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October 29, 2009

Postcards from Japan, IV: Yoko’s Kitchen

by Kayoko Akabori

Yoko has since moved out of her little studio in Shimokitazawa, but I remember taking this picture cause her stovetop cracked me up. ONE BURNER!!! I mean, really, why would anyone need more than that, right? Pretty inconceivable for Americans. Where would Hideko’s precious coffee machine go? This here picture captures the entire width of […]

October 26, 2009

Gadget Patrol: Hario Drip Coffee Pot

by Kayoko Akabori

The day has come: my mother’s horrible ABOMINATION of a coffee maker has finally broken down. YESSS! It shut down on her the other morning, which finally gave me a chance to break out the cute little Hario drip coffee maker that I bought in Japan last year. (I still perceive myself as a house […]

October 22, 2009

The Umami Reader, vol. 72

by Kayoko Akabori

– Organic food fraud at Target: basically sums up why I loathe corporate/USDA-summoned “organic”, it’s all such a farce. Don’t even get me started on Whole Foods. Ugh. Get your lazyass to the farmer’s market! (Huffington Post; via Tmonkey) – Probably the funniest review I’ve read on the KFC Double Down sandwich. “Like grief, the […]

October 20, 2009

Succotash in the Sukkah

by Erin Gleeson

Sukkot is my new favorite holiday. During this week-long Jewish harvest holiday we built a sukkah in our backyard in Brooklyn and invited friends over to eat in it with us nearly every night. We decorated the sukkah with gords and pumpkins and dried corn. According to tradition, the sukkah had 3 walls and a […]

October 19, 2009

Postcards from Japan, II: 8 Steps to Soba Heaven

by Kayoko Akabori

1.) Chopsticks holder-thingy. 2.) Chopsticks to lay on #1. 3.) Cup for soba broth. 4.) Little container of housemade broth, to pour into #3. 5.) Dish of green onions and wasabi. To be added to #3 (only after #4 is poured in). 6.) Pink salt for Exhibit 7. 7.) Maitake tempura. How autumnal! To be […]

WHO IS IT VERSUS?: Hong Kong Noodle vs. Village Wok (Minneapolis)

by Kayoko Akabori

So I’m back in the metropolitan New York area from my travels in the Midwest, where I had a little too much time to nosh. Along the street I lived on were several Chinese food joints which tempted me in the times I’m not already eating banh mi. I decided to visit, er, frequent some […]

October 16, 2009

Postcards from Japan, I: Pon de Ring Donut

by Kayoko Akabori

I have been going through my hard drive and am finding a shitton of Japan Food pics from my visit last year that I never shared with you. My one-year anniversary of leaving NYC is fast approaching- I left on November 3 and went straight to Japan for nearly the entire month, remember? It’s all […]

October 12, 2009

Butternut Squash Seed Selector

by Kayoko Akabori

Strolling through the farmer’s market the other morning, I finally felt that autumn is here. The colors of all the fruits and vegetables are earthier; all the greens and orange hues, bolder. It’s my favorite time of year- break out the hats and scarves, yay! I started going through the butternut squash at one of […]

October 5, 2009

The Umami Reader, vol. 071: Paystyle, Tyra, Gourmet Mag RIP

by Kayoko Akabori

– UM’s resident cocktail master Paystyle shakes it up with Rachel Maddow for a Scotch-Off. Congratulations Pay!!!! Homeboy looks so dapper with a beard! (Gothamist) – (heart)BREAKING: Condé Nast gives Gourmet Mag the axe. TRAGEDY (NYT Diner’s Journal; via Amy T.) – Eater offers a whopping $25 for food blogs across America to shut their […]

Bun Mi Should BAN ME (Minneapolis)

by Kayoko Akabori

Okay, I am suddenly obsessed with the goodness that is banh mi. I always read about it, seen the standard food porn, and it seemed like a good concept until I actually tried it and IT BLEW MY MIND. I have become an utter addict, similar to the Chipotle obsession my sister had when she […]