Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook By Nancy Singleton Hachisu (New York: Phaidon, 2023, 368 pp, $54.95, hard cover) Nancy Singleton Hachisu is back with a vegetarian companion to her first book, “Japan: the Cookbook,” and it does not disappoint. Once again, Hachisu’s sheer volume of recipes in “Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook” will give readers an astounding […]
Up your noodle game
July 20, 2023 by Leave a Comment
The Ultimate Japanese Noodles Cookbook By Masahiro Kasahara (North Clarendon, Vt.: Tuttle Publishing, 2022, 96 pp., $15.99, hard cover) When people think about Japanese noodles, they will likely be thinking of ramen, udon or soba, served in a hot broth. Through “The Ultimate Japanese Noodles Cookbook,” Masahiro Kasahara extends far beyond your traditional bowl of […]
Pass the pickles
July 20, 2023 by Leave a Comment
Cooking with Japanese Pickles: 97 Quick, Classic and Seasonal Recipes By Takako Yokoyama (North Clarendon, Vt.: Tuttle Publishing, 2022, 112 pp., $17.99, hard cover) Japanese pickles go far beyond the common yellow takuan, classic umeboshi you know about. Takayo Yokoyama is a pickling master who, through “Cooking with Japanese Pickles,” shares 97 recipes that range […]
Fast and tasty eats
July 20, 2023 by Leave a Comment
RecipeTin Eats Dinner By Nagi Maehashi (Woodstock, VT: Countryman Press, 2023, 376 pp., $35, hard cover) Nagi Maehashi is the creator of RecipeTin Eats, a Website that took off internationally with its emphasis on fast, tasty recipes that still uses fresh or whole ingredients. With her giant golden retriever Dozer by her side, Maehashi brings […]
More than miso soup
July 21, 2022 by Leave a Comment
JAPANESE SOUPS: 66 NOURISHING BROTHS, STEWS AND HOTPOTS By Keiko Iwasaki (North Clarendon, Vt.: Tuttle Publishing, 2021, 128 pp., $16.99, hard cover) When asked to name or identify a Japanese soup, you’ll probably think of miso, but can you think of many more? In her book, “Japanese Soups,” Keiko Iwasaki shares 66 different soups, all […]
Bento-making 101
July 21, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Ultimate Bento: Healthy, Delicious and Affordable 85 Mix-and-Match Bento Box Recipes By Marc Matsumoto and Maki Ogawa (North Clarendon, Vt: Tuttle Publishing, 2020, 168 pp., $19.99, hard cover) As a mother who currently has to make lunch five days a week for a child, I saw the cover of this book and was immediately ready […]
An extensive and accessible approach to Japanese food
July 21, 2022 by Leave a Comment
Japan: The Cookbook By Nancy Singleton Hachisu (London and New York: Phaidon, 2019, 464 pp., $49.95, hard cover) The first thing you will note about this cookbook is its sheer size. The recipes Nancy Singleton Hachisu has compiled through her time in Japan spans regions, time periods and occasions, and is extensive. This cookbook includes […]
Japanese American cookbooks as primary sources
November 19, 2020 by Leave a Comment
I received my first cookbook from my Sansei mentor. “Asian Cookbook” had a sumi-e painting of winter matsutake (pine mushroom) and ripe fuyu persimmons on its cover, a chunky plastic comb binding, and ran an astonishing 429 pages. It was sold as a fundraiser for the Japanese American Services of the East Bay sometime in […]
‘Finding wellness in one’s roots’
January 1, 2019 by Leave a Comment
Kintsugi Wellness: The Japanese Art of Nourishing Mind, Body, and Spirit By Candice Kumai (New York: Harper Wave, 2018, 336 pp., $29.99 hardcover) Candice Kumai is a well known wellness writer, chef, and content creator who has written a book that is a mixture of memoir, self-help and cookbook. Her recognized contributions to national wellness […]
A plant lover’s delight
July 19, 2018 by Leave a Comment
THE BERKELEY BOWL COOKBOOK: RECIPES INSPIRED BY THE EXTRAORDINARY PRODUCE OF CALIFORNIA’S MOST ICONIC MARKET By Laura McLively (Berkeley, Calif.: Parallax Press, 2018, 216 pp., $34.95, hardcover) It all started with an African horned melon. This peculiar orange fruit captured the interest of Laura McLively during a shopping trip to Berkeley Bowl, the revered East […]
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