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July 17, 2012

MOTOism: White Peach FroYo (Food Allergy Edition)

by Moto Yamamoto

As I’ve written about in the past, I have developed an annoying food allergy. I’ve discovered that stone fruite are definitely not for me.  Not that I need to carry an epi-pen, or that my face breaks out, or my body is covered with hives — but it’s just uncomfortable, since my throat scratches so […]

July 13, 2012

The PDT Project: Apple Daiquiri

by Payman Bahmani

When it comes to knockoffs and variations, perhaps no cocktail has been the subject of more unflattering imitations than the classic Daiquiri. As with most cocktail crimes, the origins of these transgressions trace back to Prohibition, when an entire generation lacked access to quality alcohol, as well as to the talented barmen (and a few […]

July 11, 2012

Postcard from Rio de Janeiro: Coco from Ipanema

by Yoko Kumano

Coconut water alongside the Ipanema beach. Coconuts are cut in front of your eyes along the beaches of Rio for 3-4 reais ($2). The water is clear and has a tinge of saltiness to it.

July 9, 2012

Forest Feast: Postcard from New York

by Erin Gleeson

I just got back from the most lovely weekend in New York City. A dear friend from college is getting married this summer so we threw her a “Spice Shower” dinner party in our friend’s backyard in Brooklyn. It was a warm evening so we passed out fans (which we needed!!) and served summery drinks. […]

July 2, 2012

The Grand Foie Finale

by Kayoko Akabori

We said our tearful farewells to foie gras this weekend in California. This fucking blows. *Stewed daikon topped with foie gras and kaiware, in a soy-miso sauce. Kiraku. Berkeley, CA. 

June 25, 2012

Big News! Umami Mart Lands in Oakland

by Kayoko Akabori

I am ecstatic to announce that Yoko and I will be opening a real-deal brick and mortar store in Oakland, California!!! This all happened very quickly for us and these last few weeks have been filled with meetings, many trips to the hardware store, more meetings, and lots of painting. The construction will come soon […]

June 14, 2012

Super Faminto: Juicy Booty at Bibi Suco (RIO)

by Bryan Sanders

CH and I have relocated to Rio for work (and personal pursuits) and finally, we now live in the tropics. But this is not the Amazon, not even close. The Amazon rain forest is thousands of miles away. In this particular neighborhood in Rio, literally just outside our window, we have the largest urban tropical forest […]

June 13, 2012

Rice + Water: The Annual Sake Tasting Next Tuesday (NYC)

by Moto Yamamoto

Did you know sake officially became Japan’s national booze? It was announced in April I didn’t know there was such a thing as a “national liquor”, but I guess it’s similar to vodka for Russia, and whisky in the UK?, what’s for America? Budweiser? Anyhow, Japan Society’s annual sake tasting event is coming back next […]

June 12, 2012

Kinpou Sake from Fukushima

by UM Guest

By Shizuka Wakashita One day I had to run errands near a local wine shop and it suddenly occurred to me that maybe this shop has some jizake (sake produced by smaller breweries, or as with beer, “micro breweries”). If they are passionate about wines they must be for sake as well, at least to […]

June 8, 2012

The PDT Project: Airmail

by Payman Bahmani

Once you understand basic cocktail recipe structure (without going off on too deep a tangent, it boils down to two general categories: sours and aromatics, first outlined in detail in The Fine Art of Mixing Drinks by David Embury), you can take any classic cocktail and in the words of Mr. Embury, “roll your own.” […]