Last weekend we went to a cooking party with some new friends.  We rented a large demonstration kitchen in a community center and all prepared the meal together.  Perhaps not the sort of thing to show up in a guidebook, but it was a perfect rainy season afternoon.

The theme was local and organic vegetables.

Both Dan and I were amazed by the burdock’s sticky-slimy demeanor.

On the menu: fish cooked with miso, makizushi (rolled sushi) with deep-fried vegetables, soup made with dashi (fish stock), cabbage with kombu (dried kelp), and steamed vegetables with avocado-mayo and sesame dipping sauces.

After the dishes were done we wandered across the street to a famous sweets cafe.

Oh kakigori season, how I love you so.

Kakigori is a summertime dessert made from finely shaved ice, topped with sweet syrup and occasionally, sweetened condensed milk.  This shop is famous because they get their ice from a glacier in the mountains (maybe?).  Don’t you dare call it a snow cone.

Clockwise from the top left, in varying degrees of meltyness: Fresh strawberry, very berry, honey milk, and fresh mango.  Please notice how this photo caught Dan in the act, stealing my mango ice.

If you’re near Kugenuma kaigan station be sure to stop by Kohori Noan kakigori shop. 3-5-11 Kugenuma kaigan, Fujisawa, Kanagawa

かき氷の店埜庵

神奈川県藤沢市鵠沼海岸３丁目５−１１

鵠沼海岸駅

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