tangentbot » food

Japanese New Year Red and White Nabemono

tangentbot — Fri, 01 Jan 2010 21:04:54 +0000

I made this with elements of red (carrots and my homemade aka miso) and white (taro and shiro miso) in observence of the traditional colors of the Japanese New Year 正月 (shogatsu) . I didn’t actually make any traditional Japanese Near Year foods (お節料理), but I may still – I have some burdock for gobo kinpira :3 . Anyways, click on the image to make it a little bigger (and check out my dirty stove – oh yes! ).

cute shinkansen bento from sanrio

tangentbot — Sun, 13 Sep 2009 21:49:44 +0000

I picked up this adorable Shinkansen bento box at the Sanrio store in Alderwood Mall last Friday. It is sold as four nested bentos, much like the Russian dolls.

I bought a Cinnamaroll bento in Japan last year, used it all the time, and managed to melt the lid in the microwave just last week . My two favorite Sanrio characters are Cinnamaroll (a floppy-eared puppy that looks like a bunny) and Shinkansen (the Japanese bullet-train, personified). Shinkansen merchandise is hard to find in the States because, well, Americans don’t think trains are cute I guess. But I do!

I also got this cute Shinkansen cellphone strap hanging thingy for free with my purchase.

**Note to self (and to the world) – do not microwave this bento! Eat cold curry or carry it in something you CAN microwave! :3

anthony bourdain: no reservations – a review

tangentbot — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 08:09:58 +0000

I am not really a TV watcher. That said, I do enjoy documentaries and cooking shows, as well as a handful of Japanese dramas. No Reservations, however, is my favorite show on television right now.

Anthony Bourdain is awesome, and he actually makes me want to travel more. He’s a fifty-something chef, traveler and culinary adventurer who samples local subculture with a level of reverence and respect that puts every other globetrotting gastronome to shame. From New York to Ghana, Bourdain doesn’t just try a handful of restaurants and split; he does his best to immerse himself in the local culture’s past time. He eats with the local cooks, partakes in whatever they do for fun, visits the marketplaces (my favorite), and attempts to truly understand the people he’s with. He drinks a lot of local booze, shoots guns, buys narcotics and attacks plates of offal with a fervor not associated with the typical American. Seriously, if you love food and life as much as I do, check this guy out. We are kindred spirits.

Here is his blog: http://anthony-bourdain-blog.travelchannel.com/

Here are the “Asia Special” episodes – I am actually posting these because they are more relevant to this blog, but tonight is my first time seeing them. I watched up through episode 3. I’ll admit; these are good, but the episodes in Ghana and Brazil are some of my favorites.

No Reservations: Asia Special (1-9)

Fresh satsumage at Uwajimaya in Seattle

tangentbot — Wed, 15 Oct 2008 19:17:26 +0000

Anyone who knows me also knows that I am a huge Uwajimaya fanboy. As such, I was excited when I saw today’s newsletter in my inbox. From a blurb on said newsletter, I discovered that Fujimatsu Moriguchi, the founder of Uwajimaya, started his business in 1928 selling fishcakes, or satsumage, from the back of his truck in Tacoma. To celebrate this humble beginning, his children (I assume he is deceased, or otherwise unable to do it himself) will be frying up fresh, homemade satsumage and selling them in-store. Check it out!

In the Seattle location: 1pm – 3pm Friday, Oct. 17th
In all Uwajimaya locations: 1pm – 3pm Saturday, Oct. 18th

They will also be having taiko drumming, and everything in the store is 10% off, so I will totally be there. I need to buy more brown rice, anyway.

Anyone should know that.