Matsutake weekend

I had a lot of fun this weekend. On Friday I met my friends for dinner at my favorite local Japanese restaurant. It was crowded so we sat at a table instead of the bar. The food as always, was great. We had Ika Gyoza (squid pot-stickers) and Ankimo (steamed monkfish liver) as well as a ton of beer and Karatamba sake.

I went over to their place after and we drank some of the Shiso (beefsteak leaf) flavored Shochu. On Saturday we decided to make Matsutake Pizza. Matsutake (Pine Mushrooms) are prized for their rarity and rich flavor. They can not be cultivated, only picked wild but we have had a bumper crop this year, and they are much cheaper in the US than Japan. You can find them in gourmet grocery stores.

Fresh pizza dough (Trader Joe's!)
1 Lb. Matsutake mushrooms lightly peeled
1/2 Lb. low moisture Mozzarella cheese
1/4 Lb. grated Italian Parmesan cheese
Extra Virgin Olive oil

Roll out crust on aluminum foil by hand and cover surface with Olive oil. Cover surface with thinly sliced Matsutake mushroom's. Cover the mushrooms with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Bake at 450F on pre heated pizza stone (ceramic tile) for 10-12 minutes.

We also had fresh Muscles steamed in garlic and wine, a nice cucumber salad and some great red wine. Afterwards we watched Battle Royal II the sequel to the rather infamous and nonsensical movie about High-school kids forced to battle to the death on a remote island.

On Sunday I went for a long walk to try and walk off all the cheese and mushrooms I ate the night before. The weather in the bay area has been incredible this year, global warming I'm afraid. I walked along the bay to the bookstore where I spied the wonderful complete Calvin & Hobbes collection. Unfortunately, I have a lot of Japanese studying to do, I will have to refrain from spending time on recreational reading.

Today on the way to work the salt ponds were so still and mirror smooth, the ducks and grebes were doing their best to be still lest they disturb the surface.

Posted on October 17, 2005 2:22 PM


Comments

MMMMMMmmmmmmm, potstickers.

Alas, pizza has become a rarity for me now, unless it's meatless and cheeseless. I'm determined to bring my HDL/LDL ratio back into line without statins.

Actually I've really come to enjoy simple oil and vinegar salads with nothing be green leafy veg. I think this is because my body really missed something it craved or something. Probably vitamin C.

So does this resolve to the correct IP?

Posted by: Pace Arko | October 18, 2005 11:44 PM Gravatar Icon

Yes the IP is resolving correctly. I'm surprised you have any cholesterol issues. The pizza was heavy on the cheese, but some how I think that high quality healthy ingredients couldn't be bad for you. The French eat more butter and cheese than anyone and they are super healthy. Yeah, yeah, I know about the wine theory. It's a good reason to take up drinking.

Posted by: Bakafish Author Profile Page | October 19, 2005 10:05 PM Gravatar Icon

Well, I have to admit that before that blood test was taken, my diet and health habits of the previous two or so years had taken a decline.

Working from home gave me many excuses to avoid street-hiking and, the trouble with foods with high LDL cholesterol is they tend to be cheap, thanks to a lot subsidies and market skewing.

Anyway, my doctor thought I had the discipline, when I described my previous health habits to him, to change the ratio without drugs so, I've been walking a lot more, eating a lot more raw fruit and veg and I've removed all the cheese, non-skim milk and other high LDL substances from my diet.

Just in case, I've also started taking an aspirin tablet once every few days.

But I still can't bring myself to drink a daily glass of red wine. Yes, I know the French consume staggering amounts of butter, cheese and organ meats and can laugh it off because they drink red wine like fish but, sorry, the stuff is just nasty! I've never been much of a drinker anyway, even beer.

I'll eat red grapes instead. Besides, I think I got the rest of mediterranean diet covered considering all the couscous, pesto, baba ganoush, (But no alfredo!), prima vera and pasta I consume. I just needed to add a lot more raw veg and fruit and start walking again.

Anyway, look, the parts are now 42 years old. I have to start babying them now. I'm cool with this.

Posted by: Pace Arko | October 19, 2005 11:35 PM Gravatar Icon

Post a comment

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


October 17, 2005