Food Cultures Of Japan

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Japan's Cuisines

Author : Eric C. Rath
Publisher : Reaktion Books
ISBN 13 : 1780236913
Total Pages : 280 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (82 download)

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Book Synopsis Japan's Cuisines by : Eric C. Rath

Download or read book Japan's Cuisines written by Eric C. Rath and published by Reaktion Books. This book was released on 2016-09-15 with total page 280 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cuisines in Japan have an ideological dimension that cannot be ignored. In 2013, ‘traditional Japanese dietary cultures’ (washoku) was added to UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Washoku’s predecessor was “national people’s cuisine,” an attempt during World War II to create a uniform diet for all citizens. Japan’s Cuisines reveals the great diversity of Japanese cuisine and explains how Japan’s modern food culture arose through the direction of private and public institutions. Readers discover how tea came to be portrayed as the origin of Japanese cuisine, how lunch became a gourmet meal, and how regions on Japan’s periphery are reasserting their distinct food cultures. From wartime foodstuffs to modern diets, this fascinating book shows how the cuisine from the land of the rising sun shapes national, local, and personal identity.

Food Cultures of Japan

Author : Jeanne Jacob
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 184 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (16 download)

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Book Synopsis Food Cultures of Japan by : Jeanne Jacob

Download or read book Food Cultures of Japan written by Jeanne Jacob and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2021-12-06 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This addition to the Global Kitchen series explores the cuisine of Japan, from culinary history and important ingredients to essential daily and special meals. When we think of Japanese food in the United States, certain images come to mind: sushi, ramen, and hibachi restaurants. But what is food like in this island nation? What do people eat and drink every day? Are food concerns similar to those in the United States, where obesity is a major issue? This volume offers comprehensive coverage on the cuisine of Japan. Readers will learn about the history of food in the country, influential ingredients that play an important role in daily cooking and consumption, meals and dishes for every occasion, and what food is like when dining out or stopping for snacks from street vendors. An additional chapter examines food issues and dietary concerns. Recipes accompany every chapter. A chronology, glossary, sidebars, and bibliography round out the work.

Itadakimasu! The Food Culture of Japan

Author : Becky A. Brown
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000288404
Total Pages : 363 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis Itadakimasu! The Food Culture of Japan by : Becky A. Brown

Download or read book Itadakimasu! The Food Culture of Japan written by Becky A. Brown and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-12-18 with total page 363 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Itadakimasu! The Food Culture of Japan is designed as a first- or second-year college course in Japanese culture for students who have little to no background in the Japanese language, culture, literature, or history. Unlike any other culture text, Itadakimasu! offers a unique approach to learning about culture through a country’s cuisine. This account takes students on an exciting journey into the world of Japanese food culture, both past and present, exploring themes such as regional specialties, annual festivals, traditional foodways, prominent tea masters, culinary expressions, restaurant menus, dining etiquette, mealtime customs, and culinary aesthetics. Itadakimasu! also addresses current events in the food industry and agribusiness, health and nutrition, dieting trends, fast food, and international and Western influences. Enhancing this wealth of cultural material are autobiographical essays written by guest contributors and varied literary excerpts featuring food themes across different genres in literature spanning many centuries. Each of the readings is supplemented by general comprehension questions followed by more probing queries calling on critical and analytical thinking to methodically guide students from a cursory understanding of a new culture to reflections on their own experiences and other world cultures. Resources also highlight food-centric films so that students can witness what they are learning about in an authentic cultural context. Furthermore, teachers and students alike can enjoy food tasting labs in the classroom, fostering yet another authentic experience for the students. With the intention of reaching a broad audience of students majoring or minoring in Japanese or Asian Studies, or students learning English as a Foreign Language or English for Specific Purposes, Itadakimasu! could also be useful for composition and conversation courses and the Writing Across the Curriculum series or as a supplement for 'Four Skills' Japanese language courses and introductory Japanese literature offerings. Above all, its multifaceted design with a broad spectrum of self-contained sections welcomes individual teaching styles and preferences. Itadakimasu! paints an appetizing image of Japan’s society with just a dash of culture, a pinch of language, and a taste of literature to tempt the palate of students new to the study of Japan. Meant to enhance the regular curriculum, this innovative approach to learning about Japan suggests that the culinary world can lend an insightful view into a country’s culture. Historical and contemporary foodways are universal elements common to all cultures, making the subject matter inherently relatable.

Rice, Noodle, Fish

Author : Matt Goulding
Publisher : HarperCollins
ISBN 13 : 0062394045
Total Pages : 239 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (623 download)

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Book Synopsis Rice, Noodle, Fish by : Matt Goulding

Download or read book Rice, Noodle, Fish written by Matt Goulding and published by HarperCollins. This book was released on 2015-10-27 with total page 239 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Finalist for the 2016 IACP Awards: Literary Food Writing An innovative new take on the travel guide, Rice, Noodle, Fish decodes Japan's extraordinary food culture through a mix of in-depth narrative and insider advice, along with 195 color photographs. In this 5000-mile journey through the noodle shops, tempura temples, and teahouses of Japan, Matt Goulding, co-creator of the enormously popular Eat This, Not That! book series, navigates the intersection between food, history, and culture, creating one of the most ambitious and complete books ever written about Japanese culinary culture from the Western perspective. Written in the same evocative voice that drives the award-winning magazine Roads & Kingdoms, Rice, Noodle, Fish explores Japan's most intriguing culinary disciplines in seven key regions, from the kaiseki tradition of Kyoto and the sushi masters of Tokyo to the street food of Osaka and the ramen culture of Fukuoka. You won't find hotel recommendations or bus schedules; you will find a brilliant narrative that interweaves immersive food journalism with intimate portraits of the cities and the people who shape Japan's food culture. This is not your typical guidebook. Rice, Noodle, Fish is a rare blend of inspiration and information, perfect for the intrepid and armchair traveler alike. Combining literary storytelling, indispensable insider information, and world-class design and photography, the end result is the first ever guidebook for the new age of culinary tourism.

The Essence of Japanese Cuisine

Author : Michael Ashkenazi
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1136815562
Total Pages : 284 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (368 download)

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Book Synopsis The Essence of Japanese Cuisine by : Michael Ashkenazi

Download or read book The Essence of Japanese Cuisine written by Michael Ashkenazi and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2013-10-11 with total page 284 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The past few years have shown a growing interest in cooking and food, as a result of international food issues such as BSE, world trade and mass foreign travel, and at the same time there has been growing interest in Japanese Studies since the 1970s. This volume brings together the two interests of Japan and food, examining both from a number of perspectives. The book reflects on the social and cultural side of Japanese food, and at the same time reflects also on the ways in which Japanese culture has been affected by food, a basic human institution. Providing the reader with the historical and social bases to understand how Japanese cuisine has been and is being shaped, this book assumes minimal familiarity with Japanese society, but instead explores the country through the topic of its cuisine.

Itadakimasu! The Food Culture of Japan

Author : Becky A. Brown
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1000288307
Total Pages : 212 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (2 download)

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Book Synopsis Itadakimasu! The Food Culture of Japan by : Becky A. Brown

Download or read book Itadakimasu! The Food Culture of Japan written by Becky A. Brown and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2020-12-17 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Itadakimasu! The Food Culture of Japan is designed as a first- or second-year college course in Japanese culture for students who have little to no background in the Japanese language, culture, literature, or history. Unlike any other culture text, Itadakimasu! offers a unique approach to learning about culture through a country’s cuisine. This account takes students on an exciting journey into the world of Japanese food culture, both past and present, exploring themes such as regional specialties, annual festivals, traditional foodways, prominent tea masters, culinary expressions, restaurant menus, dining etiquette, mealtime customs, and culinary aesthetics. Itadakimasu! also addresses current events in the food industry and agribusiness, health and nutrition, dieting trends, fast food, and international and Western influences. Enhancing this wealth of cultural material are autobiographical essays written by guest contributors and varied literary excerpts featuring food themes across different genres in literature spanning many centuries. Each of the readings is supplemented by general comprehension questions followed by more probing queries calling on critical and analytical thinking to methodically guide students from a cursory understanding of a new culture to reflections on their own experiences and other world cultures. Resources also highlight food-centric films so that students can witness what they are learning about in an authentic cultural context. Furthermore, teachers and students alike can enjoy food tasting labs in the classroom, fostering yet another authentic experience for the students. With the intention of reaching a broad audience of students majoring or minoring in Japanese or Asian Studies, or students learning English as a Foreign Language or English for Specific Purposes, Itadakimasu! could also be useful for composition and conversation courses and the Writing Across the Curriculum series or as a supplement for 'Four Skills' Japanese language courses and introductory Japanese literature offerings. Above all, its multifaceted design with a broad spectrum of self-contained sections welcomes individual teaching styles and preferences. Itadakimasu! paints an appetizing image of Japan’s society with just a dash of culture, a pinch of language, and a taste of literature to tempt the palate of students new to the study of Japan. Meant to enhance the regular curriculum, this innovative approach to learning about Japan suggests that the culinary world can lend an insightful view into a country’s culture. Historical and contemporary foodways are universal elements common to all cultures, making the subject matter inherently relatable. An Instructors Manual containing sample syllabi, learning outcomes, handout templates, study guides, background content and more is available at www.routledge.com/9780367903572.

Japanese Farm Food

Author : Nancy Singleton Hachisu
Publisher : Andrews McMeel Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1449418295
Total Pages : 403 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (494 download)

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Book Synopsis Japanese Farm Food by : Nancy Singleton Hachisu

Download or read book Japanese Farm Food written by Nancy Singleton Hachisu and published by Andrews McMeel Publishing. This book was released on 2012-09-04 with total page 403 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents a collection of Japanese recipes; discusses the ingredients, techniques, and equipment required for home cooking; and relates the author's experiences living on a farm in Japan for the past twenty-three years.

Food Culture in Japan

Author : Michael Ashkenazi
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN 13 : 0313058539
Total Pages : 232 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (13 download)

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Book Synopsis Food Culture in Japan by : Michael Ashkenazi

Download or read book Food Culture in Japan written by Michael Ashkenazi and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2003-12-30 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Americans are familiarizing themselves with Japanese food, thanks especially sushi's wild popularity and ready availability. This timely book satisfies the new interest and taste for Japanese food, providing a host of knowledge on the foodstuffs, cooking styles, utensils, aesthetics, meals, etiquette, nutrition, and much more. Students and general readers are offered a holistic framing of the food in historical and cultural contexts. Recipes for both the novice and sophisticated cook complement the narrative. Japan's unique attitude toward food extends from the religious to the seasonal. This book offers a contextual framework for the Japanese food culture and relates Japan's history and geography to food. An exhaustive description of ingredients, beverages, sweets, and food sources is a boon to anyone exploring Japanese cuisine in the kitchen. The Japanese style of cooking, typical meals, holiday fare, and rituals—so different from Americans'—are engagingly presented and accessible to a wide audience. A timeline, glossary, resource guide, and illustrations make this a one-stop reference for Japanese food culture.

Reading Food in Modern Japanese Literature

Author : Tomoko Aoyama
Publisher : University of Hawaii Press
ISBN 13 : 082483285X
Total Pages : 290 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (248 download)

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Book Synopsis Reading Food in Modern Japanese Literature by : Tomoko Aoyama

Download or read book Reading Food in Modern Japanese Literature written by Tomoko Aoyama and published by University of Hawaii Press. This book was released on 2008-09-30 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Literature, like food, is, in Terry Eagleton’s words, "endlessly interpretable," and food, like literature, "looks like an object but is actually a relationship." So how much do we, and should we, read into the way food is represented in literature? Reading Food explores this and other questions in an unusual and fascinating tour of twentieth-century Japanese literature. Tomoko Aoyama analyzes a wide range of diverse writings that focus on food, eating, and cooking and considers how factors such as industrialization, urbanization, nationalism, and gender construction have affected people’s relationships to food, nature, and culture, and to each other. The examples she offers are taken from novels (shosetsu) and other literary texts and include well known writers (such as Tanizaki Jun’ichiro, Hayashi Fumiko, Okamoto Kanoko, Kaiko Takeshi, and Yoshimoto Banana) as well as those who are less widely known (Murai Gensai, Nagatsuka Takashi, Sumii Sue, and Numa Shozo). Food is everywhere in Japanese literature, and early chapters illustrate historical changes and variations in the treatment of food and eating. Examples are drawn from Meiji literary diaries, children’s stories, peasant and proletarian literature, and women’s writing before and after World War II. The author then turns to the theme of cannibalism in serious and popular novels. Key issues include ethical questions about survival, colonization, and cultural identity. The quest for gastronomic gratification is a dominant theme in "gourmet novels." Like cannibalism, the gastronomic journey as a literary theme is deeply implicated with cultural identity. The final chapter deals specifically with contemporary novels by women, some of which celebrate the inclusiveness of eating (and writing), while others grapple with the fear of eating. Such dread or disgust can be seen as a warning against what the complacent "gourmet boom" of the 1980s and 1990s concealed: the dangers of a market economy, environmental destruction, and continuing gender biases. Reading Food in Modern Japanese Literature will tempt any reader with an interest in food, literature, and culture. Moreover, it provides appetizing hints for further savoring, digesting, and incorporating textual food.

Japanese Foodways, Past and Present

Author : Eric C. Rath
Publisher : University of Illinois Press
ISBN 13 : 0252077520
Total Pages : 306 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (52 download)

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Book Synopsis Japanese Foodways, Past and Present by : Eric C. Rath

Download or read book Japanese Foodways, Past and Present written by Eric C. Rath and published by University of Illinois Press. This book was released on 2010 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spanning nearly six hundred years of Japanese food culture, Japanese Foodways, Past and Present considers the production, consumption, and circulation of Japanese foods from the mid-fifteenth century to the present day in contexts that are political, economic, cultural, social, and religious. Diverse contributors--including anthropologists, historians, sociologists, a tea master, and a chef--address a range of issues such as medieval banquet cuisine, the tea ceremony, table manners, cookbooks in modern times, food during the U.S. occupation period, eating and dining out during wartimes, the role of heirloom vegetables in the revitalization of rural areas, children's lunches, and the gentrification of blue-collar foods. Framed by two reoccurring themes--food in relation to place and food in relation to status--the collection considers the complicated relationships between the globalization of foodways and the integrity of national identity through eating habits. Focusing on the consumption of Western foods, heirloom foods, once-taboo foods, and contemporary Japanese cuisines, Japanese Foodways, Past and Present shows how Japanese concerns for and consumption of food has relevance and resonance with other foodways around the world. Contributors are Stephanie Assmann, Gary Soka Cadwallader, Katarzyna Cwiertka, Satomi Fukutomi, Shoko Higashiyotsuyanagi, Joseph R. Justice, Michael Kinski, Barak Kushner, Bridget Love, Joji Nozawa, Tomoko Onabe, Eric C. Rath, Akira Shimizu, George Solt, David E. Wells, and Miho Yasuhara.

Eat Japan

Author : Lonely Planet Food
Publisher : Lonely Planet
ISBN 13 : 9781838690519
Total Pages : 224 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (95 download)

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Book Synopsis Eat Japan by : Lonely Planet Food

Download or read book Eat Japan written by Lonely Planet Food and published by Lonely Planet. This book was released on 2020-09-15 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The complete companion to Japanese culinary culture Whether it's rubbing your chopsticks together, handing money to a sushi chef or setting your foot directly on the floor when removing your shoes, we'll tell you exactly what not to do to avoid looking like an ignorant tourist. Brush up on restaurant etiquette, local customs and what ingredients to expect in Lonely Planet's Eat Japan. To help you feel prepared for the Japanese food scene we'll cover how, when and where to eat, etiquette dos and don'ts, and what classic regional specialties are a must try. You'll find the best places to eat in every region as well as what to order when you're there and how to eat it. If you are looking for an authentic and immersive foodie experience but don't know where to start, Eat Japan is your answer. In-depth background on local food and traditions Practical info on popular food neighborhoods The visually appealing layout will help first-time food lovers get the most from their trip About Lonely Planet: Lonely Planet is a leading travel media company, providing both inspiring and trustworthy information for every kind of traveler since 1973. Over the past four decades, we've printed over 145 million guidebooks and grown a dedicated, passionate global community of travelers. You'll also find our content online, on mobile, video and in 14 languages, 12 international magazines, armchair and lifestyle books, eBooks, and more.

Food Sake Tokyo

Author : Yukari Sakamoto
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 189214574X
Total Pages : 306 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (921 download)

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Book Synopsis Food Sake Tokyo by : Yukari Sakamoto

Download or read book Food Sake Tokyo written by Yukari Sakamoto and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 306 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Japanese cuisine.

Specialty Food, Market Culture, and Daily Life in Early Modern Japan

Author : Akira Shimizu
Publisher : Rowman & Littlefield
ISBN 13 : 1793618275
Total Pages : 193 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (936 download)

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Book Synopsis Specialty Food, Market Culture, and Daily Life in Early Modern Japan by : Akira Shimizu

Download or read book Specialty Food, Market Culture, and Daily Life in Early Modern Japan written by Akira Shimizu and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2022-01-31 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study is an unique approach to social and cultural history of Japan through the scope of food and food ways. In this book-length study of food markets in the early modern Japanese capital of Edo, Akira Shimizu draws a fascinating picture of early modern Japanese society where specialty foods—seasonal, regional, and hard-to-find delicacies that satisfied the palate of nation’s highest political authority, the shogun—served as a powerful nexus that connected different social groups. In the course of their daily lives, peasants, fisherfolks, and merchants, who made specialty food available at the market, were in constant negotiation with powerful wholesalers and government authorities in charge of procuring specialty foods of the highest qualities for the shogun’s Edo Castle. Utilizing a number of previously unused archival materials that reveals the lives of those at the bottom of the society, the book traces the production, supply, and handling of specialty foods and shows how ordinary people were empowered to assume control over the distribution of specialty food, eventually affecting their procurement for the shogunal kitchen. In doing so, they disrupted the existing market order on the shogunal requisition, and led to the reconfiguration of market relations.

Eating Wild Japan

Author : Stone Bridge Press
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9781611720617
Total Pages : 264 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (26 download)

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Book Synopsis Eating Wild Japan by : Stone Bridge Press

Download or read book Eating Wild Japan written by Stone Bridge Press and published by . This book was released on 2021-03-09 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A delicious collection of essays, recipes, and practical plant information exploring Japan's thriving culture of foraged foods.

Washoku

Author : Elizabeth Andoh
Publisher : Ten Speed Press
ISBN 13 : 030781355X
Total Pages : 330 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (78 download)

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Book Synopsis Washoku by : Elizabeth Andoh

Download or read book Washoku written by Elizabeth Andoh and published by Ten Speed Press. This book was released on 2012-02-28 with total page 330 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1975,Gourmet magazine published a series on traditional Japanese food —the first of its kind in a major American food magazine — written by a graduate of the prestigious Yanagihara School of classical cuisine in Tokyo. Today, the author of that groundbreaking series, Elizabeth Andoh, is recognized as the leading English-language authority on the subject. She shares her knowledge and passion for the food culture of Japan in WASHOKU, an authoritative, deeply personal tribute to one of the world's most distinctive culinary traditions. Andoh begins by setting forth the ethos of washoku (traditional Japanese food), exploring its nuanced approach to balancing flavor, applying technique, and considering aesthetics hand-in-hand with nutrition. With detailed descriptions of ingredients complemented by stunning full-color photography, the book's comprehensive chapter on the Japanese pantry is practically a book unto itself. The recipes for soups, rice dishes and noodles, meat and poultry, seafood, and desserts are models of clarity and precision, and the rich cultural context and practical notes that Andoh provides help readers master the rhythm and flow of the washoku kitchen. Much more than just a collection of recipes, WASHOKU is a journey through a cuisine that is rich in history and as handsome as it is healthful. Awards2006 IACP Award WinnerReviews“This extensive volume is clearly intended for the cook serious about Japanese food.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune“. . . scholarly, yet inspirational . . . a foodie might just sit back and read for sheer enjoyment and edification.”—Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Cook's Science

Author : Cook's Illustrated
Publisher : America's Test Kitchen
ISBN 13 : 1940352452
Total Pages : 505 pages
Book Rating : 4.9/5 (43 download)

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Book Synopsis Cook's Science by : Cook's Illustrated

Download or read book Cook's Science written by Cook's Illustrated and published by America's Test Kitchen. This book was released on 2016-10-04 with total page 505 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In Cook's Science, the all-new companion to the New York Times-bestselling The Science of Good Cooking, America's Test Kitchen deep dives into the surprising science behind 50 of our favorite ingredients--and uses that science to make them taste their best. From the editors of Cook's Illustrated, and the best-selling The Science of Good Cooking, comes an all-new companion book highlighting 50 of our favorite ingredients and the (sometimes surprising) science behind them: Cook's Science. Each chapter explains the science behind one of the 50 ingredients in a short, informative essay--topics ranging from pork shoulder to apples to quinoa to dark chocolate--before moving onto an original (and sometimes quirky) experiment, performed in our test kitchen and designed to show how the science works. The book includes 50 dynamic, full-page color illustrations, giving in-depth looks at individual ingredients, "family trees" of ingredients, and cooking techniques like sous vide, dehydrating, and fermentation. The 400+ foolproof recipes included take the science into the kitchen, and range from crispy fried chicken wings to meaty-tasting vegetarian chili, coconut layer cake to strawberry rhubarb pie.

The Just Bento Cookbook

Author : Makiko Itoh
Publisher : Vertical Inc
ISBN 13 : 1568365934
Total Pages : 359 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (683 download)

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Book Synopsis The Just Bento Cookbook by : Makiko Itoh

Download or read book The Just Bento Cookbook written by Makiko Itoh and published by Vertical Inc. This book was released on 2018-12-24 with total page 359 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bento fever has recently swept across the West, fuelled not just by an interest in cute, decorative food, but by the desire for an economical, healthy approach to eating in these times of recession. A leading light in the popularization of bento has been Makiko Itoh, whose blog, Just Bento, boasts hundreds of thousands of subscribers, all of whom love her delicious recipes and practical bento-making tips. Now, for the first time, Itoh's expertise has been packaged in book form. The Just Bento Cookbook contains twenty-five attractive bento menus and more than 150 recipes, all of which have been specially created for this book and are divided into two main sections, Japanese and Not-so-Japanese. The Japanese section includes classic bento menus such as Salted Salmon Bento and Chicken Karaage Bento, while the Not-so-Japanese section shows how Western food can be adapted to the bento concept, with delicious menus such as Summer Vegetable Gratin Bento and Everyone Loves a Pie Bento. In addition to the recipes, Itoh includes sections on bento-making equipment, bento staples to make and stock, basic cooking techniques, and a glossary. A planning-chart section is included, showing readers how they might organize their weekly bento making. In a market full of bento books that emphasize the cute and the decorative, this book stands out for its emphasis on the health and economic benefits of the bento, and for the very practical guidelines on how to ensure that a daily bento lunch is something that can easily be incorporated into anyone's lifestyle. This is the perfect book for the bento beginner, but will also provide a wealth of new bento recipe ideas and tips for Just Bento aficionados.