One stop from Asakusa, in Tawaramachi, there is a bakery that ranks among the best in Tokyo, so one holiday morning I went over to pick up some bread for meals. It is known for its shokupan loaves and butter rolls.
The sign
Cute sign.
Inside the shop
It looks almost like a factory. It reminded me of Kim Jinhwan Bakery back in Seoul. The kinds of bread they sell are similar too.
Shokupan
Since it was morning, I just picked up a single loaf of shokupan.
Toasted, with butter spread on top.
The nicely toasted, crisp texture is just wonderful. This is the best shokupan I have ever had. No more reason to buy sandwiches when I am out.
Shojikimura jam packed with Tochigi strawberries, and Machimura Farm butter from Hokkaido
It is incredibly good with just butter, but since I was at it, I went to a nearby department store and bought a tasty-looking organic jam as well.
Sliced the loaf thick, toasted it, and topped it with strawberry jam and butter.
A combination that brings out the flavor of the bread even more. I think it would work just as well with ham, lettuce and cheese instead of jam.
I saw the toast topped with salmon flakes in the manga Hana’s Lazy Meals (Hana no Zubora Meshi), got a craving, bought a loaf from Pelican and made it myself, and it turned out far more satisfying than expected. Seems like a good option for weekends when cooking feels like too much effort.