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Vegetarian Ground “Meat”

A growing number of people are adopting a vegetarian or vegan diet because of the health and environmental benefits that go along with them. As the number of non-meat eaters rise, the processed food industry has been quick to adapt their products and create new brands to cater to this burgeoning multi-billion dollar market. But [...]

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Kimchi

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While most people picture a vermilion hue and fiery heat when the word “kimchi” is thrown out, did you know that kimchi used to be “white” before chili peppers were introduced to Asia from the New World by the Portuguese in the 1600th century? Making kimchi was historically a way for people to preserve vegetables [...]

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Oyakodon

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Oyako donburi (親子丼), which literally means “parent child bowl” is a popular chicken and egg rice bowl in Japan. It’s a simple one bowl meal with flavorful chunks of chicken wrapped in a custardy blanket of eggs, all seasoned with a mild dashi broth that tickles down onto the steamy bed of rice below. At [...]

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Miso Glazed Cod

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Popularized by Nobu Matsuhisa in his eponymous restaurant, Black Cod with Miso has become an instant classic associated with Japanese food. The irony is that black cod (or more accurately Sablefish), is not native to the waters around Japan and is imported from the US and Canada. In Japanese cuisine, “gindara” (銀鱈) or silver cod, [...]

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Preserved Lemons

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As far as citrus is concerned, Meyer Lemons are at the top of my list of favorites. Unfortunately due to a short shelf-life and thin, easily damaged skin, it’s rare to find them outside areas where they are grown; and yet there they were, nestled between the apples and oranges, a bin full of plump [...]

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Tonjiru

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While most of the world knows Japan for only one soup, there’s more to the Japanese soup repertoire than miso soup. Tonjiru (豚汁), which is also sometimes called Butajiru, literally means “pork soup” and is a mainstay at the dinner table during the frigid months of winter. To make the preparation fast, the pork is [...]

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Perfect Boiled Eggs

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Boiling eggs may sound like the simplest thing you could possibly cook, but if you’ve ever boiled an egg you’ve probably run into problems at one time or another. The challenges with boiling an egg generally fall into two categories: cooking the egg, and peeling the egg. Despite following a set of directions precisely you [...]

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Oatmeal Fried Bananas

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If you’re ever tempted to leave your day job by the promise of a leisurely food blogger lifestyle, filled with good food, exotic travels, and time to pursue your culinary passion, go stand in front of a mirror, smack yourself a few times, and pour a pitcher of water over your head. As with most [...]

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