Tohoku Osusowake Day in Tokyo

In this day, Unilocal Tokyo opened the event of collaboration between Reconstruction Agency in Japan and Unilocal Tokyo.
The Reconstruction Agency is an administrative body of the Cabinet of Japan established on February 2, 2012 to coordinate reconstruction activities related to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.
We was able to eat a tradition food and get drinks of Tohoku area. This event served three main foods.
One is Ringo ale (Apple
). This is produced in Rikuzentakata city, Iwate Prefecture. It was nice taste. Producer is Mr. Kumagai. He said we made this beer because of two reasons. «Firstly, we wanted to drink for Tohoku people’s success. Secondly, Rikuzentakata city isn’t popular about an apple, but this place is a good quality apple-​growing district. So, we want to spread Rikuzentakata’s Apple widely»
Secondly, this event had introduced Tohokyu’s taro «Satoimo» The maker is Mr. Shiraishi. He is a young charismatic presence of Tohoku’ s farmer and is 34 years old, and his farm is continuing for eight generation. This day, he served traditional crops in Iwaki area, taro «Chobei» to Unilocalers. «Chobei» is from his grandfather name, and if we eat this taro, it seems that the best way to cook them is deep-​fry without breading or batter. So, he demonstrated the cooking, and served these taros cooked by the best way to us. I didn’t realize these taros were this delicious.
Finally, Mrs. Nakamura served a cracker deep-​fried in oil, «bishu-​ten». This was made in order to supply poor people of Tohoku once upon a time with sweet food. Mrs. Nakamura showed us traditional food culture in Tohoku. This «Bishu-​ten» was so sweet, and though I ate a piece of the «Bishu-​ten», I got full. For people of long ago in Tohoku, I thought it was cheaper to feel completely full.
I have learned the traditional culture in Tohoku from this event.

This was a great event introducing some local Tohoku produce (mainly Iwaki).
This event was to promote and also inform people of Tohoku agriculture and to break the image of their products being dangerous from radiation.
We got to try many items that are very limited and are very hard to get a hold of. My favourite was the Ringo Ale (apple ale) and the biscuit tempura. The other product we got to try were yams in sweet miso sauce, yam tempura, a rare kind of pickled daikon with kimchi and beef croquets.
All food was fabulous and really hope people will be more open to Tohoku produce from now on, knowing that it’s very safe (they have to go though a very severe and intricate screening process before the product can be sold).
Over all I really enjoyed this event and the lady who made the biscuit tempura was super cute and charming!

Great introduction to the food of the Tohoku (and notably Iwaki) region. Great to see so many Unilocalers in attendance! The food samples were great and the bisuten did not disappoint as the star of the show.
Having visited Iwaki so many times for business without much chance to explore the region, I was impressed by the diversity and flavors of the food and notably vegetables of the area. I really need to stop next time I’m there to eat at a local restaurant!
Somebody has to tell me what nihonshu was served at the end today. Missed getting a picture but that stuff was GOOD!