Lifestyle

THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Alternate sandwiches

Way back in the 18th century, John Montagu, the 4th Earl of Sandwich, supposedly had his valet place slices of salted beef between two slices of bread so his meal didn’t interrupt his regular marathon card games, thus creating the sandwich. Since then, many iconic variations of that Early (pun intended) sandwich have been created, […]

Ootoya’s Sweet and Sour Chicken (Tori Kurozu-An) 大戸屋鶏と野菜の黒酢あん

A copycat recipe of Tori Kurozu-An from Ootoya, this Japanese-style sweet and sour chicken uses black rice vinegar in the sauce to create a deep, malty savory flavor. Sweet and sour dishes from Chinese restaurants are really popular and my children love them whether they are made with chicken or pork. This sweet and sour […]

Nabeyaki Udon 鍋焼きうどん

Fight the cold days with this steamy nabeyaki udon served in a donabe. Topped with chicken, tenpura and heaps of vegetables in an umami dashi soup, this hot noodle soup will be your favorite kind of winter comfort food. Nabeyaki udon (鍋焼きうどん) is a hot udon noodle soup traditionally served in individual donabe (earthenware pot) […]

Shintaro Fujinami ready to get started in majors with A’s

OAKLAND, Calif. — In beautifully spoken English, Shintaro Fujinami formally introduced himself then asked that everyone simply call him “Fuji.” “Like Mt. Fuji,” he explained. And, nope, he’s never been. In Japan, he is more formal, going by Shintaro, but he figures this will make it easy on everybody as he embarks on his U.S. […]

THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Another bean binge

Yes, I’ve discussed the benefits of the humble legume on many occasions, but since I’ve retired from the day job and inflation still keeps most cuts of beef in the double digit per pound range and chicken well above $5 per pound, what better source of affordable protein is there? Not to mention that animal […]

Matcha Gateau au Chocolat 抹茶ガトーショコラ

This is a Japanese rendition of the classic French chocolate cake! Made with white chocolate and green tea, this Matcha Gateau au Chocolat is rich, moist and intensely flavorful. Warm it up slightly before you enjoy it — the melty texture is to die for! Are you a big fan of matcha desserts? If yes, […]

THE GOCHISO GOURMET: 20 years of talking story

Here in the 50th, when acquaintances engage in idle chit chat to pass the time, we call it “talk story.” It may be with a relative that you haven’t seen for a while at a family gathering, it may be with a friend on a weekend over a can or two of beer. Or it […]

Margueritte Aozasa makes history in UCLA Women’s soccer’s championship victory

For Margueritte Aozasa, the victory was “quite a comeback story.” On Dec. 5, Aozasa made history, becoming the first rookie head coach in NCAA women’s soccer history and the second Asian American head coach to win the national championship, according to an article from the UCLA Athletics department, as her University of California, Los Angeles […]

THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Wine country revisit

Our last trip seems like a lifetime ago, as it was well before anyone had heard of COVID-19 and just after the devastating Napa earthquake. Back in that lifetime, we frequented wine country at least every two to three years and spent our days popping into sequential wineries off either the Silverado Trail or the […]

Chikuzenni (nishime) – simmered chicken and vegetables 筑前煮

Chikuzenni (筑前煮) or nishime (煮しめ) is a classic Japanese dish often served on New Year’s Day. This dish is made of root vegetables and chicken that are simmered in dashi, soy sauce and mirin. My mom used to make it quite regularly because it was my family’s favorite type of simmered dish. This is also […]

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