Comfort healthy food-peasant/home Asian style

[Eden]

That's the best way to dine at a sushi restaurant. And have the chef prepare things for you rather than telling him what you want. And you can always ask what's fresh for the day.

Wasabi seeds?? who?? where?? how can I get my little paws on the seeds or seedling?? yes my precious... precious wants seeds yes?? yes?? I'll probably fail but I think it'll be fun to try.

smilingcat

We hardly ever ask for anything in particular at the sushi bar - we just let ourselves be fed. We learned early on that it is the best way to go. This place attracts regular customers - though we aren't among those who've been going the longest, we are probably among the most regular.... If you want to find us on a Friday night, its the best place to check.... We've even got our own masu

As far as wasabi plants go - they *used to* sell plants and seeds, but for some reason it appears they've stopped that and stopped even cultivating the plants themselves . They still have the info up about how to grow though - http://www.freshwasabi.com/growing.aspx

Now I did see little yuzu trees down at Uwajimaya the other day - that was pretty tempting.... I know there's no way that citrus can grow outside around here though and I'm pretty bad with house plants....

[smilingcat]

thanks, I'll check out their web site. I should acquire two yuzu trees for my yard. then I have fairly good selection of citrus trees.

pink lemon, meyers lemon, bears lime, washington navel orange, rio red grapefruit, and yuzu for future.

currently growing: shishito (japanese pepper), need to retry shiso both red and green variety, ginger and sansho trees. Shiso should grow in your area provided that the banana slug don't get to them first. Sansho tree should be better in your area too. It grows at my uncle's place in Japan. There, they get snow in the winter time and its very wet just like in coast of Washington. I'm not sure if you are in the shawdow of Olympic mtn range...

Well you may not be able to grow citrus trees. We on the other hand are bit out of luck for really good peach, pear, raspberries, blackberries most all variety of berries with exception of strawberries. Not as good as the Puget sound ?? variety. Its the small strawberry with really intense flavor.

still we are giving a shot at raspberries, blackberries and blueberries.

[OakLeaf]

Slugs don't touch my shiso. But we don't have banana slugs here, only the small ones.

The seeds need light to germinate, as well as the constant moisture that all seeds need. So it's notoriously difficult to start.

But once you've established shiso in your garden, let a plant or two bolt each year. Don't try to save the seeds, just let the plant mature and die in place. You'll have volunteers forever.

[Eden]

I don't know if it was slugs or not - but I had shiso one year and something chewed it right down to the ground What ever it is doesn't mind eating mint either! but it tends to just put holes in the mint. The shiso is seemed to be quite enamored with.

[badger]

I planted purple shiso in my patio planter this year.

My mother grew up on a mandarin orange farm in Odawara, Japan. You probably ate some of the oranges my grandparents produced back in the 60's to the 80's when they exported to North America. The farm's still there but it's not tended anymore as my grandparents are gone and my uncle also passed away last year. Kind of sad, actually.

[shootingstar]

Sorry to be so "narrow-minded" , but what does one use shiso leaves for? And do different varieties give different flavours?

[Eden]

Shiso has lots of uses - it is used as a garnish with sashimi. Chopped aji (spanish mackerel) with shiso, ginger, ponzu and green onions is divine. I have a terrific and easy recipe for blanched green beans with a dab of hatcho miso wrapped in shiso leaves and quickly sauteed in a little sesame oil - yum! I'm not sure, but I think the different colors taste the same... I think I've only seen the red leaves used to color and flavor ume (pickled plums) though.

I think it has a very unique flavor - I've heard it described as mint like, but personally I think it is very little like mint.