Clam Rice

I was lucky enough to make another trip to Japan with TheKeeper.  And what made it even sweeter was that we went back to Hokkaido.  I love Hokkaido.  Of course, I need to make it clear that I have only been to Hokkaido in autumn, so perhaps I would not love Hokkaido during January or February. 

TheKeeper enjoys staying at branches of a moderate hotel chain, Toyoko Inn.  The hotel website promises clean and comfortable rooms at reasonable rates.  This time we stayed at a different branch from last year, and again, the service was great.  This place was even closer to the Sapporo main station, and it was surrounded by multiple 7-11s, Lawsons, and SeicoMarts!

One thing I really enjoy about this particular chain is the free breakfast.  Of course anything free is great, but more than the $, I really enjoy the food.  This year, the food was a little different that what was offered at the hotel last year.  We spent 5 nights at the hotel (read=5 breakfasts), and not one time did I see any kind of sausage as a breakfast meat.  The featured breakfast meat was meatballs.  The meatballs looked like they were swimming in a reddish-brown sauce which I assume was some kine of bbq sauce.  Not being much of a fan of the combination, I chose to bypass that selection.

On several days, the breakfast buffet line featured a green bean dish.  DHS and I loved it and swore to try recreating the dish when we got home.  I have yet to actually try a recipe for it, but it's on my short list of things I must cook soon. 

My favorite part of the buffet is the assortment of starches.  Every morning, there were at least 4 different starches, actually more if you include the different breads.  I am not usually a big rice eater, but I really enjoyed all the mixed rice selections.  Some days the rice was made into musubi (triangular onigiri?) and other days, it was just mounded in a large dish. 

A few weeks before I went to Japan, I actually made a delicious mixed rice dish.  I served it from a large dish, but I think it would be equally scrumptious pressed into shapes. . .or even used for the rice portion in a Spam musubi.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Clam Rice

     1 can (6 oz) kogai ajitsuke (seasoned clams), drained, juice reserved
     1/2 c bamboo shoots, slivered
     4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in water and slivered
     1/2 c slivered carrots
     1/2 c soybeans, thawed if frozen
     2 tbsp shoyu
     1 tbsp sugar
     1 tbsp mirin
     1 tsp salt
     1 packet (about 1 tbsp) dashi-no-moto
     3 c (rice cooker cups) rice, prepared as usual

Add reserved clam juice, salt, and dashi-no-moto to rice and water.  Let stand for 20 minutes then cook as usual.  Cook shiitake mushrooms with shoyu, sugar, and mirin.  Add carrots and bamboo shoots.  Cook until carrots are soft.  Add soybeans and clams.  Remove from heat.  When rice is done, toss clam mixture with rice.

We arrived in Japan on Sunday, October 7, although it was around noon on Saturday, October, 6, when we left Hawaii.  For some reason, it felt like we arrived earlier than we did last year, as restaurants were still open for dinner.  We were lucky enough to go to our favorite tonkatsu restaurant, Tonkatsu Wako.

Clam Patties

There are nights when I really have no idea what to cook.  And for whatever reason, going to the supermarket after work seems like too much trouble.  That's when I start digging in the pantry for my stash of clams.

These clam patties are quick to make, and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand.  Clams are reasonably priced, and they are often on sale at KTA or Longs.


Feel free to buy canned clams wherever you want, but you won't run into me at Long's.  I don't go to Longs anymore since the pharmacy lost my mom's pain killer prescription when she was dying of cancer.  Imagine that...the pharmacist blamed the misplaced prescription on a pharmacist-in-training from the local college.  She told me she would have the prescription ready the next day.  Bullshit!  My mother had just been released from the hospital and had only a few hours to fill her prescription before getting on a plane for a last-ditch treatment effort.  So no limp apology from a pharmacist can compensate for my mom's pain.  Thanks for nothing, you incompetent dipshits!  Actually, I stopped going to Long's way before that, but I was there to pick up my mother's prescription.  Long's pharmacy does not have their shit together, that's for sure.   They seem to have the fake apology down though, and the pharmacists are good at talking down to people too.  I take my business to Safeway or KTA.

Maybe this rant isn't fair.  Maybe there IS a Long's pharmacy out there which is staffed by competent people.  My mother's incident happened in June 2016 at the Long's which used to be next to the Hilo Safeway.  Okay, enough about Long's.  This is pissing me off all over again.

Where was I?  Oh yeah, I was talking about clam patties.  When we have this, I ask The Help to make tartar sauce (he does a good job).  It also goes very well with potsticker sauce.

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Clam Patties

     2 cans minced clams

     1 egg

     2/3 c flour

     1 tsp baking powder

     dash of Tabasco

     1/2 tsp salt

     dash of pepper

     2 tbsp minced celery

     1 tbsp minced parsley

     oil for frying

Drain clams, reserving 1/3 c liquid.  Beat egg in a small bowl and whisk in reserved clam liquid, flour, baking powder, Tabasco, salt, and pepper.  Stir in clams, celery, and parsley.  Heat 1/2" oil in a skillet.  Drop a teaspoonful of batter into hot oil.  Batter will flatten out.  Flip when golden brown to fry other side.  Drain on paper towels.  Serve with tartar sauce or potsticker sauce.  Patties can be kept warm in a 250 degree oven.

Hakodate, Japan

October 12, 2017:  Day 4

Prior to heading to the train station, The Keeper and I went to the far end of the Hokkaido University campus.  He wanted to check out picturesque gingko trees lining the entrance to the campus.

The Keeper told me Hakodate was a 3+ hour train ride away from Sapporo.  I was excited because I had fond memories of train rides.

 Our first stop in Hakodate was the morning market.  In spite of snacking on the train ride, I was starving when we arrived.

The Keeper suggested a restaurant on the edge of the market which served freshly killed seafood.  After the abalone at Ohiso (near Nijo Market in Sapporo), I knew I had to get abalone again.

The specialty of the restaurant was finely minced fatty salmon with ikura over a bowl of rice.  I regret getting the small portion.  I know I could've eaten the large size.  This was probably THE best raw food I had during the trip.

One of the "attractions" at the Hakodate market is catching your own squid and having them clean (read=kill) it and prepare it for you.  The restaurant we went to for breakfast also served freshly "prepared" squid.  It wasn't a big deal to me about catching my own squid, but I knew this was something I had to eat too.  Good thing The Keeper has a good appetite.

Like Otaru, Hakodate has a bunch of red brick buildings.  These are now filled with shops.  Marion Crepes, which also has an outpost in Shirokiya Japan Village Walk, has a counter in one of these buildings.  The yummy filled crepes are half the price of the ones in Honolulu!

We took a streetcar to get to Goryokaku, a star-shaped fort built in the mid-19th century.  We didn't actually go into the fort, but we went to the top of the observation tower.  The tower has sweeping views over the fort and the city.

I love how the manhole covers are whimsically decorated with regional touches.

We returned to Sapporo and went to grab dinner at the ramen yokocho in Susukino.  This time, we ate at Aji No Karyu, the place where Anthony Bourdain ate (this is the first shop, the one that is on the main street at the entrance to the yokocho).  I took a picture of the shop here.  I wanted to take a picture of my corn-less bowl of shoyu ramen (by this time, I realized I don't like corn in my ramen), but there was a large sign in English saying "no photos".  Shit!!!

This was a sad day for me because I knew that in a few days I would be back at work. . .and I was staring down the barrel of an 8-hour plane ride the next day.
 

Almost Pike Place Chowder: New England Clam Chowder

This past weekend, the weather was miserable.  After weeks of hot, sticky humidity, we got bombarded by rain.  A new weather system formed just southeast of us, bringing a ton of rain to Hilo.

The Help and I survived a wet football game at Wong Stadium (affectionately called "Lake Wong").  The Help learned that Columbia rain products are not on equal footing with NorthFace; he was soaked, while my layers remained dry.   Maybe Santa will bring him a NorthFace jacket this year.

On Saturday, as the downpour continued, The Help made a strange comment, something to the effect of "so this is what it's like to live in Seattle."  Ummmmm NO.

Seattle rain is nothing like Hilo rain.  In Hilo, the rain comes down in buckets.  Walking ten feet in the rain is capable of soaking through layers of clothes (including a Columbia supposed-rain jacket).  Seattle rain is different.  It doesn't come down in buckets, but it's always present.  I had a hard time explaining the difference to The Help.  I did, however, make a big deal about the temperature of the rain.  Seattle rain is cold.

Anyway, The Help's comment about Seattle brought back memories of a recent trip to the Emerald City.  I had the opportunity to stop at Pike Place Chowder for a steaming bowl of their award-winning chowder.  It was every bit as good as the hype made it out to be.  No disappointment at all, although I was somewhat surprised at how small the place was.  There were hardly any tables/chairs, yet that didn't see to stop people from lining up.  I tried both the seafood bisque and the New England style clam chowder.  Both were awesome, and they are high up on my to-eat list for my next trip to Seattle.

So as a reward for opening his mouth, The Help found himself heading out in the rain on Saturday to pick up the ingredients for my copycat version of Pike Place Chowder's New England Clam Chowder.  Although my next trip to Seattle will need to wait for a while (I need to go to AZ first), I found myself sitting down to a nice, hot bowl of soup while lamenting those darn Dawgs!  WTF?!?

click on recipe title for printable recipe

Almost Pike Place Chowder:  New England Clam Chowder

     2 tbsp butter

     1/2 onion, diced

     2 stalks celery, diced

     1/3 c flour

     1 can chicken broth (add water to make 2 cups)

     2 cans (10 oz each) clams (minced, chopped or combination)

     1 c heavy cream

     2 bay leaves

     1 lb russet potatoes, cubed 1/2"

     1/2 tsp salt

     1/8 tsp pepper

Melt butter in a medium saucepan.  Add onion and celery and saute until soft.  Stir in flour.  Add chicken broth, clam juice (reserve clams for later), cream, bay leaves, and potatoes.  Simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.  Add clams, salt, and pepper.  Serve.

I had quite a scare on Saturday night.  Sometime during the slaughter at Sun Devil Stadium, I decided to check my fb page.  My heart sank when I saw a post about a stampede at the Summer Ends Music Festival at Tempe Beach Park.  Prior to leaving for Tempe, D1 purchased her ticket online, so I knew she was there (rather than at the stadium).  The fb news clip said two juvenile females, who were close to the stage, were taken to a local trauma center with life-threatening injuries.  I immediately texted and called D1, but there was no response.  As a parent 3,000 miles away, all sorts of things went through my mind.  I breathe a deep sigh of relief when the phone rang as I was talking to Mr. Dependable about the events.  Darn kid said she had left her phone at home for safe-keeping and was unaware (until later) as to why she had been ordered by concert officials to evacuate Tempe Beach Park.

Later, as I was praying and hoping for the best for all those injured, The Help said he knew all along D1 was fine...said she would never have dished out the extra $$$ to be close to the stage.  Being pake probably saved her ass.

Just for you, January (or February) Boy: Ono Pasta

Happy belated Easter!

I spent a nice Easter Sunday at Hilo Bay Cafe, enjoying the brunch festivities.  It was The Help's idea to go there.  He figured all the Beautiful People would be on the other side of the island, celebrating the day at one of the fancy-schmancy hotels.  I missed them terribly.  not.  Hilo Bay Cafe brunch was probably the best kept secret.  There was a steady stream of people, but it wasn't so crowded that it was difficult to get food.  The buffet had enough selection, and the spicy ahi sushi was possibly the best I ever had.  I am not a fan of ahi, so this is definitely a compliment.  If the Ds had come, there would've been plenty of suitable options for them.  I need to have The Help call tomorrow to find out if they are planning a buffet brunch for Mother's Day.  I think Kikukat Mom would love it.

The long weekend was much appreciated.  I always say that a short work/school week forces kids (students) to squeeze all their bad behavior into 4, rather than 5, days.  That's why they seem so awful during a short week.  This was certainly true of this past week.

My favorite student charlie has a major case of senioritis.  Too bad he's had it all year.  He threw a tantrum when I told him his grade.  Can you believe that???  High school senior throwing a tantrum?  Oh wait, my mom told me my dad threw a tantrum once when I took his car.  Anyway, back to charlie. . .buggah should be thankful he is passing!  Never mind trying to bargain for a higher grade.  This is not Patpong Night Market...no such thing as bargaining for a grade! 

What I find interesting is that other students are beginning to diss charlie behind his back.  These are people he considers friends.  One of them said, "I do my work.  I not like some people." and nodded towards charlie, who was facing another direction.  Another student refused to work as charlie's partner and yet another refused to even help him.  I'm sad for charlie because if these "friends" can turn on him in school, once they are out of school, they will likely not even bother with him.  Charlie prides himself on being the star attraction, so this will certainly make for an interesting adjustment.

In a few months, most of charlie's classmates will be matriculating at institutes of higher education.  Not charlie.  He has no plans for any education.  Says he doesn't need it for what he plans to do for a career.  He may be right, but as an educator, I'm very sad.  Part of successful "teaching" is instilling a thirst for knowledge, and given charlie's attitude and words, I was not successful.  But I am happy for charlie's classmates.  They will soon be knocking on the door to the rest of their lives. . .college!

I often think about my days in college.  College was a great time for me.  Many good memories come from my years in Seattle.  I was fortunate that my parents had the means to send me to the mainland.  I hope to provide the same opportunity for my own children.  While exploring the Pacific Northwest was fun, it was also nice to return home on vacations and share stories with high school friends.  On my first vacation home, we got together and exchanged Christmas gifts.

One of the gifts I received was a local boys (not nekkid kine) calendar for Christmas.  I had the calendar hanging in my dorm room.  The boys who garnered the most ooohhs and aaahhs were January boy and February boy.  Some of my friends would even flip backwards to stare at them long after January (and February) was over.  Maybe I did that too.  Perhaps that's why I can still remember their names.

Fast forward nearly several thousand years. . .I was flipping through one of my gazillion cookbooks and came across a recipe submitted by January (or it might have been February) boy. . .or someone with his same name.  Actually, I'm quite sure it is his recipe. . .the graduation year is about right.  I was hesitant to try the recipe because I didn't think others would like it, but I finally decided to go for it.  The directions for the recipe were fairly loose, so I ended up doing my own thing, changing a little here and a little there.  What resulted was phenomenal.  No complaints from anyone here and a whole lotta ooohhs and aaahhs from the Facebook set.  I guess January (or February) boy still has his mojo, albeit as a cook instead of beefcake!

click on recipe title for printable recipe

January (or February) Boy Pasta

     1 lb strand pasta (nothing smaller than vermicelli; nothing thicker than fettucine)

     1 flat can anchovies

     half head of garlic, coarsely chopped

     1/4 c olive oil

     3 tbsp butter (may replace with vegetable oil)

     1 onion, sliced from pole to pole

     2 cans of clams, drained

     2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped

     1/2 c shredded parmesan cheese

     flat leaf parsley, chopped

     lemon wedges

Boil pasta in salted water until al dente.  Drain and set aside.  Drain anchovy oil into wok.  Add olive oil and butter.  Heat on medium.  Process anchovy fillets and garlic with a food processor or immersion blender until garlic is chopped and anchovies are minced (you can actually do all of this by hand, but its oily).  Add to oil in pan.  Add onions.  Cook 10 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add drained pasta, clams, and tomatoes.  Toss gently.  Place on platter and garnish with cheese and parsley.  Have lemon wedges on hand for diners to add a squeeze of lemon juice.