Bento

Bunny Bento

Today’s post is in honor of Lolly’s Big Time Bunny Week that has been running all week over on her blog, LollyChops. I’ve been having so much fun reading about her projects that I decided we needed some bunnies over here at the Fuji cottage. I decided to make Squirrel a bunny bento as a […]

Onigiri—Squirrel’s Favorite Oyatsu

Today is Hinamatsuri (雛祭り) in Japan, the Japanese Doll Festival , or Girls’ Day, held every year on March 3, the third day of the third month. I love this holiday because it is a day when families pray for and celebrate the happiness and prosperity of their girls. Being the mom of two little […]

Celebrating Simplicity: Quick and Easy Carrot Sesame Salad

When I think of Japanese cuisine, one of the words that comes to mind is “simple.” Not all Japanese dishes are simple, but many celebrate flavors and ingredients through simplicity. Some of my favorite dishes have relatively few ingredients and focus on highlighting flavors and celebrating certain seasonal ingredients. Leonardo DaVinci is quoted as having […]

Blossoming Garnishes—How to carve a carrot ume blossom.

One of the things that I find captivating about Japanese cuisine is the presentation. It is beautiful. I read somewhere that Japanese cuisine takes advantage of the four distinct seasons and that garnishes are often created to give a sense of the season that the dish is representing. Although it is Fall now, I recently […]

Fridge Pickles & Tsukemono

On Monday I told you that I have a new big project in the works and I gave you some hints: 18, 40, 9, spicy, tomatoes, mush. One of my readers, Semsavblanc, guessed right . . . I'm adding another Fuji to the family! I am a little over 18 weeks along out of 40. […]

Bento Bound—FM’s Tuna Onigiri

FM’s Tuna Onigiri Makes 4 rice balls 2 cups freshly cooked Japanese rice (any short grain rice will do), kept warm 1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 1/2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar 3 tablespoons canned tuna, drained 1 tablespoon hijiki 1. Place the hijiki in a small strainer and rinse. Place in bowl of warm […]

Calling all cukes! Sunomono (Japanese Cucumber Salad)

If you give me a choice between your regular garden variety cucumber and a Japanese cucumber, I will choose the Japanese cucumber every time, hands down. I love cucumbers, but for me, the Japanese cucumber is the empress of them all. It does not need to be peeled or seeded and the flavor is mild […]

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