It was to be a festivity to celebrate my younger son’s launch in life after graduating from college and was to take place a few days preceding his move from hometown Santa Cruz, California, to the Lone Star State’s most progressive art, entertainment, and music mecca: Austin.
For this occasion, my friend Ginger (see Pavilion With A View) offered to teach us how to make an authentic Japanese dinner and emailed me the following menu for “approval,” which I accepted without hesitation, notwithstanding the fact that I didn’t understand half of it (I trusted her good taste ~ pun intended):
Sake
Sushi Appetizers (with nori, goma, ume paste, negi, kyuri maki, shiitake, carrot, avocado, and red shiso)
Miso Soup (with wakame)
Rice
Pickles
Ohitashi (spinach, sesame seeds, and bonito flakes)
Kabocha with Kombu
Grilled Salmon
Mikan (home grown in Bonny Doon)
Tea
Where do we get all this? I emailed her back.
Yamashita’s in Watsonville, came the reply.
Watsonville? Naturally. Around 1900 when Japanese immigrants began migrating south of San Francisco to work in agriculture, nihonmachi (Japanese sections of town) developed in various communities, which invited the establishment of small businesses catering to the needs of immigrants. Yamashita’s was one of these.
The store was stocked to the hilt with all kinds of unusual items imported from Japan. I had fun roaming around and photographing while Ginger took care of the serious shopping. She kept saying, Oh, this is SO good … this makes my mouth water. To a novice like myself with no sensations to go along with these unfamiliar foods, I could only comprehend when she selected a particular daikon radish pickle, which my Japanese girlfriend had introduced me to 30 years ago. Crunchy and … well, the taste is difficult to describe … you’ll just have to try one next time you dine at a Japanese restaurant.
Thursday’s dinner evening rolled around. Culinary expert Ginger solicited the assistance of her daughter Eirin, my son, and myself, while our husbands discussed politics over a glass of Branciforte Vineyard pinot noir that wasn’t on the menu.
The result: unforgettably delicious Japanese cuisine. We were so busy cooking that we forgot to take pictures, but we did manage to snap this one of our professional-sushi-chef-looking appetizer plate (see above ~ rt).
Arigato, Yamashita’s, thank you, Ginger, and safe travels, Lorenzo!
Yamashita Grocery is located at 114 Union Street in Watsonville, California 95076-5008; phone (831) 724-3219.
Learn more about the history of Japanese Americans in California and the Watsonville/Santa Cruz Chapter of Japanese American Citizens League.
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I lOOOve this post! I don’t know how little Japanese grocery stores like this consistently manage to fit a million different items in such tiny spaces.
Sushi is a very versatile dish and is great for omnivores and vegetarians alike. Tempura yam for vegetarian rolls is especially awesome. You don’t even miss the fish!