MANEKINEKO: The Good Luck Cat

                                   Come in, come in!

MANEKINEKO is the "good luck cat" frequently seen near the entrances to Asian stores, businesses and homes. Often referred to as the "waving cat" outside of Japan, manekineko are actually believed to be beckoning people to come in. The gesture used to wave goodbye in many western countries is very similar to the way Asians gesture to call or summon someone.

The right or left paw may be raised. It's generally held that the higher the paw is raised the "luckier" the figure as more people are drawn from further away. Some say that a beckoning left paw brings customers; a right one brings happiness. Others believe a left paw brings money while a right one protects it. Some greedy little guys want it all.....

                                                  Both paws up...luck? Bring it!

Manekineko are popular throughout Asia, but originated in Japan. The figures may be seen in all colours, but traditionally a Japanese bobtail is depicted, and calico is believed to be the luckiest colour.

                             A calico Japanese bobtail. Black cats are also considered lucky

Feng shui is the ancient Chinese art of positioning structures in such a way that they attract good energy and luck and ward off "evil". Some solid colour manekineko are believed to unite the power of Japanese lucky cats with the principles of feng shui. A solid blue manekineko placed in the north of a house may bring good health and so on.

Could it be that kitty is not waving at you but she is washing instead? Some Japanese believe that when a cat washes her face with her paws guests (or customers?) will soon arrive. Some Chinese believe that cats bathe when they sense rain is coming. Rain on the streets is believed to send customers into the stores. Either way they're good for business!

Is bigger better? This cat has a whole bag of gold!

A "koban" is an oval gold coin that was in circulation in Edo era Japan. Many lucky cats are seen holding one.

Possibly the most common example of a manekineko

Several stories surround the good luck associated with cats in Japan. One tells of a swordsman who was visiting a lady friend. The woman's beloved cat began acting very strangely, violently clawing at her clothes. Believing the cat was possessed by a demon, the man chopped off the cat's head. The severed head flew towards the ceiling where a poisonous snake had been waiting to attack the woman. The cat's head snapped its jaws around the snake saving his owners life. The woman was inconsolable following the death of her heroic companion. Distraught that he had murdered the creature, the swordsman comissioned a famous sculptor to recreate the woman's cat.

                        A wooden Manekineko from the 19th century Edo period

Another legend tells of a poor monk who kept a cat named "Tama" at his temple in Tokyo. During a storm a wealthy nobleman had taken shelter under a tree when he noticed the cat was beckoning him into the temple. Curious, he went to the cat. Seconds later, lightening struck the tree under which he had been standing. The nobleman and the monk became friends and the temple prospered. When Tama died, figures were made in his honour. The tradition continues at the Goutokuji Temple in Tokyo today.

Goutokuji Temple in Tokyo houses hundreds of manekineko figurines

If you've got a kitty, we hope she/he brings you lots of luck! Ideas for new posts always welcome, have a great day...

Umami

UMAMI is often referred to as the "5th" taste. Sweet, salty, sour and bitter are considered to be the 4 "primary" tastes. "Umami" in Japanese translates as "deliciousness". Foods high in "umami" have a full flavoured savouriness and unique mouth feel that can be difficult to describe. "Yummy" works...

     Seaweed, mushrooms, tomato, parmesan cheese and cured meats are foods high in "umami"

For many centuries, the received wisdom was that all flavours were a combination of the 4 primary tastes. At about the same time however, a Japanese scientist named Ikeda and the famous French Chef Auguste Escoffier were having their doubts. Escoffier was in the process of revoloutionizing French cooking. He had invented a heavily reduced veal stock that formed the basis for many of his sauces. His customers were going wild over his new creations. "Like nothing they'd ever tasted before..."

   Continuously cooking, straining and reducing the veal stock concentrates the flavours 
            and is the starting point for hundreds of Escoffier's most famous recipes

Oceans away, Ikeda-san was puzzling over what it was that made his wife's homemade dashi stock taste so damn good. Dashi is the starting point for many Japanese soups, sauces and recipes and is made from dried tuna, seaweed and small anchovies. It wasn't a salty taste, but richer; complex and more flavourful. And it certainly didn't fall under the categories of sweet, sour or bitter, so what exactly was it?

        Making Japanese dashi the traditional way. Unlike most French stocks, dashi is quick 
                            to make and does not need to be reduced

Years of lab work paid off and in 1908 Ikeda succeeded in isolating an amino acid that is a "glutamate" or glutamic acid. Glutamic acid is tasteless. Until you break it down by cooking, curing, fermenting or ripening the food in question. The deconstructed glutamate ("L" or "D" glutamate) is what lights up your tastebuds. It also combines with the foods that it is prepared with and makes them taste better as well.

   Fresh fish is delicious, but low in glutamates. A drop of soy sauce is a "U-bomb"; a powerful source of umami that elevates sushi from so-so to spectacular

Back in France, Chef Escoffier was also hard at work. By cooking down veal bones and vegetables, he had hit on a highly effective way of drawing out and concentrating umami in his stocks, which formed the base for his sauces. His use of tomatoes, mushrooms and cheeses (all high in glutamates) further elevated the yummy factor in his hundreds of new recipes.

        "Chicken Chasseur" is a classic Escoffier recipe packed with umami rich ingredients

Curing, drying and aging meats and cheeses builds umami and boosts the flavour factor in these foods. A thin slice of a well-aged sausage or fine cheese atop a slice of fresh bread is a simple, savoury delight. In the past, curing, drying and fermenting foods also helped preserve them without refrigeration.

                      Italy, Spain and Germany are famous for their sausages and cured meats

Some of our favourite dishes are superb combinations of foods naturally high in glutamates. Think of a ceaser salad. Crisp lettuce by itself is blah. It's the dressing that makes it. Anchovies and parmesan cheese are packed with umami.

Bacon is another "U bomb'. Probably why it ends up in salads and sandwichs; on burgers and pizzas; even finding it's way into ice cream and chocolate. Is it the umami in bacon that allows it to make almost anything taste good?

                  Bacon Maple Miso Milkshake? From an umami standpoint, it should work......

Tomatoes, mushrooms and potatoes are high in natural glutamates. They pair well with cheeses and these combinations are found in kitchens around the world. Pierogies or piroshki are popular in Russia and eastern Europe. Savoury versions are often stuffed with umami laden potato, mushroom, meat and/or cheese.

Italian cooks have come up with countless recipes incorporating tomato and cheese in pastas, salads and, of course, on pizzas....

Ikeda was the first to chemically isolate and name L-glutamate. But umami rich fermented products have long been a staple for Asian and South East Asian cooks. Soy sauce, fish sauce and fermented bean pastes all pack a powerful umami punch. Thai and Vietnamese Chefs rely on different "fish sauces" to elevate the flavour in their dishes.

Many brands/grades of fish sauce are produced throughout South East Asia

As with olive oil and balsmic vinegars, fish sauce comes in many different "grades". The quality varies depending on the kinds and parts of the fish used, and the production process. Colour is another important factor, and generally speaking, a lighter, golden colour fish sauce is preferred over a dark, coffee-coloured one. Personal preference plays a part; a strong, salty taste pleases one palate while another prefers a sweeter, lighter sauce.

Interestingly, fish sauce was first used in ancient Rome. "Garum" was made using larger fish like tuna and mackerel as well as small fish like anchovies. It's use spread to kitchens across the Roman Empire and beyond.

            The ancient ruins of a Roman fish sauce factory. Fish guts would be removed as quickly as possible, mixed with salt and other ingredients and allowed to ferment in the sun
 Many believe that Britian's famous Worcestershire sauce borrowed from fermented fish sauce recipes originating in ancient times. Impossible to believe? Maybe not....anchovies, tamarind and cloves are all ingredients in the sauce that can season anything....

                                                           "NEW!"....probably not so much....

MSG is a chemical derivative of naturally occuring glutamates. It is also marketed as "Ajinomoto" and other names by companies around the world. It is commonly found in processed fast foods and prepared sauces and seasonings. Many people are looking to avoid MSG consumption and look for "no MSG" added restaurants and packaging. At Sanbiki we do not add MSG to any of our dishes. Instead, we use homemade stocks that harness the natural glutamates in our seaweed, seafood and other ingredients.

"Umami". It sounds very Japanese; very new and trendy. But the glutamates responsible for umami are anything but. Chefs and housewives around the world have long recognized that certain ingredients could be used and combined to develop flavour and add depth to their dishes. Umami's universal appeal is perhaps to be expected. You could say we've developed a taste for glutamates before we develop "taste". As babies in the womb we are surrounded by amniotic fluid that is rich in glutamates. It's also present in our mothers milk!

More next time...

Meet Our Sanbiki Team!

             Sanbiki's Christmas/New Years Party brings together staff new and old!

You know their faces but you may not  know their names. This post is dedicated to the hardworking ladies and gentlemen that help us keep it together at Sanbiki, and next door at Mori Mori Grocery.

MEGUMI is usually the first face you'll see when you enter Sanbiki. Is it super busy? Megumi is probably still smiling; an oasis of calm in the controlled chaos. She'll always do her best to make sure you and all of our customers are fed, watered and well-cared for. She has studied here in Kamloops at TRU and also in Shanghai, China! She is originally from Fukushima, Japan.

                   Megumi (right) has been with us for over 3 years. Recognize Chie next to her? Chie left Sanbiki to start a family and restaurant of her own! Her and husband Yuki now own and operate the popular Tiger Ramen in Sahali.

                Chef Hiro is a little crazy, it's a survival strategy out here on planet Sanbiki.....
HIRO

Chef Hiro joined Sanbiki last year. You'll often see him working at Sanbiki's sushi-making station. Previously, Hiro and his wife Seiko lived and worked in Fiji and Japan. They are the proud parents of beautful Reina-chan, their first daughter now 10 kilos and 10 months old!

                                      Hiro folding Sanbiki's homemade gyoza

YAMA

Chef Yama came to Kamloops after an extended stay in Mongolia. Working at the Japanese Embassy there gave him the opportunity to cook not just Japanese dishes but to explore other cuisines as well. 

           Chef Yama visits with Reina-chan, daughter of  Hiro and Seiko and the newest
                              member of Sanbiki's extended family

It was natural that Yama was in charge of creating a special menu for a private luncheon recently hosted at Sanbiki by Japanese Consul General Ito from Vancouver!

         Sanbiki's special lunch box for Ito-san and his Kamloops Japanese-Canadian guests

HIDEKI
Our newest addition to Sanbiki's professional kitchen crew! Hideki came to Kamloops from Japan just a few months back. We look forward to making the most of his experience and skills in Sanbiki's kitchen.

                                                  Hideki and Aya in Sanbiki's open kitchen

NIGEL
He towers (literally) head and shoulders above the rest of us at Sanbiki! Nigel has lived in Vancouver, Revelstoke and the Kamloops area. He has studied Japanese, and his interest in Japanese cusine and his willingness to learn have made him a valuable member of our kitchen crew.

                     Nigel and Yama prepare take out for Mori Mori Grocery every morning

AYA has been studying at TRU and living in Kamloops for several years. With the recent warm summer weather, she can sometimes be found with daughter Sara enjoying the water park!

    Aya's daughter Sara and her friend at Mori Mori...treats from Tomoko keep them smiling!

YUN HEE speaks Japanese and English, but don't be fooled! She's orgininally from South Korea, so she is...trilingual! She has lived in Japan but now calls Kamloops home. With two teenagers, one husband and a full time job, she is a very busy lady indeed. We're happy to have her onboard!

                                Mao (left) and Yun Hee are day shift regulars at Sanbiki!
ZACK can be found doing prep early in the mornings and also cleaning up late at night. He joined us just this year but he's learning lots. Both Zack and Nigel have expressed an interest in skydiving...Time to consider forming a Sanbiki Skydiving Team? Count me in!

It's a Sanbiki tradition...a DQ birthday cake with Zack, Hiro and Nigel.

You'll also see BEN, MAO, SOLANGE and some other new faces in the kitchen and on the floor. We're always looking for good people and good ideas to help us serve our customers better!

Have we saved the best for last? Mori Mori's many regular customers may think so...

TOMOKO has been with us longer than anyone. She came to us back in 2006 when we opened Sanbiki's sister grocery Mori Mori and has managed it ever since. She helped us with the move from Mori Mori's old location at 749 Victoria to our current space at the corner of Lansdowne and 5th. She works hard to ensure both Mori Mori and Sanbiki run smoothly. She works even harder keeping Masato and Heather organized and up to date with the technology they purchase; pretend to understand, and then ask her to figure out!

                                   "It's easy, boss...point and click....."

          Masato and Heather at the entrance to Sanbiki's beautiful new location at Lansdowne and 5th Avenue. The space was designed and built by Chase-based Daizen Joinery

MASATO is the "Papa Bear" in the Sanbiki cave. Born in Osaka, Japan he spent several years working in Thailand. Before opening Sanbiki in 2002, he apprenticed at Basara, a friends restaurant in Tokyo. He played rugby for many years in Japan and Thailand. These days he's hoping for a few days off to relax and enjoy the great fishing in the Kamloops area...

HEATHER is Sanbiki's resident crazy cat lady, cheerleader and executive dishwasher. Born in Vancouver, she spent several years abroad working as a travel writer, English teacher and as a volunteer on development projects in India and Africa. Strange sweet sushi and Hello Kitty cookies on display for fundraising? Probably her weird work...

Masato and Heather met in Thailand and have been married for 12 years. No kids; just cats...and dogs!

             Our "girls"(Goldie and Saba) always look forward to patio visits with Sanbiki's team!

Thanks for your interest in us! We look forward to seeing you soon at Sanbiki and next door at Mori Mori for groceries and sushi to go!

TEMPURA

                                             A High End Tempura Restaurant in Japan

Portuguese? Or Japanese? Perhaps a bit of both....The Japanese have borrowed many cooking techniques and ingredients from abroad and adapted them to suit Japanese tastes. "Tempura" and the use of hot oil for cooking was introduced in the 1600s by the Portuguese.

                        Look familiar? Portuguese deep fried eel looks a lot like tempura!

Rice flour is not normally used for tempura, wheat flour is the norm. Vegetables and seafood are popular tempura items. "Ebi tempura" or jumbo prawns are a favourite in Japan as elsewhere. Shiitake mushrooms are good, as is "kabocha", a kind of Japanese squash.

                                 Tempura batter should be very light and never greasy 
Whole soft shell crabs are fried in tempura batter and often used for "Spider Rolls". The entire crab is edible after being fried. The whole crabs make for specatular presentation!

                         "Spider Rolls" are a popular new sushi roll using whole soft shell crabs

Amaebi are large sweet shrimp served raw as sashimi or nigiri sushi The heads are often fried in tempura and served alongside the raw body. They look strange but they are a crispy, crunchy calcium filled treat...

                                                         Yumm...deep fried head.....

A light dipping sauce may be served garnished with fresh grated daikon (radish). Some people prefer just a little salt and a squirt of lemon. Small fish in tempura aren't often seen in the West but they're a crispy, seasonal favourite in Japan...

Even sheets of dried seaweed and herbs can be used in tempura preparations. "Oba" or "shiso" is a Japanese minty basil. The leaves are crispy and delicious when served in a delicate tempura batter.

                                                           "Shiso" leaves
 Kakiage is a birds nest style tempura that can be made with onions, carrots, shrimp and sometimes "gobo" the root of the burdock tree. Pretty much any leftover veggies can be julienned and thrown together making kakiage popular tempura option to make at home. Served over rice and drizzled with a sweet and savoury sauce it becomes "tendon" (tempura rice bowl)

                             "Kakiage" style tempura served over rice as "tendon"
"Tempura udon" is a favourite at Sanbiki and traditional cold weather comfort food. Served with udon noodles in soup, it can be garnished with green onion or "shichimi", a Japanese chili powder.

                                   Sanbiki uses homemade stock for our tempura udon
When the Portuguese first introduced "tempura" in Japan, the consumption of animals was prohibited. The name "tempura" is thought to have come from the Latin "quottuor tempora" which refered to the times when Catholics also avoided eating meat. Even today, it is rare to see meat tempura in Japan. Outside Japan, anything pretty much goes; even whole sushi rolls are dunked in tempura and deep fried!

                            Deep fried sushi rolls? Yes, they're out there....

While the Japanese appeared enthusiastic about the cuisine of Portugal, they were perhaps more reserved about the Portuguese missionaries themselves! "The Barbarians Cookbook", as it was called, was published in the 17th Century and explores the use of not just hot oil, but also eggs and sugar for cooking. It is believed that this is the first time recipes for cookies appeared in Japan. Even today "boro" are crispy, biscotti-like sweet treats.....

                              These boro are made with buckwheat flour
PANKO is a breadcrumb batter somewhat similar to tempura...."Pan" from the Japanese word for bread (same pronounciation as "pain" in French) "Ko" is a Japanese term for powder or coating. so..."PANKO"=Bread crumb batter. Shrimp, oysters, pork cutlets and chicken can be served fried in panko.

                                Panko crusted pork, chicken and seafood are popular everywhere

Trying tempura at home? Be careful not to overmix the batter and use cold water. Use a vegetable oil that is clean and hot. Check your recipe carefully as different items should be fried at slightly different temperatures. Make sure the items are of uniform size and not too big or thick as they will not cook quickly and thoroughly. Never use "wet" items, pat them dry with paper towel to ensure they turn out crispy. Don't put too much in the pot at once! This lowers the temperature of the oil, the food absorbs more of it, and becomes greasy! Serve tempura quickly and don't be afraid to experiment!

                                             Not traditonal tempura but tasty!

Have a great week, more blogs to come!