Article

September 11, 2008

Shiso Juice: A Healthy Mixer for Unhealthy Boozing

by Moto Yamamoto

Shiso, as you might know, comes with your sashimi dish at any Japanese restaurant. It is usually green, and looks as if they are recycled since no one eats them. I like them wrapped in a piece of sashimi since it absorbs fishy-ness from fish. People call it “Japanese basil” or perilla. There is also […]

September 10, 2008

Botanica: A Dapper Cocktail in Red Hook (NYC)

by Kayoko Akabori

Zipped into Red Hook last weekend with Matt, Sepi and Amira for a little Fairway getaway. We stopped into a chic new bar, Botanica, which opened just a month or so ago. The day has finally arrived when you can get a fancy cocktail in Red Hook- there’s no turning back now! (Red Hook is […]

September 9, 2008

Taco… Rice!?!?!!

by Kayoko Akabori

After Yoko’s post this weekend about taco ricing in Okinawa, I was super intrigued. Have you ever heard of such a thing??? As Yoko mentioned, taco rice origins lie in Okinawa, and is a product of the US occupation of the island. More about taco rice on Wiki– it’s fascinating. Leave it up to the […]

September 8, 2008

Coffee Snobbery: The French Press

by Kayoko Akabori

A few weeks ago, Amy and I were eating pizza and discussing how exactly to best brew coffee from a French press. I’ve been using a French press for a few years now (initially cause I don’t have counter space for my drip machine), but have never been tutored on how to properly make coffee […]

September 5, 2008

Dream Shop TOMURU (Ishigaki)

by Yoko Kumano

I would like to go by the 1992 Vanessa Williams’ hit “Save the Best for Last” regarding my reviews for the various eats I experienced during my 5-day trip to Ishigakijima (Okinawa). Ishigakijima is the most beautiful place I have ever been to. It was the ideal vacation spot to chill out and enjoy a […]

August 30, 2008

The Umami Reader, vol.030

by Kayoko Akabori

Cupcakes 2.0: the new generation (via Hamamama, NY Post) Umami in the news- check out this commercial! (via Merriberry, Youtube) Which reminds me of the Kikkoman soy sauce commercial from a few years ago which is friggin hilarious- SHOW ME, SHOYU! *What did I miss? Email what you’re skimming these days to umamimart@gmail.com

August 23, 2008

The Umami Reader, vol. 029

by Kayoko Akabori

Foraging for food in the Finger Lakes and beyond: “Just drive until you see the lake.” (via Christy, NYTimes) A wonderfully nasty Domino’s commercial on the (non)limits of what humans will eat: “The plan is to just top the pizza with actual garbage.” (via Amy Ann, Milk and Cookies) *What did I miss? Email what […]

August 16, 2008

The Umami Reader, vol.028

by Kayoko Akabori

Top 3 Reads of the Week: Nattophiles speak up: what Michael Pollan really needs to write about next (via Fuminatto, Chowhound) Top 15 of the nastiest, bizarrest, most fucked up places to get your meal on: eat inside a coffin, slice into an edible woman’s body, get waited on by a staff of “hobbits”, munch […]

August 9, 2008

The Umami Reader, vol. 027

by Kayoko Akabori

Top 3 reads: “No beer, no civilization”: how alcohol has saved lives over centuries (via Paystyle, Real Clear Politics) A fantastic 3-part video about the extensive menu collection at the NY Public Library (via Jud-san, Chow) A Swiss gourmand on a culinary world tour goes missing after his meal at El Bulli (via Tmonkey, Reuters) […]

August 6, 2008

The Mentai Mash

by Yoko Kumano

I adapted this recipe from a mag I was thumbing through. The original recipe tells you to serve cold and in thin strips, like say if you were to make strips with a potato peeler. I just turned it into mashed potatoes because I can’t resist the smoothness of mash. I often come across mentaiko […]