Time To Celebrate Connor's Birthday (Page Two)
The cooking (and fire) continues and the fragrances move about the room. People are smiling and the alcohol is flowing in a responsible manner! The sizzle of food hitting an iron pan is one of the most common sounds in Japanese cooking.
Did You Know? - Teppanyaki (teppan means iron pan, and yaki means grilled) is a Japanese style of cooking that involves grilling on a hot iron skillet.
Light seasoning and fresh ingredients are major characteristics of teppanyaki. This is because teppanyaki style of cooking enhances rather than covers up the original flavour of its ingredients. Seasonings are usually limited to soy sauce, wine, vinegar, and salt and pepper. Garlic is used generously when preparing bean sprouts, meat, and chicken.
Making sure all is going well!!
Cleaning grille number two!
Do NOT be frightened Mitch... The vegetables will not hurt you!
The chef performs the knife ceremony!
Clickety click click
Did You Know? - The originator of the teppanyaki-style steakhouse is believed to be Shigeji Fujioka of the Japanese restaurant chain Misono.
The restaurant claims to be the first to introduce the concept of cooking Western-influenced food on a teppan in Japan, in 1945.
They soon found the cuisine was less popular with the Japanese than it was with foreigners, who enjoyed both watching the skilled maneuvers of the chefs preparing the food as well as the cuisine itself, which is somewhat more familiar than more traditional Japanese dishes.
As the restaurants became more popular with tourists, the chain increased the performance aspect of the chef's preparation, such as stacking onion slices to produce a flaming onion volcano.
David seems to be enjoying the show!
Here comes the magic
Did You Know? - Pour enough vegetable oil to form a thin layer of oil into the bottom of the volcano onion. Squirt 80 proof or higher vodka into the volcano. A very small amount is required because the vodka only lights the volcano. The oil sustains the flame. Use a lighter to light the vodka, which evaporates through the top of the volcano. The vodka will light the oil, which sustains the flame.
Here comes the match
There goes the volcano!
Penny might be a little close!
Fire everywhere!
Peeing on the fire works!
The volcano gets chopped up and added to the veggies
Penny calms his fears!
Grandpa Paul's Seafood Trio is on the grille
Seared ocean scallops, tender calamari steak and a grilled seasoned lobster tail
Looks so very good!
Chelsee captures the moment!
Wow! There is a lot of fish here!
We love the show
All we need now is sleeping bags and bugs!
Now we have Mitch's attention... And the rest of the guys!
The steak is in the building!
Mitch keeps his eyes on the meat
Looks so very good!
Noah looks a little worried about the steak!
The smoke has Mitch pretty excited
Bite size... Coming up
The gang can hardly wait!
Chelsee loves the new chopsticks!
Happy Birthday Connor!
He is now an adult!
Can he blow it out or not?
Loads of hot air....
Challenge completed!
"We knew he was full of air"
Consulting with Grandma!
Lilly found a new lap!
Must be time to head for home
Heading out... More celebrations required
Good night Penny
"I promise to be good!"
Good night you all!
See you later!
Connor departs for Florida tomorrow morning!
