Lifestyle

THE GOCHISO GOURMET: Barbecue time

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, […]

Anmitsu フルーツ白玉クリームあんみつ

Celebrate summer with this delightful Japanese dessert called anmitsu! It’s a Japanese wagashi dessert with kanten jelly, fruits, mochi, red bean paste, green tea ice cream and a good drizzle of sweet black sugar syrup. Anmitsu (あんみつ) is a summer dessert (but why don’t we enjoy it year-round?) made of small cubes of kanten jelly, sweet […]

Naomi Osaka, LeBron James team up for entertainment venture

LOS ANGELES — LeBron James and Naomi Osaka are becoming teammates in the entertainment world. Tennis star Osaka and her agent and business partner, Stuart Duguid, are forming a media company called Hana Kuma in partnership with The SpringHill Company, which was created by NBA star James and Maverick Carter. The June 21 announcement comes […]

Agedashi tofu (video) 揚げ出し豆腐

Agedashi tofu (揚げ出し豆腐) is soft tofu coated with potato starch and deep-fried so that the outer shell is crispy. It is typically served with grated daikon, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), scallion, and grated ginger on top. Then tsuyu (sauce) made of dashi, mirin and soy sauce is poured over the toppings and soaks the tofu to enhance […]

Ohtani powers Angels to victory on Nichi Bei Day

The Nichi Bei Foundation held its annual Nichi Bei Day with the Oakland A’s on May 15. The A’s hosted the Los Angeles Angels at the Oakland Coliseum, and the game featured the reigning American League MVP for the Angels, Shohei Ohtani. Ohtani has marveled fans as a two-way star in the Major Leagues as […]

THE GOCHISO GOURMET: The ABCs of alcohol

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. […]

Pan-fried ginger pork belly from ‘Kodoku no Gurume’ 豚バラ生姜焼き

Featured in the popular Japanese drama “Kodoku no Gurume,” this pan-fried ginger pork belly is cooked in a savory soy sauce base with a hint of sweetness and a touch of spicy ginger. It’s a quick meal that you can prepare in less than 20 minutes. After requests from many JOC readers, I started to […]

Nisei Mom repurposes with a purpose

Reducing, Reusing and Recycling are known as the “Three Rs” of the current-day “Going Green” movement. Add in “Repurposing” and you have my mom, Sadako Kashiwagi’s, “Four Rs.” She is 88 years young and still repurposing to this day. Except for mom, “Going Green” and the “Four Rs” are nothing new. For her and many […]

CHANGING LANDSCAPES: Water conservation with irrigation

As the water shortage issue worsens in California amid multi-year drought conditions driven by climate change, the state is exploring more ways to encourage water conservation. Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state legislature have invested $5.2 billion over three years “to support the immediate drought response and built water resilience,” his Website states. He signed […]

Instagram influencer Ran Nomura shares her ‘zero-waste’ tips

Prior to reading Bea Johnson’s “Zero Waste Home” book in 2016, Ran Nomura had never considered what happened to her trash once she discarded it. Since then, Nomura, who resides in Osaka, Japan, has made numerous lifestyle changes for the sake of the planet. Today, in addition to serving as the editor at the Life […]