Backtracking again for my absence over the last year or so - here's a shot at 'briefly' revisiting 10 sugar filled days of pure bliss in Japan, late 2012.
Japan is no doubt, a food lover's heaven, be it in search of savoury delights or of sweet decadence. One of my motivations to travel to Japan was to visit one of the many Pierre Herme boutiques, boasting 11 locations throughout the country. And of course, an oppourtunity to try Laduree's delights for a macaron face off !
Beautiful Laduree interior
I went for the layered pear and vanilla gateau and pistachio and salted caramel macaron. Really solid quality macarons here. The texture was light and delicate, just as a macaron should be.
Rivalling Laduree's ever so traditional mac, were the mind blowing creations of Pierre Herme. Pistachio and salted caramel were the first PH flavours to try and compare (sorry Laduree). They have a gorgeous velvet and bouncy texture to bite, with extra filling and a more rounded flavour due to the use of white chocolate in most macarons. Easy done, Pierre Herme makes the best macarons in the universe. I bought Pierre Herme's macaron book in which he explains how his macarons are made to stand out compared to all other macs. A combination of a whole lot of techniques, which I really can't be bothered doing myself. Anyway. So now I'm forever screwed for a standard that can never be met.
Another one of my favourtie PH flavours, citron (lemon). The perfect tartness, aroma and texture, all devoured in three glorious bites.
And to convert all non-sweet-lovers into full blown sugar addicts is Pierre Herme's 2000 feuilles of flaky caramelized puff pastry crust sandwiching crispy praliné, crushed Piedmont hazelnuts and praliné mousseline cream. Doben is far from a sweet tooth, but he said this was exceptional (not quoting his words exactly, which actually included a lot of moaning and swearing). You have to eat this at least once in your life, otherwise, you haven't really lived yet.
Something else we don't have the privilege to access in Melbourne is Häagen-Dazs ice cream and the insane flavours there are in Japan. Can't go past my genetic yearning for ube/ purple yam/ taro/ murasaki imo flavoured ice cream. But Japanese version. Sorry Philippines, but Japan beats you.
OH. And pumpkin flavoured ice cream. I have no words for you. Just intense moaning and inner foodgasms.
Matcha everything. Contemplating buying all options...
It's no secret I am a severe ice cream-o-holic, especially for green tea flavoured ones. Here were three different types: roasted rice and green tea, Shincha and Jô Sencha.
Freakin matcha everything.
A hop, skip and a jump (on to the super fast train) to Kyoto, I ate Godiva chocolate coated ice cream truffles :)
This green one was another food highlight of our trip. We bought this dessert from Kyoto Iestan food hall, with no description written in English. The green skin had a similar texture to mochi, often sold in flat sheets in special flash boxes for tourists to take home. It had a mild matcha taste with a smooth vanilla and matcha mousse inside. We went back for this three times in the four days we were in Kyoto.
Back in Tokyo, I tried a layered matcha treat from Sadaharu Aoki, famous for all things Japanese flavoured, with French technique. This was matcha, on matcha, on matcha.
Last to mention was in Tsukiji, where we found some hand made Japanese rice sweets, sold by the loveliest lady who didn't speak any English. She welcomed us with all her heart (in hope I would by all her goods!).
After starring at the food for a good 10 minutes and seriously contemplating purchasing one-of-each from the lovely stall holder, I went for just one azuki/ red bean mochi. This blew my mind. It was beautifully soft and bouncy to bite, with a perfect sweetness, freshness and flavour.
And there I was, once again, this time at the fish market in Japan, screwed forever, and ever. No other mochi will do.
So if you're into sweet foods, just do it. Go to Japan. You won't regret it ;)
