Shimotsuki : Month of Autumn gift

Autumn dishes -
photos by Wiktor Staniecki

Autumn ingredients


Kaminazuki: Month of the waxing moon

Veggie 'Kinton' by Zoe
'Kinton' is a classic & formal type of sweet.
Using vegetables, this is kind of a new-wave 'Kinton'.  

ingredients: outside - pod soy beans and sweet potato
inside - white beans and Kaki/persimmon

In Japan, it is said that the most beautiful moon appears in autumn.
We truly love 'tsukimi'(moon-viewing)!
Not only Jugoya(the harvest moon) but also Jusanya(the waxing moon) has been appreciated. Jusanya is also called Mame-meigetsu (bean harvest moon) as pod soybeans are offered to the waxing moon.



Nagatsuki: Month of beautiful Moon


on the right: Sesame creamy dressing - smooth sesame paste based sauce
on the left: Yuzu-kosho dressing - hot, but a nice & fresh citrus flavoured dressing
Both dashi (soup stock) is used
You can substitute vegan stock for dashi stock


Tofu hamburger with grated cucumber


Vegan soup stock
Konbu(seaweeds) stock
on the right roasted soy bean stock
on the left dried Shiitake mushroom stock








Minazuki: Month of hydrangea


Kamonasu no Dengaku

Satsuki: Month of lovely greens


Nukazuke: Vegetable pickles of rice bran bed

on the right: Wasabi flowers
on the left: Fuki - looks like celery or rhubarb, but the flavour is different, fuki has an aromatic flavour!

Spring shojin style vegetarian dish-
Yuba/soy milk skin, fuki and shiitake mushrooms


Uzuki: Month of fully bloomed Sakura

Fully bloomed Sakura in my neighborhood


left: sesame dressed green asparagus & Japanese orange by Nina & Dan
right: Renkon(lotusroot) & seafood pancake with renkon chips

Spring Chirashi-zushi: scattered sushi
Chirashi-zushi is a Kyoto style home-cooked sushi



Kisaragi: Spring is in the air!

Kisaragi: February

February 4th is the first day of the spring according to the Japanese lunar calendar.
It is still very cold here, in Kyoto in February, but we feel the spring is in the air!