KASU-JIRU

KASU-JIRU

Salmon Saké Kasu Chowder 粕汁SAKÉ KASU-JIRU A belly-warming salmon and root vegetable chowder, shaké no kasu-jiru, is standard wintertime fare throughout Japan’s northeastern region, the Tohoku. Every household seems to have its own rendition, but with this master...
Japan’s Version of Valentine’s Day

Japan’s Version of Valentine’s Day

A sampling of Japan’s chocolates (clockwide from top right) chocolate covered yuzu peel, bonbons filled with various shochū spirits, bonbons filled with saké, matcha infused chocolate planks, white chocolate animal characters, a variety of elegant truffles. The...
SETSUBUN

SETSUBUN

FUKU wa UCHI                    ONI wa SOTO Bring in Good Fortune!       Throw out the ogres! 節分 Setsubun, a marker on the ancient, lunar-based koyomi calendar indicates the start of a new season; setsubun breaks occur many times during the year. Today in Japan the...
Otoshi-buta Dropped Lids

Otoshi-buta Dropped Lids

16th century scroll (Shuhanron Emaki) 酒飯論絵巻 落し蓋 Otoshi-Buta Dropped Lids Used in Japanese kitchens for centuries for preparing nimono (simmered dishes), otoshi-buta lids drop down to sit directly on the food, rather than on the rim of a pot. Fuel-efficient as they...
Rice Porridge with Seven Spring Herbs

Rice Porridge with Seven Spring Herbs

From left to right, the seven spring herbs are: SERI, NAZUNA, GOGYŌ, HAKOBERA, HOTOKÉNOZA, SUZUNA, SUZUSHIRO 七草粥 Nana Kusa Kayu Rice Porridge with Seven Spring Herbs More than a thousand years ago, the Japanese spoke of watari-dori (“migrating birds”)...