May 2024

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[Keijusha's Kaishi has been added]

Kaishi (懐紙), as the name suggests, is washi (Japanese paper) folded in two and carried in one's pocket (懐). It has a long history, dating back to the Heian period (794-1185). At that time, when paper was still very precious, kaishi was carried in the pockets of Heian aristocrats as a part of their personal grooming, and was used in various everyday situations as a letter, handkerchief, chirigami, memo paper, and so on.

Today, kaishi is often used for tea ceremonies and kaiseki cuisine, but it can also be conveniently used for serving Japanese sweets, message cards, wrapping small gifts, and so on.

This historical commodity has been a part of Japanese people's lives throughout its long history. It is an excellent product that can be used in a variety of situations, depending on the purpose, such as “laying,” “writing,” “wrapping,” and “wiping."

Keijusha's Kaishi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/keijusha/kaishi.html

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[Keijusha's Tesuki Washi has been added]

In the town of Yatsuo, located in the south of Toyama Prefecture, washi (Japanese paper) has long been produced during the four-month snow season. Washi making is said to have begun in the Muromachi period (1333-1573), and from the Edo period to the early Meiji period (1868-1912), many families made paper by hand, and until around 1955, there were about 300 paper-making farms in the area.

Keijusha, which does not only tesuki but also stencil dyeing, is the only workshop that continues the tradition of Yatsuo Washi. Through exchanges with Muneyoshi Yanagi of the Mingei Movement and Keisuke Serizawa, a living national treasure and holder of the important intangible cultural asset "kataezome," he created the "katazome washi" that is characteristic of Yatsuo Washi today.

Even today, all papermaking is still done by hand, with the division of labor among craftsmen. Tesuki washi, characterized by the natural edges created by single sheet making, conveys a gentle atmosphere and simple warmth. Please feel the strong, supple, and beautiful touch of washi as well as its history.

Keijusha's Tesuki Washi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/keijusha/tesuki.html

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[Crispy Smashed Potatoes]

Have you heard of "crispy smashed potatoes," a hot topic on social media? Boiled or steamed potatoes are smashed flat with the bottom of a cup or a fork, coated with olive oil, and baked in an oven or frying pan until crispy on the surface. Although salt alone is fine for seasoning, herbs such as garlic, rosemary, thyme, Parmesan cheese, and sour cream as a dipping sauce are sometimes used, making this dish varied, easy, and arrangeable.

The key to making crispy smashed potatoes is to cook them just enough so they do not become too soft, and if you want them to be crispier, cool them in the refrigerator or freezer after boiling and mashing them to remove all the moisture from the surface before baking them.

Potatoes are believed to have originated in the Andes Mountains of South America, and were introduced to Japan around the 17th century by Dutch ships via "Jagatara" (the old name for Jakarta, Indonesia). The Japanese name for potato changed to "jagaimo" through "jagatara-imo." Potatoes, which belong to the eggplant family, are eaten from the "underground stem," which is the stem part of the potato. As they grow, the starch is stored in this part of the potato and it enlarges into a mass, hence the name "tuber."

Potatoes are in season in spring and fall, with new spring potatoes around May and June. Spring potatoes are characterized by their thin skin, and the fluffy type Danshaku and Kitaakari are suitable for smashed potatoes. Please try it for yourself.

Rikucho Ogasawara's Fish Pan
https://www.shokunin.com/en/rikucho/fishpan.html
Honma Kazuo Shoten's Straw Pot Stand L
https://www.shokunin.com/en/honma/nabeshiki.html

References
https://www.bbc.co.uk/food/recipes/crispy_smashed_potatoes_70636 (recipe)
https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/ジャガイモ