The first few days of the new year in Japan, known as O-shogatsu, are a gourmet’s delight. In particular, the New Year’s Day banquet, or Osechi, traditionally enjoyed in every home features many special foods. It is truly my favorite holiday and one I look forward to every year. And let’s be honest, it isRead On >
Hoto: Udon Stew Recipe
A long and mysterious history lies behind hoto, an udon noodle-based stew from Yamanashi Prefecture, near Tokyo. It appears to be mentioned in the Pillow Book, a collection of essays of the Heian era (794-1185), but its precise origins are unknown. Many intriguing stories have grown up around it, however, all likely containing an elementRead On >
Japanese Recipes to Make This Fall
As the cooler fall months are right around the corner, now is the perfect time to cozy up to some traditional Japanese autumn dishes. These meals are hearty, delicious, and in many cases, healthy options as we wind down summer and enter the later part of the year. If you’re entertaining guests, tucking in forRead On >
Fresh Fusion Sashimi Salad for Summer
This simple yet delicious and easy main course salad is truly a mingling of Eastern and Western cuisines, a fusion of cultures and ingredients to create something new and exciting for your palate. The main ingredients –raw sashimi-grade fish and Japanese herbs – are unmistakably Japanese, but the presentation is a Western – style salad.Read On >
Japantown on Sawtelle in Los Angeles
Japantown on Sawtelle in Los Angeles is about as close to Japan as we’ve been able to get these last two years. As someone who considers Japan to be a second home, the inability to travel to Japan has been rough. One thing that helped (a little anyway…) is knowing I’m not alone in missingRead On >
Onigiri – Rice Balls Recipe
Onigiri (rice balls) also called omusubi is Japan’s brilliant, versatile and endlessly creative answer to savory sandwiches. It is completely portable and you can take onigiri to school excursions, exams, picnics…well just about anywhere. For an added treat, you can grill the onigiri, wrap in nori (seaweed) if desired and serve hot. Typical shapes ofRead On >
Unusual Edo Tastes: The use of Black Pepper and Garlic
Japan may have been cut off from the rest of civilization during the Edo period (1603-1867), they sure didn’t suffer when it came to food and had a surprisingly rich food culture. They had a vast and plentiful diet, that included many western imports. Over 300 cookbooks were written during the Edo Era. The followingRead On >
Inarizushi – Sushi Rice in Pouches of Deep-fried Tofu
Auspicious foods are a classic feature of Japanese festivals. At Hinamatsuri, also known as Girls’ Day Festival, on March 3, tradition dictates fare such as shirozake (white sake), arare (cubed rice crackers), and inarizushi (sushi rice in pouches of deep-fried tofu). The Fox’s Favorite – A POCKETFUL OF RICE The word inari originally meant aRead On >
Oyster Riverbank Stew with Miso
Oyster Riverbank Stew – otherwise known as Kaki no Dote Nabe – is one of my favorite nabemono dishes. This stew uses both red and white miso as a powerful, pungent, decadent and seductive flavoring agent. The name riverbank probably refers to the bank of miso on the inside of the pot. There is anRead On >
Japanese Fusion Pickled Veggies
Who doesn’t love a good pickled veggie topper? There was an incredible burger joint just down the street from where I grew up in LA called Fusion Burger. This place had some of the best food I’ve ever eaten. Aside from the amazing burgers, the real winner and the dark horse, in my opinion, wasRead On >