Japan Farmers Markets

Dashi ready to help!
Dashi is probably one of the most important elements of Japanese food. To be fair, it is one of a long list of important elements, but dashi is integral. Comprised at its most basic level of konbu (kelp), shiitake mushrooms, and/or katsuobushi flakes...

One of the great pleasures of this foodly life I lead is reading books that others write about food. A recent one to come my way is Oishii: The History of Sushi by Eric C. Rath. A historian specializing in pre-modern Japan and traditional Japanese food...

Sweet potato stew!
A white bowl with orange soup, beans, and pieces of sweet potato.
Sweet Potato Stew has been my standard response at the first sign of a sniffle since forever. Based on a recipe I found in the early days of our marriage, I've hung onto it and tweaked it as we've moved cities and countries. The current version is much...

A toasted slice of homemade sourdough bread with pickled Kanazawa carrot.
Photo of rectangular bread with green carrot and thick piece of butter on wood.
The nukadoko and my sourdough starter both spent the vacation tucked away in the refrigerator. I worried about them, but I also imagined them hibernating and dreaming of vegetables, loaves of bread. However, I also liked to think the two of them had...