Leek & Me & of course, the Scarf

this scarf was a gift from "NUNO" more than a few years ago.

the way it is woven,the back side is complete opposite from the front.

This is me getting Leeks at Farmer's Market Saturday Morning.

I got Shiitake-Mushrooms and Radishes and of course Grapes.

Except for cleaning, I love leeks very much.  I found a new way to have this fantastic vegetable.  I used poach them in hot water, then pour over a simple vinaigrette.  

In Spring time I started making Pea-Soup with them and Mint.  You can serve it Cold or Hot.

I love chilled Pea-Soup in warm spring nights.

I discovered a new way to enjoy Leeks last winter, that was for "Yudoofu".  

It means,"Tofu in hot water" in Japanese.  It is the dish we Japanese love to have cold nights.  Kyoto is the best known place for this dish.  Because the quality of the Tofu is excellent in Kyoto.  They say the quality of the water is everything for making Tofu. Kyoto is surrounded by mountains therefore they have great water. Therefore they claim that they have the best Tofu in Japan.  There is a very famous "Yudoofu" restaurant in "Arashiyama" in Kyoto.  

For me, whatever I taste in Kyoto is superb.  You name it, you can find best quality of its kind in Kyoto, except "Sushi and Sashimi" & "Soba".  That you have to go somewhere else to find.

"Yudoofu" is the dish you cook things in hot water at the table.  Mainly Tofu and assorted vegetable, such as Shiitake-Mushrooms and Japanese-Scalions.  In my family, we occasionally added Cod to it.

One cold night last winter, I decided to have "Yudoofu" I had everything I needed to make it except Scallions, but I did have Leeks.  They are same family, so I though why not ?

I did clean very well, cut into 2~3 inch length, stuck toothpicks in each Leek Mini Logs not to separate during the cooking.  And blocks of Tofu, if you need to have protein you can put  bite size of Chicken or White Flesh Fish ( I think Cod is perfect ).

ingredients are going into the Hot Bath.

Tofu,Cod,Shiitake,Yellow-Carrot,Radish, and Leek.

small bowl is the "Ponzu" dipping sauce.

As things cooked in the pot you scoop out, then dip into "Ponzu".  If you like to have a little kick, you will sprinkle Japanese Chiles into the sauce.  In Japan we liked to add other things such as "Yuzu (Japanese Citrus)" or "Daikon Oroshi (ground horseradish)", "Momiji Oroshi (ground Carrot)".  That night I added Zest of "Meyer  Lemon".  It was delicious !   

"Meyer Lemon (very different kind of Lemon)" season is coming, I have things to tell you about this very Fragrant Fruit !

Please be careful when you bite into piace of Tofu !  You will be biting into super hot chunk of Tofu. Heat tends to stay inside of Tofu.  Please do not burn your mouth.  We are having this Hot Pot Comfort Dish during this coming cold season quite a lot.  Beside the hight content of sodium, there is nothing bad in this very simple meal.  For me this one is the easiest and most Heart Warming Winter Dinner.  As you know I'll be making Brown Rice and Quick-Pickles of some seasonal vegetables to go along.

as we eat, we refill the pot with things we like to have more of.

as "Ponzu" gets diluted you add more to your taste.