When Old Man Winter's icy digit stops mercury from rising, I am reminded of a traveler I met in Argentina, a Canadian middle-school teacher who once ran sled dogs. It was so cold in Saskatchewan that when he and the dogs returned to their cabin...
INGREDIENTS 1 kampachi kama (or any other desired fish collar like yellowtail, red snapper, or salmon) make sure to clean it thoroughly for scales and grit, it is not pleasant to eat 1 bunch komatsuna (or spinich) 5 small matsutake mushrooms (or any other mushroom...
INGREDIENTS Serves 2 1 small chicken breast, cut into small cubes 10 green beans, diced small 1/4 medium yellow onion, diced small 1/2 cup kimchi, diced medium 4 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 fresno chili or jalapeño, diced extra small 3 eggs, whisked...
In life, I'm all about making mistakes. The important thing is to just try everything! I was always the person to ask all the stupid questions in class; I've never had much of a fear of failure or looking dumb in public....
I don't know what's going on in your neck of the woods, but what is going on with the weather in the Bay Area?!?!? We are experiencing really schizophrenic weather patterns -- it will go from warm to cold in an instant. Take today, Tuesday...
The early 90s... I was distancing myself from my Sandylion stickers while making multiple trips to the Wherehouse to make sure that I got tickets to see Radiohead at the Edge in Palo Alto. It was a confusing time, but it shaped me. Foodwise,...
INGREDIENTS 1 pound Manila clams (I used fresh ones from the Farmer's Market) 1/4 yellow onion, diced small 2 Santa Fe peppers or jalepenos, de-seeded, diced small 2 stalks of lemongrass, cut bottom part off, diced small 1 cup white wine...
Mytilus edulis, also known as the common mussel, is a medium-sized edible “marine bivalve mollusc” in the family Mytilidae, or simply, mussels. I sure most of you have had Moules-frites when in France, but the dish is actually from Belgium, and dates back as far as...
4 mini pork sausage links (Satokun sausage from Mitsuwa or Nijiya) 1/2 avocado (sliced thin) 3 shiso leaves 1 heirloom tomato (small and thick slices) 1/2 pack bunshimeji mushroom (sautéed and seasoned with salt) 3 tbsp chili aioli (mayo, siriacha and sesame oil)...
One of my favorite things to find at the fish counter is sujiko (fish roe). Its appearance is fleeting so I end up getting pounds of it to take advantage of the situation. I swear I could never get bored of ikura....
Last night Johnny and I had plans to watch the season-premiere-of-the-same-season of Breaking Bad. It was a few nights delayed but I had been looking forward to it nonetheless. For this, I wanted to make a nice-ish dinner without slaving over...
I am really into pulverizing food lately. In addition to my daily dose of fruit smoothie in the morning, I've also been experimenting with finely chopped foods. Chopping things can only be a pleasure if you have a really sharp knife, which is why I've been...
During midsummer, tradition is to have unagi (freshwater eel) on specific days. The days are called doyou no ushinohi (土用の丑の日) to provide a nutritional treat, as well as to help survive the hot season. Unagi carries a lot of "stamina" nutrition, such as vitamins A and B-complex. The...
Heat saute pan with olive oil, add napa cabbage, sauté for 30 seconds. Add mentaiko (spicy cod roe), chili flakes, and half of the shirasu (baby anchovies). Once slightly cooked, add pasta, stir and plate. Garnish with microgreens, shirasu, mentaiko and...
The Japanese dish hambagu derives from the Hamburg steak. Hamburg steak is the patty of a hamburger. Hamburg Steak were usually served with a side of potatoes in Germany. The Americans put the Hamburg steak in bread -- hence the hamburger. The Japanese appropriated the...
I have memories of gyoza from when I was in kindergarten. My grandma would invite my mom and aunts to her house -- and they would wrap dumplings all day. My cousins and I would run around, play in the pool and take Oreo and...
By Haan Ridell Hi I'm Haan. I'm Swedish but live in Copenhagen, and I fly around the world for a living. Very lucky me, since I get to learn about new cultures -- and what better way to learn, then to eat? I dash off...
Duck has always been a bird I've been meaning to explore. Its rich, luscious fat always makes me feel like I'm indulging in something reserved for a special occasion. I always dream about the duck fat potato chips that Hopscotch in Oakland fries up...
Ebi Chili is the best example of a dish that has been Japanified. It was originally created in the 1950s by a Chinese immigrant in Japan, taking cues from Sichuan-style cooking. It's a shrimp dish that has a little spice and a little sweetness, perfect...
Sometimes the most humble ingredients can yield some seriously satisfying results. Some days I procrastinate until the last stop on my train to plan out what I'm going to make for dinner. I mentally piece together what I have in the fridge and try to...
