I still vividly remember the first day Kim Smith taught us how to make these heavenly delicious orange rolls in pastry class. They are incredibly light and fluffy, yet very flavorful.
I started making these rolls every weekend in 2003 when I opened Hiroki, my bakery in Seattle. They became popular quickly and got write-ups in “Seattle Magazine” and other publications. Even after all these years, they are still one of the best-selling items.
Orange rolls made in a Bundt pan
I made them the other day with my son at the UpCountry. He loved them so much, he ate two. I love passing my passion for good food on to the next generation.
When I was growing up in Osaka, takoyaki was one of my favorite snacks. Originally from Osaka, this tasty treat has spread throughout Japan and abroad, including the US. Nevertheless, Osaka is the place to go for takoyaki. Everywhere you go in the city, stalls and shops offer endless variations on this scrumptious snack.
Takoyaki starts with a batter that is poured into a special griddle with half-spheres. A small piece of octopus (tako) is placed in each one. As the batter on the bottom half cooks, the takoyaki balls are rotated for even cooking. When done, they are typically covered with takoyaki sauce, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), aonori (seaweed) and mayonnaise.
A takoyaki-ki, or takoyaki griddle (from Wikipedia)
For the octopus-squeamish, don’t worry! The small bit of octopus is so overwhelmed by all of the flavors, you may not even notice the slightly chewy texture of the octopus.
A takoyaki stall, probably at a festival (from Wikipedia)
I remember growing up in the industrial Osaka suburbs, where small factories and metal shops flourished. Across from our tiny row house, a woman made takoyaki in her house to earn extra money on the side. I would stop by almost every day after school to buy some. Ten for 50 yen, or about half a dollar.
They come with toothpicks for eating. The takoyaki are so hot, it’s almost a game trying to enjoy the flavor while not burning your mouth!
I have a small takoyaki griddle now and will pull it out on occasion. As I turn the balls in the griddle, I feel nostalgic for my childhood.
The universal appeal of Chinese cooking cannot be denied. Drawing on cooking traditions of the many ethnic peoples around China, “Chinese food” is an eclectic cuisine.
And not only is it eclectic, it is flexible. Around the world, you will find Chinese restaurants serving a variety of Chinese flavors modified for the local palate.
In Japan, just like in other countries of the world, Chinese food is a favorite, and one of the biggest surprises I had when I came to the US was how different the Chinese food is. One of my favorite Chinese dishes in Japan is subuta, which is basically sweet-and-sour pork. But it’s far sweeter here than in Japan and the color isn’t red. Of course, the Japanese name subuta literally means “vinegar pork,” so I suppose it’s actually a different dish.
In any case, here’s my version: Add garlic, ginger, green onions and caramelized apple to a sweet-and-sour sauce having a soy sauce base. Quickly toss fried pork into the sauce and thicken with potato starch.
“Itadakimasu!” as we say in Japanese before partaking in a meal
I still remember making them with her when I was in elementary school in Japan. Stuff the skin and seal it tight, stuff the skin and seal it tight, stuff the skin and seal it tight, the crinkles forming gradually faster as my fingers learned the routine.
When I became an adult, throwing gyoza parties just seemed like a natural thing to do. I would get shiitake, napa cabbage, gyoza skins and the other ingredients together, wrap them up and then fry them in batches when my friends arrived. I hosted innumerable gyoza parties both here and in Japan long before I had any inkling that I would become a cook.
There is no recipe I use when making gyoza. The childhood memories of how my mom did it lay the path for me to follow.
Croissants: Out of the oven and on the cooling rack!
The croissant is a study of balance. The layers should be thin, ideally formed with a sheeter (either automatic or manual, see “Making croissant dough”). As the layers are folded on each other (lamination), butter is added. If the temperature is too cold, the butter will not spread, and if the temperature is too warm, the dough will absorb too much butter–a croissant should be buttery but not oily. Also, an appropriate humidity level is required while the dough is rising (proofing). And then there is baking, which requires just enough time to get the croissants slightly brown and crisp on the outside while ensuring a fluffy interior.
Making croissants by hand is a challenge I take delight in. Without a dough sheeter, I must take extra care in the process. Practice and experience are needed to find that sweet spot of croissant excellence.
The layers of my handmade croissants are certainly not as thin as machine-made ones, but they I believe you can sense and taste the care and love that I put into their making. When I get the urge to make croissants, I am reminded of how I once was a baker, a job I both loved and yet did not love so much at the same time. Perhaps I have found my balance, too.
For this dish, I started by sautéing some leeks and garlic …
Orecchiette and chanterelles
Orecchiette is one of my favorite kinds of pasta to make … and eat!
For this dish, I started by sautéing some leeks and garlic for the base flavor. Then I added some cream, Gorgonzola dolce (cheese), kabocha purée and some pasta water. Into the sauce, I tossed orecchiette boiled al dente.
Finally, I quick-sautéed chanterelles in garlic butter to accompany the orecchiette. Buon appetito!
The obento (bento box) is a meal filled with love and care. Traditionally made by mothers for…
This obento has rice with furikake sprinkled on it, a firm-boiled egg, bean sprouts, garlic chicken and broccoli.
The obento (bento box) is a meal filled with love and care. Traditionally made by mothers for their children, husbands and other family members to eat when away from home for a meal, the obento is usually for lunch.
I chose obento as the theme of my first blog post because it reminds me of how important it is to prepare each dish with care, a thought I keep foremost in mind when cooking at home or at the UpCountry.
I grew up in Japan, where food is very important. On this blog, I would like to share what I serve at the restaurant, what I eat at home and what I make for my dear friends and family members.
You are what you eat. You are who you are loved by. And you are who/what you care for.
This obento has rice topped with an umeboshi and sesame seeds, an egg and tofu dish, kinpira celery and karaage (fried chicken).
