For this month’s (virtual) Japan tour, we are bringing all of you along with us to Nagasaki and introducing you all to one of our favorite indulgences from the region: Turkish Rice.
This dish features three staple components: Neapolitan spaghetti, rice, and meat cutlets. Turkish Rice can typically be customized to satisfy and meet each individual customer’s ideal comfort food order. For example, instead of spaghetti, you can have meat sauce or cream; the rice might be curried pilaf, chicken rice, or even dry; and the cutlets can be pork, chicken, steak, or even hamburger patties (to name a few options).
With so many options available, no wonder it’s considered a “must-eat” when visiting Nagasaki!
At first introduction, it might seem like this recipe would have some roots associated with Turkey, but a closer look into this dish’s origin (and ingredients) confirms that the meal is a total Nagasaki original. In fact, where the name comes from is a mystery to this day, but here are some fun theories we found about its naming. One theory that attributes the name to historical roots is during Japan’s sakoku period of isolation. During this time period, the people of Nagasaki were only allowed to trade from Europe through the Dutch. This theory suggested that elements of the dish were brought over during this time period and misattributed to Turkey, which no one has corrected since. Another theory suggests the three ingredients and their three colors brings the tri-color lunch together to resemble the flag of Turkey, giving the dish its name, as well. The last theory suggests the root is in geography: with the pilaf origination in India and the Neapolitan in Italy, Turkey’s location in the middle bridges the ingredients together and creates the namesake dish beloved by the region. How interesting, right?
Whatever the origin, it’s a dish that’s certainly one of our favorite b-kyu gurume recommendations, and one that we hope you definitely indulge in on your next trip to Japan.
If you’re in the middle of planning a trip to Nagasaki right now and want recommendations on where you can try some yourself, here are some places you might want to stop by to order some Turkish Rice for yourself:
The first is Kyushu’s oldest café, Tsuruchan. Opened in 1925, bask in the historically rich ambience of Tsuruchan and enjoy a plate of Turkish Rice!
What’s your favorite way to eat Turkish Rice? Let us know by sharing your story on social by tagging #Zojirushi on your photos with #zojirushi on Twitter, Facebookor Instagram!
With summer right around the corner, the weather is definitely starting to heat up! Here in California, one of our favorite things to do in this nice weather is to go outside for a stroll, go on a bike ride at the beach, or even just hang out with our family in the backyard! Fittingly for June, the month of Father’s Day, our fathers will always be one of our favorite people to spend quality time like this with.
With the holiday right around the corner, we’re going to share one of our favorite products that Dad can enjoy both on his leisurely days off, and at work!
Our Product of the Month, the Zojirushi Stainless Tumblers (SX-FSE45) has become one of our favorite desk top accessories, for not only its convenience during our morning commute to work, but for its variety of cool features that we’re sure not only you will love, but Dad will love too for Father’s Day.
Need some more reasons on why our Stainless Tumbler is named Product of the Month:
First is for its variety of colors for the whole family!
These tumblers come in four vibrant and sophisticated colors with a beautiful matte finish. We have one for each member of our family, each with a different color. This makes it easy to remember whose drink is who’s without mixing up our treats in the morning shuffle.
Second is, of course for its amazing temperature retention.
In addition to different colors, each of our family members enjoys a different morning beverage to start their day: hot coffee, tea, cold green juice, ice water, and so much more. Whether you love hot or cold drinks, this tumbler has that magical Zojirushi vacuum insulated technology to keep your beverage at the perfect drinking temperature for hours after pouring.
Like many of our favorite Tumblers and Bottles, this Stainless Tumbler is perfect to hold on-the-go!
We think it should be equally as important to keep your beverage at an ideal drinking temperature and be able to carry it without it being too hot or too cold. These tumblers are made to be perfect to the touch as you carry it on the go! So, if you prepare to take some ice-cold water with you, this tumbler has you covered. It’s vacuum insulated, minimizing condensation. Even when filled with iced water, the outside doesn’t sweat. Dad won’t get in trouble with mom even if he forgets to use a coaster. If warm beverages are more your thing, you’ll never have to worry about that too-hot-to-touch feeling ever again…even when filled with hot coffee, the outside stays cool, making it safe to carry! Perfect temp on the inside, perfect temp for the touch. Totally a win-win situation in our books.
We can’t forget that this Stainless Tumbler also includes a removable stainless mesh strainer.
Especially for all our tea lovers out there, this tumbler also features a unique lid that comes with a removable stainless steel, mesh tea strainer for direct brewing and sipping straight from the tumbler—simply add tea leaves directly to the tumbler and pour water. After letting the tea steep, you drink from the tumbler and you can enjoy your beverage while the strainer holds back the tea leaves. If you aren’t drinking tea, you can easily take the strainer out. How versatile!
Beyond straining tea, the lid also serves a few other purposes: it’s spill-resistant and reinforces temperature retention. But how, you might ask?
The lid helps block heat from escaping up, so the heat retention is much better compared to tumblers, mugs or cups without a lid. It’s also spill-proof so no need to worry about spilling and splashing while walking around.
So now that we’ve talked all about the Tumbler’s vacuum insulated technology and design, let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Like all Zojirushi products, our Stainless Tumbler is no exception to being extremely easy to clean.
The exterior matte finish makes scratches and stains less visible, and minimizes odors and stains. The interior features a 7.5cm wide opening at the top of the container making it easy to use your hand to clean inside the tumbler. Additionally, the lid also fully disassembles so you can thoroughly wash the tumbler and reuse it with no issues.
And last, but definitely not least, our Stainless Tumbler is safe for the family, and the environment.
These tumblers allow us to enjoy our favorite drinks in a reusable manner with no waste – say goodbye to paper cups at work, so we can enjoy Mother Nature and not add to the pollution. And while being better for the environment, the stainless steel construction is paired with BPA-free plastic so it’s safe for the whole family.
Are you interested in learning more about our product of the month? Watch our full product demonstration video here:
And if you’re looking for inspiration on what to make in your tumbler, here are some of our favorite drink recipes for you to try next:
Share more about adventures with your family, Father’s Day traditions, and your favorite beverages and traditions with us on social by tagging your photos with #Zojirushi on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram! And if you’re interested in learning more about our tumblers for your next Father’s Day gift, be sure to check out our online retailers.
Everyone knows how one pot meals are so popular, especially these days when we’re cooking at home a lot and we want easy dinners that still taste good. I figured my Zojirushi Gourmet Skillet would be perfect because it’s the perfect size, and I was right. My skillet has 2 pans, one shallow and one deep. I used the deeper pan, which pretty much is the same as using an 11” chicken fryer.
The recipe is from one of my favorite sites, which always uses simple ingredients, simple steps and looks so appetizing! Remember, this is important for a non-cook like me! Actually, between the right equipment and the right recipe, it’s like cooking for dummies. We had if for dinner that night, which I guess means it wasn’t horrible and my meal passed the test! I chose a One Pot Veggie Mac&Cheese because my daughter is vegetarian. Zojirushi has a one pot dish too, which you can find here.
Here’s the ingredients. Besides the veggies, it uses coconut milk and soup stock to round out the flavor with the cheddar cheese.
First step was to sauté the vegetables—and I found out one thing about one pot recipes. Yes, it was all done in one pot, and it was really easy to put together and clean up. But I always thought you could just throw everything in and just watch it cook. These vegetables though, cook at different times so you have to add ingredients to the skillet in steps. But I can’t complain—it was still dummy proof!
The soup stock and coconut milk come next.
Then the pasta.
And finally the cheese.
NOW all you do is cover and wait.
Here’s a good time to talk about the Gourmet Skillet. I did this on our dining room table, which made it easy for the family to dig in after I was done. In other words, I had a captive audience and they were hungry, LOL! I set the cooking temperature at 350°F and forgot about it. In other words, I didn’t have to fiddle with it even one time. That was nice—my pasta cooked evenly from beginning to end. No overflowing, no scorching. I think I can find all kinds of uses for this skillet, but one pot meals like this are absolutely the ideal match for this kind of appliance. Next time I’m going to let the real cook in the family have a go with it—just think how much better dinner is gonna be!
Just For Fun I’m telling you, the things you see when you’re at ground level walking and not in a car speeding around L.A.—this gopher snake must have been at least 4 to 5 ft. long. Common gopher snakes are non-poisonous, not dangerous and beneficial because they hunt rodents found in suburban yards. If I sound like an expert, it’s because I was able to identify it online! And I’ve never been afraid of snakes either—maybe because I was born in the Year of the Snake, as was my mother, my grandmother and my daughter. Four generations of hebi-doshi (Year of the Snake)!
Hi there, Zo fans! We hope that you’ve all been well and staying safe and healthy! We’re back with another B-kyu Gurume post.
We think that after all of the savory goodness we’ve been enjoying, it’s time for a bit of sweetness!
We’re excited to introduce akumaki this month, a unique dish from Kagoshima Prefecture in Kyushu.
Akumaki is truly unique! It’s made of soaked or steamed mochigome – the glutinous rice used to make mochi – wrapped in bamboo leaves that are tied into packets with palm leaf strings.
The packets are boiled in lye, which is a mixture of water and charcoal ash. After a few hours, the rice inside the packets is cooked to a smooth, brown, chewy consistency, the perfect base for eating.
The akumaki is drizzled with sweet syrup, regular or brown sugar, or even kinako, a roasted soybean flour that has a pleasantly sweet taste and powdery texture. It usually takes two days to make akumaki, with the first day focused on preparing the ingredients and leaves, and the second day actually cooking the packets. The end result is worth it!
Amazing, right?
Many Asian cultures have dishes boiled or steamed in leaves, such as Indian panki or Thai-style baked fish, and this Japanese dish is part of that tradition albeit with a unique twist. Unlike the mentioned Indian and Thai dishes, Akumaki, is more sweet as opposed to savory.
Traditionally, the two leaves used to make this dish are bamboo, for cooking, and palm for tying. Today, akumaki is still made with palm leaves, but modern conveniences like cooking string or twine are easier to use for tying the packets.
Even more interesting than the ingredients is the legend surrounding the origins of akumaki. Legend says that akumaki was given to boys who were training to be samurai soldiers during the 16th century. The boys were treated to these sweets which were easy to make, transport and preserve. Lovely how something sweet was given to warriors!
Today, akumaki isn’t usually made at home but it’s still part of a culture treating children to sweetly delicious goodies. Most often, it is served as part of the Children’s Day tradition, which used to be celebrated as Boys Day, in May. As a regional delicacy, it’s definitely part of our favorite B-kyu gurume lineup!
Have you had akumaki before? If so, share your story with us and be sure to tag us using our hashtag #zojirushiamerica on Instagram!
We’re enjoying the time we’re spending in the kitchen cooking with our close family and roommates. Whether baking or cooking, often our time is spent with a cup of tea or coffee, and guess what? We’re getting really good at making excellent coffee with our Fresh Brew Plus Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker! This Fresh Brew Plus Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker (EC-YTC100) is perfect for our #stayhome lives.
The more we use this coffee maker, the more we appreciate its unique and innovative features. It brews two types of coffee – hot or cold. Perfect for those chilly work-from-home mornings, and during the afternoon when you need a cool pick-me-up drink. It has two brewing modes – Regular or Time Saver. And it has an automatic Pre-Infusion Cycle that really brings out the flavor of ground coffee.
The Fresh Brew Plus can brew up to 10 cups of delicious hot coffee or 5 cups of iced coffee using the same machine and carafe. Let us show you how it works.
When brewing hot coffee, preheat the vacuum insulated thermal carafe with a small amount of hot water for approximately one minute. While the carafe is heating, fill the coffee maker’s water tank with fresh, cold water to the level corresponding to the desired number of cups. Use the level markings for HOT on the water tank. Then, add the corresponding amount of ground coffee to the basket. Empty the thermal carafe and place it in the machine. Select the brew mode, press start and your coffee is good to go!
When brewing iced coffee, the key is to prevent the coffee from being diluted by ice by brewing a concentrated pot. Fill the water tank using the second set of level markings for ICED. This time, don’t preheat the thermal carafe before placing it in the machine. The rest of the steps are the same – add in coffee grounds, select the brew mode and turn it on. Once the coffee is brewed, fill the carafe with enough 1-inch ice cubes so that there is at least ½ inch of space is under the curve in the carafe. The ice cubes will flash-chill the coffee for iced coffee that’s not diluted. We guarantee that not only will pouring be much easier, but your iced coffee will be d-e-licious!
Regardless of whether you’re brewing hot or iced coffee, the Pre-Infusion Cycle helps produce the most flavorful coffee. This feature uses the internal shower head to evenly wet coffee grounds, infusing them before brewing at an ideal temperature of 200°F, allowing them to bloom for perfect extraction of flavor and aroma.
Since the thermal carafe is part of the smart design that lets you brew either hot or cold coffee, we’ve ensured that it features Zojirushi’s superior vacuum insulation technology.
Vacuum insulation technology prevents heat loss and keeps the brewed coffee hot or cold for hours. The Fresh Brew Plus doesn’t use a hot plate to keep coffee warm, which in turn prevents coffee from tasting bitter or burnt. Yes to great-tasting coffee!
The Fresh Brew Plus also has multiple convenience features, including a reusable permanent gold mesh coffee filter, a 24-hour programmable timer with digital clock and a sound signal that can be switched to Mute for quiet operation. The sleek stainless steel thermal carafe has a tapered design and thumb-activated pouring that makes serving smooth. The water tank, swing basket, filter basket and carafe are easy to clean, and the machine’s exterior can be wiped down with a damp cloth.
These amazing features aside, the best thing about the Fresh Brew Plus Thermal Carafe Coffee Maker is that it makes delicious tasting coffee! We love it prepared simply, but also in this super yummyBanana Coffee Smoothie!
Because warm weather calls for smoothies, and what better way to cool down and stay motivated during WFH than with this recipe! Try it out and let us know what you think! And don’t forget to share your favorites with us, because we want to know the ultimate question: are you a hot coffee person or an iced coffee person? Let us know in the comments,
Follow us on Instagramand tag your photos with #zojirushiamerica so that we can show some love on your post! Stay safe, everyone!
