Rice, Noodles, Pasta and Grains
Better than takeout
A splash of soy sauce, a drizzle of sesame oil, a little rice wine, a smashed clove of garlic, chopped scallions, and a knob of ginger. You have the aromatic elements of a simple Chinese stir-fry. Exotic bottled sauces or even a stop at an Asian grocer aren’t essential to make an authentic dish. Stir-frying …
Read moreWorld of CookingArrive a tourist, eat your mistakes, go home with recipes for a feast
MENFI, Italy — We weave our way out of the densely packed city of Palermo at rush hour and drive south through western Sicily. The road slices through a valley surrounded by huge rocky outcroppings. The sky is a deep blue and green fields stretch ahead like a velvet patchwork bordered by a riot of …
Read moreThe layered look is easy and elegant
Watching a chef create individual pieces of sushi at lightning speed is quite a sight. Rice is compressed into a perfect oval in a slightly cupped palm and topped with a thin slice of fish. Artistry and skill and many years of practice are in evidence. But without any training or experience at a sushi …
Read moreFor picnics, toss together some sushi
Sushi rice is short-grain white rice that is cooked and mixed with rice vinegar and sugar. This, of course, is the rice you’re biting into when you sit down to a plateful of sushi. What you put on or in the rice determines the kind of sushi. But there are other dishes — which don’t …
Read morePasta is full of carbs, but that doesn’t matter Tomatoes or cream?Here’s your guide
ROME — A nattily dressed gentleman, unlit cigar poised between his lips, studies the pastas in a soccer-field-length supermarket aisle. Signore Pino Magno is an Italian diplomat who loves to cook. He is choosing pasta to go with one of his sauces. After much consideration, Magno decides on a bag of casarecce, a delicately once-twisted, …
Read moreJapan’s lunchbox fare pleases eye, palate
FUKUOKA, Japan – ”Tadaima!” (I’m home!) Yuriko and Satoshi Kawasaki cry as they remove their shoes and tumble into their house after a hard day at kindergarten. ”Okaerinasai!” (Welcome home!) replies 40-year old Misako Kawasaki. She empties their school bags and brings their Ultraman and Hello Kitty lunch boxes into the kitchen. Early that morning, …
Read moreIn Italy, fine dining is done at home
You would think a trip to Italy for a food lover would send her scrambling for guides to the endless trattorias, ristorantes, and osterias. When cooking is your passion, however, what can be better than staying in a house with a kitchen? My family recently took a house in the small town of Magliano in …
Read moreJapan, being in hot water takes on a whole new meaning
NAGANO, Japan – Bathing in Japan is not just about getting clean. It is as much about transmitting culture as it is about relaxation. Children may bathe with their parents until they are 7 or 8 years old. Friends will make an outing to a hot spring for a day of soaking and lounging, scrubbing …
Read moreOn hot day, cold noodle dish goes down easy
It’s really summer now – too hot to eat, too hot to cook.You need something easy to make and digest.It should be appetizing, cooling, and nutritious. In many Asian countries, noodles are considered a snack foodor a light meal. In summer, they are served cold, often with a tangydressing. In Japan, noodles are a noisy …
Read moreMaking sushi can be fun and easy
Making sushi at home may seem fussy and complicated, but it need not be. It needs virtually no cooking, is inherently low in fat and nutritious, and can involve the guests in preparation. A temaki zushi(hand-rolled sushi) party is fun and an authentic way to eat sushi at home. When the Japanese are not eating …
Read moreBento:Build a Better Lunch
Debra Samuels, bestselling author, food writer and cooking instructor, wants to give the American lunchbox a makeover. In the chapter on “bento,” the traditional Japanese lunch box, in her upcoming book, My Japanese Table, Debra encourages the use of color, texture and taste to create healthier and more visually appealing meals.
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