European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 6, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pink Panther Superman spider Man and of course a hos of Disney animals. My favorite was a giant grinning Mickey mouse at least 10 feet tall witha sign next to him slating in both japanese and English v the great american dream Mickey mouse is 50 years old friends of English some of the most Beautiful of the life size be sculptures at Todori Park were representations of shinto shrines Buddhist temples and chinese pagodas. Many of these were very finely carved often with elaborate details. One of the most outstanding was a chinese dancer in flowing Robes standing in front of two chinese screens covered with dragons. The delicately thin screens were carved on both sides with holes in the ice forming part of the design like pierced Jade carvings. Natural Light filtering through the ice changed the colors of these sculptures throughout the Day from the translucent Blue of Early morning to the warm Pink of Sunset. At night artificial lights added yet another set of colors to the frigid forms. At the Mako Manal Section of the festival we watched while children and adults screamed in Delight As they came racing Down the tall Snow slides that had been constructed As integral parts of some of the larger Snow sculptures. Built As a truncated Pyramid with a huge bust of Darth Vader at the top the Star wars Snow slide had Steps leading up it like a mayan Temple with a slide Down each Side. Enormous effigies of r2d2 and c3po stood Sentenal at the Bottom. Life size models of trains and trolley cars were carved to scale both inside and out so that visitors could walk through them sit on the ice seats and look out the windows. Ice tunnels connected one exhibit with another. At night the Snow sculptures were illuminated by multicoloured artificial lights some even placed inside the sculptures to make them glow in the dark like japanese lanterns. Fireworks displays outdoor concerts and dance performances added to the festive spirit. The juxtaposition of the huge Snow sculptures was sometimes More amusing than the statues and buildings themselves. In one Case two giant space cartoon characters one with diabolically shining eyes lighted from within towered Over an elaborately carved chinese Temple. At another location a sculpture of the Pope with his hand raised in Blessing was placed next to a statue of an obese Man sitting on a toilet with a Roll of toilet paper at his feet. A the mysteries of the Orient. Although it was sunny and Clear the Day we arrived in Sapporo by the next morning several inches of Snow had fallen and a blizzard with High winds was raging. To keep warm while visiting the Snow sculpture exhibits we stopped at food stalls and bought bars of White chocolate skewers of grilled Tofu soybean curd and charcoal grilled Corn on the cob Flavoured with soy sauce All washed Down with cans of hot Sweet Milky Coffee. Located on approximately the same latitude As both Milwaukee and Munich its sister Cit Sapporo is Well known for food products similar to those made in Wisconsin and Bavaria. Sapporo s Beer is justifiably famous and Many of its Dairy products milk butter cheese Are unique to that Region of Japan. Potatoes Are also a regional specially. Baked whole in their skins under a pile of hot coals they Are split open and garnished with chunks of Sweet butter before serving. There s a restaurant in Sapporo named potato and wine  because of its proximity to the Ocean Sapporo also has excellent seafood especially Salmon and pronounced nah Bay Means pot and Nab Emon Means things in a pot referring to that category of japanese one pot cooking which includes such famous dishes As Sukiyaki and Sharbu Sharbu in addition to a variety of other dishes with Rube in their title. Most of these one pot meals Are cooked at the table like Western fondues. A Large pot made of earthenware or Iron and containing the Stock or cooking liquid is set in the Center of the table on top of a Brazier of hot coals a Gas Burner or an electric hot plate. The raw ingredients to be cooked in the pot Are artistically arranged on Large serving platters. The diners each select what they want to eat picking up individual pieces of fish meat vegetables mushroom noodles etc., and adding them to the simmering liquid in the pot. After the ingredients have cooked briefly. Just until tender each diner uses his chopsticks to remove his Choice of food one piece at a time and dips it into a sauce usually based on soy sauce before eating it. Sometimes the Nab Mono dish is assembled and cooked in the Kitchen then brought steaming hot to the table. All three of the Shikari Nabe meals that we ate in Sapporo were served this Way. At one restaurant decorated in traditional hokkaido farmhouse style with a warm Woody Interior the Salmon Stew was brought to the table in a Tetsu Nabe a Large deep Black Iron cooking pot with a semicircular handle across the lop. Built into the Center of our table was a Copper Brazier its top level with the surface of the table. Hanging from the ceiling directly Over the Brazier was a Long heavy Iron Rod with a Hook at the lower end. The Tetsu Nabe full of hot Salmon Stew was suspended by its handle from this Hook so that it Hung just above the hot coals in the Brazier. We used a Bamboo ladle to dip out the Stew from the pot and Transfer it to Small individual earthenware bowls which we replenished often. Plain White Rice served in separate bowls on the Side tiny cups of hot take Rice win and Large glasses of cold Sapporo Beer were the perfect accompaniments to our Shikari Nabe. At another restaurant the Salmon Stew was served to each person in individual earthenware covered casseroles about the size of Large deep soup bowls. A third restaurant served its Shikari Nabe in a single Large earthenware casserole known As a donate. In the latter Case All the diners ate communally from the Large pot of Stew in the Center of the table picking but pieces of cooked food with our chopsticks and putting the ingredients into a soy sauce based dipping sauce to Cool off the pieces of Stew before transferring them to our Mouths. Each of us also ordered a Large soft shelled crab delicately steamed to accompany the Shikari Nabe. It s a tribute to the cuisine of Sapporo that my remembrances of the meals we ate there Are As lasting As my memories of the Snow festival itself. Needed to Ward off the chill. Our favorite of All these stews was a Karl Nabe a Salmon Stew that s a specially of Sapporo. Nabe Shikari Nabe Sapporo Salmon Stew 1 Pound Tofu soybean curd 4vt cups dash or Light Chicken Stock 8 Large dried Shiitake mushrooms 1% pounds Bok Choy chinese cabbage x1 6 to 8 scallions 1 Teaspoon finely chopped fresh Ginger 2 pounds Salmon files fresh or Frozen and thawed 16 Large or 32 medium shrimp 2/3 cup Light mho fermented soybean paste 1/3 cup Mirin or Light Sherry Chi Rizu dipping sauce recipe follows available at Oriental food stores sometimes available at military commissaries japanese fish and seaweed Stock. Instant dish is available at most military commissaries see note at end of recipe Drain the Tofu Pat it dry with paper towels wrap it in a Kitchen Towel set in on a plate and put a weight on top of the Tofu covering the entire Toto press some of the moisture out of the Tofu. Set aside. Prepare Chi Rizu dipping sauce recipe follows. Set aside. Prepare the Dashi or Chicken Stock. Trim the Tough Stem ends off the dried mushrooms and put the mushrooms into the Stock to reconstitute. Cut the chinese cabbage into 1-Inch Square pieces. Cut the scallions including some of the Green part into a i Inch lengths. Finely chop the fresh Ginger. Wash the Salmon files Well and Cut the meat into pieces 1 it inches Square no Large leaving the Salmon skin attached to the meat. Remove As Many fish Bones As possible. Peel and Devin the shrimp leaving the Tail of the Shell attached to each shrimp. Slice the reconstituted mushrooms into strips i Inch wide. Mix together the miso Mirin or Sherry chopped Ginger and 1 cup dash Stock. Pour into a 5-quart covered Stock pot or 5-quart covered Flameproof casserole. Drop the scallion and mushroom pieces into the pot then add the chopped cabbage on top of these. Pour in the remaining Stock but do not stir the mixture. Bring the liquid in the pot to a boil Over medium heat then reduce heat to Low and cover the pot. Let the Stew simmer covered Over Low heat for 10 to 12 minutes. Meanwhile unwrap the Tofu and Cut it into i Inch cubes. When the Stew has simmered for about 12 minutes drop in the Salmon pieces stir once to mix Well then add the Tofu cubes to the pot cover and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the shrimp stir once cover the pot again and simmer for an additional 2 minutes. Serve hot in Large individual earthenware bowls. The Shikari Nabe should be accompanied by Small individual bowls of Chi Rizu dipping sauce and larger individual bowls of Plain White Rice. To eat the Shikari Nabe use chopsticks to pull out the solid ingredients of the Stew and dip them into the sauce As desired. When All the solid ingredients have been consumed either use a spoon to eat the remaining liquid or use both hands to life the bowl to your Mouth to drink the remaining Stock. Large glasses of cold Beer with tiny cups of hot Sake Are the perfect drinks to serve with Shikari Nabe makes 8 Large Servings. Note Dashi is a Basic soup Stock made from dried Bonito fish and kelp seaweed which is essential in japanese cooking. Instant Dashi known As Dashi no Moto comes in the form of granules or giant Tea bags which Are added to boiling water and simmered for a few minutes. Dashi no Moto is an acceptable substitute for homemade Stock in japanese recipes. Chi Rizu dipping sauce it cup Sake japanese Rice wine v4 cup finely grated Daikon or White radish 2 scallions. A cup japanese soy sauce 2 Tablespoons fresh Lemon juice 2 Tablespoons Rice vinegar heat the juice in a Small Saucepan. Remove it from the heat then ignite the warm Sake with a match and let the Sake Burn until All the flames subside. Transfer the Sake to a Small Heatproof bowl and let it Cool. Peel and finely grate the radish. Combine All the ingredients and mix Well. Pour into tiny individual dipping sauce bowls. Makes 1 cup. Serves 8. C int. Sharon hire ont Leonary Sims stripes Magazine