November Chaji

November is a fine month for tea gatherings. It is the month of robiraki, opening the ro or sunken hearth, and of kuchikiri, opening of the new tea. Robiraki marks the beginning of the tea year; November is a solemn month.

November is also, it seems, a fine month for birthdays. So it's even better when we can combine the two. Harvey Sensei's birthday was the perfect opportunity for us to hold a chaji and wish him a wonderful and long life.

This chaji was a challenge -- our Sensei would not be with us, behind the scenes, to coach and direct us. We planned, prepared and performed to the best of our abilities. Our timing was not perfect (a little late here, a little hurried there) and there were a few overlooked details, but the tea was served with the truest of affection.

Game plan

We had a small army -- actually a platoon plus one -- cleaning, cooking, mending, orgainizing, arranging. Perhaps it's because we're inexperienced, but hosting a chaji does not seem like a solo act. We found it difficult with six people -- how is it that only one or two people can host a chaji? With more experience we might be able to answer that question.

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Candle, kogo and chabana

Kaiki

Kakemono:  Kan za matsu kaze o kiku, “Sit quietly and listen to the pine wind.”
Hanaire (flower container): a gift from Matsui Midori to Harvey on the occasion of our visit to her home
Chabana: early-blooming rhododendrons, chrysanthemum, blueberry foliage
Mizusahshi: porcelain with bamboo designs
Chashaku: Iori no Tomo, "Friend of the Tea Room"
Chaire: high-shouldered style, not named
Kogo: celadon porcelain with crane designs

Omochawan: black raku, a wedding gift from Hirose Sensei
Chamei: koicha and usucha given to us by Matsui-san
Okashi: "Long Life" yam-and-walnut manju, homemade by Annie
Natsume: red lacquer with origami crane design
Chawan:  porcelain, with "Hercules" constellation design, a birthday gift from Jeff Nelson

Higashi: seasonal, provided by Laura from Asakichi

Guests

Harvey, Tony and John

Teishu/Hanto

Holly, Laura, Annie, Kristin, Pia, Shana. Kristin made koicha; Laura made usucha.


Tenshin meal 

In the box: Gohan (rice) with sprinkle of red shiso; Asian pear slaw (salad, top left, recipe follows), tobiko (garnish, center), squid salad (bottom right); yakimono of marinated duck breast; konomono of takuan (top), kombu (middle), cucumbers (bottom). 

Misoshiru was served with a piece of butternut squash cut into hexagons (tortoiseshell shapes), garnished with hot Chinese mustard. 

Hassun was ginko nuts skewered on pine needles and locally-smoked albacore. 

Hashiarai was hot water with umeboshi. 

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Asian Pear Slaw

The salads in the tenshin were a huge hit. The squid salad came from our local Co-op, sold pre-packaged in the freezer section. I think we can come close to recreating it with a little experimentation (squid, ginger, sesame, broccoli rabe, green onion, seaweed of some variety, a pinch of red pepper, vinegar and sugar).

The Asian Pear Slaw recipe is from Gourmet magazine, Dec. 2000 edition. Gourmet is no longer in print, but recipes are still online. 

Asian Pear Slaw

Gourmet | December 2000

Active time: 40 min Start to finish: 1 hr Yield: Makes 6 servings

2 celery ribs 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons seasoned rice vinegar 1 teaspoon finely grated peeled fresh ginger 2 firm Asian pears, cut into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks 2 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh hot red chile, or to taste Peel strings from celery with a Y-shaped vegetable peeler and cut celery into 1/4-inch-thick matchsticks. Whisk together juice, vinegar, and ginger and stir in celery and remaining ingredients with salt and pepper to taste. Let stand at room temperature 15 minutes before serving.

Epicurious.com © Condé Nast Digital, Inc. All rights reserved.

Thinking inside the box

Strawberry blossom

Eaten by an oppossum
Tea is awesome!

-- Kristin, Pia and John's haiku written during chaji, June 6, 2010

We held a Chaji this June to celebrate Pia's 33rd and Kristin's 33-1/3 birthdays. John joined them as a guest. Even though the weather was gray, muggy and drizzly, the mood was lighthearted and playful.

Annie made the omogashi and was teishu (host). Shana was our kimono dresser. Laura was hanto (assistant) and helped me in the kitchen along with Dan and Dhar. We served tenshin (a light lunch) before koicha. Photos are forthcoming. Some recipes are below.

June Tenshin Menu

In the shokado box:

Rice
Vegetable "Sashimi" of carrots and daikon
Zucchini Dengaku
Homemade takuan (bran-pickled daikon) and chard pickled in miso

Miso soup with cucumber, garnished with a sprig of cilantro and a dab of mustard

Sake -- Momokawa Organic Junmai Ginjo, Kurasawa Junmai Dai Ginjo

Hashiarai of pine nuts

Hassun -- Artichoke heart boats with fresh-grated daikon; seasoned water chestnuts wrapped with nori

Omogashi -- "Ie Ichigo" ("One Meeting Strawberry"), mochi-wrapped strawberry with an.

Koicha -- We used a very good quality usucha from Wada-en for koicha. Unorthodox, but delicious.

Higashi -- an-filled cakes bought by Kristin at Ginkaku-ji in Kyoto

Usucha -- Ippodo "Ao Arashi"

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Vegetable Sashimi

This dish was inspired by a recipe for "Tomato 'Sashimi'" from The World in a Bowl of Tea by Bettina Vitelli.

For the "sashimi," slice several young carrots and a 2" length of daikon into 2" x 3/8" pieces -- about 1 to 1-1/2 cups. Microwave (or steam) briefly until just barely tender -- for a minute or less. Allow to cool to room temperature.

For the dressing, combine

juice of one lime
1/4 tsp each of salt and sugar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar

Toss dressing with cooled vegetables. Arrange and serve like classic sashimi, with ken, tsuma and karami. Ken is fine strips, or chiffonade, of daikon, cucumber or seaweed which is placed under the sashimi. Tsuma is an aromatic garnish such as shiso or perilla. Karami is a pungent garnish, such as wasabi, mustard or ginger.

Our presentation was arranged on a chiffonade of young chard leaves with a dollop of wasabi. We added a sprinkle of chopped mint leaves and finished with a drizzle of dressing.

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Zucchini Dengaku

Dengaku is a favorite grilled dish, made by grilling skewered vegetables or tofu. Sauces vary with the season. This recipe is modified from from "Nasu no Oden" from The Heart of Zen Cuisine by Soei Yoneda.

Select several young zucchini squash and slice in half lengthwise. Brush with oil and grill until tender, basting with yakitori sauce while grilling. Slice diagonally into bite-size pieces. Spread miso topping on each piece and serve while still warm.

Miso topping

4 level Tbsp sweet white miso
1-1/2 Tbsp sake
1 tsp sugar

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Vegetables Pickled in Miso

Any vegetable can be used, but I chose the still-tender flower spikes and stalks from our bolting chard.

Mix together

1 scant cup miso, any kind
1 Tbsp sake

Cover vegetables with miso paste. Vegetables such as carrot, radish, broccoli stems or cucumbers should pickle 1-5 days. Chard blossoms were ready overnight.

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Pine Nut Hashiarai

1 c hot water
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground toasted pine nuts

Steep and strain. Garnish with 3 or 5 whole toasted pine nuts.

Kaiseki -- The Ultimate Locavore Cuisine

Kaiseki a light meal served during a Japanese Tea gatheringLocavore one who dines upon food grown or produced close to home

Laura has been studying Chado for several years but had not yet enjoyed a formal Tea gathering, or Chaji. She, along with friends Pia, John and Tony, joined us for a chaji in February in honor of her 50th birthday.

I've had no training other than working at the shoulder of my Sensei and Sempai, but I have an deep love and respect for what I believe is the epitome of locavore cuisine: Kaiseki. In cha-kaiseki -- kaiseki for the Tea ceremony -- the ingredients must be seasonal to reflect the theme the host has chosen for the Tea gathering. By extension, seasonal ingredients are fresh and grown locally or, at the least, regionally in California or the Pacific Northwest. (How on earth could something shipped halfway 'round the world be fresh?) Naturally, the best ingredients would be plucked from the garden that very morning.

Themes for Tea gatherings vary. Traditional Japanese holidays are common themes (such as New Year or Children's Day), but so is the observation of the turning of the seasons or simply honoring a guest. Take the spring equinox, for example. In late March, the weather might still be chilly, but we begin to anticipate the coming of warmer weather. Days lengthen. Migrating birds return home. Spring flowers are beginning to bloom. After the winter dearth of fresh vegetables, baby-fresh greens are coming to the market. The host selects spring-heralding flowers to decorate the Tea room, and utensils and a scroll will be chosen to also reflect this light and celebratory mood. Winter is finished, we celebrate spring!

It follows, then, that the menu for a Tea gathering must also be in harmony with the theme, and so it was for Laura's birthday chaji. In February, we were still in the grip of winter but getting the first hints of spring and deciding on what to serve at the Chaji was a challenge. Humboldt County's forgiving climate gives us an embarrassing abundance of ingredients to choose from. We can have greens from the garden or ocean-fresh salmon pretty much year 'round. Failing that, several natural food stores offer regionally-grown produce, plus Farmer's Markets operate from May through November. Locavores have much to choose from, with the exception of grains (which some Hum Co farmers are now beginning to grow).

As far as we know, rice has yet to be cultivated on the Arcata Bottoms; that was an ingredient that needed an exception to the "local" rule. Same for the edamame, hijiki, sesame, tofu pouches and others, but many key ingredients were grown close to home. And close to our heart.

Laura's February Birthday Kaiseki

Chaji 2/20/10

Food Adventures

Gohan -- plain white rice, cooked with a pinch of salt and a slice of kombu (kelp)

Misoshiru -- kombu dashi and a mix of red and white miso pastes (about 70%/30%), with simmered home-grown daikon topped with a dab of Sweet Mama Janisse's Sticky Love Sauce (a sweet mustard sauce manufactured in Humboldt County)

Muukozuke -- mixed sea greens with ginger and lemon zestSake #1 -- Momokawa Organic Ginjo Junmai (from Oregon)

Wanmori -- tofu pouches stuffed with seasoned portabello mushroom slice, hijiki and edamame, and tied with konbu; bamboo shoots, carrot, young broccoli and lemon zest garnish in a lightly thickened vegetarian broth

Yakimono -- tofu negi dengaku (tofu from Arcata's Tofu Shop grilled with Westbrae Soy miso dengaku sauce made with a generous amount of sauteed spring onions)Azukebachi -- 1) simmered California-grown spinach seasoned with sesame dressing; 2) braised carrot and home-grown daikon with a creamy tofu dressing

Sake #2 -- Momokawa "Diamond"

Hashiarai -- seasoned lightly with umeboshi (pickled plum), lemon zest and a fresh plum blossom

Hassun -- 1) California asparagus seasoned with sesame; 2) "fans" of nori seasoned with miso sauce and lightly toasted

Omogashi -- daifuku (mochi and anko) freshly home-made by Annie (see "Microwave Mochi")


Further reading

The Heart of Zen Cuisine, A 600-Year Tradition of Vegetarian Cooking. Soei Yoneda, Kodansha International, Tokyo and New York, 1982. Originally published as Good Food from a Japanese Temple. Yoneda was the Abbess of Sanko-in Temple of Kyoto.

Kaiseki: Zen Tastes in Japanese Cooking. Kaichi Tsuji, Tankosha Press, Kyoto, 1972. Lovingly illustrated with original woodcuts and beautiful full-color photographs. Detailed notes seasonal foods, serving ware and preparation and arrangement of food.

Untangling My Chopsticks, A Culinary Sojourn in Kyoto. Victoria Abbot Riccardi, Broadway Books/Random House, New York, 2003. "As Victoria Riccardi goes in search of culinary enlightenment in this intimate and beautifully crafted memoir about living, cooking, and falling in love with Kyoto, the reader is seduced and transported by the scenes and flavors she paints with words. Riccardi writes with a sensuous eye for detail that brings alive the extraordinary beauty of Japan and the sumptuous pleasures of its table." --Lora Brody, author of Growing Up on the Chocolate Diet

The World in a Bowl of Tea, Healthy, Seasonal Foods Inspired by the Japanese Way of Tea. Bettina Vitelli, Harper Collins, New York, 1997.

North Coast Journal, selected articles about the Humboldt County local food movement and local grain farmers

• Here Come the Grains (April 10, 2008)
• Hardcore Locavores (Nov. 6, 2008)
• Feeling our Oats in Humboldt County (March 30, 2006)
• Extreme Local Eating (March 9, 2006)