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Read This Book: Japanese Kitchen Knives

Hey, I could have shown you a cover shot of Japanese Kitchen Knives, but I thought you'd rather see a photo of the craftsman who actually fashioned the very knife pictured on the book's jacket!

June 30, 2009

Our Hot Pot Book Has Published!

When you see a conga line waiting to sample some delicious hot pot it can only mean one thing: our book is out!

September 23, 2009

Serious Eats Reviews Our Book!

We were delighted to read that Serious Eats, one of our favorite food blogs in the universe reviewed our book! Here's some of what they said: "Japanese Hot Pots is full of beautiful photography...

October 7, 2009

Learn About Cookbook Writing at Free Hot Pot Book Event!

October 19, 2009

Our Grilling Book Has Published! (Plus Recipe!)

Just in time for grilling season, Tadashi and my newest cookbook is now available -- The Japanese Grill! Run, don't walk, to your local bookstore (brick or virtual) and pick up a copy; I guarantee you'll love it.

April 27, 2011

The Best Book on Japanese Food Culture

March 12, 2009

Read This Book: Asian Dumplings

Okay, I'm going to out myself here -- I'm totally "gyoza otaku," or obsessed with Japanese-style fried dumplings. I'm not alone. In Japan, gyoza is the classic companion to ramen (with a frosty mug of beer finishing the picture), with bespoke versions the subject of magazine articles and television shows and endless debate online.

October 20, 2009

Hot Pot Book in LA Times and Viet World Kitchen!

December 18, 2009

Hot Pot Book Countdown: The Videos

I thought you'd enjoy a sneak peak at the videos Tadashi Ono and I are putting together for the upcoming release of our Japanese Hot Pots cookbook.

August 23, 2009

Hot Pot Book in the New York Times

November 25, 2009

Kinokuniya Books, Manhattan

October 27, 2009

Steamed Chicken with Cucumber and Wakame

My new favorite cookbook is a Japanese-English paperback called (at least in English) "Traditional Japanese Recipe Book with English Translation." Not the most evocative title, for sure, but the book's packed with great recipes, techniques and useful information.

November 25, 2009

Beef & Potatoes -- Inspired by the Samurai

One of my favorite things to do in Japan is to browse the cookbook racks at a local bookstore. Unlike ours in America, most Japanese cookbooks resemble a cross between a magazine and book ("mook" as they're called). They're not dense tomes like American cookbooks...

October 20, 2011

Yukari Sakamoto's Tokyo Guide - And Her Summer Somen!

Chef, educator and food journalist Yukari Sakamoto has just published a new book: Food Sake Tokyo, a fabulous guide to the city's eats. Go Yukari!

August 24, 2010

"New York" Hot Pot

Tomatoes, garlic... hot pot? When the local Japanese-language newspaper in New York, Japion, contacted us about doing a story about our hot pot book, Tadashi got inspired to create a New York-style hot pot.

February 19, 2010

Elizabeth Andoh's "Kansha"

My friend and hero Elizabeth Andoh has just published her latest cookbook, Kansha. Make sure to pick up a copy! As I paged through the book, Elizabeth's recipe for age-dashi dofu, or crispy creamy tofu, as she describes it, caught my eye (p 178). I had to cook it, and it was delicious! Here's my adaption of her recipe, for 4 servings:

January 4, 2011

Cooking Miso Soup with Hiroko Shimbo

A few weeks ago I kicked off the Miso Soup Project, an occasional series about this versatile, healthy, elemental and, of course, supremely delicious Japanese dish. To learn more, I visited the remarkable Hiroko Shimbo, Japanese food authority and author of The Japanese Kitchen, The Sushi Experience, among other terrific books. Hiroko graciously invited me to her kitchen to teach me about miso soup, and show me how to cook three tasty versions. Here's our interview:

April 14, 2009

The Power of Goma-ae, or Sesame Dressing

Here's another dish from another one of my Japanese cookbooks, this one titled "Gentle Vegetables, Gentle Tableware." This book features gorgeous shots of foods arranged in simple yet rustic and breathtaking tableware. There are no recipes, per se, just a list of ingredients for each dish, and the author's thoughts on the cooking.

October 20, 2011

Chicken Mizutaki Hot Pot Video -- More Details

In this video we got explain more details about cooking one of our favorite hot pots, Chicken Mizutaki. Check it out -- technique we go over here apply to all the hot pots in our book!

September 21, 2009

Napa Cabbage-Spinach Rolls

On page 33 of the book we explain how to make napa cabbage-spinach rolls, which help your hot pot in two ways...

September 21, 2009

Grilling Videos: Steak, Scallops, Chicken and Veggies

Here are more videos Tadashi and I shot for last week's Japan Society presentation of our book, The Japanese Grill. Check out how to turn out amazing steaks, scallops, chicken, veggies, using marinades and rubs with garlic-soy sauce, miso, yuzu kosho, sansho and more... So don't delay: Fire up the Weber and get grilling right away!

June 21, 2011

kyushu style fried chicken

Takako Kuratani is a prodigious chef who designs menus for Japanese restaurants around the world, styles food for Japanese movies and TV commercials, develops recipes, teaches Japanese cuisine -- and never stops cooking and experimenting. I was fortunate to meet her last year at her test kitchen in Tokyo where she and her team treated me to a fantastic dinner. (Ah, the joys of writing... :)) Besides being incredibly talented, Takako is utterly gracious and kind, and thorough emails has been teaching me about Japanese ingredients and cooking. She just visited New York and one of the things she brought with her was a slender red notebook -- her own personal cookbook, where she records her recipes and cooking inspiration. While she was here, Takako planted herself in a kitchen, cracked opened that little red book and prepared a wonderful homey dinner for a bunch of friends. Her theme: the down-home cooking of Kyushu, Japan's own Deep South.

May 5, 2008

Miso Clams Over Rice, From "Dashi and Umami"

When I worked on a story on dashi last fall, I searched mightily for all the English-language information I could find on kombu and katsuobushi (dried kelp and dried, shaved bonito), the elements that make up a classic Japanese stock. I wish "Dashi and Umami" was available when I was writing my article.

March 13, 2009

"In Praise of Shadows"

March 12, 2009

Incredible Japanese Cookbook!

September 13, 2009

"The One-Straw Revolution"

October 7, 2009

Review -- Savory Sweet Life

November 8, 2009

Buy a Japanese Knife

While working at Matsuri, I heard of a traveling knife salesman from Japan who regularly visits restaurant kitchens across America. I asked Chef Ono if he could order a knife for me the next time this man showed up at the restaurant. That happened two months ago. The other week my blade arrived.

June 10, 2008

Sharpening Japanese Knives

I love working with Japanese kitchen blades. I've visited blacksmiths before and have written about them, and own several blades. Right now I'm in Tokyo for a few months apprenticing at several restaurants (more on that soon), and cutting every day for hours. Chefs here have been graciously instructing me on my technique.

May 3, 2009

Matsuri's New Hot Pot Menu!

October 16, 2009