MSG is one of those things that people hear about, know it is in Chinese food and that it either makes them feel sick after consuming or it does not. Very few people have any idea what MSG is or from where it comes. I was one of those people. I was recently discussing, with a coworker, how I could not eat certain foods with MSG because they give me a headache. She balked. She said there was nothing wrong with MSG being added to food. I mistakenly guessed that she knew details regarding MSG. “What is MSG?” I asked “Monosodium glutamate, “says my coworker. “What is monosodium glutamate?” My coworker then says, “I don’t know. They put it in food.” Uh, huh. I realized I must research this mysterious food additive since I know I ‘m not the only one who gets headaches because of it and it is... Read the Rest →
MSG is one of those things that people hear about, know it is in Chinese food and that it either makes them feel sick after consuming or it does not. Very few people have any idea what MSG is or from where it comes. I was one of those people. I was recently discussing, with a coworker, how I could not eat certain foods with MSG because they give me a headache. She balked. She said there was nothing wrong with MSG being added to food. I mistakenly guessed that she knew details regarding MSG. “What is MSG?” I asked “Monosodium glutamate, “says my coworker. “What is monosodium glutamate?” My coworker then says, “I don’t know. They put it in food.” Uh, huh. I realized I must research this mysterious food additive since I know I ‘m not the only one who gets headaches because of it and it is... Read the Rest →
Last year, Japan experienced one of the biggest natural disasters. Last March 11, 2011, 15,782 people died from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the resulting tsunami. As of this September, 4,086 are still missing. For anyone who has been a part of such a tragedy, I can only imagine that everyday is a struggle to pick up the pieces of your life and go on living. I found myself contemplating “giving thanks” when it was Thanksgiving this past year. Although Thanksgiving is a holiday is predominantly celebrated in the United States for the end of harvest season, hence being thankful for the good harvest. I believe that Thanksgiving, in a manner of speaking, should be a universal holiday where people can celebrate by being thankful for whatever good fortunes they have experienced in life. New Years is more widely celebrated all over the world. For the many people who... Read the Rest →
Last year, Japan experienced one of the biggest natural disasters. Last March 11, 2011, 15,782 people died from the Great East Japan Earthquake and the resulting tsunami. As of this September, 4,086 are still missing. For anyone who has been a part of such a tragedy, I can only imagine that everyday is a struggle to pick up the pieces of your life and go on living. I found myself contemplating “giving thanks” when it was Thanksgiving this past year. Although Thanksgiving is a holiday is predominantly celebrated in the United States for the end of harvest season, hence being thankful for the good harvest. I believe that Thanksgiving, in a manner of speaking, should be a universal holiday where people can celebrate by being thankful for whatever good fortunes they have experienced in life. New Years is more widely celebrated all over the world. For the many people who... Read the Rest →
To marry ingredients from every continent in the world does not make a continental dish, rather an eclectic one. Your senses will surely be receiving an explosion of flavor, and you simply won’t know what hit you. Grilled chicken is always considered a healthy dish to prepare. But if you don’t use your imagination, it can be bland and totally not worth the calories that you might as well eat cardboard. Eating smart and healthy need not mean you have to sacrifice taste. In fact, creating the perfectly healthy and delicious dish should always be your end goal. Chicken breast is the leanest part of the chicken. It has a tendency to get dry if not cooked properly. My secret ingredient to keep the chicken breast moist is to season it with fig sauce as well as to seal in the juices with potato starch. I serve the grilled chicken... Read the Rest →
To marry ingredients from every continent in the world does not make a continental dish, rather an eclectic one. Your senses will surely be receiving an explosion of flavor, and you simply won’t know what hit you. Grilled chicken is always considered a healthy dish to prepare. But if you don’t use your imagination, it can be bland and totally not worth the calories that you might as well eat cardboard. Eating smart and healthy need not mean you have to sacrifice taste. In fact, creating the perfectly healthy and delicious dish should always be your end goal. Chicken breast is the leanest part of the chicken. It has a tendency to get dry if not cooked properly. My secret ingredient to keep the chicken breast moist is to season it with fig sauce as well as to seal in the juices with potato starch. I serve the grilled chicken... Read the Rest →
Maki Sushi is a no-nonsense and all-business type of dish. What you see is what you get, but what you should always expect and look for is the quality and freshness of the ingredients used. Sushi is considered to be a popular Japanese viand that is composed of rice mixed with vinegar, sweet mirin and other ingredients. There are several variations of sushi presentation; the most common is made with seafood. The origins of sushi were first developed in Southeast Asia and spread to China and finally reaching Japan. The work sushi literally means “sour tasting” from an ancient archaic form of language. The vinegar used is from fermented rice that breaks down the proteins in the fish and turns it into amino acids, resulting in the unique taste that develops which is called Unami in Japanese. The modern version of sushi that we enjoy today was developed by Hanaya... Read the Rest →
Maki Sushi is a no-nonsense and all-business type of dish. What you see is what you get, but what you should always expect and look for is the quality and freshness of the ingredients used. Sushi is considered to be a popular Japanese viand that is composed of rice mixed with vinegar, sweet mirin and other ingredients. There are several variations of sushi presentation; the most common is made with seafood. The origins of sushi were first developed in Southeast Asia and spread to China and finally reaching Japan. The work sushi literally means “sour tasting” from an ancient archaic form of language. The vinegar used is from fermented rice that breaks down the proteins in the fish and turns it into amino acids, resulting in the unique taste that develops which is called Unami in Japanese. The modern version of sushi that we enjoy today was developed by Hanaya... Read the Rest →
Japanese cuisine can sometimes be thought of as bland, to the point of being boring. The whole point of Japanese food is to focus on the sheer freshness of the ingredients that are complemented by the simplicity of what is mixed with them. Take the variations of sashimi. It’s slices of the freshest fish, from tuna to salmon, served raw! To accentuate just how fresh the fish is, you can squeeze a bit of lemon on it and lightly dip it in soy sauce mixed with wasabi. That’s it! This makes me wonder, what if components from Japanese cooking were mixed with traditional Western cuisine such as Italian, much like Soy Sauce and Butter Spaghetti. Sounds catastrophic? Well, guess again. It is simply divine! It is no wonder that the increase in popularity in preparing Japanese and Italian food is because they are pretty much straight forward. You can practically... Read the Rest →
Japanese cuisine can sometimes be thought of as bland, to the point of being boring. The whole point of Japanese food is to focus on the sheer freshness of the ingredients that are complemented by the simplicity of what is mixed with them. Take the variations of sashimi. It’s slices of the freshest fish, from tuna to salmon, served raw! To accentuate just how fresh the fish is, you can squeeze a bit of lemon on it and lightly dip it in soy sauce mixed with wasabi. That’s it! This makes me wonder, what if components from Japanese cooking were mixed with traditional Western cuisine such as Italian, much like Soy Sauce and Butter Spaghetti. Sounds catastrophic? Well, guess again. It is simply divine! It is no wonder that the increase in popularity in preparing Japanese and Italian food is because they are pretty much straight forward. You can practically... Read the Rest →
