by Taichi Kitamura | May 19, 2008
The red banner on the side of the road read “brakku basu ryori.” Largemouth bass cuisine has come to Japan.
I saw a few banners like that as my friend and I were driving along the shore of Lake Biwa in Shiga Prefecture. I came to realize that largemouth bass, known in Japanese as brakku basu, is now being promoted as fish for eating in the area surrounding the biggest lake in Japan. I learned that the fisherman’s co-op, which is similar to a state fish and wildlife department in the US, is trying to promote “catch and keep or kill” by buying the bass from the anglers.
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by Taichi Kitamura | April 8, 2008
Forget sushi and ramen noodles — the Mega Mac is hot in Japan. Ever since the beefed up version of the Big Mac with four patties and an extra slice of cheese was introduced to the Japanese, McDonald’s Japan has enjoyed a major increase in sales, up 11% in 2007 to $3.5 billion.
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by Taichi Kitamura | February 19, 2008
I am a big fan of the Iron Chef TV series. When it was first aired in the 90s in Japan, my mother used to videotape every episode and send it to me in America. I learned a lot from the show, especially how to use different ingredients that I had never seen in the kitchen where I worked. The show helped me become a better chef.
The most infamous moment of the show, however, was when Bobby Flay stood on top of the cutting board and challenged Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto.
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by Taichi Kitamura | January 8, 2008
Unagi is a very popular ingredient for sushi, and somewhat surprisingly (it is eel, after all), it is becoming quite popular in the United States. It’s served as nigiri or featured in rolls such as the dragon roll and caterpillar roll.
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by Taichi Kitamura | October 25, 2007
The other day, I was driving up Highway 2 in western Washington to fish the Skykomish River. Identical homes lined the landscape, just a quarter mile from the riverbank. This is all new development — asphalt and concrete replacing trees and wetlands. Where does the wastewater go, I wondered. This scene is repeated all over the Cascade Loop. Clear-cut slopes can’t hold the mud back when it rains, so it all pours into Washington’s rivers, turning them the color of your morning latté.
It’s all about maximizing profit, I realize, and as a small-business owner, I appreciate profit. But at what point does one person’s gain become a much larger negative for the overall community? I believe we’ve already passed the tipping point, which is why the Bush administration can keep a straight face while proposing preposterous rules that hurt our communities.
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by Taichi Kitamura | August 9, 2007
As a sushi chef, I am constantly thinking about how I can make my restaurant better and attract more loyal customers. It helps if I turn that question around and think about it from the customer’s perspective. How does a diner find the best restaurant? Let me share with you what I think makes the best restaurant experience.
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