Spring onions

Written by: adekun on 11 September, 2009 5:08 pm - Filed under: food — 2 Comments »

Allium wakegi are sown this time of year. They seem much the same as spring onions or scallions. The dry stems are pulled off and the ワケギ bulbs broken apart so you can plant two or three together. Space every 15 cm, maybe two or three rows wide. They should be ready for harvesting in the spring!

Tags: garden, onions

Spring was here

Written by: adekun on 25 March, 2009 11:14 pm - Filed under: garden — 2 Comments »

Every few days the weather seems to go from one extreme to the other. At the beginning of the week the first tips of asparagus had pushed through. Along with the garlic and onions, I had wanted to have got the beds weeded beforehand. At least clover was turned in. This may be back with vengeance and add to the list of things to keep an eye on. Once the weather settles, Kento can get out there and plant some potatoes.

Tags: asparagus, garden, garlic, onions, weather

Meat and potatoes: nikujaga

Written by: adekun on 27 August, 2008 9:33 pm - Filed under: japanese — 3 Comments »

Nikujaga or nikujyaga is a typical Japanese comfort food. Even the preparation is typical in that it is opposite to the usual strict conventions.

Nikujaga was invented by chefs of the Imperial Japanese Navy in the late 19th Century. It was inspired by beef stews served in the British Royal Navy which Japanese naval legend Tōgō Heihachirō encountered while studying naval science in Portsmouth, England. Upon his return to Japan, he commissioned a Japanese version of the dish for use in the Japanese Navy because of its nutritional value.
Source: Wikipedia The link to the recipe at the bottom is worth checking.

On asking a couple of people what goes in they said “just guess”. Pressing them further got differing answers. It’s up to personal taste and may need some perseverance. The amounts below should cover six people. Continue reading

Tags: onions, potatoes, recipes

Garden imp

Written by: adekun on 11 August, 2008 9:26 pm - Filed under: blog — 3 Comments »

I’ve been meaning to post some photos of Kento taken before the summer vegetables went in. He’s quite adept at sticking on a pair of shoes and going for an amble.

We are now down to the last bunch of white onions. If they were bigger we could have looked forward to onion soup. Below, Kento managed to pull a couple of the tiniest by himself – and a smile.

Tags: garden, kento, onions

Okayish onions

Written by: adekun on 30 June, 2008 6:53 am - Filed under: blog — 1 Comment »

Over the past month the small and sometimes misshapen onions have been harvested. Early on, those that had bolted were taken a used in curries and soup. There were quite a few of these; I think the cold may have stressed them. Kento heaved several out in the manner rather like in the story of the Giant Turnip. A little out of character Ritsue, spent the majority of two days weeding. With the onions gone the garden had the appearance of a chemist’s dimple tray. I practised tying a few red onions up, leaving me with purple fingers and what looked like a bunch of giant grapes.

Tags: garden, kento, onions, weeds

Convalescing with onions

Written by: adekun on 16 November, 2007 2:01 pm - Filed under: blog — No Comments »

It seems just about everybody has the snuffles. I didn’t help myself by going to the nearby brewery to indulge on the last nomi nodai; drink as much as you like. Our party proved why it would be a commercial disaster in our own country. As a result, I doubt we will be well received on our next occasion. Monday was spent feeling much the same as I did at the beginning of the month.
The following day, enlivened, I set about transplanting the onions. By lunchtime and after moving some of the other plants around, the following were squeezed in:

• 84 Japanese White, 3 months drying
• 48 Japanese White, 5 months drying
• 48 Red

The leftovers were stuck amongst the garlic chives of which I had neither last year. It felt really good to be out there, fingers in the dirt etc.

Yesterday two rows of peas were planted just before the rain, which I thought may have turned to snow.
On the news this morning, there was footage of heavy snow up in Aomori prefecture.

Tags: garden, legumes, onions, weather

Off Down The Lot

Written by: adekun on 9 June, 2007 12:14 am - Filed under: blog — No Comments »

We are about to leave to go south to the Lot region. Yesterday remained cloudy, but it did warm up considerably. The cows wandered up the adjoining field to seek shelter under the trees.

Although there will be another short hiatus, I received an update from Miho this morning. The rainy season has reached the island of Kyushu, having travelled north from Okinawa. I imagine this to take another week or two to reach the plot. The main reason for the message was to mention that the garlic and the rest of the onions had harvested!

Tags: france, garden, garlic, onions, travel