Zoë Escher

How is the popular street food dish okonomiyaki made?

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The last time I ate the Japanese dish okonomiyaki was in 2015 in Tokyo.
It was with Mrs. Takahashi, her youngest daughter who is in her mid-30s, her son-in-law and nephew.

One Friday early evening after training, she asked me if I had tasted okonomiyaki. It is one of her favorite dishes. I have never tasted it.
We went to her favorite restaurant, which is a tiny place that does not look like much from the street. We went up on a very narrow staircase to the first floor, down a narrow corridor and sat down in a 4-person booth with a large frying pan on the table.

Large cold draft beers were brought to the table. Soon after, a chef came and cooked us a very large okonomiyaki. While it was being cooked we could decide what kind of filling to add. When it was finished, it was cut into several smaller pieces.

Over the years I have been asked how okonomiyaki is made. It can be made in many ways.
I prefer it to be made with Japanese ingredients, raw materials and cooking techniques it has the best taste.

It has become a Mini e-book: 5 Japanese okonomiyaki for 1.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Which fish is the healthiest to eat?

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Sushi chef & sake sommelier Zoë Escher
Salmon is the healthiest fish. There are several reasons for this.
It is a fish that is described as fatty fish in the healthy way. It has a high content of omega 3, which belongs to the healthy fatty acids that are vital for the body.
Salmon also has a high content of protein 200 grams of salmon contains 44 grams of protein. Salmon is a booster for your health.

The Japanese population eats as much seafood as Europeans eat meat. In Japan, the variety of different types of fish is large, so most Japanese follow the season for fish.
During the year, the Japanese eat fish with a high content of omega 3 and at other times, they eat fish and shellfish which are not fatty, but instead contain other types of vitamins and minerals.

As a side dish, the Japanese eat many vegetables and cabbage prepared in different ways.

On the Sushi course for beginners, you learn step by step how to make tasty sushi with the most popular fish.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Did you know that barbecue is eaten all year in Japan?

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5 Japanese yakitori for one
In Japan, there are several types of barbecue dishes, which are eaten all year.
Yakitori skewers, which most people have heard of are small grilled skewers with different kinds of meat, seafood and vegetables, the raw materials are marinated, prepared and cooked in a specific way, so that each skewer is a unique taste experience.

There is also another type of grilled dishes called Yakiniku.
These are restaurants that specialize in barbecue dishes where the guests cook the food themselves. Restaurants that are furnished in such a way that each party have their own grill.

In these restaurants, the menu consists of several different types of meat, seafood and vegetables cut into one centimeter thick slices.
Before the food is cooked on a hot grill, the party has the opportunity to season the raw materials with a little salt and other spices. After cooking the meat, seafood and vegetables they are eaten by dipping them in different kinds of tasty sauce.
Dining at a yakiniku restaurant often takes several hours, since you are not in a hurry and often sit and enjoy the food at your own pace.

Several people have asked me over the years how to make yakitori skewers.
I have written a mini e-book “5 Japanese yakitori skewers for one”. It is an e-book that explains step by step how to make tasty yakitori skewers using Japanese cooking techniques. Tasty barbecue skewers prepared with different kinds of meat and vegetables.

Read more about mini e-book: “5 Japanese yakitori skewers for one”.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

Did you know that there is a right way to use soy sauce for sushi?

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White soya sauce plate with sushi
The correct way to use soy sauce for sushi is to consider soy sauce as a condiment. Soy sauce can be equated with salt and pepper, it is a way of flavoring the food.

Most people are aware that when you sprinkle too much salt and pepper on your food, you might find it difficult enjoy the food. It can be almost inedible. The same can apply with soy sauce.

It can be difficult to dose the amount of soy sauce when you dip a piece of sushi into the soy bowl. Some prefer to leave a piece of sushi in the soy sauce for a few seconds before eating it.
I can’t recommend doing that, especially if you’ve spent money on good quality sushi. It will be more difficult to taste the fish and the different vegetables. The soy sauce will cover the natural taste of sushi.

The best way to eat sushi is to dip the individual pieces of sushi quite lightly in the soy sauce. That way you can enjoy the taste of the individual pieces of sushi and get the most flavor for the money.

On the Sushi course for beginners you learn, step by step, how to make sushi with the most flavor possible.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

The reason why your kitchen knives should Always be sharp!

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In the last 10 years, I have seen several thousand kitchen knives that are used in private homes. Many of these knives are not quite as sharp as they should be for you to get the full enjoyment.

I can give an example.

If you imagine that you have prepared a roast in the oven. The roast has now been sitting in your kitchen counter for 20 minutes to rest.
In the meantime, you have found your best knife to cut the meat. With the knife you cut the roast into slices, but it is not that easy. The knife you have used is not quite as sharp as when you bought it.
When you have finished, you look at the slices and see that some of the slices are a little uneven and that the meat has also pulled a little. Most people do not think about it, because the roast is enjoyed with side dishes and a delicious sauce.

In Japanese cuisine, it is very important to use a very sharp knife. It is very important that the functionality of the kitchen utensils is as good as possible, as this affects the quality of the food.

The picture shows a tuna steak, which has an even and smooth surface due to the sharpness of the knife.

On the Sushi course for beginners, you learn step by step how to make tasty sushi with kitchen tools that are already in your kitchen.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

What is the main dish made on the Japanese cooking course for beginners?

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Sushi chef & sake sommerlier Zoë Escher
One of the main dishes on the course is teriyaki salmon with side dish.

This is not just any salmon. I got the most delicious Faroese salmon of the finest quality. A salmon that can also be eaten as it is, by which I mean that it is perfectly suited for sushi. The salmon must be marinated and prepared before it is ready to be cooked.

The teriyaki sauce is of course made from scratch. It tastes 10 times better than what you can buy in supermarkets. It is so good that once you have tasted it, it is a sauce that works very well to almost everything, just like béarnaise.

The side dish is a wonderful dish are a boost of taste, vitamins, minerals and other goodness from the plant world. Here you learn to use several different Japanese cutting techniques.

The next step in the creation of the dish is that it must be prepared and the dish must be assembled.

Read more about Traditional Japanese cooking course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

How fresh can seafood be?

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Seafood can be so fresh that it is still at body temperature when eaten.

Japan is a country surrounded by sea. Fresh fish and rice have been the most important raw materials in Japanese cuisine for centuries.

Japanese food culture is still based on raw materials being as fresh as possible. There are several reasons for this.

The Japanese population has grown up with shellfish being no more than a day old before it is cooked into tasty dishes. This applies to both fish bought from a fishmonger or in a supermarket.

Japanese cuisine has several iconic dishes where fish and shellfish are eaten raw, such as sushi.

The Japanese have the opportunity to buy raw materials that are either caught or harvested the same day.

The Japanese are very focused on eating healthy and fresh ingredients of the highest quality. It gives joy in life, but also healthy health. It is no coincidence that the Japanese are the population in the world that live the longest.

On the Sushi Course for Beginners, you learn to make tasty sushi step by step with a focus on how to get the most value without compromising on quality.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

What is the first dish made on the course Japanese cooking course for beginners?

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Gyoza
The first dish that is made on the course is Gyoza.

Before we dive into the actual cooking, you will be introduced to Japanese raw materials, ingredients and Japanese cooking techniques. The reason for that is that I teach how to cook Japanese dishes as they are prepared in restaurants in Japan. This means that if the dishes are meant to taste like in Japan, then we need to take a closer look at how the Japanese cuisine works.

We start with the popular gyoza with pork. It is a dish that can be enjoyed as a snack with a glass of white wine or an appetizer.

First, several different raw materials must be sliced, chopped and grated, and together with Japanese ingredients, becomes face meat.
You will then learn step by step the various hand techniques so that you can make the tasty gyoza that are served in Japanese restaurants.
Gyoza must be prepared in their very own way. Step by step you learn to use the techniques used by chefs in Japan.

Read more about Traditional Japanese cooking course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

What is the difference between a Danish Sushi Chef and a Japanese Sushi Chef?

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The biggest difference between a Danish and a Japanese Sushi Chef is the food. Yep, I said the food.

Sushi prepared by a Danish Sushi Chef tastes completely different from Sushi prepared by a Japanese Sushi Chef. There are several reasons for this.

Danish Sushi Chefs have a completely different professional background than Japanese sushi chefs. In Japan, different requirements are placed on the skills of Sushi Chefs.

Danish Sushi Chefs use different ingredients in the preparation of sushi than Japanese Sushi Chefs. Japanese chefs use ingredients that highlight the flavor of exactly the fish used for sushi. The taste is highlighted in a way that creates a unique gastronomic experience.

Danish Sushi Chefs use other cooking techniques in making sushi. It ranges from cooking sushi, filleting fish and not least the hand techniques for making the sushi pieces.

On the Sushi Course for Beginners, you learn, step by step, how to make sushi like Japanese Sushi Chefs. You do this because Japanese sushi have the best tastes. You also get the best tips about, which ingredients are best suited for and how to handle fish the best way.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.

What types of meat does teriyaki sauce go with?

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Japan is one of those countries that eats a lot of dipping, a kind of sauce to most dishes.

In classic Japanese cuisine, sauces are made to suit the dish in question. Dishes such as tempura, tonkatsu and okonomiyaki to name a few use sauces made for each dish.

However, this does not apply to all of Japanese cuisine. The Japanese kitchen is very very large. In Europe, only a fraction of classic Japanese cuisine is represented.

One of the Japanese sauces that more and more people in Europe have noticed is teriyaki sauce. Most people know the version that can be found in the supermarket. However, it tastes completely different from teriyaki sauce, which is made from scratch and served in restaurants in Japan.

One of the reasons for its popularity also in Japan is that it goes well with several types of meat. In Japan, it is most often eaten with chicken and fish dishes. It is also suitable for dishes with pork, vegetables or large prawns.

Teriyaki sauce made from scratch is a winner. It’s a sauce that most people eat with a spoon when they first taste it. The taste is deep, round, salty, sweet and has a perfect balance.

In the Traditional Japanese Food Course for Beginners, you will learn step by step how to make a teriyaki sauce from scratch, as it is served in Japan. A sauce that is suitable for starters, main courses and several types of meat.

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Zoë has lectured and held sushi courses for A. P. Moller – Maersk, Hugo Boss Nordic, Novo Nordisk, Novartis, Velux, Gorrissen Federspiel, Beierholm revision, Elbek & Vejrup and many more.