During the hot and humid summer months in Japan, a popular desert is coffee jelly, or coffee jello or coffee gelatin, or which ever way you wish to call it. The Japanese pronounce this as co hee zelly. I always wondered why they said zelly. There is a “j” in their alphabet, so it’s not …
As the temperature drops, we are reminded that the cycle of seasons always come. As in nature when the bright colors of summer make us feel cheerful, fall colors are warm and comforting. In the beginning of the year I posted a blog on the Pantone color of 2012: Tangerine Tango. Click here to read. …
Ovens in Asia are not as common as they are in the West. This is because homes in the East are generally much smaller and their kitchens are compact. Unlike the large ovens that we have in the United States, the most common oven is the toaster oven. This is due to the fact that it …
In the U.S., nowadays you can find a fast food teriyaki chicken stand in most towns. Teriyaki has become so common that they even sell the sauce at Costco. On the supermarket shelves, there are a variety of teriyaki sauces that make our lives easier for their convenience and good taste. But, because I …
Homemade Teriyaki Sauce Recipe: Only Four Ingredients Read More »
Ikebana, the art of Japanese flower arrangement has a history of over 500 years. Last week my girlfriend invited me to a demonstration by the 45th Headmaster of the Ikenobo Ikebana School, Sen’ei Ikenobo. He was in Seattle to help celebrate the local Ikenobo Lake Washington’s 10th anniversary. This was a wonderful experience and …
To maintain our health , it’s important for all of us to consume lots of liquids when the weather heats up. Yes, summer time means lots of ice cold drinks. I’m not much of a fan of soda pop. I prefer iced black tea, iced green tea and iced coffee. But here in the states, many …
This is the conclusion of the series of Mr. Hori and the Panama Hotel: A Nisei Immigrant Story Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI, Part VII From Mr. Hori’s stories, I tried to imagine camp life in the middle of the Idaho desert. Especially, this being the age of information,I wondered if being interned was …
It’s finally here! The e-book Feng Shui: Truths, Myths & Misconceptions by Dr. Shan-Tung Hsu and me has finally been published. This book is really just as the title says. It began with my pestering Dr. Hsu with all the questions I had from reading about feng shui on the internet and various feng shui books …
Doesn’t this look most appetizing? Fresh juicy grapefruit is thirst quenching and most refreshing, making it a wonderful dessert to a fish or seafood meal. This could also be used as a palette cleanser between courses and just a healthy snack too! This grapefruit jelly, taught to me by my girlfriend Fumiko, uses fresh grapefruit as …
photo by Jetalone During the hot summer months, many Japanese communities in the U.S. have a festivity called Bon Odori or Bon Dance, at the local Japanese temple. The Bon Odori comes from the Japanese Buddhist custom Obon, usually celebrated from July 13 to 15 of the lunar calendar. It’s an important occasion …
The sun has finally made an appearance in Seattle! Seems like we are always the last one to get sun – it’s a welcome change from all the rain! When the weather changes, I find my appetite also changes and I crave simpler foods, including more fruit and salads. Many years ago, while working in …
Continuation from the series of Mr. Hori and the Panama Hotel: A Nisei Immigrant Story Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V, Part VI In the fall of 1943, the Japanese internees at Puyallup, Washington were bused to the train tracks in Puyallup, and travelled by train to their permanent internment camp called Minidoka Relocation Camp in Hunt, …
It was orientation week at the university my son will be attending in the fall. I believe everyone could feel the anxiety and excitement of the young students who are approaching their new chapter in life. Oh, how wonderful to be young with that honest sense of hope and potential before you! I couldn’t help …
What is feng shui? Simple question, not so simple to answer. With a history of over 3,000 years, it has become very difficult to define feng shui. This is because many people have created and added their own interpretation of this traditional Chinese study. But, here is my simplified answer. Feng shui is the study …
Continuation from the series of Mr. Hori and the Panama Hotel: A Nisei Immigrant Story Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV, Part V The government began sending a notice to each family informing them to report with their belongings on a designated day at a specific location. Mr. Hori recalls waiting in line on 8th Avenue …
Deep fried wonton in our house is a family favorite. The crunchy exterior combined with the savory filling makes this a satisfying appetizer. Just dip in your favorite sauce or even enjoy them plain! Ours is just a simple blend of soy sauce and mustard. This recipe has only a few ingredients which makes it …
