At the Japanese TableAt the Japanese Table is a highly engaging guide to the Japanese way of eating, providing both social and historical background for what readers might encounter when visiting Japan or eating at authentic Japanese restaurants. Written by a contributor to the renowned Oxford Companion to Food, this book describes meals and menus, both formal and informal, along with the kitchens, cooking utensils and techniques, and even the many types of restaurants and dining rooms. The book reveals the cultural importance of fresh foods, raw foods, and rice, and describes the diverse connections between food and seasonality. It also discusses the aesthetics of the presentation of Japanese food, which can rival flavor in importance. Anyone with a taste for Japanese food, Japanese culture, or travel will find much to enjoy in this readable and informed guide. |
Common terms and phrases
aroma arrangement author's photo autumn bamboo bean curd bento bitter bonito bowl breadcrumbs bream Buddhist vegetarian called century chawanmushi chewy China Chinese characters chopsticks clear soup colour cooked cookery cucumber deep-fried delicious dishes domburi Domestic Japan dried drink drunk eating edible especially flavour fresh fruit garnishes glutinous rice green grilled ikizukuri important ingredients Japan Japanese apricot Japanese cuisine Japanese food Kaiseki kamado katsuobushi kelp Kitchen utensils Kitcho kombu Kyoto matsutake meal menu mirin miso soup monosodium glutamate Narumo one-pot Osaka pepper perilla persimmons pickled vegetables Plate popular prickly ash raw fish restaurants rice wine ryori sake salt sansho sashimi sauce season seaweed served sesame shellfish Shojin slices soy bean soy sauce spring style summer sunomono sushi rice sweet sweetened taste tasty tea ceremony tempura texture tofu tonkatsu traditional traditionally umami utensils and furniture vinegar wasabi white radish winter yuzu