C'est Bon le Japon 2023

 

Last weekend was the annual 3-day salon, C’est Bon, Le Japon  in the Marais

60 purveyors of Japanese gastronomy etc.

With lots of etcetera like Totoro from Studio Ghibli

And Okonomiyaki, a delicious, squarish pancake-like thing made with egg, cabbage + whatever plus essential sauce on top. The first thing I ate.

There is always green tea/Matcha at this Salon. I wish I had tasted.

But the first time I’ve seen Matcha-flavored white chocolate-covered madeleines. How did I resisted? When I went back for a second look they were gone.

I don’t know what these are. They look like marzipan. Do you?

I have yet to fall in ❤️ love with mochi. The French are mad for it. There are several La Maison du Mochi in Paris. They were at the salon. 

The Lockdown 

Made me 

Into a cat person.

There can never be too many cats imho. I thought these were maybe little foxes. Thank you PBer👏 - they are Shibu Inu, Japan’s most popular dog!

The French are mad for foxes like the Japanese. In Japanese folklore, kitsune are foxes that possess paranormal abilities that increase as they get older and wiser. According to yōkai folklore, all foxes have the ability to shapeshift into human form. While some folktales speak of kitsune employing this ability to trick others—as foxes in folklore often do—other stories portray them as faithful guardians, friends, and lovers.

But I digress 😊 I bought a cat chopstick/baguette rest, after much deliberation - the sitting cat at the top. 

Along with the gazillion things to taste and browse

There was constant live exercise entertainment. Nika Taiko drummers based in Paris performed 5 times over the weekend. Stupendous. Unless you were sitting in the first row. I moved back. 

These Haniwa TAIKO drumming figures date from the 6th century  That’s how long drumming tradition has existed.

‘Raging Women’ Taiko drummers are relatively new .

I was lucky to attend the salon on Friday, opening day. I thought I’d pick up an okonomiyaki for lunch on Saturday after swimming. The line was around the block. I will never learn to love Paris Lines

Here’s a quick, easy lunch to incorporate sardines and get your weekly omega-6s. The buckwheat noodles come in single portions. It helps if you have a K-Mart near you to buy Japanese condiments like sesame oil and good soy sauce. The sardines should be packed in virgin olive oil (not citron-basil)btw. 

Get a pot of water boiling. Drop in the soba noodles. They cook in about 4 minutes.

At the same time, in a frying pan dump the can of sardines. Add a splash of sesame oil, soy sauce, sesame seeds and any other Japanese seasonings like rice vinegar. Bean spouts are a nice addition and a bit of seaweed or chopped arrugala.

When the noodles are cooked, drain. Run under cold water.

Then throw in with the sardines and give a good stir & voila. A delicious lunch for one. Just double for two. Not gorgeous to look at, but very tasty, satisfying and NOT fishy.

This Saturday the big Salon d’Agriculture begins. You’ll soon be hearing about Fr regional foods and COWS 🐄 if you’re not a Japanophile.

Coming home from the Japon Salon, the Seine was looking like a Japanese woodblock print…

If you enjoyed this newsletter, forward to a friend. 

You can receive a Paris letter or watercolors in your mailbox at ETSY. Xxx Carolg & Bear 🐻 🐄🐆