Cooking through my first year away from home When I moved from Japan to go to college in the U.S., I was excited to start my new adventure and to meet new people. Going to orientation and participating in events, somewhere I thought I would quickly find a group of friends and feel instantly at […]
Archives for June 2020
A Japanese Style of Snacking That Diverts Cravings for Oreos
Prevent mindless munching with sanji no oyatsu It seems that time at home has led to more people purchasing unhealthy processed foods: Mondelez, the maker of Oreos, announced that cookie and cracker sales shot up nearly 30% in the first quarter of 2020. And lots of people are concerned about the repercussions of easier access to a junk-stocked […]
Why I Love Cooking With Tofu
Illustrations by Kaki Okumura Tofu isn’t a meat replacement, even in this Japanese version of a burger I meet a lot of people who aren’t the biggest fans of tofu, even when they want to add it into their diet. Tofu is high in protein and low in calories and fat, and much more environmentally friendly […]
What Can the Rest of the World Learn from Japanese Food Culture?
Illustrations by Kaki Okumura Keep it simple and focus on quality The menu is a wooden board hanging out in front of the restaurant, with just three options scrawled in black marker: a) Seared tuna donburi b) Minced toro with grated yam donburi c) Grilled salmon teishoku As I stood there thinking about what I […]
When It’s Too Hot to Think About Dinner
Illustrations by Kaki Okumura Consider a soba salad with cucumber, carrots, hijiki, and greens It’s getting very hot and sunny in Tokyo, and my walks outside are beginning to feel like afternoons by the poolside. On days like this, I feel a bit drowsy, and thinking about dinner becomes a chore that my brain isn’t […]
What is the Most Consumed Vegetable in Japan?
Photo: Digipub/Moment/Getty Images It’s not what you might have guessed My dad brought up the question at the dinner table: “What do you think is the most consumed vegetable in Japan?” My sister chimed in: “Onions? Or potatoes maybe?” “I think it could be cabbage. They use them in salads all the time.” “Do soybeans […]