food blogger

What are bonito flakes?

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More and more people have become aware of bonito flakes.

In 2004, I first encountered bonito flakes in Tokyo.
At that time, in Tokyo I was practising the martial art kendo. After evening training, I was invited to the home of my teacher and his family, where we ate dishes from the classic Japanese cuisine. There I noticed the thin flakes with a smoky fish flavor, which was used as a kind of topping on the dishes.

In 2006 when I was trained as a sushi chef abroad, I got to know bonito flakes very well. I found out that the fish Bonito is related to tuna. It is a fish that is filleted, smoked and dried for a long period of time. The dried bonito is than shaved into thin flakes.

Bonito flakes are a solid ingredient in Japanese cuisine, which is used in many different ways. The fish bonito together with other Japanese ingredients form the foundation of Japanese cuisine.

In the Noodle Soup course for beginners, you learn, among other things how bonito flakes are used in Japanese soups in Tokyo.

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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 season for lumpfish roe is underway!

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The Danish delicacy lumpfish roe is now available in most fish shops.
It’s a good year for lumpfish roe, at the moment there are lots of purified lumpfish roe.

It is a wonderful Danish delicacy that can be enjoyed in several different ways.
One of the best ways to eat lumpfish roe is along with blinis, finely chopped red onion and sour cream.
If you cannot get hold of blinis, you can of course use toasted sandwich bread.

Lumpfish roe is the first sign of spring it often falls at the same time.

The season for lumpfish roe varies from year to year. It is not to say how long the little fine pink pearls can be obtained at the fishmongers. So far, it can be freshly cleaned at most fishmongers.

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.

Can all types of mushrooms be used in Japanese cuisine?

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All types of mushrooms can be used in Japanese cuisine it depends a bit on the dish.

In Japan there are 7 different kinds of mushrooms; Shiitake, Maitake, Matsutake, Shimeji, King oyster, Nameko and Enoki mushrooms.

In Denmark, we can buy Shiitake, Shimeji, King oyster and Enoki mushrooms in specialty stores and supermarkets during the year.

Shiitake mushrooms are known for their unique aromas and intense flavors. It is a sponge used in all types of dishes in Japanese cuisine.

Shimeji and Enoki mushrooms can be used in several different ways. You will often find this type of mushroom in miso soups or in classic Japanese stews.

King oyster or oyster hats are a meaty mushroom which is well suited for e.g. yakitori spyd. It is also a mushroom that is suitable for other tasty dishes.

If you cannot get any of the above mushrooms do not despair. Try to use local tasty mushrooms.

Read more about Japanese noodle Soup course for beginners
Read more about Traditional Japanese food 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.

Which Japanese food styles are most popular in Japan?

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Noodle soup
In Japan, Japanese cuisine is very large.
There are as many different styles as the whole of European cuisine combined.

Most people will probably think that sushi is at least as popular in Japan as in Europe. That is not the case.
The Japanese love sushi, sushi makes up less than 15% of Japanese cuisine. Sushi is not a dish that the Japanese choose on a busy day after work.

On a busy weekday, the Japanese prefer ramen soup. The Japanese are the population in the world that eats the most noodles.

In Japan, there are a many different kinds of tasty noodle soups, they are found in all shades.
In Denmark and in the rest of the world, most people know ramen noodle soup.

Some noodle soups are as different as day and night. It’s just like the two noodle soups, you learn step by step on Noodle soup course for beginners. Ramen is, of course, one of them.

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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.

In Japan, do Japanese restaurants serve fried noodles?

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Sushi chef & sake sommelier Zoë Escher
Restaurants in Japan also serve fried noodles.
In Japan, noodles are not just noodles. There are 7 different types of noodles in the classic Japanese cuisine. The 7 different noodles contain either wheat, buckwheat or rice. Some noodles are eaten all year round and others at certain times such as in the summer.

The Japanese are the population that eats the most noodles. In Japan, Ramen noodles are the most in demand of them all.

In Denmark, ramen is also the most in-demand type of noodle, which is most often used in noodle soups.

In Japan, ramen noodles are used in many different types of Japanese dishes. It ranges from noodle soups to stews or fried noodles.

In the Traditional Japanese food course for beginners, you learn step by step how to make tasty fried seafood noodle dish.

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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 is the quality of sushi in Japan?

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Sushi chef & sake sommerlier Zoë Escher
In general, the quality of sushi is very high.

In Japan, there are many sushi masters who make sushi of extremely high quality.
Throughout their careers as Executive Sushi Chef, they train quite a few sushi chefs. Some of the chefs choose to continue their careers in the restaurant where they are trained.
Other sushi chefs choose to open their own restaurant and put their own fingerprints in the restaurant industry and, a third group chooses, to travel abroad to work.
In the USA, especially California, a lot of sushi chefs from Japan work.

You will also find Japanese sushi chefs who work in neighbor countries in Asia.

The many skilled sushi chefs in Japan ensure that the quality of Japanese sushi is high.
They do this, among other things, by using fish and other high-quality raw materials. They also use Japanese ingredients which are suitable for sushi.

This knowledge helps to strengthen Japan’s position in relation to quality sushi.

In the Sushi course for beginners, you will learn to use the techniques that Japanese sushi chefs use in the preparation of tasty sushi.

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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 is sake used in Japanese dishes?

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Sushi chef & sake sommelier Zoë Escher
Sake is widely used in Japanese cuisine.
When sake is used is a little different, it depends on the dish. That, of course, must fit. Sake is added to dishes a bit in the same way, such as white wine or red wine in European cuisine.

However, not all types of sake are suitable for cooking. There are large selections of sake that are only suitable for drinking.
In Japan, several different types of sake are produced for cooking. It does not matter what kind of cooking sake are poured into the dish, as they taste very different.
You can, without knowing it, change the whole taste of the dish in question by pouring ”wrong” sake into the food.

Traditional Japanese food course for beginners you get a thorough introduction to the different types of sake used in Japanese cuisine. You will also learn when and in what dishes the different sake should be used.

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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.

Sushi is also a way to be together!

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Sushi chef & sake sommerlier Zoë Escher
Yes of course, it’s great to eat a sushi with good friends.

But, that is not exactly what I had in mind. Making sushi together is a great way to spend time together.

Decide what kind of sushi to make
Select rice suitable for sushi
The different stages of sushi rice
Cooking sushi rice
Select fish and vegetables for sushi
Handling of fish in accordance with the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration’s rules
Use different techniques to cut fish and vegetables
Step by step to make different kinds of sushi
Cut sushi and prepare the food

Making sushi is a great way to be together.

Everyone is creative and gets the opportunity to make sushi with their favorite fish and vegetables it is a way to use your body differently.

The mind is free of everyday thoughts and instead focused on making tasty sushi which is enjoyed later in the day.

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 are the Japanese’s favorite healthy fast food?

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The Japanese cuisine consist of many healthy fast food.

In Europe there are several different types of fast foods that are not so healthy such as pizza and shawarma. These dishes are often are eaten on a busy day.

In Japan, there are several types of fast food that are suits a busy workday, dishes that can be eaten in a short time. These dishes are perfect for days with a lot of work. In Japan, a buzy work day is on average of 10-15 hours.

The Japanese are the population in the world that eats most noodles. The noodle soups are made in many different ways, some soups are made with fish, pork or chicken stock. In the big cities such as Tokyo each noodle bar has their very own recipse. In Japan, each region has their unique ingredients and raw materials, which are used to make tasty noodle soup.

In Japan, noodle soups are eaten all year round. Yes, even on a hot summer days. In Europe, noodle soups are most often eaten in the autumn, winter and spring.

On the noodle soup course for beginners, you will learn step by step how to make 2 very different unique and tasty Japanese noodle soups.

Read more about Noodle Soup 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.

Sushi course for beginners is also for you who are in charge of the dinner on New Year’s Eve!

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New Year’s and New Year’s Eve are just around the corner.
One thing is for sure, it is celebrated in many different ways around the world. In Denmark, sushi is one of the favorite dinners on New Year’s Eve. It is a wonderful mix of fish, seafood and vegetables.

Sushi course for beginners is suitable for you who want to make sushi as an appetizer or a whole dinner.
There are benefits to making your own sushi dinner.

You can make sushi exactly as you like with your favorite vegetables and fish.
You know how to get the most out of your money when you buy fish from a fishmonger.
You know how to handle fish also according to the Danish Food Administration.
You know which Japanese ingredients are best suited for sushi.
You know how to make different kinds of sushi that are suitable for everyday and special occasion.

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.