It’s been hot in Berkeley lately and crunchy cucumbers have been a go-to for cooling down and feeling refreshed in my kitchen. Luckily, Japanese cucumbers are easy enough to get your hands on in these parts, but if you can’t find them where you live, you can use Persian cucumbers as a substitute. Persian cucumbers […]
Author Archives: Yoko Kumano
April 14, 2014
Japanify: Crunchy Daikon Salad
Warning: DO eat this at home before taking it out into the world! Weigh the social risks! You may momentarily lose some friends while eating this salad because the smell will clear the room. Trust me, I’ve tried it. Daikon is affordable and cooling when fresh and raw. The satisfying crunch coupled with the spicy […]
March 28, 2014
Niigata Noodle JUNKtion: Hegi Soba, Ramen + The Italian
Japan is noodle crazy. Each station in each town of each prefecture have their own noodle specialty. Being noodle fiends ourselves, Kayoko and I researched some of the regional noodles of Niigata prefecture before setting foot there last month. As soon as we arrived, we noticed a lot of ramen and soba. We wanted to […]
March 17, 2014
Tokyo JUNKtion: Hosomaki Diaries
Trends in roll combinations in the States are rapid, with so many joints coming up with their own “house” rolls. Conversely, the combinations of rolls or makimono are very constant in Japan. In this post, I am specifically referring to hosomaki (or thin rolls). There are the staples: kappa (cucumber), oshinko (pickled radish) and kanpyo (dried […]
February 24, 2014
Tokyo JUNKtion: Jicca
Whenever I visit Tokyo, I look forward to meeting newborns… especially when I’ve followed the progression of their parents. No, I’m not talking about newborn babies. I’m talking about new places to eat. On our first full night in Tokyo, Kayoko and I visited Jicca, our friend Tori-chan’s place. She opened Jicca last August in […]
February 7, 2014
Japanify: Salmon Avocado Donburi
Shopping for the freshest seafood just got easier with another fish market that opened in the People’s Republic of Berkeley. Fish is still my favorite thing to eat for dinner because it’s easy and so, so delicious. Grilled, simmered or baked, fish will let you do anything to it and it’ll adapt. But, by far, […]
January 17, 2014
Japanify: Take-It-Easy Takikomi
If there’s one thing 6 days in paradise (Kauai) reminded me about life, it’s that cooking rice on the stove top (and not in a rice cooker) is so easy! I used to do it all the time when I worked as a server at a restaurant called Konohana in Tokyo. That was the only […]
November 29, 2013
The Hopkins Buffet: Holiday Cooking 101: Make-Ahead Gravy
Did you run out of gravy this year? Do you dream about swimming in vats of gravy? I’ve answered “yes” to both of these questions on many occasions. It was my first Thanksgiving this year, in my new home and I vowed that at MY Thanksgiving dinner, the gravy would flow like the Trevi Fountain. […]
November 15, 2013
Japanify: Ponzu-Dashi Udon
Last Friday, Kayoko hosted a girl’s night at her house. While our other halves sulked around the house or went away for the weekend into the mountains, us girls gorged ourselves on beef, pork and chicken balls. It was also my birthday, so my sister surprised me with my first Baked Alaska. Cocktails, beef, ice […]
November 1, 2013
Japanify: Steamed Kabocha with a Protein Boost
The markets are exploding with pumpkins and other squash — which means, autumn is here! I always look forward to this time of year because I like bundling up, wearing my hair down and cozying up on the couch with all kinds of tea. My favorite squash to work with is kabocha. Its sweet flesh […]