Satisfaction.

That deep sense of fulfillment that makes you smile for hours, drunk on life itself (see right), is something I strive to achieve as much as possible. Not surprisingly, on my second annual trip to visit the Otani family in Shigaraki I achieved success once more. Now, the food was of course only a small portion of the evening's goodness. It was really, really good, however. Blog worthy.

The sun set through the trees, casting fiery rays, as we sat on the wooden porch and breathed in the sweet air of the mountains. Then we crowded the long wooden table as Momoko crowded it with delicious food...

Edamame and cucumber from the grandparents’ organic garden next door,  himo (skate) jerky to start. Cold beer first, then sake to drink. Then the real deals.

Deep hanmo (fried conger pike eel) - "Japanese fish and chips style," the grandfather says, topped with yuzu (Japanese citrus, below), kurage ume (jellyfish plum pickle relish) and yuzu kosho (citrus salt with a zip) to accompany

Goya chanpuru - goya (bitter melon originally from Okinawa) grown in the garden stir fried with egg, thinly sliced pork, and tofu

Scallop sashimi with avocado and shisō grown out back

Garden salad with greens, bean sprouts, cucumber, tomato, thinly sliced pork, and ponzu dressing

Deep fried mixture of tofu, yuzu (Japanese citrus), renkon (lotus root), yamaimo (mountain yam), chicken breast, ginger, salt

Okra, asparagus, green bean, eggplant, squash

...and those most heavenly Japanese grapes for desert. Oh, and the company wasn't bad either.