Friday, January 29, 2010

A very warm family Japanese dinner in French traditional culture, Paris, France

After so many hectic meetings in Cannes and flight/luggage delay, I realise why people often say "there's no place like home". Miki, my best friend in Paris made a lovely dinner tonight and she is the first chef who showed me to get fresh basil to cook with pasta back in 1995 (way before I watched how Jamie Oliver did the same) at her home in Hong Kong. Since then, we chatted a lot about cooking. We also had some picnic tour with the Angel to places like Lamma Island. Miki made some sushi in a very nice box with heat-proof. So this is how thoughtful and delicate of Japanese cooking culture. There are a no of Miki's dishes the Angel and I have never forgot.... Here are some of those...

1. Olives as the appetizer. 2. the dining room.

3. the table. 4. Wow... my most missed Okonomiyaki (Japanese pan cake). I was so surprised to see it again and it's the best I have ever tasted. Miki used some scallop and fish together with bean sprouts and cabbage. The scallop and fish were nicely done without any smelly taste and I can tell it has been done in a fine water boiling that the meat texture is very crunchy!

5. I seldom drink but only on some occasion, and this red wine is awesome and so smooth in the mouth. 6. a very nice chopstick shoulder.

7/8. See how evenly the ingredients are and most of all it's very moist but not watery! This is the very skillful part. Bravo!

9/10. Chicken and bean on cold soba. Another amazing delight. At first I didn't know there are some very sweet and crunchy beans. Then the soba is at a perfect texture and chilled too. The parsley fragrance just went so well with the whole dish.

11. Gallet (French traditional pastry only available in January). As my trip to France is often in January, I used to think this is the all-year-round pastry in France. Tonight I got told of a local tradition of eating this pastry. Before cutting this pastry, the youngest person at the table needs to get down under the table. Then he will say the name of whom the cut of the pastry should be given until the last piece is given back to himself. So there is one ceramic inside the pastry. Each one needs to be cautious in chewing its cut. So the one who has the ceramic will be named as the King of the year, enjoying each one's greeting. 12. The filling of Gallet is made of almond. Very fragrant of almond.

13. see the ceramic! 14. All over the years, these are all the Kings' treasure.

15. This year is a tree as "Mon Beau Sapin" (meaning as my handsome pine tree).

4 comments:

Mickey Mouse said...

home cooking is always the most delighted meal during a trip

ur friend Miki is so talented in cooking gourmet, i think that okonomiyaki must be ultra delicious

is the gallet also baked by Miki?

:)

Stella said...

All the dishes here looked so awesome. Miki shall be a chef.
Lucky you.

in the sea said...

Yes, indeed Miki's french cooking is superb too. Last time she made a very nice dory fish fillet in mushroom sauce. The way she taught about eating foie gras pate with fig confit and refined sea salt on a piece of toast is something I would never forget. So many to tell....

The gallet was bought from outside as she went home very late due to a sudden assignment.

Will have a separate posting about another hilarious story of Air France from a friend of hers. Now I feel I am so lucky.

Stella said...

You are lucky to know Miki in France.
Another story from Air France? My goodness. Look forward to hearing.