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.
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. Awards2006 IACP Award WinnerReviews“This extensive volume is clearly intended for the cook serious about Japanese food.”—Minneapolis Star Tribune“. . . scholarly, yet inspirational . . . a foodie might just sit back and read for sheer enjoyment and edification.”—Milwaukee Journal SentinelIf 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
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We in the west tend to like our food to be exciting beyond reason (hence the … There’s something about Japanese food that has piqued my interest. It might be that every sample I’ve tasted has been delicious and uncomplicated, very fresh and well-presented. Perhaps it’s because as I get older, I’m increasingly less impressed by spectacular culinary feats and more and more am drawn to the homemade, the elemental, the simply prepared. We in the west tend to like our food to be exciting beyond reason (hence the wild west’s iconic sagging gunbelt) but I have come to believe…
The photos were beautiful and high quality A sensitive book that taught me a lot in relatively few pages. The photos were beautiful and high quality, and the recipes are dependable. Ms. Andoh does a great job of breaking down the vocabulary and grammar of traditional Japanese cooking. I should emphasize that you will not see recipes like fried rice, shrimp tempura, or even teriyaki, which I know are American favorites, though reading through this book should more than give you the skills to prepare them. Through this book I came to the…
Authoritative Book on Japanese Cuisine This book contains a wealth of information and authentic recipes from an American born woman who has spent most of her life in Japan. What I love about all of Elizabeth Andoh’s books is that she teaches you not just how to do something but also why you do it that way. She is a gifted teacher and excellent writer. The recipes in this book has been tried and tested, so they work. Highly recommended!