The celebration of Japan’s vegan and vegetarian traditions begins with kansha—appreciation—an expression of gratitude for nature’s gifts and the efforts and ingenuity of those who transform nature’s bounty into marvelous food. The spirit of kansha, deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy and practice, encourages all cooks to prepare nutritionally sound and…
Bento fever has recently swept across the West, fuelled not just by an interest in cute, decorative food, but by the desire for an economical, healthy approach to eating in these times of recession. A leading light in the popularization of bento has been Makiko Itoh, whose blog, Just Bento,…
I need to up my game when it comes to salad dressing. I’m pretty predictable. I make a vinaigrette every time. There is some variety in the spices but not that much. Salad dressing is inexpensive to make (unless you get caught up in fancy vinegar and oils) and pretty easy as well. I’ve done a peruse on Pinterest and narrowed it down to five recipes to try. I’m still on the lookout for a good ranch dressing recipe. I’m pretty sure that if I substitute Greek yogurt for mayonnaise and buttermilk it will work well. I just need to play with the spices. Mamma Allegra’s Vinaigrette – I would probably reduce the sugar a bit Honey Mustard Vinaigrette – …
Global knives are crafted of CROMOVA 18 stainless steel for the perfect combination of chromium, molybdenum and vanadium to maximize edge retention and stain resistance. Their light weight seamless construction and razor sharp edges make Global knives a popular cutlery favorite. Made in Niigata, Japan. Lifetime guarantee from Global with…
Ramen(ラーメン), Chinese noodles is one of what we call “delicious cheap eats” or “B class gourmet(B級グルメ, B-kyuu-gurume)” in Japan. Some people are addicted to ramen that they eat at least once a day! I wonder if they ever worry about their health… And you will see a long line of people in front of famous ramen restaurants.The most important part of ramen may be the soup. It is basically made from pork and chicken bones seasoned with soy sauce, miso, or salt. Ramen restaurants come up with their own method and invention vying to make the best soup.So even when you make it at home, I recommend you to buy fresh ramen noodles already…
Oh, boy—obento! These yummy, healthy lunches are all the rage in Japan, where mothers create them as expressions of love for their children. With Yum-Yum Bento Box, Crystal Watanabe and Maki Ogawa devote an entire cookbook to these delicious and adorable meals for all ages! Learn how to craft your…
The end-all-be-all guide to ramen from Ivan Orkin, the iconoclastic New York-born owner of Tokyo’s top ramen shop. While scores of people line up outside American ramen powerhouses like Momofuku Noodle Bar, chefs and food writers in the know revere Ivan Orkin’s traditional Japanese take on ramen. Ivan Ramenchronicles Orkin’s journey from…
Mamezen is another Kyoto culinary treasure and if you are into noodles and, or soymilk dishes, you should definitely put Mamezen on your list of places to ‘foodie’ when you visit Kyoto. Mamezen serves ramen in a unique soymilk broth: Mamezen Soba. I like the ‘omakase set’ which is soymilk ramen and yuba donburi ricebowl. Mamezen Soba: Soymilk Ramen Mamezen is the creation of a young Kyoto chef named Minoru Yonegawa. His family owns a very nice yudofu (simmered tofu hotpot) restaurant in Kyoto called Toka. Toka make their yudofu in a soymilk-based broth, which is very unusual, creating a very ‘Kyoto’ luxurious and rich broth with which to simmer your tofu in. Chef Yonegawa worked at his family’s…
American Metalcraft 13″ Sushi Plate with Built In Sauce CupThis American Metalcraft sushi plate can be used to serve your favorite sushi selections and a side sauce for dipping. Also ideal for a selection of appetizers and desserts.Additional Information:Material: Porcelain Color: White Length: 13″ Width: 9-1/3″ Built-in Sauce Cup Model…
Of all the sushi rolls I’ve been trying to perfect since starting to roll my own sushi last year, the simple California roll has irritated me beyond belief. When I made mine, something never quite tasted right. I was missing something. I’ve derived my own version and it comes close to what I get at restaurants, but I think mine has a slightly different good flavor to it. I know I’ve been talking about writing this post for a while, so here it is.First, start by making some wasabi. I use the reconstituted powder form. Be aware that the horseradish flavor…
Persimmons are delicious, but dried persimmons are divine. Totally divine!! Let me qualify that though. There are small, hard, dried out dried persimmons (in Japan they are ‘Made in China’) and then there are big, plump, soft, wet, sticky, gooey dried persimmons — sounds decidedly sexy and they are! These high-quality dried persimmons are very caramelly in taste that brings to mind the finest Medjool dates. And, the best ones, in my opinion, are made from the shigugaki, a persimmon so astringent that it simply cannot be eaten fresh. However, peel it and hang outside for 4-6 weeks and you …
Make the perfect Oshizushi every time with the Sushi Maker! This clear sushi mold is perfect for beginners. Simply fill the Sushi Maker about two thirds full with sushi rice and press. Then place your favorite toppings and press again. Remove the Sushi Maker, and cut your creation into bite…
Welcome to the last lesson in Japanese 101: The Fundamentals of Washoku. I hope you’ve enjoyed the course and learned a few things along the way. In this last lesson we’ll take a look back at what we’ve learned, and also see how to put it all together to great an authentic traditional Japanese meal at home. read more
Pro Sushi Sky Diver Coffee Gift Basket is measuring 9x9x4. Contains 15oz mug, BONUS free set of 4 coasters, biscotti and 5 blends of gourmet coffee. French Vanilla, Kenya AA, Decaf Colombian Supremo, Chocolate and Italian Roast Espresso elegantly presented in our signature black planet coffee gift box. A very…
I was hungry for sushi today and with the squash and cucumber sitting in the refrigerator without any other purpose, I went ahead and threw a few rolls together.First up, I made a Philadelphia roll using the salmon that was in the freezer. Didn’t pack the flavor punch I wanted, but with the cucumber and cream cheese, it worked.Next came the scallop rolls. Two scallops weren’t enough to make two different rolls, so I ate the extra pieces while I was rolling. Made one roll with scallops, green peppers, and yellow squash. I should have added the wasabi mayo, but …
Last year I uploaded a series of printable cards for communicating dietary restrictions in Japan. This is a follow-up of sorts to this, with some information about food package labelling and allergy-causing products. There are seven substances that must, by law, be indicated as being present on packaged foods that contain them in Japan. I’ve listed them below in this order: English: kanji: hiragana or katakana: roma-ji. read more
