Hisama's MESSAGE (Renewed on Jan. 1st 2003)

A rolling stone gathers no moss.

This is a wonderful age-old proverb. Never dwelling on the past, but concentrating on the present and the future.Those viewpoints is kind of "returning to the starting point" which suits a sense of the times. I have to be simple to make wonderful environment filled with joy and happiness to make Japanese food.

Now, I want to make dishes simpler (but not only just powerful one), value the material's natural energy and faintly scent.

Although 43 years old is greeted soon, it comes to play the role of "Hisama Hirano" from 30 years old, and will rush in 13th by this year. It is going to be second rotation. From now on, I think I need another myself as "Kouji Hirano" (my real name) when I cook. Because I will not able to make dishes hereafter without scene and environment of meal that "Kouji Hirano" (who grew up to 30 years old) has.

I was interested in foreign country's cooking technique, such as Italian and Chinese in former days. But from now on, what is important for me is to "feel" warmth, sighs, and exquisite stillness with my body and soul. I began to understand little by little that it is not valid with an old way.

When I goes to Italy on the other day, in talking with many persons, I noticed important thing of cooking. Italian people values their hometown, family, and environment very much. Especially meal,its style is valued as a matter of course. they demand a simple dish with dignity of their homeground's style. Therefore, when I saw them, I thought they were a strong-minded people, and felt calm.

When I looking back, I have had a life wrapped by the rich love which is not at all inferior to them….From now on, I will put my life experience and whole feelings into my dishes. And I want to make simpler dish, which beat one's heart strongly.


Hirano family's special, traditional food served during the New Year period.

### "Kurikinton" (Japanese sweeten chestnut)

My grandmother made "Kurikinton" by homemade sweet-boiled chestnuts every year. Added sweet potato makes "Kurikinton" much more mild, smooth touch. Kneading "Kurikinton" should be done carefully, do not singe.

[Ingredient for 4 people]

Sweet-boiled chestnuts:20
Sweet potato (Middle size):2
Vanilla essence:moderate
Salt:moderate
A
Water:50cc
Alcohol:30cc
Sugar:Tablespoon 2

[Instructions]

1. Peer off sweet potatoes and cut it to 2-3cm. Boil water in a pot and add some salt, then put cut sweet potatoes and soak them for a while until they are almost boiled. Then, put them to a colander.
2. Put sweet potatoes into a pot, add A, and put it on the fire (low flame). Mash and knead them until it become uniformly on the whole. Put sweet-boiled chestnuts, add vanilla essence, and knead them until it becomes stiffness of a lobe.


### Persimmon "Namasu" (dressed with vinegar)

Hirano family's "Namasu" material is persimmon. Persimmon has refreshing sweetness (raw persimmon and dried persimmon also), and it become good accent of "Namasu" dish. Another "Namasu", sliced turnip with red chili pepper is nice, either!

[Ingredient for 4 people]

Japanese-radish:6cm
Carrot:3cm
Persimmon:1 whole
Dried tangle for making stock soup:5cm
A
Vinegar:200cc
Sugar:Tablespoon 6
Boiled sake:40cc
Salt:moderate

[Instructions]

1. Peer off Japanese radish and carrot, cut them to 3cm width of rectangle shape. Soak them into salt water until it become tender. Peer off persimmon and cut it to about 7mm square shape.
2. Make vinegar sweetened. Mix A and add dried tangle for making stock soup.
3. Extract the Japanese radish and carrot of 1 firmly and attaches to 2 about an hour with persimmon.
4. Dish up them in a vessel, and attach cut dried tangle for making stock soup.


### "Oobuku" (lots of happiness) tea

Every year, drink "Oobuku" tea and eat dried persimmon, then bow all sides to greet the New Year is Hirano family's traditional ceremony.

[Ingredient for 4 people]

Salted cherry tree's flower:moderate

[Instructions]

1. Wash the flower of a cherry tree with water and extract solt.
2. Put 1 into a teacup and pour out hot water.


### "Zouni" (rice cakes boiled with vegetables)

"Zouni"'s special feature is added half-dried bonito flakes. It becomes stock soup and also becomes ingredients.

[Ingredient for 4 people]

Circle Rice-cake:8
Half-dried bonito flakes:100g
Tangle:2 (10cm square size)
Water:3 and 1/2 cup
Mirin:tablespoon 1 and 1/3
Sake:Tablespoon 1
Soy sauce:1/4 cup
Salt:moderate
Japanese-radish:moderate
Carrot:moderate
Spinach:moderate

[Instructions]

1. Put half-dried bonito flakes and tangle and add water. Put it on the fire. When boiled up, get off lye and put out the fire.
2. Peer off Japanese radish and carrot, cut them to 3cm width of rectangle shape. Boil it slightly and take it to colander to cut off the water. Boil spinach slightly in the hot water with salt (*out of ingredients), then take it into the cold water, squeeze its water and cut it to about 3cm length.
3. Heat up 1, put rice cakes, Japanese radish and carrot of 2. When rice cakes boiled up, add Mirin, sake, soy sauce, salt. Dish up its ingredients courteously, attach boiled spinach, and put its soup.