Courtney serves up some dishes with mirin this week. Now I know how to use up the bottle I have in my kitchen! Mirin is a staple in most Japanese kitchens. It is a light yellow, low-alcohol rice wine that is used to sweeten dishes. Originally it was served as an alcoholic drink (contains approximately 14% alcohol),... Continue Reading →
Washoku Wednesday: Kabocha (Japanese Pumpkin)
(A fall-themed food post from Courtney, who recently left us here in the Land of the Rising Sun but hopefully won't be leaving the blog just yet!) Since my last blog post, I made the transition back to the States. It was definitely a bittersweet journey after several years overseas and four years in Japan.... Continue Reading →
Washoku Wednesday: Dashi (Japanese Broth)
Welcome to my newest series, Washoku Wednesday. Earlier this year, UNESCO awarded intangible cultural heritage status to washoku, traditional Japanese cuisine. I love Japanese food. I love to eat it, cook it, eat it, learn about it, eat it .... you get the picture. 🙂 But I don't feel I know as much as I should.... Continue Reading →
Experience: Soba Making (Nagano)
Soba (buckwheat noodles) is everywhere in Japan. If you've been here, you've probably had it at some point - in a sit-down restaurant, at a corner stand, or in a bento on the train. But making it? Not many people can claim to have done that. I was curious about the process behind one of my... Continue Reading →