Sharing favorite finds from across the archipelago
Courtney cooks up a tasty shiso salad in this month's Washoku Wednesday column! Shiso, or perilla, is an herb that is often used in Japanese cuisine but isn’t well known in the western world. There are two varieties, green and (red) purple, but the uses are very different. Green is added to dishes, salads and more.... Continue Reading →
Food blogger Courtney has a great tutorial for us this week on a key ingredient in Japanese cuisine! EDIT: And an apology to both Courtney and all the UJ readers ... somehow, I thought TODAY was Wednesday. But hey - you get your food post a day early this month! 🙂 Again, I am amazed that... Continue Reading →
I've been known to make sushi at home on occasion but, given how affordable it is here in Japan, I've gotten too used to having others do all the work while I, ahem, eat the spoils. 🙂 But when a friend of mine arranged a group cooking class at Arigato Japan this past weekend, I... Continue Reading →
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 →
If you’ve visited Japan, you have more than likely run into Japanese mayonnaise. More specifically, Kewpie mayonnaise, as they have 70% of the market and is THE brand most people think of when looking for Japanese mayo. Kewpie is easily recognizable by the plain bottle with the red lid and packaging that includes a (slightly... Continue Reading →
(The entry by Courtney this week made me chuckle, as we are currently traveling to Tokyo with packets and packets of furikake in tow for my daughter's daily rice portions! She loves it ... now you can too!) I use to wonder how Japanese could just eat steamed rice …then I discovered furikake! Furikake to Japanese... Continue Reading →
I'm excited for this week's post by Courtney on edamame, as this is one food I consistently order out but never make in my own kitchen. I've got some good ideas now! This delicious treat is one of my absolute favorite appetizers in Japan! I love edamame and to be honest, no one does it... Continue Reading →
Courtney serves up some tofu this week, one of the staple's in my own household. Tofu, or bean curd, is made from soy. Soy milk is curdled and then pressed into blocks similar to how cheese is produced from cow’s milk. Originating in China, tofu arrived in Japan in the eighth century. Tofu can range... Continue Reading →
This week, Courtney cooks up one of my favorite vegetables in Japan! My first extended stay in Japan was when we moved to Iwakuni. I had gained some foodie education in Spain and was excited to explore the Japanese food culture in depth. Iwakuni was known for its renkon, or lotus root. In fact we... Continue Reading →
(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 →
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