hongo555
Asakusa, crowded with tourists from both domestic and foreign, was too packed for a leisurely bike ride to the Kaminarimon gate. I had to get off and walk my bike through the crowds. Once I finally got back on my bike on the road, I encountered rickshaws. Asakusa is not really bike-friendly, so I decided to cross the Sumida River to the other side via Azuma Bridge to escape the crowds. Phew! At the foot of Azuma Bridge, I came across a shop with a sign that read "Edo-style Tsukudani Tsukuda-ni Ebisuya Sohonpo," which looked delicious. The Tsukudani name was quite stylish, and the ivy crest was charming. Inside the shop, they had seasonal recommendations like young simmered tarako, young simmered clams, the small shrimp that inspired the shop's name, shiso kelp, seaweed, clams, and leaf chili pepper neatly arranged. They offered both by weight and pre-packaged in various sizes. When it comes to Edo-style tsukudani, brands like Ten'an from Tsukishima, Marukyu, and Tanakaya are famous, but they tend to be quite salty (though delicious), which doesn't sit well with my slightly high blood pressure or my wife's disapproving gaze, so I rarely buy them. I tried a bite of the young simmered clams, and surprisingly (excuse me), I first tasted sweetness. Then, a gentle soy sauce and clam broth flavor and aroma followed. Surprisingly refreshing! I glanced at my wife, who holds the dominant and exclusive purchasing authority, and she had a satisfied expression. I asked about the mild saltiness, and they explained that they don't cook it for long, keeping the flavors subtle, which made the purchase decision easier. My wife gave her approval. Thank goodness! It's been a while since I bought tsukudani, so I couldn't resist getting a bit of everything, including the seasonal young simmered tarako and clams, the seaweed and tuna simmered, and the highly recommended small shrimp. They will make perfect accompaniments for tonight's drinks and tomorrow's breakfast. How auspicious! Update: The young simmered tarako goes perfectly with sake or rice! The young simmered clams are on the sweeter side, so they pair better with rice. If there were a bit more, I would make them into cooked rice. The seaweed and small shrimp are more like companions for rice. What surprised me was the tuna simmered, which was incredibly delicious! It pairs excellently with Japanese sake! It's relatively rich in flavor, but adding a bit of ginger makes it easy to keep drinking sake.
