culinary school

How often is shrimp eaten in Japan?

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Sushi chef & sake sommelier Zoë Escher

Japan is known worldwide for its rich culinary history, and seafood including shrimp plays a role in the country’s gastronomy.

Japan is surrounded by sea, which has meant that seafood has always been a central part of the Japanese diet. Shrimps have been a delicacy for the Japanese for centuries, not only for their taste but also for their health.

In everyday life, shrimps are commonly used in many dishes. From the well-known tempura, where the shrimps are deep-fried in a light and crispy batter, to sushi and sashimi. They are also found in noodle soups and fried noodles.

In Japan, great emphasis is placed on seasonal ingredients, and this also applies to shrimps. Certain shrimp varieties are more popular in certain seasons. For example, “sakura ebi”, or cherry shrimps, are popular in the spring.

In Japan, shrimps are eaten regularly all year round.

In the Traditional Japanese Cooking Course for Beginners, you will learn step by step how to make this tasty noodle dish with prawns.

Do you want to join the year’s only cooking course, where you learn to make tasty dishes from classic Japanese cuisine?

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

What is teriyaki salmon?

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Sushi chef & sake sommerlier Zoë Escher

Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking method where foods, such as fish or meat, are marinated and later brushed with a glazed sauce before being cooked by frying. The word ‘teriyaki’ is derived from ‘teri’, which refers to the shiny from the glazed sauce, and ‘yaki’, which means frying or grilling in Japanese.

The sauce is the heart of this dish. It is a sauce that is made from scratch and is a thick. The shiny sauce clings to the food and provides a sweet and salty balance.

Salmon, with its rich texture and mild taste, is an ideal fish for teriyaki. Salmon and teriyaki are best friends.
Teriyaki salmon is a delicacy that combines the best of the Japanese culinary world.
With its shiny sheen and deep flavor, it is a dish that will impress both guests and your own taste buds.

Do you want to join the year’s only cooking course, where you learn to make tasty dishes from classic Japanese cuisine?

In the Traditional Japanese Cooking Course for Beginners, you will learn step by step how to make this delicious dish with salmon.

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

What characterizes Nigiri sushi hand technique?

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Nigiri
Nigiri sushi is a popular form of sushi which is known for its simplicity and elegance. Technique is used to make small hand rolled pieces of sushi consisting of a rice ball topped with fresh seafood.

It is important to use sushi rice to make nigiri sushi.

A nigiri rice ball is shaped by hand in a special way. To get a specific shape, the experienced sushi chef creates a small air bubble inside the rice ball. The sushi chef makes sure that the texture of the rice is firm enough to hold its shape. It should still soft enough to be edible and not too compact.

The sushi chef adds a small amount of wasabi directly onto a slice of fish. The slices of fish must have the correct size before placing it on the rice ball. With a few fingers and pressure the fish and rice are combined into a piece of tasty nigiri sushi.

Nigiri sushi hand technique requires care and skill to achieve the best result. An experienced sushi chef can create nigiri sushi that melts in your mouth. The perfect balance between the texture of the rice, the freshness of the fish and the taste of wasabi and soy sauce.

Read more about Sushi Chef & Sake Sommelier Zoë Escher

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

Should sushi be eaten in one piece?

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Sushi chef & sake sommerlier Zoë Escher
When it comes to eating sushi, there are different opinions on how it should be enjoyed.

Should you take one bite at a time or try to eat in one piece?

Historically, sushi in Japan has always been prepared to be eaten in one mouthful.

One of the purposes of eating sushi in one piece is that you experience the fusion of the different ingredients. By eating sushi in one piece, you get to enjoy all the ingredients at once. Sushi often contains several raw materials such as rice, seaweed, vegetables and the texture of the fish.

By taking smaller bites, you can experiment with different combinations of soy sauce and wasabi and adjust the taste to your preference.
If you eat large pieces of sushi, it can be difficult to eat the whole piece at once.
If you are not used to eat sushi, it may be more comfortable to take smaller bites at first to get used to the taste and textures.

Although sushi is traditionally prepared to be eaten in one piece, there are no set rules for how to enjoy it.

Read more about Sushi course for beginners

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

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.

Learn how to make sushi that can be enjoyed all year round!

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Sushi is a dish that differs from most dishes that are prepared in a kitchen.

It is eaten cold all year round, regardless of whether it is for lunch or in the evening. It makes somewhat different demands on the raw materials used in the cooking. The raw materials must be as fresh as possible and of the best possible quality.
Sushi is one of those dishes where you can get the body’s need for vitamins and minerals in one meal without the dish being boring or vegan.

Sushi is also a dish where you can use exactly the ingredients needed to make it your favorite sushi.

However, there are some rules of the game.
There are Japanese cooking techniques that are good to know in order to get the most flavor and value for money. There is a world of difference in the taste experience, whether self-taught techniques are used or the techniques used by Japanese sushi chefs in Tokyo.

In the Sushi course for beginners, you will learn step by step the techniques that Japanese sushi chefs in Tokyo use when making sushi for their diners. With these techniques you will be able to make your favorite sushi with your favorite ingredients.

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.

How often do sushi restaurants in Japan replace in the menu?

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Sushi chef & sake sommerlier Zoë Escher
Japanese sushi restaurants in Tokyo change the menu more often than in Europe.Often the menu will consist of 13-15 different seafood. Some fish such as salmon and scallops can be found year-round on the menu.

There will typically be 3-5 fish on the mennu that follow the season for fish. Some fish are caught in the spring when they are going to spawn, while other fish are to be caught in the summer. It depends on the species of fish.

A fish like tuna is also popular in Japan.
Often a sushi restaurant will have 3 different kinds of tuna on the menu. It will often be tuna of different qualities, one will be lean tuna, another will fat tuna and the more exclusive restaurants have a tuna on the menu, which is matured just like beef. Tuna can be matured for several weeks just like beef.

Some sushi restaurants have the fish of the day on the menu. There it is up to the sushi chef what can be bought of fish on the fishing market in the early morning hours.

In Japan, it is an exciting experience to go out and eat, since you do not always know what fish are on the menu.

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 does onigiri mean?

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5 healthy japanese onigiri for one
Onigiri is a Japanese word and means Japanese rice ball.
Rice plays an important role in Japanese cuisine. It is a staple food cuisine and is found in every Japanese home.
Most people have heard of short grain rice used for sushi rice. It is also the type of rice used for onigiri.
In Japan, the tasty rice ball contains one to two ingredients that compliment each other really well.

To ensure that the body also gets the vitamins and nutrition it needs, Sushi nori is wraped tightly, around the rice ball, so that it lies completely smooth. So with quite a few ingredients, rice ball embraces the entire diet pyramid.

Several have asked for healthy Japanese Onigiri. I have made a Mini e-book “5 healthy Japanese onigiri for 1”, where I teach you step by step how to make the tasty rice balls with filling.

Read more about  Mini ebook: 5 healthy Japanese onigiri for one, price 60 DKK

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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.

When does the asparagus season start in Europe?

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Asparagus is a vegetable that thrives in Europe.

In May the asparagus season starts, the green market abounds with several different types of asparagus.

The classic green asparagus which is full of flavors and aromas.

The white thick asparagus which has a more delicate and gentle asparagus taste. In Europe the white asparagus is more in demand than the green asparagus.

In selected supermarkets and at market markets you can also get purple asparagus. The purple asparagus is more sweet and nutty in taste.

In Denmark you can get asparagus in different qualities and budget.
The biodynamic asparagus of the best quality can often be found in market markets. More and more farm owners have opened their eyes to having a stand in major cities on the weekends and during the busiest periods.
Stall sells fruit and vegetables that are harvested the same day they are sold.

The asparagus season is short. It starts in the month of May and ends late June.

Read more about Sushi Chef & Sake sommelier Zoë Escher

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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 many different types of soy sauce are used in Japanese cuisine?

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Rice, soy and vinegar
In Denmark, the selection of Japanese soy sauce is very small and there are several reasons for this.

In Denmark, soy sauce is used in a different way than in Japanese cuisine. In Japan, soy sauce is considered a spice.

Our knowledge of Japanese soy sauce is very limited. In Japan, the labels are written on bottles with Japanese characters. This makes it difficult to figure out which soy sauce is used in which dishes.

In Japan, there are as many soy sauces in a Japanese supermarket as the selection of cheese in a Danish supermarket, which means that it does matter which soy sauce is used when cooking Japanese food.

Japanese soy sauce is a main ingredient in Japanese cuisine it gives the Japanese flavors and aromas that characterize food served in Tokyo.

In the Traditional Japanese cooking class for beginners, you will learn how to make tasty Japanese dishes where different soy sauce is used simultaneously in some of the dishes. Authentic Japanese dishes made from scratch.

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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.