Umami Mart

Myoga madness continues as I experiment with the harvest from my sister’s myoga plant. Last week, I topped raw myoga on tofu. This week, I make a stir fry with myoga and slices of pork shoulder. I am very inexperienced with cooking mammal meat and quite intimidated when it comes to preparing chunks of it. […]

The Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashana starts today which marks the beginning of the New Year on the Jewish calendar. To sweeten the New Year it is traditional to eat apples and honey and round foods which signify the annual cycle. To kick off the High Holidays, we have a couple of big meals with friends […]

A simple blend of Byrrh (a fortified aromatized wine similar to a sweet vermouth with quinine), Crème de Cassis (a black currant liqueur), and soda water, the Byrrh Cassis was among a number of light aperitif style cocktails that were in vogue in Europe during the early 20th century, especially during the spring and summer […]

My sister has a giant myoga plant that is thriving in a shady spot by her chicken coup coop. Powerful myoga buds started busting through the styrofoam container walls a few weeks ago. The plant was inherited from someone who could not contain their myoga and had to give away large patches to get their […]

This pesto uses scallions (aka green onions) instead of basil. Cooking them just a bit before you process them takes the onion-y edge off and adds flavor. I spread the pesto on toasted bread to make little crostini, but you can also toss it in pasta with roasted vegetables. Bon Appetit! All photos and illustration […]

After a long hard day of work, sometimes all you want is a beer and a smoke. Unfortunately it’s no longer possible to enjoy those two pleasures simultaneously if you’re in a bar (at least in most American cities), so Jim Meehan of PDT devised a clever way of joining them together in a drink […]

I’ve been really into harusame (bean thread noodles) ever since my grandma sent me home with some two years ago. With a quick soak in some warm water, these noodles are ready to be fried or boiled, depending on what kind of texture you are in the mood for. Since opening Umami Mart, Kayoko and […]

The heirlooms that are coming in our CSA box right now are so flavorful! Green, orange, red! I sliced them up and laid them in a cheesy parmesan quiche for a light dinner with salad. It is so easy to make, with minimal prep. I bought a roll of pre-made pie crust, but you could […]

Although summer doesn’t technically end until the autumn equinox on September 21, New Yorkers generally regard Labor Day as the unofficial end of summer. This week’s cocktail, the Beachbum, is thus quite appropriate because I can’t think of a better way to bid adieu to beach season than with this tikified tipple. John Deragon, who […]

At Japanese restaurants, sushi is usually served alongside with gari (pickled ginger). Why? It’s a nice way to cleanse your palate so that you can enjoy each piece of fish, without mixing the flavors in your mouth. These pickled gingers are widely available at Asian grocery stores, but if you have a couple of hours […]