Now that the mercury is definitely on the rise in the midst of summer, when full bodied red wines and dark whiskies are a little too hot for the palate and turning on the oven or stovetop simply magnifies the unbearable heat, it’s time for some chillin’ to counteract the heat. Did someone say chilled […]
Gochiso Gourmet
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Barbecue time
July 21, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Just the word barbecue takes on different meanings, depending on where in the country you reside. In the South, barbecue usually means low and slow cooking at somewhere between 225 to 275 degrees over charcoal. In the Carolinas, it primarily means hog, whereas it’s only beef in Texas. And even in the hog centric regions, […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Me so in love with everything soy
June 23, 2022 by Leave a Comment
As we’re approaching that time of year when the Nichi Bei Foundation hosts the annual Northern California Soy & Tofu Festival — this year it’s an in-person event at the San Francisco Japantown Peace Plaza, July 2 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. — it’s time to discuss all things soy. Well, over the past […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: The ABCs of alcohol
May 26, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Since my cocktail videos are appearing in the monthly “Nichi Bei Café” segments on YouTube, I thought this might be a good opportunity to rehash things I may have discussed in the past, as these cocktail videos typically run no more than five minutes, not nearly enough time to discuss individual liquors on their own. […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Portable food
April 28, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Although I technically now have all the time in the world since leaving the productive workforce, it seems that sometimes I’m still pressed for time. Maybe it’s because I have stepped up my exercise regimen from one hour of cardio on my bike once a week to three times a week, as well as finally […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Waste not, want not
March 31, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Earlier this year, I decided to make that move to the next chapter in life, namely I retired. Though I’m eligible to make withdrawals to my retirement savings accounts, I decided to hold off until Ms. S also retires, as most of our retirement savings are in standard retirement accounts that are fully taxable once […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Layered and baked goodness
February 17, 2022 by Leave a Comment
I’m sure everyone has sampled that classic dish that layers flat sheets of pasta with a meat-laden tomato-based sauce interspersed with ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheese that’s then topped with more cheese and baked until bubbly and golden. Yes, I’m referring to lasagna. It was first mentioned in a poem in Italy in the 13th […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Liquid soybeans
January 20, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Though I reach for that penguin shaped bottle with the almost black liquid on a regular basis, I never really looked into the origin of shoyu … until now. In the 50th, especially in the Tatsumoto household, the only shoyu on the table was Aloha Shoyu. No Kikkoman or other shoyu that was created in […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: The seafood of Oshogatsu
January 1, 2022 by Leave a Comment
I grew up with a mixture of Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year) traditions in the 1960s and 1970s. But for the most part, I didn’t know the significance of these traditions. Though Ojiichan (Grandpa) was Issei from Hiroshima, his only tradition was serving scalding sake from Mom’s gold anodized tea kettle just past midnight, as it […]
THE GOCHISO GOURMET: It’s that time again
November 25, 2021 by Leave a Comment
You know that right after those Halloween pumpkins appear, it won’t be long until those Hallmark specials seem to be playing on every cable station and garland and boughs are adorning every shop window. And while the release of three effective vaccinations since last Christmas has put a little hope in peoples? hearts early this […]
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