I am sure many people started New Year with “Eat healthy 2015”-kind of slogan. No matter which diet you are going to diving into, a good diet is a diet with common sense. Choose ingredients which are not endangered nor farmed or raised unethically. Do not reach out to overly processed, convenient food items. Eat everything balanced. Spend time in the kitchen to make meals. Eat home-made meals at the table with family members. Here is a hussle-free, quick to...
Read MoreFluke or Flounder
Fluke and flounder, both of fish, have oval shaped flat body, and they look alike very much. One side of the fish is dark brown in color and, the other side, very white. This is the side, which always stays on the bed of the sea. When you place fluke and flounder belly side facing you, fluke has its head on the left side, and flounder, on the right side. You also notice difference in size and shape of each fish’s head and mouth. Fluke has larger head and mouth than...
Read MoreMackerel Time
Saba, mackerel, tastes best during cold months of October and November both in Japan and here in NY. I just had the very oily, flavorful one from NY water. When I lived in Japan during the mackerel season I did not miss cooking it at least once every week. My favorite way to cook it is in shioyaki preparation, salt-grilling. In this way I can taste the true, natural and best flavor of the fish – yes it is oily, robust and strong. That is the point of enjoying the...
Read MoreEveryday is Learning: Triggerfish Lesson
I spotted very unique looking fish at the Blue Moon fishmonger at Union Square greenmarket last week. It reminded me of kawahagi in Japan. The fish has the same funny face, big head and round body as the one, kawahagi, that I know in Japan. Stephanie called it triggerfish. In Japanese kawahagi literally means “removing the sheet (of scales)”. The fish is named so, because when we scale this fish the sheet of scale can be removed by hands by pulling it from the...
Read MoreChestnuts Rice and My Mom
After moving to America many years have past without preparing chestnuts rice in the fall. My excuse was that I couldn’t find the chestnuts, which have the same sweetness, quality and meaty fruit as the Japanese one. Chestnuts was my father’s favorite fall dish, so my mother made the chestnuts rice often during chestnuts season. I watched my mother making it every time and was always awed by her love and dedication to us. Delicious chestnuts rice did not come...
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