Doubtful! 
Well, the importance of muscles for making udon? 
Also, you’re supercute! :3 Nice photos! ^>^ (the old man did indeed step on the udon to kneed it)
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Week 15 13th September Episode 39-41 暑中の味 & う真夏の氷 & 技巧の極致
This weeks watch schedule…
Episode 39 thoughts
There’s trouble brewing at Tozai news. Some rich dude is attempting to buy up shares of the company! Ohara is in charge of defending off the attempt. But, the heat of summer is getting to him and he suffers from heat stroke 
Well, in Japan there is apparently only one way to cure heat stroke: kayu - rice porridge. Ohara is not a fan.
Yamaoka, being his usual contrary self insists on making the dish - but with better quality rice (less moldy? ugh I hope they’re exaggerating things 
). Success! (now how to avoid Ohara dragging you off for kayu-lunch -_- )
Well, this is a bit thin on the cooking to say the least. I do wonder about the issues mentioned about storage of rice in the hot and humid climate of Japan for normal people. 
We also eat rice porridge in Sweden around and on Christmas. You’re supposed to serve up a nice helping and put outside on your doorstep for “tomten” to eat or he might get angry - tomten being a folklore creature of nature that can both help humans or do bad things if angered. Stories about gnomes overlap. And, this folklore creature has also merged with Santa Claus, though they are really not the same. But we therefore call him Tomten. ^^
In any case, where people in Japan eat kayu in summer, we eat rice porridge in winter! Not to mention, it’s quite different dishes. The Japanese dish is savory, served with green onions and umeboshi (?), and is basically rice boiled in too much water.
The Swedish dish is rice boiled in whole milk, a bit of butter and salt. (there’s more to the process than that, but that’s the main ingredients). Then the rice porridge is served with more milk, caster sugar, syrup and cinnamon as popular toppings. It’s a sweet and hearty breakfast meal to keep you going in the cold.
Episode 25 on Amazon Prime
About burgers
Lololol kaibara doesn’t know how to put ketchup and mustard on a burger.
Ewwww at one point the burger guy puts his hands on the raw meat while showing it to everyone.
The problem
the problem was the bun??
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I wonder if Amazon prime is missing episodes.
Burger episode is episode 25 but episode 32 on oishinbo thread.
Which isn’t bad because then I can catch up to the viewing schedule
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It doesn’t surprise me that they’ve “censored” some episodes by leaving them off - like the whaling episodes where the times and opinions have changed a lot since the making of Oishinbo. The YT channel has the same issue, as @plantron pointed out. It’s not obvious why so many episodes didn’t make the cut, but the watch schedule is based on the Japanese Oishinbo Wikipedia article about the episodes, so, lists all of them.
I think we might have to start posting episode titles when talking about the show - to ensure we’re talking about the same episode. ^^;
Edit: maybe they just don’t have quality recordings of the episodes anymore? It wouldn’t be the first time old shows are handled with neglect. Meaning, they can’t reproduce all episodes anymore, perhaps?
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I just started today by trying out a random episode to see if its my kind of show, and it seems to really appeal to my watching tastes!
I feel like this show will be my go to whenever I feel bored or not bothered to watch the more action, tragedy packed shows I usually watch, and it’ll be a nice change ╰(°▽°)╯
My opinion of watching the first part of a random episode: seems so wholesome!
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Welcome to the thread and for me…
Glad you like it!
Yeah, this show is quite a contrast to what most shows are about today (drama, action, tragedy, death, fanservice etc). I’d say it’s got that salary-man vibe = made for an adult audience. So, it’s really a different sort of show. I also feel like it’s useful for Japanese studies as well - both the talk about food and the general setting of white-collar work speech. 
So, just jump into the discussions as you see fit! 
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Episode 40 thoughts: う真夏の氷
I guess, they had to make at least one of these, so prepare for a bit of fanservice! 
Dang those high legged 80s/90s model swimsuits. XD Going to the beach with your co-workers seems a bit odd to me, but what do I know. They socialize more than most people do here at least. ^^;
Being at the beach and all, they end up eating shaved ice, with Tomii promising to make short work of a whole pile of them. Which of course puts him in the hospital.
While the episode starts out at the beach, their socializing moves on to normal afterwork, once Tomii is back from his sick leave. He’s rather disappointed in himself - for not making his old-time record of ice eating - so it’s to cheer him up that Yamaoka and the female Tozai news employees goes out for a drink together.
They first end up at a hip bar and all of them order what seems like a popular drink in Japan: みずわり = whiskey cut with water and with that I mean, filling a highball glass with some ice, some whiskey and lots of water. Everyone, but Yamaoka, orders this drink. The reason - he doesn’t like the water or ice used by normal bars. So, when they’ve had enough of loud music, Yamaoka brings everyone to a quiet bar run by an old acquaintance of his.
This place takes 水割り - みずわり to the next level! 
To cut the drink the bartender use spring water and the ice used is a huge block of glacial ice he’s imported from Canada (?) (icebergs following the currents can end up at the north east coast - true story). He also uses real expensive whisky as the base.
Obviously everyone agrees that the watery drink is much better than at the hip bar they just visited. Sad news, the old man’s bar is closing. The reason, the man can’t get spring water anymore after a nearby factory spilled waste into the groundwater. 
Amazingly, Yamaoka allows the old man to retire! O_O (I was expecting him to dig a new well for him and chain him to the bar! 
)
I’ve never had かき氷 - shaved ice. Sounds like a very artificial tasting thing, but what do I know! 
Maybe someone who’s had it can explain the joy of eating this? ^^ 水割り doesn’t sound like something I’d enjoy either. Have anyone else here had it? 
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Episode 41 技巧の極致 thoughts.
Toyama is back and it’s his 77th birthday. I still don’t get why Japanese people celebrate this especially, but maybe one of you know more about this? (WK teaches the item as well)
Which means he’s invited father and son to the proceedings. Obviously this is a recipe for a another showdown! XD
It starts with a guest admiring the beautiful plates made by Toyama and used during the party, suggesting a friendly competition of Red Snapper dishes - served on Toyama’s creations (a lot of the guests seems to be chefs and culinary people and all wanna have their food served on the beautiful plates).
Toyama, turns to Yamaoka to participate - which immediately cause controversy. Kaibara, being his usual haughty self, immediately points out that Yamaoka is “just” an amateur and have no business doing Tai ryouri. Yamaoka, counters with the argument that even someone like him can bring something new that ordinary chefs don’t have - which sparks even further controversy among the guests.
Well, the showdown is a fact. But, as usual Yamaoka doesn’t necessarily know what to make his point come across! In the end, he lease a boat bringing Kurita. But, not to fish for tai, but rather hoping to maybe get some inspiration from the living conditions of red snappers by going for a swim! In the end, he gets swept away with the current, having to call for help. But, as it were, swallowing sea water does spark some inspiration in the end.
At the next event lots of gorgeous Tai dishes get served up. What Yamaoka brings is a nothing like those dishes - it’s just 開き - ひらき // 干物 - ひもの in other words, butterflied then sun dried Red Snapper.
The secret to the dish is Yamaoka using sea salt from the same sea that the Tai was caught in for flavoring. Kaibara dismiss the dish as dried fish isn’t really cooking, though Toyama disagrees - the choice of salt and way to dry the fish takes skill. In the end, he declares himself the winner! ^^;
|Week 16 |20th September |Episode 42-44 |大豆とにがり & 青竹の香り & 女の華|
Episode 42 thoughts…
This episode starts off pretty difficult, with a Rakugo performance. To be honest, I only understand bits and pieces of this. How did you people manage? Did you get the jokes?
In any case, the Tozai news people then move on to eating out with one of the performers. They choose to go to a tofu restaurant. There they meet Stan Black, American tofu researcher, arguing with the chef about it not being real tofu they serve. Knives gets waved around but the rakugo performer steps in before the chef can draw blood. (so much suppressed aggression in these Japanese chefs)
Well, Yamaoka, always glad to join a food grudge, agrees that the tofu is not of a good quality, even in a tofu restaurant. Queue him bringing everyone involved, Black and the tofu chef, to a tofu artisan - showing us the making of tofu by hand.
I do like learning about stuff like this in this show! ^>^
After everyone has tasted the tofu, they realize what a world of difference it is to the tofu they’ve been used to - that you buy in the supermarket. Interestingly, we’re told that quality tofu is more common in America (due to a tofu revival/surge), while the bland/tasteless/white tofu is common in Japan. I wonder if this is time commentary, or just a plot point to introduce Black as a recurring character of this show?
Also, how did you all find listening to Stan Black talk? It’s not the easiest to parse, with his fake Japengrish habits, weird grammar, and phrasing. ^^;
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Episode 43 青竹の香り
Yamaoka and the girls from Tozai news are hiking up a mountain! Him, apparently stuck with all the baggage! 
They come upon a bamboo groove to have a picnic in, where they encounter a caretaker (sweeping the forest floor of leaves). He gets invited to the meal, but soon the peaceful meal is interrupted by a group of men arriving at the scene. It’s the landowner who’s dead set on mowing down the bamboo trees to make place for a resort or hotel (?).
Yamaoka speaks up about saving the bamboo, but is met with dismissal. Not being one to take no for an answer, he sets up to a scheme to make his point come across to the owner. 
It involves, bringing in Ohara into the mess, as someone with a social standing to invite the rich landowner to a meal planned by Yamaoka. The stage is set and the landowner is served several sea bass dishes as a common theme. The last dish is a bit special though. Plain looking but strangely fragrant and delicious.
It’s sea bass steamed within a green bamboo pipe - a traditional Chinese cooking method.
Apparently it’s hard to get fresh bamboo of good quality and the delicious meal would not have been possible without it. At the end of this episode it seems the landowner has refrained from cutting down the bamboo groove, so this episode is another win for Yamaoka
Episode 44 女の華 thoughts
Oishinbo delves into the rather volatile issues of gender, social perceptions and prejudice, and women in the food business with this one. While well-meant, it does come off as a rather clumsy attempt.
Yamaoka and Kurita is getting a guided tour of the Tsukiji Fish market for an article. There they encounter Natsuko, female sushi chef in a verbal stand off with a fish monger who has sold her bad quality fish.
We’re soon told that the guide around the market (working with overseeing the market proceedings) is in love with her, but Natsuko has yet to say yes to his marriage proposals. Well, the three of them decide to drop by Natsuko’s sushi restaurant, with both Yamaoka and Kurita reflection on how unusual it is with a female sushi chef.
At the restaurant, Kurita compliments Natsuko’s nigiri method and how cool she looks, only to be told off by Natsuko - would Kurita have commented about a male chef (meaning been surprised that he can make nigiri?).
Natsuko seems intent on confronting Kurita about her views on her being a female sushi chef, accusing her of planning to write about how women can’t make sushi - really souring the mood at the counter. It’s really an out of the blue accusation, but one can suspect that Natsuko’s had a lot of ridicule from customers up to that point. Still…that aggressive attitude toward the customers. 
Two more guests arrive, both famous Kabuki theatre performers. Well, Natsuko is not one to be impressed by who her guests are, but sets to work on their food order. It’s only moments before one of the Kabuki theatre performers comments on her being a woman in a rather derisive manner, only to be told off by his fellow actor (who’s plays women on stage). Well, as soon as they’ve had a bite, the male role actor creates a scene, claiming he can’t eat sushi made by a woman. (he’s a hardcore male chauvinist clearly). In fact, women shouldn’t cook food since restaurants is part of the male realm!
Having said all that, not just insulted Natsuko’s cooking but her as a person, she does some knife waving of her own, only for Yamaoka to step in. He points out that women cook at home, so why shouldn’t they belong in a restaurant? Common sense doesn’t work against male chauvinism though, and the male actor insists that what male chefs do in a restaurant is “art” and nothing like home cooking and and that women are simply incapable of that.
Kurita brings the argument to a close pointing out that there are plenty of women creating arts, in theatre and elsewhere, and the female-role actor tells his colleague to admit defeat. He also, brings his thoughts to the argument, as a man playing the role of women on the kabuki stage. But, in the end, he also says he didn’t like the sushi - the reason - Natsuko’s lack of hospitality ruined the meal. In fact, Natsuko gets critizied also for having chosen a rather butch appearance (short hair) and for her macho mannerisms, when she doesn’t have to be masculine.
Now, Yamaoka invites Natsuko and the Tsukiji market guy to dinner. Turns out that the chef at this French restaurant is also a woman. And now we’re treated to a load of BS -_- Natsuko asks if the female chef and owner has been ridiculed for being a woman, and the other chef says she’s never had anyone do that to her! 
Press X for doubt! Even today, the food industry has huge issues with sexism. So, claiming that she’s never been teased for being a woman or met with issues and that everyone is just supportive is too much BS for me to swallow in one sitting.
Next up we get an analysis of why the French ched’s doing so well. According to Yamaoka, the success has to do with her being her “natural self”. Now, we’re getting the old essensialism argument: women are supposedly different from men to the core, and their “natural” way of being is to be feminine. big sigh So, much for being supportive of women being chefs, but women not acting like women are to be shown the right path to femaleness. Kurita is also onboard with this logic.
And this is the punch line for this episode. Natsuko accepting that she should act more feminine to becoming a better sushi chef, as if she couldn’t have remained her badass, butch self, but worked on service-mindedness as a specific issue. Instead, being feminine and pleasant is made into the solution to making sushi (if you’re a woman that is…men can do whatever obviously) >_>.
Unfortunately, because episode 42 is not included in the YouTube uploads, I cannot watch it.
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drat! Hopefully, you’ll get to meet Black-san in a later episode - if it’s on youtube? it’s more than one now that I think about it, but basically, episode 47 should also have Black-san in it. It’s the 
episode!
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Episode 38: ビールと枝豆
I know that this is done for effect in many anime, but people raging because of perceived low quality of food is getting pretty overused in Oishinbo. Every time Yamaoka criticises a restaurant, the chef suddenly appears with a big knife in his hand, ready to murder him. Or in this case, a boss who thinks he’s being served rotten edamame just fires the employee, without even asking one question. It’s like every man in Oishinbo is Gordon Ramsay on crack. 
Episode 41: 技巧の極致
The simplest dishes can be deceivingly good if well prepared. However, one aspect of eating at restaurants (at least for me) is the novelty and creativity of the chef. So yes, tai seasoned with just salt may be delicious, but I’m sure that the other dishes that are served are at least as good, or probably even better. For once, I agree with Kaibara Yuuzan 
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I do sense a theme of people in power in Oishinbo having very inflated egos due to their monetary income. So, that’s an ongoing criticism this show does of the affluent and society? Or so I always viewed it.
As for my review of the more problematic 44th episode -it’s done from the underdog perspective this show and manga. So, it’s not odd as such. But, Japan at the time - even when trying it’s hardest as this show is doing - still don’t manage to avoid putting their foot in their mouth as they don’t really are in line with the current theoretical thoughts or philosophies of their time on gender. Since Japanese society doesn’t yet reflect it and still doesn’t.
This was also echoed in the Drops of God - if any of you haven’t checked that manga out - do so! It’s about wine! 
It it a subtle critique of corruption, the upper class is routinely a target in this show for criticism with Kaibara Yuuzan being the main culprit, but
But, again the main character is not someone who is part of the upper class - but knows their ways - but is working class. So, we can relate to them somehow.
That’s Yamaoka in a nutshell!
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Me too! 
I think this “search for the essence of the best flavor of each ingredient” is not something most people consider in cooking. Then again, Japan has a LOT of Micheline stars…
SO what do I know…eating my homemade Swedish meatballs!
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If I stabbed a man because I caught him sleeping with my wife, I’m definitely in the wrong. But I might get away with it by temporary insanity defense (crime of passion). If I stabbed him because he said that my cooking tastes bad, any judge would throw me in jail for life, I assume.
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Week 17 27th September Episode 45-47 香港味勝負（前編) & 香港味勝負（後編) & 黄身と白身
This weeks episodes include 2 parts both taking place in Hong Kong 香港.
Episode 45 thoughts
Tozai new are in Hong Kong in time for a movie premiere. As is Yamaoka’s luck, he gets dragged into a food showdown.
They are invited to a banquet, where they end up seated with Tozai news rival : Teito news’ editor. I forget his name. But he throws shade at the food served, with Yamaoka telling him off. The banquet host, realizing Yamaoka’s culinary expertise, asks for assistance in a food showdown over who gets to become president of the Yacht club. Since the opponent apparently is an acquaintance of the Teito news editor, he’s going to be there - giving Yamaoka a chance to set him straight. 
Episode 46 thoughts
we’re continuing where we left off, with Yamaoka & Co visiting the floating markets. There they see boat people, especially 2 refugee children trying to sell some crabs. Yamaoka puts in a request for something and sends the children off on their errand.
Well, the food competition is off to a start. The first dishes ends them at a draw. the last dish is is humpback grouper. But the secret ingredient has yet to arrive. As they were about to admit defeat, the children arrive to deliver a bottle of Vietnamese soy or dipping sauce. This must be some darn good sauce, because it’s what snags Yamaoka the victory in the food compo.
Episode 47 thoughts!
This is a pretty fun episode.
Stan Black is back, now as a Rakugo apprentize. I wonder what happened to his passion for tofu?
But he visits Tozai news to test the waters about how Japanese people cook and eat fried eggs. Turns out the Tozai news people have quite a few opinions on the matter.
This leads Black to invite them to a conference arranged by a global organization that debates how fried eggs should be cooked and eaten. Yamaoka puts out some feelers and this leads Toyama to participate as well as the department store owner from the second episode.
Various discussions are made at the conference and people fry eggs. ^^;
I secretly wish that there was a global organization meeting up and debating whether sunny side up or turnover eggs is the right way to cook a fried egg! Obviously it’s a very important question!
Let’s put some Eggstra POLLs in here
Favorite part of the egg
- 黄身 きみ
- 白身 しろみ
0 voters
How do you cook a fried egg?
- Sunny side up
- Turn over
- Omelette
- Other
- I don’t eat eggs
0 voters
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