I didn’t get a chance to blog about this earlier but figured it was worth adding a post. On Sunday, May 31st, I was invited to my Department’s BBQ. The BBQ was held at the Wakasu Campground which is about 5 miles East of my apartment but it took me 90 minutes to get there (15 minutes to walk to the Shinagawa train station, 30 minutes on two different trains to the Shinkiba train station and then a 45 minute, 3 mile walk from the train station to the campground). There are apparently buses that head out from the Station to the Campground but I couldn’t figure it out. Plus I didn’t mind the exercise and it was a nice walk as you crossed several bridges along Tokyo Bay to get out to the island.
When I reached the campgrounds, it was about 11:30 am and I was told to be there around 11:00 so I figured I would see some company signs. No such luck. Imagine walking around a large campground area trying to spot a Japanese co-worker at 100 yards when everyone is roughly the same height and body build. I approached several campsites but each time the campers screamed and fled in terror possibly thinking I was some kind of Japanese Sasquatch. Luckily I spotted a tall Caucasian in one group and figured it had to be one of my co-workers who is from New Zealand. Bingo. Thank God because after the 3 mile walk I really needed a beer.
Although I was told this was a department BBQ, it turned out that only about 6-7 families made the trek out for the day. I can’t say I blame them. When you work 12+ hours (in the office) a day, the last thing you want to do with your precious weekend time is spend it with your co-workers and boss. Nonetheless, the families who did show up had a good time and the food was fantastic. I was really looking forward to the BBQ as the woman organizing the event had mentioned she was bringing Kobe beef which I’ve never had before.
Only one family brought a propane gas grill and the main grills were fueled with charcoal briquettes. No lighter fuel used either. Just a match and people, including myself, fanning the briquettes with a Japanese fan to get the fire going.
They didn’t waste any time but brought the Kobe beef steaks out right away. The organizer had about five steaks that were each about ten inches in diameter and an inch-thick. Kobe beef isn’t a dark, rich red like a U.S. steak but is marbled throughout with fat. The meat itself is lighter in color as well. They also treated these steaks right. No marinade. Right on the grill for a slight sear on both sides and only a little seasoning added. They sliced them pretty quickly after taking them off the grill and I was wondering if the juice would all spill out like a U.S steak that isn’t allowed to rest properly but that wasn’t the case. While they were grilling up the Kobe steaks they also grilled up some small sausages which were almost like a breakfast sausage link. Along side the sausages were large chunks of grilled vegetables (onions, thick green onion stalks, peppers and big straw mushrooms). This entire first course was served with soy sauce in dishes around the tables. Grab a pair of ohashi (chopsticks) and dig in.
I gingerly picked up my first slice of Kobe beef and admired all that fat riddled throughout the meat. I would say the meat was done medium rare which is how I like a U.S steak but I’m not sure if that’s an accurate description. I popped that first piece of heaven into my mouth and glanced around me. The sun was shining brightly and glistening off the waves out on Tokyo Bay. I had a cold Suntory in my hands and that piece of Kobe was just melting in my mouth. Not much chewing required. If you’re thinking I’m being overly dramatic here, you may be right but when you’re a true carnivore, this is a pilgrimage one needs to make in your lifetime. My co-workers looked at me and gave me a knowing nod. No words needed to be spoken.
Now came the difficult part, sharing. My base instinct was to start shoveling the meat into my mouth like I was the American Werewolf in Tokyo devouring a citizen but the Japanese above all else are extremely well mannered so patience was the motto of the day. Surprisingly, although everyone was enjoying the beef, there was plenty to go around and I didn’t have to cause an international incident.
If the food ended there, it would have been an excellent meal. But they were only getting started. Next on the grill were short-ribs with a soy sauce marinade, enormous tiger shrimp and several whole squid (minus the tentacles). The shrimp and squid were lightly seasoned as well but with a different spice mixture than the beef. They sliced the squid into huge calamari rings. The rings were probably 2-3 inches in diameter and surprisingly tender. I only had one shrimp but I really enjoyed the squid. As delicious as the squid was, I can’t say I’ll be grilling that up this Fall at my Penn State tailgates. It works in Japan but would really be out of place in Central Pennsylvania. Accompanying the ribs, shrimp and squid were grilled chunks of eggplant and pumpkin. Different but it worked with those dishes somehow. One of my co-workers also served up a soup at this time. I guess it could best be described as a miso soup with chunks of tofu and vegetables. In the U.S., I’ve had miso soup plenty of times but am never that wild about it. For some reason, over here, I love it and it’s going to be one of the simple things I miss when I return to the States. Along with cheap booze.
Their final course of the day for the adults was a stir fry. They placed large aluminum pans on top of the grates and sautéed various vegetables (cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots) and then added a Chinese ramen noodle (not that cheap dried-out ramen crap we sell in the States) but long soft noodles to the mixture. To sprinkle on top of the stir fry was a diced pickled ginger and finely shredded seaweed. Simple but very satisfying.
For the kids after the meal, they had marshmallows and it was good to see that U.S. campfire favorite being used. But they also had sticky rice that was shaped into 3-inch hearts and stars. They grilled the rice until it was slightly carmelized and then shoved popsicle sticks into them and handed them out to the kids who sat there happily licking and chomping away at their grilled rice treats.
Although I was told this was a department BBQ, it turned out that only about 6-7 families made the trek out for the day. I can’t say I blame them. When you work 12+ hours (in the office) a day, the last thing you want to do with your precious weekend time is spend it with your co-workers and boss. Nonetheless, the families who did show up had a good time and the food was fantastic. I was really looking forward to the BBQ as the woman organizing the event had mentioned she was bringing Kobe beef which I’ve never had before.
Only one family brought a propane gas grill and the main grills were fueled with charcoal briquettes. No lighter fuel used either. Just a match and people, including myself, fanning the briquettes with a Japanese fan to get the fire going.
They didn’t waste any time but brought the Kobe beef steaks out right away. The organizer had about five steaks that were each about ten inches in diameter and an inch-thick. Kobe beef isn’t a dark, rich red like a U.S. steak but is marbled throughout with fat. The meat itself is lighter in color as well. They also treated these steaks right. No marinade. Right on the grill for a slight sear on both sides and only a little seasoning added. They sliced them pretty quickly after taking them off the grill and I was wondering if the juice would all spill out like a U.S steak that isn’t allowed to rest properly but that wasn’t the case. While they were grilling up the Kobe steaks they also grilled up some small sausages which were almost like a breakfast sausage link. Along side the sausages were large chunks of grilled vegetables (onions, thick green onion stalks, peppers and big straw mushrooms). This entire first course was served with soy sauce in dishes around the tables. Grab a pair of ohashi (chopsticks) and dig in.
I gingerly picked up my first slice of Kobe beef and admired all that fat riddled throughout the meat. I would say the meat was done medium rare which is how I like a U.S steak but I’m not sure if that’s an accurate description. I popped that first piece of heaven into my mouth and glanced around me. The sun was shining brightly and glistening off the waves out on Tokyo Bay. I had a cold Suntory in my hands and that piece of Kobe was just melting in my mouth. Not much chewing required. If you’re thinking I’m being overly dramatic here, you may be right but when you’re a true carnivore, this is a pilgrimage one needs to make in your lifetime. My co-workers looked at me and gave me a knowing nod. No words needed to be spoken.
Now came the difficult part, sharing. My base instinct was to start shoveling the meat into my mouth like I was the American Werewolf in Tokyo devouring a citizen but the Japanese above all else are extremely well mannered so patience was the motto of the day. Surprisingly, although everyone was enjoying the beef, there was plenty to go around and I didn’t have to cause an international incident.
If the food ended there, it would have been an excellent meal. But they were only getting started. Next on the grill were short-ribs with a soy sauce marinade, enormous tiger shrimp and several whole squid (minus the tentacles). The shrimp and squid were lightly seasoned as well but with a different spice mixture than the beef. They sliced the squid into huge calamari rings. The rings were probably 2-3 inches in diameter and surprisingly tender. I only had one shrimp but I really enjoyed the squid. As delicious as the squid was, I can’t say I’ll be grilling that up this Fall at my Penn State tailgates. It works in Japan but would really be out of place in Central Pennsylvania. Accompanying the ribs, shrimp and squid were grilled chunks of eggplant and pumpkin. Different but it worked with those dishes somehow. One of my co-workers also served up a soup at this time. I guess it could best be described as a miso soup with chunks of tofu and vegetables. In the U.S., I’ve had miso soup plenty of times but am never that wild about it. For some reason, over here, I love it and it’s going to be one of the simple things I miss when I return to the States. Along with cheap booze.
Their final course of the day for the adults was a stir fry. They placed large aluminum pans on top of the grates and sautéed various vegetables (cabbage, bean sprouts and carrots) and then added a Chinese ramen noodle (not that cheap dried-out ramen crap we sell in the States) but long soft noodles to the mixture. To sprinkle on top of the stir fry was a diced pickled ginger and finely shredded seaweed. Simple but very satisfying.
For the kids after the meal, they had marshmallows and it was good to see that U.S. campfire favorite being used. But they also had sticky rice that was shaped into 3-inch hearts and stars. They grilled the rice until it was slightly carmelized and then shoved popsicle sticks into them and handed them out to the kids who sat there happily licking and chomping away at their grilled rice treats.
Overall a great day and another excellent meal.
First, what are you doing in a campground? Second, good to see you still haven't been able to grasp the concept of sharing and that there was enough for the minions. Third, I'm glad to see you are being fed well. Fourth, I'm assuming you didn't steal any of the kids' marshmallows.
ReplyDeleteI would never steal a child's marshmallow. I did smackdown a 4-yeal old though to get one of the rice treats. What can I say, they weren't passing them out to the adults.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazes me is it sounds like very little was pre-prepared. ?? How odd. I don't understand a BBQ where there's no processed food.
ReplyDeleteAfter experiencing Japanese preparation of meals first hand, including real kobe beef, I can only agree with your pilgrimage comment.
ReplyDeleteFor some reason I no longer view todays beef and broccoli at PF Chang as satisfying.