After four years in Tokyo, Yoko relocated to the Bay Area. She loves dips, dashi, and deals.
Japanify
February 17, 2011
Japanify: Tsukudani (Condiment Crack)
Mottainai is said in Japan when something perfectly usable is abandoned or sent to the trashcan. In the past ten years, Japan has seen a trend in awareness regarding waste and reusing whenever possible. It’s ironic that this has become a trend because the idea of reuse goes way back and is intrinsic to Japanese […]
February 10, 2011
Japanify: Kinpira Gobo (Sautéed Burdock Root)
Living in Tokyo meant that I had very little access to cereals, orange juice with lots of pulp, fig bars and other high fiber food stuffs that are so ubiquitous in the U.S. I always considered myself to have a very “normal” digestive system and never felt I needed extra help to move things along. […]
February 3, 2011
Japanify: Tokutei Meishoshu (Premium Sake)
I am excited to continue with Part Two of my sake series this week on Japanify. In my first post titled Futsushu vs. Tokutei Meishoshu, I described the difference between ordinary and premium sakes. We are now ready to define the different types of tokutei meishoshu (premium sake)–there are six types in all that each […]
January 27, 2011
Japanify: Futsushu vs. Tokutei Meishoshu (Ordinary vs. Premium Sake)
I had many opportunities during my first six months living in Japan to get really unpleasant hangovers from sake. This was mainly because I was living off a wage that made me think “Did I miss my stop and end up in China?” while drinking a lot of cheap sake. Nevertheless, the job was awesome–I […]
January 20, 2011
Japanify Ingredients: Homemade Kewpie Mayonnaise
When I was five, my family moved from the heart of the Silicon Valley (Cupertino) to the heart of Tokyo (Aoyama). Although it probably would have been a dream for trendy tots and tweens like Suri or Tavi, I was a tomboy who liked my suburban swing set in Cupertino and despised the high-rise buildings […]
January 6, 2011
Japanify: Japanese Eggplant and Chicken Simmered in Miso
When I crave comfort food, this is my go-to dish. It’s quick, easy and cheap. The key to a successful miso-eggplant dish is fresh eggplants. The vibrant purple color of Japanese eggplant contrasts well with the redness of the miso. The dish is sweet thanks to the miso and sugar so it will satisfy an […]
December 30, 2010
Japanify: Matsutake (Pine Mushrooms)
Matsutake are to Japan as truffles are to France. They are hard-to-find, fragrant, expensive and coveted. “Matsu” means pine and “take” means mushroom. Matsutake are harvested in the fall, the earliest occurring in September from pine forests in diverse locations around the world including Korea, China, British Columbia, Morocco, Sweden, California and Japan. The matsutake […]
December 23, 2010
Japanify: Tamari Popcorn
A trip to Brattleboro, Vermont was just what I needed this winter… it provided a little R&R and an idea that was perfect for Japanify. Brattleboro put on quite a show for this Californian. It snowed just enough make the dwellings around town look like gingerbread dusted with powdered sugar, but not enough to soak […]
December 9, 2010
Japanify: Foraging for Ginnan (Ginkgo Nuts)
You’ve smelled them in or around your neighborhood. They turn bright yellow in November and December and are usually clustered in groups along streets or in parks. They are ginkgo trees. Ginkgo trees put on quite a show, but they can be an assault on the olfactory receptors. It wasn’t until Thanksgiving weekend that I […]
December 2, 2010
Japanify: Kaki and Arugula Salad with Rice Vinegar Dressing
One thing California and Japan have in common is the abundance of bright orange Fuyu persimmons when November hits. Persimmon or kaki, in Japanese, are best eaten uncooked and must be peeled. The most common way to eat them in Japan is for dessert, perhaps alongside a branch of a few very plump kyoho grapes. […]