Sakura picnic

Sakura picnic

By Hesti Setiarini, executive summary by darmansjah

For the Japanese spring brings blessings. This time they were looking to enjoy the cherry blossoms are in bloom. When the flowers are in full bloom, they are relaxing with family, friends, or lovers to indulge the senses to see the beautiful flowers. In fact, no one takes all the co-workers, coordinated by the company. Staring sakura blossom like a ritual. Residents called hanami or cherry blossoms looked. From here, a picnic sakura begins.

Before the cruise, we had better recognize the first way and the country's geography affect bloom time. Japan has a geography that extends from south to north. People already know the difference between weather which will affect the bloom. They knew him as zensen sakura or cherry blossom time sequence.

In January , the cherry blossom in the south of the Okinawa Prefecture, then continue north, Hokkaido Prefecture. There, sakura bloom in late May. If you want to visit the major cities, such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto, should arrive in early April-open eyelids wide open relationship.

Because is determined by the weather, cherry blossoms do not have a definite schedule every year. If the spring weather warms, it will quickly open petals. Still do not have to be angry, because the Meteorology and Geophysics Agency has issued forecasts blooming flowers. They provide information that can be seen around February end or early March.

Once in bloom, immediately picnic. Petals only show beauty is only about two weeks. When the winds and the rain has come, the time of fall of the faster connection. Once the flowers fall, white and pink are no longer dominate As the leaves change color green shoots growing. Thus, the uniqueness of the cherry blossoms are short-lived but wonderful. So, too shame to miss sakura picnic.

Sansa Odori

 taiko beat while dancing Sansa odori

original text by Hesti Setiarini, executive summary by darmansjah

Sansa odori dance is one big celebration Morioka city, the capital of Iwate Prefecture, held on August 1 to 4. Around 10 thousand drummers taiko (drum), piper and dancers who sing and dance while beating the taiko, flute along the main street of town Morioka. In fact, the Guinness Book of Records has recorded as a celebration Sansa odori drummer encouraged throughout the universe.

Sansa dance originated from the legend of evil demons were punished by the god of the temple Mitsuishi. Satan vowed not to repeat his actions again by putting his hand on a rock. Population very last revelers danced around the stone. It is said that 'the stone and hand' (iwa and te) that the origin of the name of Iwate Prefecture.

Brightly colored costumes, taiko drummers and a piper a diameter of 50 inches and weighing up to 6-7 pounds as hypnotizing the audience who witnessed the roadside. Late in the strains of music and dance movements. That dance Sansa, marchin band with a giant traditional Japanese costume.

More Remote, More Interesting

Like most chefs, Ragil Imam Wibowo says that local sourcing is the foundation of an exceptional menu. Unlike most chefs, however, the 46-year-old will journey to distant reaches of the archipelago in search of exotic, rare or unknown ingredients.

YOU’RE IN OPEN boat battered by five-meter waves in the Molucca Sea. It’s 45 minutes into a half-hour trip, the skies have gone dark, land is nowhere in sight and food is the last thing on your mind.

Unless you’re Ragil Imam Wibowo.

A cherubic figure with an easy smile and lime-green glasses, Ragil frequently crisscrosses the nation to devise the menu for NUSA Indonesia Gastronomy in Kemang, South Jakarta. The restaurant offers a fine dining take on traditional Indonesian cuisine that’s delighted local gourmets since opening in 2016.

Ingredients there are exotic-like the neither-dry-nor-sticky rice Ragil found it comes, one small bag at a time from the interior of Kalimantan carried out by a Dayak shaman from Adan Krayan. The rice is said to be a favorite of the Sultan of Brunei.

On the menu, there’s also a flavorful slow-braised duck (organic, of course) that’s been matched with mushrooms from a remoteforest in Bangka. Thriving, locals say, only when there’s a thunderstorm followed by sunshine, the delicate and rare mushrooms cost millions of rupiah per kg.

Keeping NUSA’s menu vibrant means Ragil and his wife of 18 years ,the architect Mei Batubara, go off the grid for culinary adventures three or four times a year.

These are not trips for the faint hearted, Mei said. “Our friends say, ‘Let us know when you’re travelling! We want to come along!” she recalled. “We say, sure-but can you survive without a bathroom?” travel with the pair includes homestays and backpacking, along with lugging coolers and zip-close bags for their discoveries.

Ragil, a five-time Iron Chef Indonesia winner, fell in love with visiting local markets when travelling the country as a corporate chef. “From Java-from east to west-the food in the traditional markets is basically the same,” he said. “But in Sumatera. Aceh is different from Padang-from Tapanuli. The diversity is much greater.”

His philosophy is simple: “More remote menas more interesting.”

Mei and Ragil frequently travel with no itinerary, escorted by culinary ystudents or local chefs. A former cooking show host, also excited to shar their knowledge with interested, passionate visitors, Mei said.

For example, in Solok, West Sumatera, Ragil said he was amazed to find villages full of large, fresh sapodilla (sawo) that could be never found in Jakarta, since the good stuff gets sold before reaching the capital. Ragil brought one of the farmers to NUSA, where he received a standing ovation.

But sometimes it’s not so easy. Ragil recalled eating a delectable dish of fried bananas at one Makassar market. There was a knock-out ingredient in the sambal that the seller wouldn’t identify. Is it…terasi (shrimp paste)? Ragil asked. No. is it…ikan roa (garfish)? No, no, no, was the reply.

The next daiquiy, Ragil returned and met a woman selling plastic bottles full of an ugly, brown, cloudly liquid. He had a taste. Eureka. This was the mystery ingredient, the woman said. It was bakasang, a terasi-like liquid made from fermented tuna intestine and eggs. The best paste comes from the eggs, which are soaked in salt water for 40 days.

Ragil returned to Jakarta with a bottle-and the woman’s number, She’s now a supplier.

In Papua: Ragil was amazed by live squid the changed color from green to black before his eyes in Sorong. In Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara; Ragil dined on fried crickets at a rollicking seaworm festival. (Pro tip: Ragil says festivals bring out the best food sellers in any region).

It was in Sanighe Islands Regency in North Sulawesi where Ragil agbain firted with death, dining on daluga, a local tuber, which-like fugu, the Japanese blowfish-is deadly if not prepared right.

The key is to harvest a daluga that’s neither too old nor too young. It’s a secret that’s closely guarded by local eleders. Ragil said he looked for pieces that “were not too poisoned”.

If you wnt to explore Indonesia, visit NUSA and chef well share his stories, “Food is always key to opening doors,” Ragil says. “Food is what makes people come together.” [From : The Jakarta Post | Words: Christian Razukas]