Katsuobushi

Coworker Joanne just came back from a trip to Japan. She surprised me with this gift!  Katsuoboshi! Thank you Joanne!!


She recalled from a previous blog post that I had gotten this shaver at the swap meet, but had no bonito stick to use it on.


I was so excited to finally be able to experience some freshly shaved dried bonito.  According to this portion of the directions, it looked like I needed to scrub off the powdery stuff on the outside.


So I scrubbed the stick with a coarse cloth. Looking good yeah!


Unfortunately, instead of flakes like this, all I could get was this powdery stuff.  I think the problem is that my shaver is not really a katsuobushi shaver, but a carpenter's plane. On top of that it's old . . . from around 1969, so it's probably too dull.


So, I busted out our grater/shaver and tried it instead.


This is what I got. It was like trying to shave a rock.


Sorry Joanne, I so wanted to bring you a bagful of fresh flakes, but it was not to be. But not to worry, I'm gonna go hunting for a real katsuobushi kezuriki, and you'll be the first to get a bag.