27 June 2025
Friday, the summer solstice, was indeed the longest day of the year.
In the waning hours of Thursday evening the Friedrich Wallmaster, our stalwart air conditioning unit, stopped working. Meanwhile, atmospheric forces of high and low pressure conspired to produce the hottest weather so far, an event that lined up perfectly with Friedrich’s demise.
Friday morning on the way to the fish market, the Forester began to overheat in sympathy with Friedrich, smoke rising from the hood. I turned off the engine to give it some rest at the red light. Bit of an aroma. Will I make it to Lena Street? Is this the end? I cranked up the Sade and put it in gear.
Having to restock the salmon midweek was, in fact, a small victory. The success of the sake bento in town has been a real accomplishment. It will go down in the annals of JA lore, a footnote of a PBS special in 20 years.
“Jeffrey Ozawa made Gordon Jio a sake bento with an extra filet every Wednesday for years. Until one day his Forester burst into flames and he died waiting for the left turn signal.” (First draft of the obit)
Popped the hood in the parking lot. Liam reattached the radiator hose with a menthol hanging from his mouth. Problem solved? Let’s chance it on Sunday and drive it to the Valles Caldera. If you see a wild-eyed Italian man trying to hitchhike on NM-4, please return him to Lena Street.
I gave Liam a fist bump and walked over to Bread Shop to pick up baguettes for the bouillabaisse. Commiserated with Jacob about the heat, like two Yorkshiremen, comparing thermostats. It’s 85 in there? Bullshit, what’s your humidity?
The heat is relentless. Gotta get another window unit. And then the monsoons will come and it will cool off. I talked to Lynn. Maybe he could bring Friedrich back from the dead. Mini splits? Eight grand.
Ah, the hamster wheel of business. I never dreamed I could own so many appliances.
Friday morning, knowing all of this, I pulled on my jeans like any other day, picking a black button-down shirt from the closet. The hottest possible outfit. I’m talking about temperature now. Should we skip the indigo tenugui around my neck? Not a chance.
The dinner crew walked into Ozu that night glistening with sweat like a boxer entering the ring. The crowd gathered at 5:30, witnessing the spectacle.
But dinner went well. The best turnout so far. God knows what we were running on, but it was beautiful.
Did you see the French Open Final? God dammit if I didn’t learn a life lesson from a 22-year-old. Two sets down and he hacked his way back. Three match points. Ice cold. That’s what it takes.
At the end of the week a young Japanese woman entered and sat at the bar.
“Why do you speak Japanese?” she asked me, not clocking me at all.
Good question.
She had just moved to Albuquerque from Saitama. I poured her a glass of mugi cha, sensing she could use it.
She took a sip and began to sob.
What have I done? (I knew exactly what I did)
Acute homesickness brought on by roasted barley.
I put my hand on her shoulder and tried to come up with something comforting to say.
“Hazukashii!” she said. (I’m embarrassed)
Daijoubu. (You’re all right)
Just as she collected herself her natto arrived and she took a bite. In tears again.
I been there! Some emotions of my own last Tuesday at JFK. That damn veal parm I brought from Fascati’s. The tomato sauce with a little fennel seed. I put my sunglasses on like Jackie O and powered through it.
Happy to report we have a new AC. Rachel hooked it up. A new old stock unit from Building C. The jaundiced plastic of a 90s ryokan that never renovated. But it’s blowing, so bring your fleece this Friday.
seasonal crudités with sesame miso bagna cauda
kyuri sunomono
vinegared cucumber and seaweed salad
hiyashi salad
local lettuces, radish, cucumber, sesame ginger dressing
temaki
choice of blue crab, maguro, hamachi, or ikura
scallop chawanmushi
savory egg custard with sea scallop and uni, served cold
tuna tartare
raw bluefin tuna, sesame, shoyu, garlic, aonori, endive
scallop ceviche
raw sea scallops, sudachi, ikura, aonori
mapo tofu bento
local beef and pork stewed in a spicy Sichuan sauce with tofu over Japanese rice with hiyashi salad, pickles
maguro bento
raw bluefin tuna over sushi rice with hiyashi salad, pickles
vegan bento
chickpea and buckwheat patties over Japanese rice with hiyashi salad, pickles
chirashi
raw kinmedai, shima aji, madai, scallop, bluefin tuna, hamachi, ikura, and uni over sushi rice
basque cheesecake
sesame miso cookie