Understanding umami: Japan's fifth taste and how to cook with it
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Umami was identified by a Japanese chemist in 1908. Here is what it actually is, where it comes from and how to build it into your cooking.
Gyudon: the five-minute Japanese rice bowl
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Gyudon is Japan's fastest comfort food: thinly sliced beef and onions in a sweet soy broth over rice. Here is how to make it in under ten minutes.
How to make miso soup: the daily Japanese ritual
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Miso soup is served at almost every Japanese meal. Here is how to make it properly, from dashi to miso to garnishes.
Gyoza from scratch: how to make, fold and fry perfect Japanese dumplings
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Gyoza are one of the great joys of Japanese home cooking. This guide covers the filling, the folding and the all-important crispy bottom.
How to make sushi at home: tools, rice and rolling technique
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Making sushi at home is accessible with the right tools and a little practice. Here is a complete guide to rice, rolling and slicing.
Wabi-sabi and the Japanese kitchen: finding beauty in imperfection
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Wabi-sabi is the Japanese aesthetic of imperfection and transience. Here is how it shapes Japanese kitchenware and why it matters to modern cooking.
Hasami porcelain: 400 years of Japanese ceramic craft
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
The town of Hasami in Nagasaki Prefecture has been producing porcelain for over four centuries. Here is what makes these pieces so enduring.
Hario: the Japanese glass brand that changed coffee forever
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Hario started as a glass laboratory equipment maker in 1921. Today it is one of the most respected names in specialty coffee worldwide.
Japanese pour-over coffee: a guide to the morning ritual
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Japan has one of the world's most refined coffee cultures. Here is how to set up a Japanese pour-over ritual at home.
Tokoname pottery: Japan's ancient kiln town and its famous kyusu teapots
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
Tokoname is one of Japan's oldest kiln towns and the home of the kyusu teapot. Here is what makes Tokoname clay so special for brewing tea.
How to choose a Japanese teapot: kyusu, tetsubin or porcelain?
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
A guide to the three main types of Japanese teapot: unglazed clay kyusu, cast iron tetsubin and porcelain. Which is right for your tea?
The Japanese tea ceremony: history, tools and how to get started
Posted by JEAN PASTEUR
An introduction to chado, the Japanese way of tea: its origins, the tools involved, and how to begin practising at home.