Are you familiar with the term "veramping"? It's a new coined word derived from "glamping" (glamorous + camping), which often appears on Isetan Men's Net. Veramping is about enjoying a fun and luxurious time on your home's veranda, just like you would outdoors or at a cafe.

"It's a waste to only use your balcony for drying laundry!" "With veramping, the homeowner can be the star!" With these ideas in mind, the event organizers from Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , staff from Sekai Bunka Publishing, which advocated veramping, and representatives from various veramping-related companies that exhibited at the recent "Tokyo Men's Fest 2016" gathered at Tokyo Gas's studio "studio+G GINZA" in Ginza. They experienced firsthand how to cook four dishes in 20 minutes using the latest gas stoves!

Balcony + Glamorous + Camping = Balcony Camping!

Glamping, which has become popular among overseas celebrities and is rapidly expanding in Japan, is gaining popularity as a way to "enjoy a luxurious outdoor experience without bringing anything." However, there are still few locations, reservations are fully booked on weekends, and above all, it is expensive.

"Veramping" is a way to bring this trend closer to home, a "home version." When you go camping, there are various things to be concerned about, such as toilets, hygiene for cooking, and distance from the parking lot, but it's incredibly easy on your own veranda. The host, who is usually in charge of taking care of things when camping, can join the gathering and relax with everyone on the veranda.

The term "veramping" was coined by LaLa Begin, a sister magazine to the well-known Begin published by Sekai Bunka Publishing. It was first introduced in issue 9 (released May 12, 2016) of the magazine, which proposes slightly nicer and more useful items and new lifestyles.

Shota Kondo (left), Planning Manager of the Men's & Sports Sales Department at Isetan Shinjuku Store, and Kazuhisa Hata (right), from Sekai Bunka Publishing Co., Ltd.

The appeal is that you can easily recreate a glamping experience on your own balcony.

Kazuhisa Hata of Sekai Bunka Publishing, who participated in the special cooking class, said, "LaLa Begin, the women's version of Begin, is published every other month as a women's magazine for choosing products. Glamping is trending, so I wondered if it could be done on a veranda, and I coined the term 'veramping'."

"You might think, 'There's nothing glamorous about "balcony camping"!' (laughs), but actually, glamour is an important point, and not starting a fire on the balcony is glamorous and smart. At the heart of balcony camping is the idea that it's 'not a BBQ,' and the main point is that you cook in the kitchen and then carry the food out onto the balcony to eat while it's still hot. With that in mind, we've received cooperation from Tokyo Gas, and we'd like you to learn how to cook with the latest gas stoves," he said in his opening remarks.


Shota Kondo, Planning Manager of the Men's and Sports Sales Department at Isetan Shinjuku Store, who co-hosted the cooking class with Tokyo Gas, said, "There haven't been many opportunities for Tokyo Gas and us, who provide fashion, to have contact, but when I heard about 'veramping,' which is advocated by Sekai Bunka Publishing, I thought, 'This is a chance to leverage a collaboration with Tokyo Gas to propose a new lifestyle!'"

This time, we'll have the staff of Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building , and other related parties actually experience cooking, but in the next step, we'd like to plan a "glamping experience" where we invite customers," he said enthusiastically.

Let's make a simple 20-minute meal inspired by "glamping" on the balcony!

The theme of this cooking challenge is to "cook four dishes in 20 minutes using the latest gas stove." The participants will be divided into groups of four and will quickly cook the dishes while effectively utilizing the three burners of the stove.

Broccoli fusilli

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add 1 tablespoon of salt, then add the pasta (fusilli) and broccoli florets, and cook until al dente.
Heat olive oil, crushed garlic, and chili peppers in a wok over medium-low heat. Once the garlic is fragrant, add the drained pasta, broccoli, anchovies, and some of the pasta cooking water. Mix well with the pasta, mashing the broccoli as you go, and season with salt and pepper.

Deep-fried autumn vegetables

Slice the sweet potato, lotus root, yam, carrot, and ginkgo nuts into 5mm to 1cm thick rounds. Put salad oil in a frying pan, set the stove temperature to 160℃, and fry the vegetables in order.

Mushroom soup

Separate the shimeji mushrooms into small clusters, and cut the shiitake and king oyster mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Put the cut mushrooms, water, and consommé powder into a pot, bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Chicken

Make incisions in the chicken thighs with a knife to make the thickness uniform, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Place in a double-sided grill and grill over high heat for about 10 minutes.


Roast pork (special menu)

Rub the pork with herb salt and pepper. Cut the potatoes into quarters with the skin on, and the carrots into 3cm lengths with the skin on. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a frying pan and brown the pork on all sides. Place the meat in the center of a Dutch oven, arrange the potatoes and carrots around it, and place it in a double-sided grill. Cook for 20 minutes, then leave it in the oven for another 20 minutes to allow the residual heat to finish cooking.

Enjoy delicious food with close friends on your home balcony. The basic rule of "balcony camping" is "don't grill outside." The greatest pleasure is to efficiently prepare the food in the kitchen and then enjoy the piping hot meal together on the balcony, but it's even more convenient with Tokyo Gas's "Pipitto Stove," which allows you to cook in a Dutch oven. Take a look at the finished roast beef shown above. Following the theme of the cooking class, "make four dishes in 20 minutes using the latest gas stove," each group then enjoys sampling the food as they please.


A man who cooks about once a week commented, "I was surprised at how quickly and deliciously it turned out. It's so convenient to use all three burners on the stove. I never thought of boiling pasta in a wok." Another participant, a woman, said, "It was a lot of fun. Deep-frying doesn't take as long as you'd think, so I'd like to try it at home. Also, I always thought of grilling fish, but I was surprised at how easily and deliciously meat could be cooked too."

Kondo, the organizer, said, "I don't usually cook at all, but after holding a knife today, I thought I'd like to start cooking. While boiling pasta, I thought, 'I wish I could be a dad like this' (laughs). At Isetan Men's, we want to offer lifestyle suggestions that go beyond just fashion, encompassing clothing, food, and shelter."

Enjoy "veranda camping" as a host! Next time, why not try your hand at cooking? Stay tuned for event announcements and registration on Isetan Men's Net!

Next episode preview! Tokyo Gas x ISETAN MEN'S Cooking Class Theme: "Easy Christmas Dishes that Pair Well with Wine"

□December 6th (Tue) 18:30-20:30 (Registration from 18:15)
□Tokyo Gas Shinjuku Showroom 1st Floor Cooking Class

■Capacity: 24 people ■Tuition fee: 4,000 yen
■Theme Menu: Party menu paired with wine - Grilled Tagliata - Salad with grilled Camembert and honey dressing - Italian fritto - Mushroom soup ■Sommelier: Tatsuya Kira (Grand Cave, Isetan Shinjuku)

■ How to register for the event: Registration is accepted in-store or by phone.
03-3225-2853 (Direct Line) / Contact Persons: Kondo, Yoyasu

*Orders will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
*Payment will be accepted at the venue on the day of the event. Advance payments can also be made in person at the store, or by phone if you have an MI card.
*Aprons will be provided on the day of the event. You do not need to bring anything in particular.

inquiry
Isetan Shinjuku Store, Men's Building 8th Floor = Isetan Men's Residence
03-3552-1111 (main representative)

*All prices include tax.

inquiry
03-3352-1111 (main representative)