Food from Japan – Kyushu specialties

The 2010 International Restaurant and Foodservice Show of New York kicked off today at 10am, with a variety of exhibitors, new foods and innovative items for restaurateurs, caterers and foodservice specialists.

It's the largest show of Japanese food and beverage outside of Japan, therefore, the Japan Pavilion was almost celebrating, giving out red bags and sample foods. Because Japanese food is one of my favorite, this week, I will blog about foods and drinks from Japan, starting with one specialty comfort food "dish" from Kyushu.

Kyushu is Japan’s third largest island, known for its fish, spicy specialties, its large, sweet Amao strawberries, purple sweet-potatoes and Shochu, the local alcoholic drink.

Chef Reflection Israel from BLT Fish restaurant who demonstrated his cooking skills, made a green tea smoked hiramasa (similar to yellowtail, fatty and meaty) with yuzu miso, black orange juice and spicy mentaiko (a roe of pollock). The fish, which is very expensive locally, came fresh from the Tsukiji market in Tokyo and is guaranteed fresh.