JET Bloggers’ Food Posts Roundup (3.26.2013)
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
These posts by JET bloggers were featured on the JET Alum Culinary Group on LinkedIn:
“How to Earn a Black Belt…In Front of the Conveyor Belt” by Alexandra Brueckner (ALT, Aomori, 2011-) at The Globe-Trotting Geek.
This piece about kaitenzushi was Freshly Pressed on WordPress on March 12, 2013. おめでとうございます！
“Weekend: 3月17日: Osaka meals” by Sarah (ALT, Takaoka, 2012-) at Daily Nibbles.
Sarah takes gorgeous photos of Osaka’s famous foods. Takoyaki has never looked this good!
“A quick break at Kiharu” by Brittany (CIR, Matsue, 2012-) at San’in Monogatari.
Brittany drops by a cafe in Matsue for some wagashi and matcha.
Join us on LinkedIn and share your own food stories, blog posts, or articles of interest: http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=4803196&trk=hb_side_g
I’ll Make It Myself!: Snow Monkey Beer Live 2013 (スノーモンキービアライブ)
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
I finally got to attend the 2013 Snow Monkey Beer Live, an annual craft beer and live music festival in Shiga Kogen, Nagano, which took place from March 16-17.
I’ll Make It Myself!: A Bento is Not As Big As the World
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
This is a companion piece to “‘Deeply Ingrained Advantages’: American Media Discovers Kyûshoku.”
At the same time as Japan’s school lunch programs got picked up by the media, there was a burst of articles about Japan’s other distinctive lunch: the bento.
Bento and the Cult of Cute
In the lead-in to Carlsen’s and Turner’s “In Japan, Food Can Be Almost Too Cute To Eat,” there is a slideshow showcasing the cuter side of Japanese food: tofu character goods, a kyaraben (character bento), and images of Anpanman in cartoon and pancake form.
WIT Life #228: Japan Week!
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Yesterday began the second annual Japan Week here in NYC, a bit of a misnomer as it only goes for the three days of March 19-21. The venue is Grand Central Terminal’s Vanderbilt Hall, where you can find 18 booths featuring Japanese food, drink and culture. Last night I was lucky enough to attend a kick-off event at the Japanese ambassador’s residence that highlighted Japan’s unique food culture and traditional arts.
One of the gue
st speakers was Michael Romano, director of culinary development for Union Square Hospitality Group, whose restaurants include Union Square Cafe and Gramercy Tavern. Romano was also instrumental in the creation of Union Square Tokyo in 2007. He spoke of his love affair with Japan which began later in life, but has become a full-fledged passion. Romano espoused his devotion to Japanese knives, and shared how a craftsman in Sakai, a city once known for samurai swords but now famous for its kitchen knives, made him a Read More
I’ll Make It Myself!: The Blanton’s Cake (Apple Bourbon Bundt Cake)
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
The set-up for this cake: Blanton’s Bourbon, of Kentucky, is actually sold in Japan but some varieties are only sold in international markets: Black, Silver, Gold, Special Reserve, Straight from the Barrel; Original Single Barrel are sold in the US and abroad.
New JET Alum Parenting Blog: “US-JAPAN FAM”
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Heather Wilson Tomoyasu (ALT Ibaraki-ken, 2004-06), previously Manager of Public Relations at the Japanese Chamber of Commerce, is now a newly established stay-at-home mom blogging in Brooklyn on her site US-Japan Fam to hopefully compile the ultimate resource for Japanese-American cross cultural families, delving into the matters of raising children bilingually, bi-culturally, and bi-racially in the Big Apple.
The first 8 entries are up and ready to roll:
A Little about Me and the Blog: find out more about me and my family (yes, I met my husband at a gay bar, WHAT??), and my plans for the blog.
Marathon of a Birth: discussing my 50 hour labor, natural birth (no meds – YIKES), and the whacked out medical system that billed $25K on a 36-hour hospital stay!
Back to Work – To Go or Not to Go, a New Mother’s Dilemma: you guessed it, this one is all about maternity leave, comparing the US system to that of Japan and a few other countries, and what went into my decision to stay at home.
My Roommate is a Grunter and Poops his Pants: about co-sleeping (same room or same bed) with your children
Sleep Training: Am I the Trainee or the Trainer?: how we got our little one on the Babywise schedule and I’m back to a heavenly 6+ hour consecutive nighttime sleep again!!
Shoot ‘Em Up: The Vaccination Debate: a bit controversial, but in the end you just gotta be informed and make the right decision for your family!
Baby Wearin’ & Stroller Struttin’: I weigh the pros and cons of different ways to get your baby around the city!
What They Don’t Tell You to Expect When You’re Expecting (And Afterward): a hilarious list I compiled for moms and dads alike!
Comments on entries are always appreciated, and guest bloggers are welcome to use the contact form on the blog site to submit ideas!
JETwit note: CLICK HERE to join the JET Alumni Parents group on Facebook.
I’ll Make It Myself: Kitchen Library – 2013.3.7
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
With all the cakes and analyses lately, I’ve really missed doing this series!
I’ll Make It Myself: Foodpia Land 2013
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Last year, I wrote about Foodpia Land, Kanazawa’s big winter food fair, in the context of street food and food culture in Japan. This year, a bunch of my friends and I went again to celebrate a birthday, so while I’m working on posts for the last two geeky/nerdy birthday cakes I made, I thought you all might like to see some photos.
WIT Life #227: Sakura season!
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
I am down in DC for my latest interpreting assignment, and the whole city seems to be getting ready for its cherry blossom festival due to start in exactly two weeks. Of course nature doesn’t always abide by man’s schedule, and some sakura are already starting to bloom. This makes me wonder whether there will be any blossoms left for the duration of the festival, as last year most were long gone by the end. At any rate, although today’s slushy snow makes it hard to believe, spring is just around the corner. 
I recently returned from my annual pilgrimage to Japan for the Tokyo Marathon (as well as the Kumamoto Marathon again this year!), and over there everyone is gearing up for sakura season. At Starbucks (one of the few places with free Wi-Fi so a frequent stop for me) I enjoyed the Sakura White Chocolate latte, a drink that comes in a cherry blossom adorned cup and is decorated on top with sakura white chocolate shavings. This beautiful creation has a taste that is just the right Read More
Check out the JETAA Ottawa Newsletter
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Posted by Gemma Villanueva (Fukushima-ken, 2008-11), editor for the JETAA Ottawa Newsletter. Written and photo submissions are always welcome. Please contact us at newsletter[at]jetaaottawa[dot]ca.
Hello, readers!
JETAA Ottawa is pleased to release the latest newsletter!
Please download here (16 pages – Acrobat Adobe PDF, 808kB).
Adobe Acrobat Reader: Go the “View” menu at the top; then, click “Page Display –> Two-Up Continuous” for optimal viewing.
Happy reading!
In this issue:
1. An exclusive message from His Excellency Kaoru Ishikawa, Ambassador of Japan to Canada.
2. Remembering Tohoku: As the two-year anniversary of the March 11 disaster approaches, current and former Tohoku JETs reflect upon their experiences.
Fukushima JETs proudly wear their “akabeko” tees
– Catherine Lefrancois profiles “Eyes 4 Fukushima,” a non-profit organization spearheaded by her peers.
– Estelle Hebert helped launch “Brighter Than Tomorrow,” a fundraising campaign supporting a small fishing village in Miyagi which had been affected by the tsunami.
– Gemma Villanueva, a Fukushima JET alumna and the current JETAA Ottawa Newsletter Editor, shares how the quake changed her school.
3. Where Are They Now?: JETAA Ottawa catches up with Rigor Maglaya, who puts his own spin on the JET phrase: “ESID. Every situation is different.”
4. Getting to know the 2013-14 JETAA Ottawa Board of Directors. (Contact list available – PDF, 84KB).
… And much more!
I’ll Make It Myself: Happy Valentine’s Day, Herbivores
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
I first saw this image on a friend’s facebook page, and tracked it down this article on the Japanese MSN Lifestyle page. In the course of writing this piece, I actually found the original press release, which I discuss after the MSN article.
Perfect for Herbivore-Types? The Zebra Roll Cake
I’ll Make It Myself!: The Minecraft Cake
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Author’s note: Even though Minecraft isn’t Japan-specific, here’s proof that working with an oven range doesn’t have to limit your creativity!
This year, I made a Minecraft cake. If you aren’t familiar with Minecraft, I’ll let the website speak for itself: “Minecraft is a game about breaking and placing blocks. At first, people built structures to protect against nocturnal monsters, but as the game grew players worked together to create wonderful, imaginative things.”
Instead of creating a cake with a Minecraft design, we decided to create an interactive cake that our friend could build into her own Minecraft creation.
I’ll Make It Myself: “Deeply Ingrained Advantages”: American Media Discovers Kyûshoku
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L.M. Zoller (CIR Ishikawa-ken, Anamizu, 2009-11) is the editor of The Ishikawa JET Kitchen: Cooking in Japan Without a Fight. A writer and web administrator for The Art of Travel, ze also writes I’ll Make It Myself!, a blog about food culture in Japan, and curates The Rice Cooker Chronicles, a series of essays by JETs and JET alumni on the theme of cooking/eating and being alone in Japan, and The JET Alumni Culinary Group in LinkedIn.
New Rice Cooker Chronicles submissions always welcome. Just e-mail it to jetwit [at] jetwit.com.
Can Japan solve America’s food identity crisis? Japan’s relatively low rates of obesity have caught the eye of the American news media, particularly in light of our own new government controls on junk food and measures intended to prevent childhood obesity. In January, The Washington Post ran the article “On Japan’s school lunch menu: A healthy meal, made from scratch” by Chico Harlan; NPR followed up article/radio segment on bento called “In Japan, Food Can Be Almost Too Cute To Eat” by Audrey Carlsen and Daniel N.M. Turner, featuring a radio interview for All Things Considered with host Audie Cornish and author Debra Samuels.
While it is true that the content and presentation of Japanese school lunches (kyûshoku, 給食) and boxed lunches (bento) are quite different from their stereotypical American counterparts, both articles oversimplified the topics. I’d like to focus on each article separately as my criticism for each deals with distinct rather than overlapping issues. First, I’d like to discuss The Washington Post piece’s failure to address some of the negative aspects of the Japanese diet, and, in a separate post, how the NPR piece misses the mark on the “cute” issue and ignores the gendered social issues behind the bento.
WIT Life #226: Rise of the Robots
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WIT Life is a periodic series written by professional Writer/Interpreter/Translator Stacy Smith (Kumamoto-ken CIR, 2000-03). She starts her day by watching Fujisankei’s newscast in Japanese, and here she shares some of the interesting tidbits and trends together with her own observations.
Last night I had the chance to see my first plays starring both humans and robots, created by the teamwork of two greats minds at Osaka University. One is Dr. Hiroshi Ishiguro, a robotic scientist who directs the university’s Intelligent Robotics Library, which strives to create robots that can successfully co-exist with humans. The other is the playwright and director Oriza Hirata, who works as a professor at the University’s Center for the Study of Communication-Design and who founded the Seinendan Theater Company behind these plays. Both were in attendance at this event held at Japan Society, and stayed after to mingle with fans at the post-performance reception.
The first play “Sayonara” (which debuted in 2010) features a female human actress and a anatomically-correct female android (made to look like the person it was modeled after) called Geminoid F. The girl has a terminal illness and Geminoid F has been hired to comfort her by sharing her encyclopedic knowledge of poems. Flash forward to later in the short play when the android has completed this job and is being sent to the affected area of Fukushima. She is told by the man shipping her that Read More
Gemma Vidal (Okayama-ken, 2010-12) is a recently returned JET seeking work in licensing/merchandising (if it’s within the publishing industry, even better!). You can usually find her in her little web spaces Gem in the Rough and Peachy Keen (about her JET adventures) or training with San Jose Taiko. If you know of any authors/aspiring writers you’d like to see featured in JET Alum Author Beat, just contact Gemma at gem.vidal [at] gmail.com.
Thanks to Michael Gervais (2000-03) for notifying The Author Beat!
The Author Beat would like to introduce R. Michael Burns (Saitama-ken, 2000-03) to the stable of JET alumni authors! Michael was an ALT in Fukaya, Saitama and worked for the American Language School in Moriya, Ibaraki for a year and a half after his time on JET. He is currently a high school English teacher in Florida where he sponsors a creative writing workshop and a Japanese Pop Culture Club.
“Hokage and Mountain” by Kayla Greenberg
Interested in mythical stories set in medieval Japan? Michael’s Hokage series — “Shadows from Firelight”, “Demon-Fang”, and the newly published “Shadows and Hellfire” are available at Heroic Fantasy Quarterly. The series follows Hokage, a samurai and his kitsune companion, Sasa. I read “Shadows from Firelight”, the first in the series and I enjoyed it a lot! Although it’s short, it’s packed with magic and action that made me want to read more. I’ll definitely be checking out the rest.
If horror is more up your alley (alas not for me), “The River Child” is one of the stories compiled in the anthology Horror Library III. The tale follows a schizophrenic homeless man who thinks a kappa is killing people around him. Another short story, “The Door, the Lock, the Key” was recently re-published in the anthology An Uncommon Collection. Windwalkers is Michael’s first full-length published novel and it is a horror tale set in a fictional town in Minnesota. Here’s a summary:
When a nightmarish blizzard drives college students Nick Bookman and Robin Kelley to take shelter in a small-town Minnesota church, they are forced to confront the intimate secret that is tearing their friendship apart. The appearance of another storm refugee, Alicia Morgan, an attractive high school senior and self-described witch, arouses Nick’s interest and threatens to strain the old friends’ relationship past the shattering point.
Then one of the men trapped in the church disappears in the deep of the night, and his young daughter stumbles in from the storm babbling about monsters. Only Alicia recognizes the creature from the child’s tale for what it must be — a wendigo, an ancient spirit that embodies the hunger for human flesh.
Soon there’s no doubt — the windwalkers are on the hunt again, and the refugees discover that they must fight not only the menace that haunts the storm, but their own darkest desires. If they cannot control their hungers, their hungers will consume them — and they shall become wendigoes themselves. Only the strongest hearts among the strange band of storm refugees have any hope of surviving the long blizzard night…
You can purchase the book on Amazon.
If you would like more information on Michael’s works, drop by his website www.rmichaelburns.com. Welcome to the Author Beat Michael!
