Author Archives: Moto Yamamoto


January 18, 2010

Gramercy Tavern & Park Avenue Winter = Awesome Program at Japan Society (NYC)

by Moto Yamamoto

I’ve been putting together quite a few programs on food this season, and another GREAT one is coming up. Gramercy Tavern executive chef Mike Anthony, as well as Park Avenue Winter Craig Koketsu will be speaking about Japanese ingredients on Tuesday February 2. They are some of the hottest chefs (dot dot dot) in New […]

January 14, 2010

Packaging Whore: Fish in a (Cake) Box

by Moto Yamamoto

On New Year’s Eve in Japan, my mama came home with this box. This looks exactly like an Asian cake box, right? I thought, from the shape, this was probably a log cake or something. Very celebratory color and pattern on the box. Must be something for the new year, I thought. But something shiny […]

January 11, 2010

ReCPY: The Art of Osechi

by Moto Yamamoto

Osechi is traditional new year’s food, and one of the most significant meals of the year in Japan. Back in the old days, when women were supposed to serve the men in the family, the first three days of the new year was the only time they didn’t have to cook. Although Japanese men were […]

January 7, 2010

Osaka JUNKtion: Strawberry Purin, Yuck

by Moto Yamamoto

Happy New Year everyone! This year’s resolution for me is to try to post more since I’ve been pretty lazy for some time now. I went home last month, and found a couple of interesting items that hasn’t been posted by Yoko in Tokyo JUNKtion. 1.) Fanta World, BIG APPLE, Limited Edition. Fanta is widely […]

November 22, 2009

ReCPY: Japanese Chiffon Cheesecake (Holiday Matcha Edition)

by Moto Yamamoto

Remember my post about making a Japanese cheesecake? It’s a simple recipe, but very difficult to retain the fluffiness because of all the egg whites. Although it rises high during baking, but it shrinks down like an old person once you take it out of the oven. It’s like taking Viagra before baking: it performs […]

November 19, 2009

A Belly-Warming Food Event (NYC)

by Moto Yamamoto

Japanese Hot Pots to Warm Your SoulTuesday, December 8 @ 6:30 pmJapan Society (333 E. 47th St., NYC)In Japan, winter time dinner means nabe (hot pot). I already know you’re thinking right now, “Let’s do nabe tonight!” It’s such a heartwarming meal, and it’s almost necessary during the winter months in Japan since homes don’t […]

November 12, 2009

ReCPY: Pickle Pear Liqueur

by Moto Yamamoto

In August, I found these cute mini pears at the Green Market. I think they are called pickle pears. What do you do with “pickle” pears? Pickle them, right? Instead, I remembered Yoko’s post on homemade umeshu (plum wine), and decided to make homemade pear liqueur. The last time I was at Mitsuwa, they had […]

November 6, 2009

Gramercy Tavern Redux: How Celebrities Might Feel (NYC)

by Moto Yamamoto

As you might know, I don’t go out to to eat often because I cook so much at home. Usually I can’t justify spending $200 for something I could probably recreate for $45. I’ve been to Gramercy Tavern before, and had an ok time. But I felt like, $86 for this? Probably $36 is for […]

November 3, 2009

ReCPY: Baumkuchen Follies

by Moto Yamamoto

Sometimes store-bought trumps homemade. Mozzarella is definitely one. Peking duck is another. XLB, totally. You can make it all at home from scratch, which I’ve done, but it’s all readily available (especially in NYC), so why do I bother spending an entire day creating it? XLB at decent Chinese restaurants are not that expensive. The […]

September 17, 2009

ReCYP: Battaglia della Mozzarella (Mozzarella Battle), Part 2

by Moto Yamamoto

I actually made this a week after the first trial, hence my memory isn’t too clear. So after the first trial, from when I bought cheese curd at Arthur Avenue in the Bronx, I was determined to make the very best mozzarella. Unfortunately it’s very difficult to find curd in the city. Even a store […]