Amazon.com
If the food of a culture has a pulse, in Japan that pulse would be called washoku. It's a set of principles in fives that takes into account color, taste, ways of preparing food, the diner's senses, and the outlook brought to bear on both the cooking and the dining experience. The result? Meals that are balanced, pleasing, invigorating, healing, and satisfying--all in ways that seep deep into the soul. It's the great good luck of the West that Elizabeth Andoh chose a life in Japan and a focus on food. Her expertise has brought forth the award-winning An Ocean of Flavor as well as countless newspaper and magazine pieces.
With Washoku Andoh takes the reader into the heart of the Japanese home kitchen. She explains the guiding philosophy then brings it into practical terms with a section on the essential washoku pantry. Her section on the washoku kitchen begins with cutting and ends with shaping and molding. Recipes are found in chapters on Stocks and Condiments; Soups; Rice; Noodles; Vegetables; Fish, Meat and Poultry; Tofu and Eggs; and Desserts.
You might never prepare an entire Japanese meal from beginning to end (though with this book in hand you certainly could), but there's no reason not to believe you wouldn't begin to include some of these recipes in an expanding foodway. The sauces and condiments are particularly exciting. As is the underlying thinking that goes into how you are cooking and why you are cooking--the washoku of it all. Not a bad lesson to learn from an exemplary teacher. --Schuyler Ingle
Book Description
"Elizabeth Andoh's groundbreaking cookbook introduces Western audiences to the age-old concept of washoku, the art of creating nutritional and aesthetic harmony at the table, one that transforms our thinking about Japanese cuisine and culture. Composed with deep scholarship and loving craftsmanship, Washoku is filled with authentic recipes and personal stories that place the Japanese cooking and dining experience in a much needed cultural perspective only an insider could share." --Grace Young, author of The Breath of a Wok
"For American cooks, Elizabeth Andoh is THE guru of Japanese cuisine. It seems there's nothing she doesn't know, her language is clear and understandable, and her recipes work. What more could you want?"
--Mark Bittman, author of How to Cook Everything
"We cook from the heart (kokoro) and express our feelings with our dishes. In this book, Elizabeth Andoh conveys the way of the Japanese kokoro through cooking to people around the world."
-- Nobu Matsuhisa
"Elizabeth Andoh's beautiful new book is not just a cookbook filled with enticing recipes, but a fascinating treatise explaining the philosophy behind Japanese home cooking and Japanese cuisine as a whole. Washoku confirms Elizabeth's stellar reputation as one of the most knowledgeable authorities on Japanese food and culture."
--Nina Simonds, author of A Spoonful of Ginger
In 1975, Gourmet magazine published a series on traditional Japanese food —the first of its kind in a major American food magazine — written by a graduate of the prestigious Yanagihara School of classical cuisine in Tokyo. Today, the author of that groundbreaking series, Elizabeth Andoh, is recognized as the leading English-language authority on the subject. She shares her knowledge and passion for the food culture of Japan in WASHOKU, an authoritative, deeply personal tribute to one of the world 's most distinctive culinary traditions. Andoh begins by setting forth the ethos of washoku (traditional Japanese food), exploring its nuanced approach to balancing flavor, applying technique, and considering aesthetics hand-in-hand with nutrition. With detailed descriptions of ingredients complemented by stunning full-color photography, the book's comprehensive chapter on the Japanese pantry is practically a book unto itself. The recipes for soups, rice dishes and noodles, meat and poultry, seafood, and desserts are models of clarity and precision, and the rich cultural context and practical notes that Andoh provides help readers master the rhythm and flow of the washoku kitchen. Much more than just a collection of recipes, WASHOKU is a journey through a cuisine that is rich in history and as handsome as it is healthful.
Customer Reviews:
Cooking Japanese Food Made Easy.......2007-07-14
Very pleased with the addition of this book to my collection. Ordering was perfect, arrival was perfect, and the happiness I have now at being able to cook for my daughter-in-law is awesome. Everything went smoothly and I am so pleased. Highest rating to a great service.
A very useful and informative book.......2007-07-12
This book is one that I would usually put in the "coffee table" genre. It is full of informative photographs, has sections on ingredients, tableware, service, recipes..... and it is beautiful have out for looks or information. It is well worth the price and that is something that is hard to find in the world of Japanese cookbooks in general. This is a huge book that is bursting with color and instructions. This is a book to add to your collection whether you cook, need a focal point for that special spot in your living room or actually want to cram your head with facts about Japanese cuisine and service.
Washoku: Recipes From The Japanese Home Kitchen.......2007-04-11
Others may better explain the concept of Washoku and its five harmonies applied when making a meal(harmony in color, palate, cooking method, senses and outlook). For me the value of this book has been its wonderfully thourough (almost encyclopedic) description of japanese ingredients, its illustrations, what a Japanese pantry would include (the essentials), instructions on how to prepare, tools needed, how to store, what to expect from foods (e.g. smells that we might not recognize and mistake for spoilage). I constantly refer to it as I use other Japanese cookbooks.
A Truly Wonderful Book.......2007-03-12
For a country so obsessed with food, why is it that we never take the time to really think about the way we eat the particular foods on our table. Do we ever consider the texture and color when preparing a meal? Is it at all important that the items on our plate achieve a certain harmony with each other? What do we know about our methods of food preparation in spiritual terms? And why is it that we only think about our stomachs at mealtime and not our metaphysical hunger? Because we just don't. It has no place in our culture of Fast Food and microwave-ready dinners.
It's only when you pick up Elizabeth Andoh's book, Washoku: Recipes From The Japanese Home Kitchen, that you begin to see how simple it is to think in these terms. Andoh talks about discovering the art and science of the food of her adopted country, her monther-in-law's Japanese home kitchen and lengths she went in preparing not only healthy meals but truly fulfilling dishes made with order and harmony.
Washoku explains the philosophy of thinking about the balance of color, taste, texture, technique, and ingredients in a meal. Andoh, In short, teaches you how and why each meal should feature five colors, five flavors, five cooking techniques and engage all five senses. The fifth principle, based in Buddhist practices, urges cook and diner to be mindful of the work that went into the meal, to be grateful, to put aside ill feelings, to eat for spiritual as well as physical well-being.
It is a truly wonder book. I couldn't wait to add it to my kitchen bookshelf.
Beautiful and accessible.......2007-03-11
After using a library copy of this book for several weeks, I am definitely purchasing my own copy. It's a beautiful book, yes, but more important, the recipes are easy to use and produce a fairly authentic flavor with little fuss and bother. I have one slight suggestion for future volumes by Andoh and other Japanese cookbook authors. It would be extremely helpful if the names for ingredients (in the ingredient glossary) would be given in both romaji and Japanese characters. When shopping, I often find products that are made in Japan and labeled only in Japanese. Since my reading knowledge of Japanese is extremely limited, it's difficult to figure out what the item is exactly. With hiragana and/or kanji labels in the book, one could compare to the product label and shopping would be far easier!
Customer Reviews:
In My Top 5 Cookbooks.......2006-01-31
I loved this cookbook so much I photocopied the entire (out of print) copy my library had several years ago, which cost me at least three times what I would've paid if I could've bought it new. I'm thrilled to find it used, and I can't recommend it highly enough. Everything I have made from this book over the last 10 or 12 years has been delicious (with the exception of a failed rice bran pickle experiment I forgot about when I went on vacation...whoops). Elizabeth Andoh is to Japanese cooking what Barbara Tropp was to Chinese; passionate, knowledgeable, down to earth, the kind of cook you wish was your neighbor.
Oh, would that some smart publisher reprint this book..........2001-01-01
Hands down, this is my FAVORITE Japanese cookbook. Elizabeth Andoh, an American married to a Japanese, is not only a fine cook, cooking teacher, and journalist in her own right, but is in the unique position of being an American consultant to the Japanese food industry. This is her first cookbook, published in 1980 (it was followed by "An American Taste of Japan" in 1985). It's a primer of "pure" Japanese home cooking -- like Mama used to make, if your mama happened to be Japanese. I learned to cook in the kitchens of Japanese friends, and the flavors of Ms. Andoh's recipes make me swooningly "natsukashii" (nostalgic) for Japan.
The book's 130 recipes are organized in the classic order of Japanese cuisine: soups, rice, noodles, braised and simmered foods, grilled foods, deep-fried foods, steamed foods, mixed and sauced foods, pickles, and sweet things and beverages. No photographs, but crystal clear recipes are complemented by beautiful line drawings that illustrate ingredients and techniques. A section in the front details Japanese cooking techniques and equipment, while a glossary at the back not only translates the names of unusual ingredients, but explains how to choose and store them. In all, it's a wonderful book that I can't recommend highly enough.
Book Description
"Yum!" thought Amy Kaneko when she tasted the Japanese home cooking she'd married into. Even better, turned out it uses easy-to-find ingredients, and she couldn't believe how simple the techniques are for food this delicious. This terrific cookbook showcases 70 of Amy's favorite recipes, including Tonkatsu (crispy pork cutlets in a tangy sauce) and Onigiri (cute little rice balls stuffed with salmon). A glossary describes the more unusual ingredients and a source list makes it a snap to find and use Japanese specialties such as daikon, miso, and wasabi. It's tasty, it's practical, it's a wow with family and friends so Let's Cook Japanese Food!
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2007-08-16
Amy Kaneko presents to the reader a form of healthy and fun to eat foods everyone can and will enjoy. Recipes are easy to follow and most of the food sources can be found at any major shopping food chain.
great book.......2007-06-19
i love this book. she makes recipes super, super easy... but all the food is also realy great. it's simple, so if you're into difficult recipes, this might not be your book... but if you want great food explained in an easy way, this is your book.
a good beginning for a new cuisine.......2007-04-26
I bought this book after a positive review was written in the Oregonian's Food Day section. I enjoy Japanese food, but haven't had the nerve to try making it at home. Amy Kaneko's descriptive details helped me get over the fear of trying it myself. The meal I chose was simple to prepare, and the ingredients were fairly easy to find. (Note to anyone else about to try this - mirin, or sweet sake, wasn't with the sakes in the wine department, but next to rice vinegars in the Asian food section - it's not a drinking sake.) I was very pleased with the results - a much more complex flavor than the simple preparation would have led me to expect.
The only negatives about this book are that vegetarians will be a little surprised to see how much pork and chicken winds up in the 'vegetable' section of the book, and that there is no dessert section.
Customer Reviews:
Not only for kids.......2005-09-21
As a grown-up student of teism I have shared this book with many adults to help them understand the basic steps for preparing powdered green tea (usucha). It describes the first thin tea practice (temae) using a try, and requires very few utentsils. Dr. Sato, the author, has received the highest honors in Japan, and has a very long teaching career in the US. This is evident in the book's beautiful photos and clear instructions. Highly recommended for kids, their parents and grandparents. Enjoy a cup of tea the Japanese style. Elsa Statzner
Customer Reviews:
Wonderful introduction to Japanese home cooking!.......2003-06-29
I LOVE this cookbook! It's a great introduction to simple Japanese cooking at home, with VERY detailed directions and beautiful color photos to show how the end result should look. For example, when Fukushima talks about deep-frying, he doesn't tell you to just add enough oil for frying - as most cookbooks assume you know - he specifies 3 inches of oil, along with the specific frying temperature. Not that this book is about deepfrying - outside of the Tempura and Tonkatsu recipes, he does a wonderful job covering the side dishes ubiquitous at a Japanese table - the pickled cucumbers, cold spinach in sesame dressing, and other dishes that are so wonderfully cooling in the heat of summer. The broiled eggplant is delicious - a much healthier way to eat eggplant (outside of the usual frying or smothering in cheese) and still be able to taste the original vegetable flavor. My only reason for not giving this book 5 stars? I wanted MORE recipes to be included!
Book Description
Learn to make the most popular varieties of sushi: chirashi-zushi (scattered), maki-zushi (rolled), bou-zushi (bar-shaped) and fancy sushi. Basic ingredients, simple instructions and tips are detailed throughout.
Customer Reviews:
Very decorative sushi ideas!.......2002-04-02
After taking a class on how to make basic sushi I bought this book for some new ideas. I love the colorful decorative Maki-Zushi recipe! They also have very good visual layouts for how to make thick sushi rolls, hors d'oeuvres sushi, Ichimatsu Oshi-Zushi & other great meal ideas. Lots of pictures, colorful illustrations, decorative sushi & meals prepared which is great for those of us who are visual people! I recommend this book as a great way to create great looking as well as tasting sushi! :)
Great Sushi book!.......2001-10-04
For quite some time now I have loved going to various sushi places and trying out all different types of Sushi. One day I decided I wanted to make my own, so I picked up this book at a local store, and I must say I am completly satisfied. this book is a great refrence guide on how to make many different types of sushi. It aslo shows you how to prepare the basic ingredients such as the rice. I can recomend this book for a newbie interested in making their own sushi.
Neat tricks!.......2001-01-01
This is NOT a book for those hoping to learn how to make restaurant-style nigiri-zushi. Instead it's filled withfull of pictorial step-by-step directions and color photos for making the kinds of easy-to-do sushi Japanese friends might make at home and serve as party fare. You'll find recipes for chirashi-zushi (a bowl of rice with ingredients scattered over the top), maki-zushi (rolled sushi), inari-zushi (sushi rice in fried tofu bags) and oshi-zushi (pressed sushi). Included are a lot of simple but decorative tricks, such as turning fried tofu pockets inside-out for visual variety... and, yes, a sushi "birthday cake."
A great book for home sushi........2000-07-07
After being introducted to traditional sushi in a Japanese home many years back, I have searched for the right book that would help me replicate what my memory serves me. After purchasing this book and trying several recipes, I have definitely found what I was looking for. The instructions are quite clear with concise listings of ingredients and utensils. Although the color pictures are beautifully done, sometimes their layout can be a bit confusing to the actual "process" of sushi making. I am also fond of the different types of sushi that the book covers... most think sushi consists of "raw fish" only; this book squashes that myth. I have this book at my arm's reach when I am in the mood to recreate my past....the recipes are timeless.
Reasonable But Not Great.......1999-12-29
I have been making sushi for about a year and bought this book in the hopes of obtaining a reference for basic techniques and a guide to new new techniques. Overall I am happy with the book, but not as happy as I had hoped. Although there are some good ideas for exotic sushi, there really isn't much included in the way of basic techniques. Techniques for preparing Nigiri-zushi aren't even discussed. Novices would be better off looking elsewhere for instruction; I would recommend The Book of Sushi. Still this can be a vaulable book for intermediate sushi chefs and does include a variety of interesting sushi ideas such as squid sushi. Aditionally, this book is written by a japanese author seemingly for a japanese audience; western readers may have trouble finding some ingredients.
Customer Reviews:
An outstanding collection of recipes for comfort foods.......2002-03-25
This outstanding collection of recipes for comfort foods and meals eaten in typical Japanese households provides a wide variety of rice bowls, main dishes and soups which require access to a well-stocked Japanese market, but which avoid some of the more complicated restaurant dishes of competing titles. Japanese Home Cooking is a truly excellent, very highly recommended, basic introduction which includes a peppering of black and white photos of completed dishes.
Customer Reviews:
Great design... great price.......2003-06-07
This is a great volume of *home cooking* recipes. It has great pictures to help guide you a bit and information on uncommon (in this country) ingredients. I have tried several recipes and while I don't consider them *fast cooking*...what i mean is I wouldnt necessarily start cooking them after a long days work... I don't see them as long or overly invovled.
Once you stock up on the traditional ingredients, flavorings, spices cooking this way is much easier. And much less time consuming... There are a good number of recipes that, once the intitial ingredients are purchased, are very economical (featuring eggs, rice, chicken thighs)
The feel of the book is very good. The pages are smooth and easy to wipe up if you have to, the spine is sturdy (an issue i have with non-spiral cook books) and hasnt broken on me even after two or so years of reading and using. A big plus for a cook book. Excellent quality pictures
Personally, I like more recipes for cook books...i find this book a bit thin. Even so, I think its a great addition to a collection and probably a great first japanese cook book.
Japanese Mom's Home Cooking!.......2003-03-09
My Japanese mother is now elderly and no longer able to cook my favorite dishes, so I needed a Japanese cookbook if I ever wanted to eat homestyle cooking again. This book is wonderful! This is your basic everyday cooking, not fancy restaurant foods (even though they are delicious enough for a restaurant). Recipes are very easy to follow (in addition to helpful hints in preparing them) and there are beautiful color photographs of what the final dish is to look like. I started off with the basics - two different recipes of Japanese pickles - my mother loved them! What better compliment could you ask for!
What I've been looking for!.......2001-02-06
I've lived in Japan for several years and have been looking for a cookery book that could show me how to make simple everyday dishes I've enjoyed so often in Japanese homes. From Niku-jaga (a meat and potato dish) to tempura (vegetables or fish deep-fried in batter) to zoni (soup with rice cakes), not to mention sushi, all the home basics are included here. There are lots of photos showing you both the final product and key steps in preparation. The introductory section also has photos of commonly used basic ingredients such as fresh ginger and wasabi (Japanese horseradish) with tips and explanations on how to prepare and use them in dishes. A practical, well-thought out book.
Authentic Recipies translated into english.......2000-10-13
This cookbook was NOT written for the US market, it is a Japanese cookbook written by the Japanese version of home and garden translated. None of the tastes are modified to the US palet. If you want REAL Japanese food, this is the book for you.
Average customer rating:
- Coincidence?
- A Must
- Excellent Read
|
Modern Japanese Cooking at Home (Quick & Easy)
Toshiro Kandagawa
Manufacturer: Joie Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Regional & International
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
| African
| Asian
| Canadian
| Caribbean & West Indian
| European
| General
| International
| Latin American
| Mexican
| Middle Eastern
| Native American
| U.S. Regional
ASIN: 4915831825 |
Book Description
On Japanese dining tables, you can find dishes from many cultures, such as Western, Chinese,Thai, and Indian, not to mention, Japanese.
We now have come to realize old fashioned Japanese meals are surprisingly healthy and were created to make the changing seasons by using food that are ripe and abundent at the various times of year.. Toshiro Kandagawa, the author introduces a variety of dishes, from the traditional recipes to the westernized ones. All recipes are illustrated and the recipes are easy to follow.
Customer Reviews:
Coincidence?.......2004-07-05
Each of the other reviewers gave this book five stars...solid...no hesitation. Each of the other reviewers is from the state of Ohio. Small world or huge coincidence? Or loaded reviews? What are the chances...out of 50 states? Marketing agents? It happens with music reviews. Check the book out from the library, first.
A Must.......2002-05-24
This is the Japanese cookbook that I keep coming back to. The receipes are beautiful. Quiet a befiting book for the man that finally beat the Iron Chef Japan.
Excellent Read.......2002-02-07
If you want to have meals both healthy and delicious, don't waste your time with rice cakes and slim fast, Chef Kandagawa shows you easy ways to make delicous and nutirious Japanese meals. Bon Appitite
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