Mr. Nurenberg's Japan Pages: Cuisine
"Clear broth with three cubes of tofu, shiitake mushrooms
and two rings of scallion green; a few slices of raw fish beautifully garnished
and standing alone on a plate; a small dish of pickled cabbage, spare and clean
to the palate; this is the uncluttered art of Japanese cooking. Zen Buddhism,
Japan`s predominant religion, frames Japanese cuisine through Kaisek, the Zen
way of cooking, which embraces nature, harmony and restraint. Flavors are celebrated
in their simplicity, unencumbered by heavy sauces or complex mixtures."
"Many foods are left raw or only slightly cooked to maintain
and highlight their freshness. The spare and elegant presentation of food in
many different types of dishware, and the ambiance of a classic Japanese restaurant,
all conspire to create an oasis of calm...rice, fish and pickles provide the
base of most meals. The Japanese diet gets the bulk of its protein from soybeans
and seafood, and so is perhaps one of the healthiest of national cuisines...red
meat is a relative newcomer to the cuisine...compared with the West and other
parts of Asia, meals are light and cooked with very little oil. The Japanese
eat with chopsticks and drink soup directly from the bowl. A main course, say
a grilled fish and a salad, is filled out with rice, soup, pickles and tea."
Japanese food was amazing, if not for the faint of heart. Fresh
raw fish, pickled vegetables, glutinous rice, and hot miso soup passed our palates
as our host families endeavored to ensure that we did not go hungry! Presentation
is as much a part of Japanese dining as the actual consumption of food, and
great efforts are taken towards food's proper appearance as well as its taste.
Below, we get adventurous...shrimp heads, anyone?
Itadakemas!!!
I
Continue onward!
Last Updated: 8-30-05
