Regional Cuisines of Asia - Japan

I basically pulled an all nighter to get my report finished and typed up, along with the recipes and power point presentation finished,which went much faster the second time, and everything prepped and organized for my demo. I had visited Sumika's a few times for "'research" and they had given me some of their imported charcoal to use for my yakitori demonstration. Coincidentally enough this restaurant was reviewed in the paper on Sunday. I think when I went asking questions they must of thought I was with the paper and really bent over backwards to help me out. Or, they are really just very nice. Anyways, I came home that night with binchoutan charcoal, imported from Japan and a new understanding of yakitori cooking along with the lingering taste of a delicious meal. Check out the article on Sumika. Or, their website.

Their chef had showed me how to light the coals over the flame to get them ready and when they were glowing I transferred them to a little hibachi I had set up on the grill. It is a fairly smokeless charcoal with a very subtle flavor. I grilled some chicken skewers that I basted in a yakitori sauce.
I also made some little spinach bundles that I served with a toasted sesame dressing. (Horenso No Goma Ae) Very traditional. I then used the charcoal to grill a piece of sea bass that I had marinated in a miso glaze overnight, along with a couple of Nori cakes that I made from sticky rice.
My presentation went ok except I got a little confused during the miso soup demo. How can you blow miso soup? I think I was a little tired and not thinking as clear as I was on Monday,
Anyway, it's over and done. One nice thing is that now I get to hang back for the next three weeks and just watch everyone else. I can also start working on my menu for the over all final that will be at the end of June.
Chef demonstrated a Sukiyaki for us which we all made together later in the kitchen and prepared some ingredients for sushi making the next day.
I came home from school and took a nice long nap, woke up and went up to San Francisco to see Carlos Santana. What a day. No seats at the Fillmore. I think I fell asleep standing up.

Goodnight.