Lee Love on sat 19 nov 05
2ley <2ley@mchsi.com [link: mailto:2ley@mchsi.com]> wrote:
> First, in many societies throughout history, clay has been used to
cook in.
> In Morocco they use a tagine over low flames, so I wonder at what
they are
> doing differently than we are.
Ley, Donabe cooking pots are very popular here. Now that cool
weather has set in, they have them on the corners of the supermarket
food aisles, in 5 different sizes. Next to them, are portable gas
stoves that take a cartridge that people often use them with, so the
Nabe stew can be cooked at the table.
> not withstand the thermal shocks involved. So, why are we insisting that
> flameware be high-fired, other than the obvious concern for eventual
> breakdown of the container.
The ones I noticed here in Japan are not red
earthenware. The Tokoname potter at the Mashiko Pottery Festival
told me that she fires her flameware at a lower temp than her
stoneware. I think she said at 1080*C. She had glazes mixed up
for that temp by her clay supplier (normally mixes her own glaes up).
She supplied all customers with an instruction sheet on proper use of
the Donabe pot.
I found these instructions for the use of the donabe:
1. When you first bring a donabe home, pour some water (tap water is
fine) into the pot itself, and just let it sit overnight. After
this, you may use the pot anytime without having to do this step.
Also, if you store a donabe for a long period of time, without
having used it, it might be a good precaution to do this before
using it again.
2. Always cook using a soup base. Do not use oil in these pots. Do
not fry things with this.
3. Always keep the outside of the pot dry when cooking with it.
4. Do not use harsh detergents when cleaning them. Do not use metal
scrubs on these pots. The bottom of the pot will become a dark
color from the flame, but there really is nothing to do about that.
--
Lee Love
in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://seisokuro.blogspot.com/ My Photo Logs
"Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication."
--Leonardo da Vinci
2ley on sat 19 nov 05
From: "Lee Love"
> 2ley <2ley@mchsi.com [link: mailto:2ley@mchsi.com]> wrote:
>
> > First, in many societies throughout history, clay has been used to
> cook in.
> > In Morocco they use a tagine over low flames, so I wonder at what
> they are
> > doing differently than we are.
>
> Ley, Donabe cooking pots are very popular here. Now that cool
> weather has set in, they have them on the corners of the supermarket
> food aisles, in 5 different sizes. Next to them, are portable gas
> stoves that take a cartridge that people often use them with, so the
> Nabe stew can be cooked at the table.
MMM, Nabe stew. When I stayed in Shinjuku one of my favorite places to eat
was at a noodle house. In the middle of winter, Miso or Nabe makes the body
happy!
>
> > not withstand the thermal shocks involved. So, why are we insisting that
> > flameware be high-fired, other than the obvious concern for eventual
> > breakdown of the container.
>
> The ones I noticed here in Japan are not red
> earthenware. The Tokoname potter at the Mashiko Pottery Festival
> told me that she fires her flameware at a lower temp than her
> stoneware. I think she said at 1080*C. She had glazes mixed up
> for that temp by her clay supplier (normally mixes her own glaes up).
> She supplied all customers with an instruction sheet on proper use of
> the Donabe pot.
Thanks for this information, it mirrors what Francoise said.
>
> I found these instructions for the use of the donabe:
>
> 1. When you first bring a donabe home, pour some water (tap water is
> fine) into the pot itself, and just let it sit overnight. After
> this, you may use the pot anytime without having to do this step.
> Also, if you store a donabe for a long period of time, without
> having used it, it might be a good precaution to do this before
> using it again.
>
> 2. Always cook using a soup base. Do not use oil in these pots. Do
> not fry things with this.
Now, here's a question - the tagines I mentioned actually use oil and a
certain amount of frying heat. Of course they raise the temperature on them
slowly, and you can fry at 350 F, so perhaps it's just that the Japanese
pots are a bit thinner at the bottom. The tagines are pretty thick from
what I remember.
Lee, the 5 months I spent working in Japan were wonderful times, even if I
was a bit lonely. I hope your winter is beautiful.
Philip Tuley
Lee Love on sun 20 nov 05
On 2005/11/20 12:58:32, 2ley@mchsi.com wrote:
> Lee, the 5 months I spent working in Japan were wonderful times, even if I
> was a bit lonely. I hope your winter is beautiful.
Primarily, I get lonesome for good books and libraries (in a language I
am literate in.) And ethnic food.
I put some photos up from our daily walks. It IS beautiful now:
http://daishizen.blogspot.com/
--
李 Lee Love 大
愛 鱗
in Mashiko, Japan http://mashiko.org
http://seisokuro.blogspot.com/ My Photo Logs
http://ikiru.blogspot.com/ Zen and Craft
"We are such stuff / As dreams are made on, and our little life / Is
rounded with a sleep."
--PROSPERO Tempest Shakespeare
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