New Beginings

Apr 17, 2025 | Kitchen Culture

In Japan, April is the time for new beginnings — the start of a new school year, a new fiscal year, and changes to many established programs on TV, radio and other media outlets. In tune with this custom, I’ve made some changes at A Taste of Culture this month.

I have launched Kitchen PROJECTS, an opportunity for everyone to explore and practice Japan’s kitchen wisdom in their own kitchens. The projects are self-paced and can be started (or paused) at any point.

Each time you access the Kitchen PROJECTS page six projects will be displayed at random in a rotating slider. Click on what captures your interest. Or, in you prefer, scroll through the entire list (there are of dozens of projects to choose from) and select what appeals to you.

Other changes: 

  • Although I will continue to post to Elizabeth Andoh’s Taste of Culture Facebook page, I will be closing Kitchen Culture Cooking Club on Facebook. I launched this free, interactive experience under the name “Tsudoi” during the pandemic, shifting to KCCC in 2022. I thank everyone who patiently journeyed with me through those transitions.
  • I have started posting to Instagram; please follow me there.
  • I have closed my Twitter/X account.

HUNGRY to learn about Japan's food & culture?

Wondering what to make for dinner tonight? Browse through Kitchen PROJECTS to find inspiration and instruction in making Japanese food in YOUR kitchen.

You can also discover delicious options by navigating through the search function either by month (going back as far as June 2019), or by category (there are a dozen options from Spring, Summer, Winter, Autumn to Tabletop and Kitchen Culture and more).

Read my April, 2025 newsletter about New Beginnings.

Celebrating Sakura

Celebrating Sakura

The Japanese take great pleasure in celebrating the seasons and SAKURA (cherry blossoms) are emblematic of spring. From the time buds (tsubomi 蕾) first appear to the official pronouncement of blooming (kaika 開花) it is often less than a week. And from there to...

PROJECT Temari Sushi

PROJECT Temari Sushi

This KITCHEN PROJECT  features temari-zushi, bite-sized spheres of tart rice topped with various ingredients. HINA MATSURI is celebrated on March 3 and during the weeks leading up to it, and for several weeks thereafter, scattered chirashi-zushi and/or temari-zushi ...

Cooking Cloth

Cooking Cloth

Cloth is the work horse, and often unsung hero, of the kitchen. In the Japanese kitchen, cloth enables the cook to perform a wide range of tasks such as lining steamers, draining and straining, enveloping, and shaping.Cloths known as fukashi nuno 蒸し布 are used to line...

PROJECT Bean-Throwing for Setsubun

PROJECT Bean-Throwing for Setsubun

Mamé maki (bean-throwing for Setsubun) tosses ogres outside (with dried beans) and brings good fortune inside (with dried beans). Fuku mamé (dry-roasted “good luck” soybeans) can be black or white (beige, really). FUKU wa UCHI                    ONI wa SOTO Bring in...

Recent Posts & Projects