Sometimes we come across old calligraphy...and wisdom!
This one says: 『積善余慶』(Sekizen Yokei)
"One's accumulated good deeds shall bring blessings even to one's descendants."
Japanese Home Cooking Workshop: Ganmodoki
This is our pilot (trial?) Japanese home-cooking workshop!
We thought: Why not introduce Japanese food? ...the ones that are not well-known outside of Japan. Of course, you can always search up the recipe online but wouldn't it be more fun to have someone show you how it's done? :-) Besides, you might not be able to find all the authentic Japanese ingredients in Halifax. Our big advantage: we know how it should taste like! So we will suggest appropriate substitutes and still remain true to the spirit of the cuisine.
We will introduce "Ganmodoki" (がんもどき) in our first workshop.
"Ganmodoki" can be loosely translated as "that which resembles goose". Not a very appetizing name eh? But it is quite yummy. Ganmodoki is one kind of "shoujin-ryori" (精進料理), the food that Zen monks eat. They do not eat meat and so they have this kind of food made from tofu and other non-meat ingredients.
Portuguese filhós. (Click to see source.)
In the Kansai region, this dish is also called "Hiryouzu" (飛龍頭)...literally translated as "flying dragon head"...but really, it is just the Japanese phonetic equivalent for the Portuguese snack called "filhós" -- a kind of fritter made from flour, eggs and, oftentimes, pumpkin. In Portugal, they are a traditional Christmas dessert.
They do look similar!
Our version of this dish brings together simple yet savoury ingredients including shrimp, bacon, green onions and mushroom, all in a tofu base. The tofu's neutral flavour helps tone down the intensities of each filling, while allowing their distinct flavours to come out and be appreciated. These patties are also highly versatile; you can customize your ganmodoki with the ingredients of your choice. Once you master the base, make it your own and experiment with different ingredients. The possibilities are endless!
Workshop Details
Let's make ganmodoki* with ingredients available in Halifax!
Date: Feb 21st, 2016 (Sunday)
Time: 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Venue: the ikebana shop
6417 Quinpool Road, Halifax NS B3L 1A7
Cost: 12.50 + HST
Up to 4 participants only. Pre-registration is required.
Participants are asked to bring with them a whisk, a spatula and an apron (optional).
We will prepare all the ingredients and other utensils.
Then, we taste our cooking together. (We'll show you how to make the sauce that would go with it too!)
Register by phone 902-407-0487 or email. Hope to see you there!
*Note: Not strictly vegetarian.
Itadakimasu!
My Ikebana: Driftwood and Mass
Chyrsanthemums, carnations, and pom-pom mums to create mass....
...and a big block of driftwood!
There is a sense of flow coming from the driftwood. The mass of blooms extend this flow.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
Graceful As Maiko
Our friend from Chile, Ana Luisa, shared with us her ikebana inspired by a recent trip to Kyoto where she met maiko. Thank you, Ana Luisa!
Two Japanese artistic expressions: Ikebana and Maiko.
Elegance, finesse and serenity...
Beauty in both.
Ikebana: Dutch lilium, aspidistra leaves, & dried Canelo* branch.
The container looks to us like a celadon incense burner. Ana Luisa purchased
it at a flea market in Kyoto. What a wonderful treasure to find!
＊ The Canelo is a tree native to Chile and is considered sacred by the ethnic Mapuche people.
It has very curly branches.
* All photos courtesy of Ana Luisa Quiñones.
The Twist Box
Guess what this giant cupcake-like thing is? :-)
Gently lift the top and twist open....
...and take a peek inside. We've filled it with 10 assorted chocolate truffles!
Lovingly hand-made in-house, right here in Nova Scotia! The fabric is from Japan. The chocolate truffles are from Truffini (made in BC). Of course, once the chocolates are gone, you can still use the box!
Available for a limited time at the shop. Get one for this year's Valentine's gift!
My Ikebana: Wrapping Paper & Daisy Mums
Sometimes, it is interesting to create ikebana with unconventional materials. Such material could draw out the charm of flowers in a different manner compared to those using only plant material. It is precisely because the material is unconventional that we are able to come up with a unique expression.
I set my sights on the wrapping paper that we use at the shop. This paper is used to protect fragile, ceramic items like teacups, bowls, etc.
The paper, when stretched, produces a lattice-like pattern with a rough but soft texture.
I used the paper together with daisy mums and some dried branches.
Here is the whole arrangement.
I hope you like it. --Miyako
Origami-In-Motion Workshop
UPDATED 20-Jan-2016:
We are postponing this workshop to Jan 31st, Sunday, same time 2:00-3:00 p.m.
The weather forecast for Jan 24th, Sunday, doesn't look very good. It looks like a considerable amount of snowfall is expected!
Apologies for the inconvenience.
We are planning our first for 2016 origami workshop on Jan 24th, Sunday. In this workshop, we will make origami that go in motion. One is a pinwheel that will spin when you blow on it and the other is a spinning top!
See a quick demo of the spinning top here!
Date: Jan 24th, Sunday
Time: 2:00-3:00 p.m.
Venue: our studio (right above the shop)
Cost: $8 plus HST per person. All materials are included.
Max 10 persons. Advanced registration is required. First come, first served!
Please call or email to book your spot.
Tel (902) 407-0487
email: shop@theikebanashop.com
Hope to see you there!
Revised Blade Sharpening Price Schedule
No, it's not really a price increase! We've just streamlined the blade sharpening pricing schedule to simplify things.
The following pricing schedule will be applied from 2016:
Cost / knife
$8.00
$10.00
$15.00
$15.00
$15.00
$15.00
$10.00
$12.00
no extra cost
$5.00 extra
Regular & Serrated Kitchen Knives
up to 4" blade
more than 4", up to 9" blade
more than 9" blade
Japanese traditional knife
Cleaver
Non-kitchen knife (hunting, folding)
Ikebana clippers
Scissors
Minor chip repair* ( <2mm)
Chip & tip repair*
*Chip repair must be incorporated with sharpening order.
Note: If your knives or clippers need extra special attention, we will let you know the expected cost and obtain your agreement before starting any work on it.
Prices are subject to HST.
Happy New Year 2016!
Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu!
Ikebana At Toyota Lexus Halifax
If you are out shopping for a car, visit the Toyota Lexus showroom in Halifax!
We put up an ikebana installation there. Way up there above the showcase shelving! See it?
Toyota and Lexus being Japanese brands, we hope to show a little bit more of the Japanese aesthetic in the showroom. We express through flowers elements of the automobile design: elegance, boldness, power.
Sometimes, it is good to work outside the studio and create something BIG...a very different experience from the usual table-top arrangement. The project is a collaborative effort by Miyako and her advanced students : Val S., Susan R., Jean H. and Patti V.
Toyota Lexus had asked for something that could stay in place through the Christmas season. So, dried materials were used. Apart from the bleached palm, all other plant materials were those that can be found in Nova Scotia.
Bleached palm leaves.
Gold maple leaves and Canada holly (ilex) among others.
We also used Japanese obi.
We searched far and wide to get the right material! :-)
Planning, designing, creating the mock-up took an effort. But we enjoyed doing it! With everyone working together, there was an excellent exchange of ideas.
(L-R) Miyako, Jean and Patti.
Val.
Since the arrangement was to be placed atop a 2-metre high shelf, we had to imagine it being viewed from the below.
Susan and Miyako.
The other challenge, of course, was bringing the work to the showroom...and the actual installation. Many thanks to Val's engineering & carpentry skills for coming up with a great "scaffold"!
Here are more views of the installation.
The installation will be there throughout December, 2015. Please visit when you have the chance!
We are very grateful to Toyota Lexus Halifax for generously allowing us to use their showroom. It is never easy to find big spaces for big arrangements!
Thank you to Val, Susan, Jean and Val! We hope you enjoyed the project. We are proud of your work. As well, thanks to Susan and Patti for sharing your photos with us!