Japanese Premier Products News
"Teriyaki Fish" Tsukudani
December 2010 issue
TSUKUDANI: NISHINTSUKUDANI means fish cooked in soy and sugar. This cuisine originated as apreservation method, developed by the wisdom of fishermen who understood the nutritional
value of fish. The sweet and salty taste of Tsukudani goes perfectly with rice and today is
indispensable to the Japanese dinner table. People from overseas find the taste similar toteriyaki and often refer to this food as "teriyaki fish."Since 1924, HIRAMATSU SEAFOOD COMPANY has been making traditional Japanese
Tsukudani, fish boiled in soy sauce, in Toyohashi City in Aichi Prefecture. Toyohashi is
blessed with an abundance of produce from both land and sea, and they have striving each
day to ensure that the traditional foods of Toyohashi are kept alive in the modern era.

Purchase In Stores:
MITSUWA
595 River Road
Edgewater, NJ Tel)201-941-9113

KOTOBUKI
1815 Massachusetts Ave Porter Exchange
Blvd. Cambridge, MA Tel)617492-5330

YAGURA
24 East 41st
New York, NY Tel)212-598-3040

MARUICHI
1049 Rockville Pike Rockville, MDTel)301-545-0101

SUNRISE MART
8 Stuyvesant St 2FlNew York, NY Tel)212-598-3040

Distributors:
Daiei Trading Co., Inc. Tel)718-539-8100
http://daiei-trading.com/HomeNew York Mutual TradingTel)201-933-9555
www.nymtc.com

NISHIN is herring, a small oily silver-skinned fish. Nishin is full of Omega-3, Vitamin D,DHA, and EPA. Herring is abundant with cancer-reducing effects and is a common
staple in Nordic and Jewish cuisine. It can be picked or cured. In Japan nishin iscommonly grilled with salt, or in preserved form, Tsukudani, nishin is eaten over white
rice or hot soba.

Chef Michael Schulson_______________________

Hiramatsu Seafoods
Companywww.bisyoku.com_______________________IZAKAYA
at Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa
1 Borgata Way
Atlantic City, NJ 08401(609) 317-1000
websiteNewsletter Created by:
La Fuente Services, Inc.

Michael Schulson is the charismatic chef and owner of Izakaya, a modern Japanese pub in Atlantic
City's Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa, and Sampan a brand-new intimate Asian restaurant inPhiladelphia. He is the star of TLC's new series Ultimate Cake Off, as well as a frequent televisionpersonality, appearing on The Today Show, The Martha Stewart Show, Live! with Regis and Kelly, TheTel) 718-329-6512
www.la-fuente.us
fuke@la-fuente.us

Photos by Atsushi Tomioka
www.tomistudio.com

View, Rachel Ray and The Tyra Banks Show. Chef Schulson is also the creator of a line of popular
boutique frozen appetizer from http://www.AppetizersToGo.com"I remember honing my culinary skills from a very young age," Chef Schulson recalls. "I knew early onthat food was my passion, and that I wanted to continue to learn more about it for my whole life." Hepursued in a career in the culinary arts and graduated from the Culinary Institute of America. He has
worked at highly acclaimed restaurants such as New York's Peacock Alley in the Waldorf-Astoria Hoteland Philadelphia' Le Bec-Fin, Susanna Foo and Buddakan.
It was while Chef Schulson was the executive chef at Pod in West Philadelphia, where he executed apopular pan-Asian menu, that he became confused by Asian cuisine, and realized that he didn't actually
understand it. He told the owner that he was leaving, packed up his things and went to Japan for a year
and learned first hand what Japanese food was really all about.
When he returned to the United States he served as the executive chef at New York City's Buddakan
until 2007. After leaving Buddakan, Chef Schulson opened his own restaurant, Izakaya in Atlantic City.
He was inspired to open Izakaya because he remembers when he was working at the Four Seasons inJapan his coworkers would take him out to izakaya, an after work tradition in Japan. He recalls "sitting
on a mat on the floor, my legs were killing me, and we would just be getting hammered--I just remember
the experience being so much fun." What he really loved about izakaya was that "you would get somesushi, you would get some robata, some tofu and that's what I loved about it; it was kind of like an
American diner."
When Chef Schulson was asked what kind of restaurant he wanted to open at the Borgata Hotel, heknew wanted to create a pub that were inspired by his memories of izakayas in Japan, where you could"get some really serious food and some really casual food and have a good time." He jokes that it is "ahigh end izakaya, people come in not expecting this from an izakaya."Chef Schulson uses the best quality ingredients he can find and tries to incorporate some traditional
Japanese dishes and some non-traditional items on the menu. He says that "we have fun with that in
the kitchen and do some plays on dishes--we do a more of a modern take on traditional Japanesecuisine." Izakaya has received rave reviews since its opening and was named one of the "50 Best New
U.S. Restaurants, 2009" by Travel + Leisure magazine (May 2009) and received a coveted "Three Bell,
Excellent" review from the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Recently, Chef Schulson opened up Sampan in Phildelphia. He calls it a "melting pot" compared toIzakaya because there are some Japanese dishes on the menu, then some Chinese, then someVietnamese and even Indian. The Sampan menu is a mix of fun small plate dishes that are inspired by
all of Asia and really shows Chef Schulson's passion and respect for Asian cuisine.

ON TSUKUDANI:
Chef Schulson has a French background but became fascinated with Asian cuisine after his friend andcolleague got him into Chinese food. Since then, he has become a master in Asian cuisine and evenspent time living in Japan, but he has never seen or worked with Tsukudani before. "Honestly, I didn't
know what to do with it" he said, when he first received the product. He did what most chefs do when
they have a new product, he tasted it raw, then fried it, then broiled it and tasted it, then added different
ingredients and tasted it again. After that, he realized that "it was very delicious and really didn't needmuch."
Since the product was new to him, it was an interesting experience for Chef Schulson because as achef, when he gets something new "its always fun to play with them." He says that "when the Japanese
do something, they tend to do it really well," which is why the Nishin product is so well-balanced anddelicious.
Chef Schulson believes that the majority of Japanese restaurants in America have a tendencey toovercompensate and make Asian dishes really sweet and what he tries to do is "add acid or to use
pickled vegetables" to balance out flavors. While he loves simple Japanese food, he believes thatgiving people their food should be an event. Chef Schulson likes to "give people something they arefamiliar with, but when they taste it, it is not what they expect."
Chef Schulson believes that foodies in America will appreciate the Nishin product because it can usedwell in endless ways.

RECIPES:"NISHIN" Herring
Chef Schulson says that food is a lot of things, but it is "most importantly aboutbalancing flavors." These recipes balance the taste of the Nishin by complimenting
the sweet and saltiness and by adding new flavors--instead of changing the taste.

These dishes may not be simple to make at home, but this product can be paired withso many different flavors that the home chefs already have in their pantry. ChefSchulson says "when you start with a good ingredient it is really easy to makesomething good," so do not hesitate to experiment.

BBQ Nishin with Wasabi Sushi Rice and Crab salad"One of the best things is fresh sushi rice right out of the rice cooker" -Chef Schulson

Ingredients:
1 pack Herring! cup eel glaze
1 cup sushi rice
1 Tablespoon wasabi
1 Tablespoon scallions, minced
1 ea avocado
2 Tablespoons Siracha" cup Mayo
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 egg
Tempura batter
3 Tablespoons crab

Procedure:-Glaze herring with eel glaze and broil until golden brown.
Mix wasabi, scallions and the sushi rice until well incorporated
Shape a rectangle and top it with sliced avocado and the broiled fish
Cut into 3 pieces
Mix the crab with the lemon juice, mayo and siracha
Cook the egg in water for 5 minutes remove, shock and peel. Batter the egg and fry for 2 minutes.
For the plating, drizzle a little eel glaze on the plate and arrange the 3 pieces of the eel.
Top with the crab and add the egg. Add a dollop of the spicy sauce and garnish with shiso

Yakitori-Glazed Nishin with Kimchee,Pickled Cucumbers on Bao Bun"If you go too traditional with Japanese flavors they tend to taste very similar.
Americans like bigger personalities and bolder flavors in their food" Here, Chef
Schulson incorporates Korean flavors and other flavors of Asia to create an interestingand delicious bun dish.

Ingredients:
3 bao buns
1 pack herring! cup yakitori sauce
2 tablespoons Japanese mustard powder
1 cup mayo
! cup kimchee
1 cucumber
1 jalapeno
2 cups white vinegar! cup sugar

Procedure:-Make the pickled cucumbers by slicing the cucumbers paper thin and marinate in vinegar,
jalapeno and the sugar.
Steam the buns until light and fluffy
Glaze the herring with the yakitori sauce and grill until brown
Mix mustard powder and mayo. Brush onto the buns.
Top the bun with kimchee
Place the cucumbers on top of the kimchee.
Top the cucumbers with the herring
Garnish with micro cilantroNISHIN IS MADE EXCLUSIVELY BY HIRAMATSU SEAFOODS COMPANY

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