.  Then, four of us plopped down and ordered the same thing, the delicious maguro donburi, for 800 yen (just over $8.00) which also included Tsukemono (Japanese pickles) and tea.  The other two guys went off and had guts, or something like that, acting like it was a treat.  I enjoyed chatting with the proprietess  while she made the food.  My spoken Japanese isn't very good, but we had a nice conversation.

Tsukiji Fish Market is a main tourist target, and though most of the people who work in the market don't speak English, they are foreigner friendly and can communicate just fine.  Tourists are told that they need to get there super early in the morning for the auctions, which are interesting, yes, I went there once, but there's plenty of action in the warehouse till noon at least, if you don't make it for the auction and the market is open all day.  It's a very interesting place to visit, a wonderful place to take photos and buy the freshest fish, seafood and produce.  I go there often.

After Tsukiji, we skated towards Ueno, but I peeled off at Tokyo Station to go home.  It was a very fun skate, and I'm glad I got to go.  Thanks A LOT to Yagami-san.  And Thank You Very Much to Mocchi-san for the replacement skate brake for Monica.  The old one was worn to a nub.  She's just starting to learn how to do a T-Stop. 

There's a few more pictures of this event, please go here to view them:  HERE

この短い物語は最近の楽しい土曜日の朝のスケートイベントについてです。のんびりの意味は（take it easy かcarefree）です。パパさんのスピードとトレーニングのスケートイベントと比較すればのんびりのランのほうがゆっくりです。イベントの作ったやがみさんはもーと難しいスケートができるけど、このイベントは運動と友情とおいしい日本料理も結合したはとても完璧な東京のスケートでツアーなりました。

厳しいじゃないけれど、汗はかいた。他の５人の友達スケータは私より若いので、早く滑りました。そして、夏は東京に着きました。９時ごろに品川駅から始まりました。浜のとなりに、レインボーブリジとお台場も見て、滑って回りました。いろいろ小さい橋とか、運河も渡って、築地の有名な魚市に着きました。私たちはマグロどんぶりをたべるつもりだけど、着いた時に、全部の７つの椅子はいっぱいです。そして、スケートで、市のツアーをして、戻った。その後、４人はまぐろどんぶりを注文して、値段は８００円だので、つけものとお茶も貰いました。２人は他の店に行って、ガツを食べました。店の女の人と話して、楽しかったです。私の口頭の日本語はあまり上手じゃないけど、大丈夫と思います。

築地魚市はとても有名なところです。いつも外国人は日本に来て、マーケトを見たいです。たぶん、築地に働いての人はあまり英語で話さないけど、外国人に好意的なし、英語でなくても、伝達できます。観光者はいつもツナの競売のために、早い朝に行かなければならないと思ったが、築地は一日中で面白い所と思います。色々面白いものを見えて、写真を撮ってできる、魚とかシーフードとかは一番新鮮です。よく行きます。

そして、築地の後に、上野に向かえたが、私は東京駅で、離れまったので、家に帰りました。スケートはとても楽しかったので、私は行ったことから、うれしかったです。やがみさん、どうもありがとうございます！もっちぃさんへモニカのためのブレーキがくれてありがとう！モニカのブレーキはちっちゃななったすりきれたので、安心しました。次に、モニカはT-ストープを練習します。

実は、英語と日本語の物語は違うので、できれば両方を読んでください。

写真は殆ど全部は私は撮ったけど、悪いです。すみません。ささきさんとやがみさんからも、写真を使いました。I took most of these pix, but I borrowed a few from Sasaki-san and Yagami-san.　　このリンクに行って、全部を見えます。GO HERE for all the pix of the skate.

My cookie recipes are in English

私のクッキーのレシピは英語であるよ。

このポストは最近のスケータのポーチパーティについてです。ポストは英語であるので、 英語の後に日本語で別のノートを書きます。その日本語は家族の計画についてです。　　Once or twice a year, Spring and/or Fall, we have a big gathering of Skater Friends at our home in Roppongi.  If the weather is nice, we can make effective use of the porch, and it's wonderful.  If the skies don't cooperate, like last spring's heavy winds and cold rain, it's still fun, but not as easy with the wet tarps, trapsing out to the coolers in soaking wet slippers, dealing with the grill in the rain, and it ends up being pretty crowded in our little Tokyo apartment.  We really got lucky last Saturday.  The 2009 Spring Skater Porch Party will be remembered as a successful outdoor party with a lovely gentle warm breeze at night.  Martin thinks it was our best party ever.

Certainly planning a party like this is a complicated project, with issues such as   how to have as many skaters as possible while keeping the total to less than 70 people, including kids.  My good friend, Kusacchi, made a website for the party with a forum that came in very useful for people to volunteer for the shopping, the cooking and to discuss important issues such as how much fish to buy for the temakizushi, and who's going to bring the wasabi. 

Weeks ago, the five cookie makers were chosen, as well as the small shopping crew who would go with Martin over to Nissen International Market for most of the goods.  An additional crew, The Tsukiji Gang, went straight to the famous Tokyo fish market to pick up the freshest seafood and fish for our handrolled sushi and seared tuna.  Scheduled to come later in the afternoon was the rest of the crew, who would prepare the balance of the food and have it ready by five when the main party would start.  At which time, Mat and Kaorin, doing accounts with their new baby girl nearby, would collect the fee from all the participants as they came in.

A few years ago, before the first Skater Porch Party, Kay-chan came over the day before, and with her developing English, and my much worse Japanese, we made a pile of delicious chocolate chip cookies for the party.  It was the first time she'd had a chance to bake like this, and it was a very interesting experience for both of us, working from an English recipe with typical ingredients, measuring devices and methods.  Since then, we've made cookie baking a regular part of the party prep.  Of the five people who would make cookies, I chose some with experience, and some without, and all who will speak to me in Japanese, but are willing to deal with English to some extent. 

Before the big day, I put all five cookie recipes up on my site, along with a picture of the person who would be in charge of that cookie.  See here and follow the flashing arrow.  Then, I notified the friends to check the site, read his or her recipe, and become somewhat familiar with it.  Each handled this differently.  Junko-san printed the English recipe out for chocolate sheet cake, then, using a translation site and dictionary, wrote out the Japanese translation under the English.  Naomi-san was able to assemble an accurate  Japanese recipe complete with pictures to help I-san make his snickerdoodles.  Yotte-san even went to the store and tried to get all the ingredients, which was very difficult, as he was assigned to make 7 Layer Magic Cookie Bars, containing butterscotch morsels and sweetened condensed milk.  Keiko-san pulled a switch and went shopping and left P-papa wearing a frilly pink apron to make the Cut-out cookies with Peach.  Naomi-san also helped Shigeshige with his Oatmeal cookies with raisons, dates and cranberries, and boy were they delicious.  Here's a few COOKING PIX. from Martin's camera. 

In addition to the five kinds of cookies, we made handrolled sushi, okinomiyaki, quesadillas, vegetable cabobs, Martin's steak, grilled tuna, brats, quacamole, cheese, fruit, salad, baked beans and deviled eggs. For me, it is tremendous Japanese practice, very challenging, but just what I need to make progress.  It's also a good chance to share some English practice with these friends.  This time, I was very careful not to allow too many volunteers.  It really is amazing to see what we can accomplish.  I was very pleased that Touma-san brought her wonderful home baked breads, and Luis came with 3 pans of yummy quiche, and thrilled that Yagami-mama brought those delightful quail eggs she makes. The skaters took turns cleaning up the kitchen, washing dishes and carrying things back and forth, as well as creative Piyo-san who just keeps bringing new delicacies out of the kitchen throughout the party.  Seems that everyone feels comfortable, and that's a good situation.   Here's a few PARTY PIX. by Martin.  And here are Masa-don's pictures.

Martin carefully planned what he would do with the grill, used well practiced methods and set a timer every time he'd flip a steak.  He enjoys holding court at his grill, and the delicious morsels that he produces attest to his skill. Fun little video made by Shigeshige.    In addition to enjoying the preparation all day long, I had a good time at the party itself.  I sampled everything, but didn't overeat or overdrink.  I got a chance to talk to everyone who came, enjoying friends with whom I skate regularly, as well as catching up with long-time friends who don't come skating as much any more.  And making connections... introducing this one to that one, mentioning that they have something in common that they might not have discovered...  just enjoying this time together as a gift like the good weather that day.  At this point we don't have plans to move, but one never knows.  In this environment, any moment, everything could change.  So if that wasn't our last porch party in Tokyo, great!  If it was, well, it was a good one!  BTW, here's Iwa-san's City Run Photo Website, for frequent photos of this group skating.

上は英語で、今年の春のスケータのポーチパーティの説明です。いろいろ事を喋るので、とくにクッキーを準備と料理を準備も話します。そうすると、時間があったら、英語を読んでみてください。それは無理だったら、翻訳を使ってもいいですか？それをしたくなかったら、写真を見てくださいね。

別のことを話したいです。最近、彼の会社の難事があるから、友達たちは不思議します。私たちも、何が予期分からない。そして、友達たちは分からないので、それは最後のポーチパーティですかと聞きます。

じゃ、今、引っ越しの計画がないよ。モニカとジョナの学校はとてもいいだので、 彼の会社は何もと言いない、彼の毎日の仕事は忙しい続いたら、たぶん大丈夫です。でも、今週、破産は来ると思います。それの結果が分からないので、待って、見て、聞いて、後に分かってくると思います。　忍耐強いしたいです。

今の計画は日本に住んで続きます。計画は８月に普通のように、子供はちょふの学校に新しい年生に行きます。いつも夏でアメリカに行って、長い複雑な旅行に行くけど、今年私は一週間だけに、両親に訪れます。全部は突然に変わったら、家族はがんばります。

そして、みなは将来が分からないね。最後のポーチパーティですが？分からない。最後のパーティがなかったら、いいですね。最後のパーティがあるだったら、とても楽しいパーティでしたね。笑泣。

 

To see this picture large size, Follow THIS LINK.  大きい写真を見たら、リンクに行ってください。

Broken New Years Resolutions

壊れた新年の抱負

 

日本語は下に書きました。Seems a bit late to be writing about New Years Resolutions?  Not really, because some who have made New Years Resolutions may still be keeping them.  Maybe struggling not to break them, or have broken them, but haven't abandoned them altogether.  I've been doing a little research and found that over 80% of NYR are broken by the end of January.   Experts have plenty of advice, basically centered on keeping the resolutions reasonable, setting incremental but specific goals, making a viable plan based on self assessment and education, and rewarding yourself for small successes.

The very nature of resolutions made for New Years tends to set us up for failure.  The all or nothing approach means that just one slip, and the resolution was not upheld and this makes it easy to forget the whole idea.  Further, there's the tendency to name everything we want to change about ourselves, creating an expansive self-help wish list, and never actually taking it seriously enough to make a plan.

That was my issue.  I had too many resolutions and not enough resolve.  But I'm not feeling negative about this at all.  (Robin, I know what you're thinking:)  Effecting positive changes is very difficult, and requires a multi-faceted approach.  I think it's okay to reach this point and take another look.

Here's some of my New Year's Resolutions and (their current status):

*Lose 7 kg.  (so far, I've lost and gained the same 1 kg over and over) 

*Aerobic work out at TAC more often (went once, first week of January.  Bad hip pain after running on treadmill.  Maybe better try a different approach.  Still trying to decide what that will be....)

*Go to Yoga classes several times a week (I've made it to class at least once a week, and have done yoga on my own at home sometimes.  Still not enough, need to go to class)

*Drink less coffee and wine and drink more water and green tea (doing better)

*Eat more tofu (YES, I'm eating tofu almost every day.)

*Get more sleep (fail)

*Write a blog entry once a week (fail)

*Eat smaller portions and more healthy foods (this week, started keeping a food diary, the shame will help)

*Clean out the den (not yet...) (ditto for all the other cleaning projects on my list)

*Start doing abs every day.  (Uh... starting tomorrow.)

  And there were a couple of others that I'll just keep to myself.  The other day, thinking about this blog entry, I realized that my New Years Resolutions weren't having a banner year, and I came up with a tool to help me rectify that situation.  It's an easy to use excel worksheet where I can enter daily data such as meals, exercise, what I'm accomplishing and how I'm feeling.  I hope to use this to help me improve a number of issues.  Just recording those potato chips and donuts was a deterrent.

Here on this page, and on smugmug from the link below, are pictures from our New Years Eve celebration at Zojyouji Temple near Shiba Koen and the Tokyo Tower.  Yoliko-san and Yagami-san went with us and Toby, and with thousands of people, we counted down the New Year and enjoyed champagne before walking home around 2am. 

The first Tokyo City Run of the New Year, we skaters went to Hie-jinja which is a shrine on our route.  There we got Omikuji, which are fortunes that you pick in a special way by shaking a numbered stick out of a jar.  Monica got one and so did I.  Monica's friends tried to help her translate hers, and I talked to a skater friend about mine, and then later, with the help of my teacher, Matsui-san, I learned even more by studying the kanji and looking up vocabulary.  Apparently it's going to be a pretty good year, with some excellent information such as WEST is my favorable direction, health and wellness will improve, success with school, finding lost things, and several other enticing tidbits.

While skating, I told my friends I was going to try to make shabu shabu that evening for the family, for the first time.  I had ordered everything through the co-op, pork and beef sliced thin, tofu and vegetables such as chrysanthemum leaves, chinese cabbage, negi (long onions), enoki and shitake mushrooms, and I had also obtained the two special dipping sauces, goma (sesame) and ponzu (citron).  As well, I had the right equipment, a nabe pot and a heater.  But I wasn't sure about the water/broth to cook everthing in.  A couple of my lady friends had good ideas, and told me to use instant konbu dashi. (seaweed flavored instant bullion)  Well that was just the ticket.  I already had it, so no problem.  The family really enjoyed the shabu shabu, it was easy to prepare, and a fun family meal. 

At the Christmas Run, last month, Ake-san gave me a present.  It's a cookbook of Japanese home cooking, written by a famous Japanese cookbook author, and it's in English.  I'm looking forward to trying more Japanese foods that I've enjoyed in restaurants and at people's homes, but never made myself.  When we move back to the US, I'm going to miss this delicious and healthy food, and knowing how to make it will be very important.  Thank you, Ake-san!

Go here for some good photos from this story. 　この物語について写真を見たら、私の写真のサイトはここにあります。

上の英語の書き事は新年についてです。最初の話は抱負についてだので、  両方一般と私に特有についてです。たくさん抱負を作ってけど、しにくいです。でも、続くがんばります。それを分かりたかったら、インタネットの翻訳を使ってください。

後で、新年イブについて書きました。よりこさんとやがみパパと増上寺に行きました。とても込んでいました！真夜中までカウントダウンをして、シャンパンを飲んで、全部を見ました。とても楽しかったです。

  今年の最初の東京シーティランで、日枝神社に行きました。そのときにモニカと私はお御籤を貰いました。モニカの友達たちは翻訳をやってみましたが、難しいです。よしのさんは私のを読んで、教えたので、まついさんという日本語の先生と漢字と語彙を勉強しました。とても面白いです。今年はいい年とらしい。方角は西です。紛失物が見つける、旅行は問題ない、健康は回春の兆しある、養生す。いいね。

滑るながら、友達たちと話しました。しゃぶしゃぶを始めに作ってみるつもりと言いました。 そして、アドバイスがくれました。コープから、色々原料を注文をしました。たとえば、牛肉、豚肉、ねぎ、白菜、きく？、椎茸、えのきを買いました。二つソースも買って、ポン酢、とゴマです。なべの皿があるので、ヒータも準備をしました。でも、私の質問は熱湯かどうか出しが使いますか。友達のアドバイスはこんぶだしを使って、インスタントは大丈夫です。よかった！ある、ある。そして、その日に家族は初めての家でしゃぶしゃぶを楽しました。

クリスマスらんで、あけさんは私に料理の本をくれました。とてもいいです。英語であるので、家の日本料理を作り方を学べます。新しい日本料理を作ってみるを楽しみにしています。いつか日本から引っ越すときに、日本料理を食べたいので、自分で作ると思います。日本料理はおいしくて、ヘルシーですね。あけさん、ありがとうございます。ドンさんも、プレセントをくれてありがとうございます。

Umbrella Festival

傘の祭り

   

日本語の短い解釈は下である。I call this picture Yakitori Fuufu, because one name for a married couple is fuufu.  They were working a booth, making yakitori like they've probably done together for years.  This is one of the photos that Martin took at the Azabu Juban Matsuri (yearly neighborhood festival in nearby Azabu Juban).  We've been to this matsuri several times, and it seems like it's usually raining every year at this time for several days in a row without respite.  But when the sun comes out, it seems to get really hot, really fast.  So what can you do.  It's a trite saying, but true, that the rain didn't dampen spirits at the festival.  We thought, even with the rain, that it would be good to go to the festival because it might be less crowded, and maybe it was, but it was still packed, as this matsuri is very popular every year.  Martin took lots of photos of people (mostly of girls, I noticed) laughing and smiling and having a great time even as the rain poured down.  Thank you for letting me share your photos, Martin.  Please take a look at these photos in their larger size on SMUGMUG, as some are quite good.

Toby is very fun to take to a festival, and even though we can take him on the train in his doggy carrier, we chose to walk to Azabu Juban instead, so we wouldn't have to shlep the light but bulky carrier around in the crowd.  Instead, I used a little pouch a bit like a baby sling, and that worked out well when it was too crowded to let him walk.  Toby is a people magnet,and everyone wants to pet him, always saying "kawai" and "cute".  I always enjoy talking to the people, hearing their stories about their own dogs.  Once they realize I can speak a little Japanese, they really get to talking fast, and lose me completely, but I just smile and nod, and it's fun.  When it was time to go, we found a taxi who didn't seem to mind our dog, so that worked out well.  By that time, I was drenched and tired of juggling the leash, the dog, the umbrella and beer.  But we'll do it again next year, if we're still here.  

上の写真のタイトルは焼き鳥の夫婦です。麻布十番祭りで、焼き鳥を作っての二人はいつも一緒に働くと思います。何回もその祭りに行ってので、時々雨が降ります。この時期は雨がよく降ると思います。でも、皆は楽しんでいると思います。祭りはいつもとても込んでいるので、重い雨から、もう少ない人は来ると考えたけど、今度もたかくさん人は来ました。マーティンは祭りで写真を撮って楽しました。殆ど全部はかわい女の人と気づきました。笑。皆は笑って、微笑があります。マーティン、写真を使うこと許可するためにありがとう。ＳＭＵＧＭＵＧで大きいサイズを見たら、よくよいと思います。

トビは祭りに連れて行くことは楽しいです。犬のケリアーを使ったら、電車を乗ることができます。でも、麻布祭りはとても込んでいるので、ケリアーはちょっと邪魔をさせるので、麻布十番に歩きました。それよりも、込んでいる間で、トビのため歩くことは危ない間で、ベービースリングのようを使いました。トビは人の引きつける犬らしいです。皆は彼を触って、話します。いつも”かわいい”か”cute”と言います。私は人と話して、楽しんでいます。人々は自分の犬について話したいので、彼たちは私は日本語を分かると思って、よく早く話して、私はあまり分からないけど、微笑をして、頷いて、大丈夫と思う。出る時に、犬を好きなタクシーを見つけたので、よかったです。その時に、私はずぶぬれになったので、犬とか皮ひもとか傘とかビールを処理しにくいでした。来週も、まだ日本にいったら、行きますよ。

And finally, we rarely see lightning here in Tokyo, nothing like it used to be in Tennessee, but recently, Martin had a chance to get this picture.  ついに、東京であまり稲光を見ない、テネシー州らしくないです。最近マーティンは珍しいチャンスがあたので、下の写真を取りました。                                                           　　　　オリギナルサイズはSMUGMUGである。See it in a higher pixel size HERE.

My kitchen is your kitchen

私の台所はあなたの台所です。

See this picture in large format.  HEREここ　に行ったら、写真は大きくなります。Here are Mine and Martin's pictures from the party.  それに行って、マーティンと私の他の写真です。ＨＥＲＥ

Since 2005, we've had a large skater porch party once or twice a year.  This year's Spring Skater Porch Party, like last year's Fall party, was hampered by heavy rain, wind and cold.  But as evidenced by the photos, people seemed to enjoy the party anyway. 

This posting is a THANK YOU NOTE to everyone who helped make the party a success.  I'll write it in English, with a little Japanese explanation here and there.  If my Japanese friends can't read English, they all know how to use web based translation tools.  このポーストは皆パーティで手伝って、成功をなるさせくれましたがありがとうのノートです。（すみません、前の分はとても間違いと思う）英語で書いて、少ない日本語の説明も書きます。英語無しの日本人の友達はウエブの翻訳の道具を使い方分かります。

The truth is, these parties are a lot of work, and not all by myself and Martin.  Weeks ago, I talked to my very busy husband about his work/travel schedule, and we came up with May 10th as a day that could work.  He decided that he wanted to have the party all in one day.  Before, we have tried various schemes, and I like to have the cookie making the day before, with the main shopping the evening before.  If we do that preparation on a Saturday, then we can have folks come straight from the City Run on Sunday, on skates, which is appropriate.  Probably next time, if there is a next time, we'll return to that method, because this plan was way too much work and stress for me.

So, last month, my friend, Kusacchi,  (yes, you've heard of him before... he and his wife Junko-san cared for Toby last summer)  made a private website  which we used to communicate about the party between the skaters.  This is where people signed up that they would participate, and where they offered to help with specific tasks and projects, and where we discussed various menu ideas.  This site was entirely written in Japanese.  It was good practice for me, even though I often have to resort to assistance from translation tools, and my friends have to use their imagination when they read my Japanese.  くさっち、計画を作ってくれてありがおう。たくさん、いろいろ手伝いありがとう。くさっちとじゅんこさんもいい友達カプルですね。

My first priority was to choose the people who would make the cookies.  Since, most Japanese people don't have ovens, it might be the first chance for them to learn how to bake cookies.  This activity is also a chance for me to practice my Japanese.  The group has to be carefully controlled, with the right people, and the right number of people.  Too small, we can't get the work done.  Too big is an even bigger problem, too many distractions, people make errors which I can't undo because I'm busy with something else, and my stress level goes way up.  Strangers, (friends of friends who come along, tend to get in the way or worse, want to "help" by translating for me, which puts a barrier between me and practicing Japanese.)  And, I like to have a mix of experienced and inexperienced cooks.  As it was, we had an excellent group.  Kate and Hidemi are both attractive young ladies who are working hard on their English.  They both showed serious motivation to do their best to follow the English recipe.  I sent them their recipes beforehand, and they had done their homework.  They were not afraid to get their hands messy, and their cookies turned out delicious.  Naomi is an excellent cook and has participated in this activity before, so I had her wait until last and she helped everyone else.  Jun and Tomoko did a great job with the cookies, and kept on helping after that.  They are a really fun couple.  The real surprise was Kate's boyfriend, Ryuhei.  I thought when she said she wanted to bring him, he would probably be in the way, but no no no, I was totally wrong.  He was a great helper, in many ways, and a pleasure to have in the kitchen.  Kept an eye on the cookies in the oven, did tons of dishes, you name it. 

Long before the cookies were finished, the Special Cooks began to arrive and set up their stations.  First, I want to mention Masa-don and Don-san. まさどん、どんさん、とてもありがとうございます。手巻き寿司を作ったので、安心しました。ごめなさい。私の間違いましたので、魚を買い過ぎるは私の悪い計画です。 そして、はぎれのコースターをありがとう。たくさんスケータはおみやげで取ってので、夏で、残っては家族と友達に上げるつもりです。I don't know their exact ages, but I've known this couple who are in their sixties for several years.  Don-san doesn't skate but she often comes to Goal or the Gathering Place when her husband, Masa-don skates.  The Don's agreed to head the Temakizushi station, which is very important, and my favorite at dinnertime.  Before the party, they gave careful instruction about what to buy, what to prepare, the rice-makers to borrow from neighbors, and brought many of the more complicated ingredients along with them.  In addition, they made it happen at the party, with the constant help of Mat and Kaorin, another very special skater couple.  Ｍａｔとかおりんさん、それもありがとう。隣人は炊飯器を貸してくれてが、早い返すの要求は本当に予期しないので、たぶん彼女は私に教えてみましたが、分からなかった。すみません。Making Temakizushi isn't hard, but making it for 60 people is quite an undertaking.  Basically, you have to prepare the rice, mix in some rice vinegar, fan it cooler (I'm not sure why), and prepare many ingredients including lots of raw tuna and salmon, avocado, cucumber, Japanese omelette, etc, which is all wrapped by the individual diner in nori (seaweed) and dipped in soy sauce.  Thus the name which means hand rolled sushi.  A very special thanks to Mat, who totally rescued me by finding and dealing with my neighbor's Suihanki (rice cooker) when she showed up unannounced and needed it but the rice cooker was full of rice still in the process of cooking away in Jonah's bedroom. (we've blown fuses before, so we spread the rice makers around.)

This would be a good time to mention the all important Fish Buying Team.  Ryo, my good friend who broke his arm last week at Gaienne, got Dai and Aya to help him and they went to Tsukiji and selected and bought the fresh fish for the Temakizushi.  After they got here with the goods, I put Dai and Aya to work making the deviled eggs, and tried to get Ryo to stay out of the way with his cast.  But he's such a lively guy, he was in there helping make the cookies.　りょう、だい、あや、築地に行って、魚を買って、家に持って来てくれてありがとう！

The Gyoza station was outside under a tarp, with pounding cold rain and wind, but KinoP and Piyo managed to make and cook over 200 delicious gyoza (those tasty fried chinese dumplings).  Making gyoza by hand is a multi-step process, starting with chopping the cabbage and special garlic onions called Nira, mixing it with beef and pork and flavorings, and making the dumplings.  After that, they need to be fried in a special way.  They had a lot of people helping them out there, but I'm afraid to list them for fear I'll leave someone out.  Much later, KinoP gave me two fresh gyoza.  They were totally fabulous, dipped in soy sauce, very yummy.  When he first suggested he would do gyoza for the party, I told him no.  I don't want that smell in my kitchen, plus I knew it would be greasy, messy and crowded, but it turned out to be such a hit, it's a keeper... when done outside.  きのＰ、餃子はとてもいい考えです。疑ったごめなさい。Piyo, who has a lot of kitchen experience came through again later, when we found ourselves with extra food... he made some delicious soup with meatballs from gyoza filling, and made the surplus raw tuna more appetizing by marinating it in sake and soy, and then in addition he braised some tuna. I had a taste and that was especially savory.  Someone should hire him as a personal cook.  He is super creative.  ぴよさん、毎日に、家に来て、料理を作れますか。お願いします。

Heseki, who everyone calls Ani (means big brother), made Quesadillas with Tomoko and Chieko's help.  Now, Ani has never made quesadillas before, and he wasn't even sure what they looked like, but since he's so good at making pizza, I assigned him that job, thinking that since he's good at making one round flat thing, he could probably do another.  Good Call!  Ani's quesadillas' went like hot cakes (another round flat thing, by the way).  What we did, was dry marinate the chicken ahead with some spices.  Then, he cut up the chicken small and fried it with half a can of stewed tomatoes.  Separately, he sauted some colored sweet peppers and onions.  Then he laid out the large flour tortillas, applied shredded white cheese, chicken, and, making each on different, various toppings, the sauted peppers and onions, black olives, hot peppers, refried beans, etc, more cheese and the second tortilla.  This went onto a greased pizza pan and into the oven, for both sides.  This should then be served with sour cream (we use plain yougart) and salsa.  But I forgot about it at the party and nobody seemed to notice.  Since Ani doesn't have an oven at home, when he makes it at home he'll have to experiment... a large fry pan should work.　兄とヘルパー二人、あなたのケサヂラは早くなくなりましたね。ありがとう。

  Since the shopping team didn't arrive with the main stuff  until almost 4:30 (as planned) all the ingredients for the above dishes had to be bought ahead of time.  But the shopping team was very important and got all the MEAT for the grill (Martin's domain) and the DRINKS, as well as lots of other food stuff.  This team was headed by Martin, with Kusacchi, Mipo, Neko-an, Yagami-papa and Rai.  When they got back, the cooking party was in full swing, so Martin announced that the party could start and we opened the beer and wine and kept cooking.  We made lamb and vegetable shiskabobs, bratwurst, chicken, pasta salad, bak choi salad, baked beans, etc.  Mipo managed the cheese platters and later, when people were so stuffed with heavy foods, she brought out plate after plate of refreshing fresh cut fruit.  Shigeshige, P-mama and P-papa and others helped alot with various things.  買い物のチーム、楽しかったですか。私もニッシンが大好きです。手伝ってくれてありがとう。みぽさん、台所で長い時間かかりました。いつものよう、とても親切です。

Junko brought some wonderful quail eggs to the party, as well as homemade Japanese potato salad, Namu brought a beautiful Cake, which was gone before I could try it, and many brought wine and various other nice things.  じゅんこさん、なむちゃん、みなさん、持って来て物をありがとう。Since there's no way we could afford to put something like this on ourselves, a price is set and everyone knows to pay at the party.  I so much appreciate Iwa-san for taking the initiative to arrive with a spreadsheet of the participants and to have Yumi and Daichan collect the funds.  They then refunded the various people who had bought items for the party, and gave the rest to us, which covered our bill at the grocery store.  Done deal.  Ｉｗａさん、ゆみさん、だいちゃん、お金を貰ってくれてどうもありがとうございます。By the way, GO HERE for Iwa-san's photos from the party.  As mentioned here many times, Iwa-san does the City Run Photo Website, which we enjoy so much. 

I would like to personally thank everyone who worked in the kitchen, constantly washing dishes and cleaning up.  I'm sure I'll miss someone, so let's not go there.  Suffice it to say that their "behind the scenes work" is totally appreciated.  みな、台所でそうじをして、お皿を洗ってくれて、とてもありがとう。Plus they had to deal with the disgusting problem of the stopped up garbage disposal side of the sink.  Oh, didn't I mention?  Isn't that what every party needs?  Well, I'm making a note to myself right now.  My kitchen is your kitchen... but first you have to be checked off on how to use the garbage disposal.  Japanese homes produce so much wonderful, healthy food in a much smaller space with much less equipment than   the standard western kitchen.  It's really quite amazing.  So I need to remember to tell them how to operate the oven, the electric mixer, the garbage disposal, the dishwasher (not a problem this time, since the GD didn't work, neither did the DW),  and a special thanks to Yuuya, who was very kind and didn't complain when I was dealing with the stopped up garbage disposal full of black yucky water and asked him to reach down in there are try to extracate whatever was causing the problem.  (to no avail) Later, I couldn't believe I had asked him to do that, and I'm sure he felt the same.  ゆうや、ごめなさい！！！

The so-far unsung hero here is Martin, who did so much to prepare the porch, the house, planning, shopping, cooking and recovery cleaning the next day.  He even managed to construct a removable awning on the side of the building over the door out to the porch, which I'm sure we will use again.  Well, Martin, all that work, and look what you have to show for it.  Lots of friends, plenty of fun, and a grateful wife.  Here are other pictures: 

from SASAKI-san,  ありがとう！

from YAGAMI-san　ありがとう！　　

Okay, now can I get back to my normal life please, whatever that is?

Thanksgiving Day Cooks

感謝祭の料理人々

今度日記は英語だけで書きました。That's our Thanksgiving Turkey, before cooking, but after Martin applied the "rub" that he concocted out of various interesting kitchen herbs and spices.  Usually I roast the turkey in the oven, but this year Martin decided he wanted to try to make it on the grill for the first time.  Actually, correct that... this being a four day holiday from school for the kids, usually we take the opportunity to travel somewhere, taking advantage of living in an interesting place which is close to other interesting places, so we haven't had a Thanksgiving at home for a few years.  But this year we decided to stay home, do a turkey and enjoy the leftovers. Besides, there were some other neat things going on later in the weekend, which I'll get to in a bit. 

A week before the big day, I went to my favorite international grocery store, Nissen, and ordered the turkey, which would cost over 5000 yen.  That's around 50 US dollars.  Expensive, true, but everything's expensive here, and as you will see, we made good use of that 50 bucks.  Wednesday night, picked up the thawed turkey, along with lots of other items that aren't readily available in a Japanese grocery store, like evaporated milk, shortning and canned pumpkin for the pies, poultry seasoning for the stuffing and cranberry jelly.  Jonah's main request was for mashed potatoes and lots of savory turkey gravy, while Monica was looking forward to the stuffing, which I made in the crockpot because it wouldn't have worked on the grill.

Monica made a lemon meringue pie with only a teensy bit of help from me.  It's a very complicated pie, and it turned out beautifully.  Jonah mixed up the pumpkin pie, and together they made the lattice crust for the apple pie while I was busy with something else.  Since we were going on a hike to visit a cave the next day with several friends, we decided to try to make some little bite-size pumpkin pies to take along to share, and that was a good idea.  I'm really happy that we can give the kids some experiences of our own culture.  A day of baking pies, cooking and hanging out together at home with just the family, it's something to treasure, I think, and very unusual for us these days with people coming and going all the time.  And while we're on the subject of tradition, I'll skip ahead and mention that on Thanksgiving Day, as on some other special days, we always hold hands around the table and share with each other what we're thankful for.  We have many blessings.  Now, back to the menu. 

I started the crockpot stuffing the night before, and we all enjoyed sampling it throughout the day.  "We could have this more often, you know." Martin said.  Yes, it's really good, but full of butter and carbs along with celery, mushrooms and fresh parsley.  Once a year is enough, I think.  Now we get to the Turkey.  Martin did his research, and I won't give away any secrets here, but even though it was the first time he's grilled a turkey on the Weber, the result was far from amateur.  He brined it the night before, applied a rub before cooking it, and also used wooden smoking chips on the grill.  Plus, if you look at the picture, you'll see a big beer can centrally located.  As a result, the meat was moist and flavorful.  Thanksgiving Day Pictures. 

Besides the Grilled Turkey with all the fixins' on Thanksgiving, we had turkey sandwiches on our hike on Friday, plates of turkey and leftovers throughout the busy weekend, and on Sunday I made my version of Turkey Tetrazzini (which is a really yummy baked pasta casserole) and on Monday night I made turkey noodle soup from rich and flavorful broth I'd prepared Thanksgiving night after cleaning everything else up.  In the large pot, I had boiled the turkey frame (carcass) for a couple of hours and that broth, together with the last of the turkey meat and a few vegetables and my Mom's recipe for homemade egg noodles made a wonderful homestyle soup. 

The day after Thanksgiving was a national holiday, and 13 of us traveled to the countryside for a hiking adventure that included exploring a very interesting limestone cave.  Here are the Cave Hike pictures.

Saturday, Martin and I participated in Papa-san's Saturday Night Skate from Tokyo to Odaiba.  My endurance is up, as I did much better with the 18 km this time.  I think the yoga is helping.  And Sunday, all four participated in City Run.    I'm thankful for being blessed with a four-day weekend full of pleasant family interaction and good times with friends. 

   

Secret Recipe for Skater's BBQ Ribs

スケータのバベキュースペアルイブスの秘密のレシピー

（この物語は概略です。下に英語で十分に書きました。）一ヶ月でアメリカにいたので、 先週日本に帰りました。計画は家族はスケータのバベキューに参加しました。そして私は土曜日にパパさんや友達たちとニッシン店にBBQの肉の買い物を行きました。パパさんは上手なスケータそしてそのうグルメな料理を作る人だから、いい肉を選べます。肉は私の冷蔵庫に閉まっておいて、日曜日に車でもって行きます。私の土曜日の目的はスペアリブスの準備をするでした。でも、主人はBBQの人だので、私はいつも手伝ったり、見たり、食べます。土曜日に彼は飛行機にいたから、彼に尋ねることができませんでした。彼のレシピーを見たので、とても複雑です。それで、もっと簡単ヴァシンを要ります。考えた。。。考えた。。。時差ぼけから、午睡しまいました。起きた時にマーティンは帰りました。彼は解決したから、一緒に店に行って、台所で準備をしました。良かったです。

  いつもマーティンは肉を焼くので、日曜日に彼は休みを取って、写真を撮って、パーティーを楽しました。（BBQの写真はここ。見てください。）Waizさんとこふじさんはスペアリブスを焼いた、しばさんとくさっちは他のグリルを使いました。全部の食べ物はとてもおいしかったです。パパさんとIwaさんといろいろ人はいいパーティーを作りました。

友達たちはスペアリブスのレシピーを欲しいです。簡単ヴぁシンのレシピーはマーティンの頭から出ましたから、彼の許可を貰ってみました。でも、彼は”だめ”と言いました。”秘密でしょう。”それで、下に英語で秘密のレシピーを書きました。

Last Sunday was my in-line skating group's big annual barbeque picnic.  70 or 80 people attended, and it was held on Jonan Island off Tokyo Bay.  This was the second time that our family has been able to attend and the first time that Martin and Jonah and Monica skated the 10 km to the BBQ.  We were just barely back from our HomeLeave in time, as its held the first Sunday of August.  The kids and I returned a few days before, but Martin only came in Saturday night.  I and some other good friends helped Papa-san with the meat shopping at Nissen on Saturday.  Not only is Papa-san an excellent skater, but as a gourmet cook, he made excellent choices.  (That's Papa-san in the photo below, cutting the steak.) The plan was for me to store the meat in my fridge, and then bring it by car to the BBQ on Sunday. 

Also, Papa-san asked me to prepare the 10 pounds of spareribs ahead of time by adding some "taste".  Since Martin is famous for his delicious Barbequed Ribs, he wanted me to do whatever it is Martin does to make them taste so good.  At the time Martin was flying over Russia, I consulted his recipe book, specifically the rib recipe, "Jimmy Schmid's Rattlesnake Ribs" which he's adopted as his own, revising and improving it every time he makes them, I think. 

Hmmn.  This recipe is very complicated and time consuming.  I knew that there were several steps, and many ingredients.  I realized that I would have to make an easier version for the skater BBQ.  But what to do?  Braise them in some kind of savory liquid?  Marinade them overnight?  apply a rub?  I had to think about it.  Oh, that was Saturday afternoon, just two days after I returned, and my jetlag was really bad.  So... I took a nap. 

When I woke up, Martin was already home and it was dark out.  He'd tried to call me and text me from the airport and the bus, but I was sleeping like a rock and heard nothing. When I told him about my dilemma over how to prepare the ribs, he came up with a good idea for an easier version.  We would have to buy some ingredients.  Unfortunately, Nissen was already closed for the day, but we found a store that had what we needed and went home and got to work in the kitchen. 

Everything else went according to plan.  The morning of Sunday, August 5th, it was already quite hot.  We put all the meat and skating gear in the car and drove to Shinegawa Station where we met the other skaters and grouped for the gathering photograph.  (Photo from Iwa-san) Several folks were on the shopping team with me, but many more skated the 10 kilometers (about 6 and 1/4 miles) to Jonan Island.  Monica and Jonah were not enthusiastic about skating in such heat, but we gave them bottles of cold water and much encouragement.  We really want our kids to take advantage of the opportunities that this sport gives us.  Fitness, fun, and friends.  They are shy and not confident speaking Japanese so they mostly hang with each other.  But it will come.

Waiz-san and Kofuji-san grilled the ribs on an open flame stocked by wood and Japanese style charcoal.  They followed my instructions, which I got from Martin, while he took pictures and enjoyed the party.  Usually he is running the barbeque during every party, so we decided to give him a break. GO HERE for Martin's pictures from the skater barbeque. 

They did a wonderful job.  I ate a rib, and it was very delicious. Everyone was clammoring for them.  Kawahara-san actually stole Hazuki-san's from her and ate it while she protested, clearly scared to reach in and try to get it back lest she get her hand bitten right off.  People asked me for the recipe, so naturally, I asked Martin if I could post it, since he made it up.  He said "No, its a secret."

So... here's the SECRET recipe for Skater's BBQ Spareribs :

• Put 5 kg (10 lbs) raw spareribs in a very large and heavy pot on the stove.  Make sure the ribs are cut into singles. 
• Pour in about 8 cans of SECRET ingredient #1. 
• Also throw in several cloves of SECRET ingredient #2, crushed
• Add 2 Tbsp of SECRET ingredient #3
• Add 2 tsp each of SECRET ingredient #4 and #5

Boil the ribs in this braising sauce for about 45 minutes.  Remove the ribs from the liquid, set aside.  Keep about 1 liter (4 cups) of the braising sauce.  Discard the rest.  Skim any fat off the top of the braising sauce and put it in a heavy sauce pan, bring to a boil.  Let it boil down to about 1/2 the volume.  Remove from heat. 

• To the boiled down braising sauce, add 3 bottles of SECRET ingredient #6.
• Add 1 bottle of SECRET ingredient #7.
• Add 2 Tbsp of SECRET ingredient #8
• Chop up one large SECRET ingredient #9
• and finally, thinly slice one SECRET ingredient #10 and mix into the sauce.

Put the ribs into a large container and pour the sauce over the ribs.  Mix together well and marinade in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, prepare the grill.  Get it good and hot.  Remove the ribs one by one from the sauce and place on the grill.  Pour some of the marinade/barbeque sauce into a heat-safe saucepan and set directly on the grill.  Barbeque the ribs over a hot flame until the meat is charred but not burned.  Dip the ribs into the warm sauce when you turn them and just before you serve each one directly to some hungry person's waiting plate.

 

    

Cooking up a storm

よく料理を作った、楽しかったです。

こちらはどんさんとまさどんです。どんさんは上手な日本料理を作る人です。彼は上手なスケータです。両方は私のいい友達です。最近大きいパーティーをした時に、どんさんは手巻き寿司を計画をして、 皆を導きました。たくさん準備は要ったから、彼女は自分の家で卵を焼きました、色々物を持って来ました。それから、へせきさんとはずきさんは築地に魚を買いに行きました。たくさん手伝り人は早く行って、準備を手伝いました。とてもよかったです。私は手巻き寿司を大好きですので、パーティーの皆も大好きと思います。全部は早く終わりました。

当日前夜に、買うのグルプは店へ全部を買いました。手巻き寿司に加えるにマーティンはバベーキューで色々肉とサモンを焼きました。へせきさんはおいしいピザを作りました。たくさん色々果物とか食べ物を作って、食べました。

デサートはクッキー。それは私の特別なチャレンジでした。４つ種類のクッキーを作りましたが、準備はとても面白かったです。４人はボランティアした。皆は日本人です。英語はあまり話せません。２日前に彼たちに一人ずつ英語のレシピを送りました。その後で、レシピを勉強して、翻訳をしました。当日にパーティーは５時に始まるけど、クッキーの人は１２時に着きました。次の３時半はとても忙しかったです。私のチャレンジは日本語、たくさん質問、台所の道具の組織、いつも考えらなければならなかった。とてもよかったです。クッキーのページを作りました。見てください。

英語の下に、写真リンクスを見てください。

The top picture is of my good friends, Don-san and Masa-don.  She is a very good cook of Japanese Food, and he is a very good skater.  Recently, we had the Spring Skaters Porch Party, and Don-san organized the Temaki, which is hand wound sushi.  Because much had to be done ahead of time, she made the egg at her home, and brought many of the necessary items, then, using 3 rice-cookers (two borrowed from my kind neighbors)  she led the other helpers in finishing the preparation at my home.  We had a fish buying team, Hesaki-san and Hazuki-san, (those two good looking people pictured above with the shopping list in hand) who went to Tsukiji and got raw tuna and various other fresh fish the day of the party.  Another buying team went to the store on Friday night for most of the party food.  I really love Temaki, and I think everyone else does too, as it was a big hit and was totally devoured. 

In addition to the Temaki, Martin prepared a delicious mixed grill of meats and salmon, Hesaki-san made many yummy pizza's, using sourkraut and various other tasty treats.  Lots of fruit and veggies were prepared by the cooking team that arrived at 3pm. 

Dessert was freshly baked cookies, and this was my special challenge.  Four friends, none of whom speak English, volunteered to help bake the cookies.  Japanese people don't have much experience baking cookies, because they don't have the right kind of oven, so this was a good opportunity for them to learn something new.  Before the party, I sent each of them a recipe (in English) for the cookies they would make.  They then translated their recipe using their computers, studied it, and brought the translated copy to the cooking party.  The cookie people all arrived at noon, and for the next 3 and a half hours, we made the cookies.  It was very busy for me, as I had to keep track of four different recipes/cooks/mixtures.  I also had to keep juggling my cooking tools, such as my electric mixer, pans and the oven.  The biggest challenge for me, as usual, was the language.  It was really good Japanese practice for me and I think the cookie people all enjoyed it as much as I did.  The cookies were all delicious.  I made a page on my other website with the recipes and pictures of the cookie bakers.

Here's pictures of the cooking party. 料理を作るのパーティーの写真。 

Here's pictures of the Spring Skaters Porch Party taken by Martin.  マーティンのパーティの写真

Here's some links to party pix taken by other friends.  Really worth a look: 

Yagami-san　やがみさんの写真     Masa-don　まさどんの写真.