Japanese Books - Page 9

Sushi Made Easy

Kumfoo Wong

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 7 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

pretty good, pretty basic 4 out of 5 stars.
8 of 8 people found this review helpful.

If you were looking for a book with specific recipes, this is not the book. Everything in this book is presented very flexibly, with only a mere suggestion list after the basic preparation of things. There are pros and its cons to this because you know the basics and you can be really creative and you know where you can be really creative. The bad thing is, you would like to have more specific recipes for things that you find in the restaurant such as California Roll and Crunchy Roll, which, granted, are western modifications, but still.

The other complaint is that when they talk about making miso soup all the pictures show wakame seaweed in the soup, but no where in that section (or anywhere in the book for that matter) does it say that wakame can also be put in the miso soup. I had to do some real creative investigation just to find out what that green stuff was.

PS. I bought this book because it was cheaper than any other sushi cookbook I found at the store AND it comes with the KIT part.

Editorial Review:

Preparing sushi is more than mere cooking--it's an art, a creative act of beautifully presenting colors, textures, subtle tastes, and unmatched sensations. Every page here shares that refined philosophy, so it not only shows you how to make a feast for your friends, it is a feast for the eyes. Even the small line drawings accompanying the luscious photography--which show in detail how to create each perfect piece of sushi--seem infused with the elegant feel of Japanese culture. Immerse yourself in the lifestyle as you learn how to wrap, make, and arrange delicacies such as nigiri-sushi out of fish (yellowtail, salmon, tuna, surf clam, flounder, or prawn) and vinegared rice; thick futomaki, hosomaki (omelette), and fish and vegetable rolls; a battleship wrap stuffed with roe; inside-out rolls; a California hand roll with ripe avocado and crab; and soups. With advice on setting an eye-catching table to complete the wonderful atmosphere.

The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi: Everything You Need to Know About Sushi Varieties and Accompaniments, Etiquette and Dining Tips and More

Dave Lowry

Amazon Price: $12.60 List Price: $14.00 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Harvard Common Press Amazon Marketplace: 38 new & used starting at $2.56

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Outstanding and comprehensive 5 out of 5 stars.
11 of 11 people found this review helpful.

Dave Lowry is an incredibly knowledgeable martial artist and prolific author who also happens to be a food critic. This is outstanding book is the logical concatenation of his numerous talents, a true A-to-Z guide to everything you need to know about sushi including what to eat, how to eat it, and what to drink with what you eat. It covers the rice, types of sushi you can obtain, toppings, fillings, condiments, utensils, accompaniments, etiquette, and more. The 300+ pages are packed with interesting and useful information to keep you from embarrassing yourself and make your dining experience more enjoyable. The "watch for," "trivia," and "ask the itamae" call-outs are really neat features.

The book is broken into three parts. Part one covers everything about the sushi itself including rice, nigiri sushi (hand-pressed), maki sushi (wrapped or rolled), chirashi sushi (scattered), oshi sushi (pressed), tane (toppings), gu (fillings), and nori (seaweed). Part two is an in-depth primer of the various types of fish used for sushi. Part three explains the practice and etiquette of eating sushi, including condiments, drinks, utensils, accoutrements and furnishings, the itamae (sushi chef), and sushi ritual.

The only bad thing about this otherwise outstanding book is that it has no pictures. I'm still giving it five stars because the content is so good, but it would have been even better with color photos of the various types of fish and pictures or drawings of the other items he refers to that many readers will not be familiar with. Regardless, as with all of Lowry's books it is comprehensive, easy to read, filled with interesting vignettes, and very useful. I was first introduced to sushi (and sashimi) at a judo tournament in 1972, yet I learned a lot I did not already know in this fine tome. If you are into sushi you've got to buy this book!

Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction

Editorial Review:

Like sushi? Know a little something about it? Take your knowledge to a higher level with The Connoisseur's Guide to Sushi. Author and Japanese-culture expert Dave Lowry provides a wealth of information on the varieties of sushi and its ingredients, with extensive coverage given to all types of fish. He lays out the finer points of etiquette and showcases the proper accompaniments. Lowry's wry, light wit emerges as he shares lots of cultural and historical facts about sushi. He'll tell you just how to go about finding a really good sushi restaurant. With this book in hand, you'll be sure to enhance your sushi dining experience, and wow your friends with your new-found expertise!

Japanese Cooking for Two

Kurumi Hayter

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

How to Save $100 a Week! 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

If you love Japanese food, including sushi, you know how expensive it can be to go out to the restaurant all the time.

I guarantee that if you buy this book, you will save $100 a week, by being able to make your own Japanese food.

The recipes are easy to follow, the pictures are in vivid color, and best of all, the food tastes great!

This was the very first Japanese cookbook I found, and have been using ever since - over 5 years of use, and lots of soy sauce coloring the pages. :)

Sake Companion

John Gauntner

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

A nice (but short) intro to the world of sake 4 out of 5 stars.
7 of 8 people found this review helpful.

This compact, concise book is a nice starting point if you're interested in delving into the multifaceted, complex world of sake. The author makes clear the many classifications and styles that this ancient Japanese beverage can have, in a way that's (hopefully) not too confusing to the novice. The directory of Japanese and American sakes he includes later in the book (listed by brewery, and including bottle label pictures) gives enough info to make a informed decision on which sake(s) you should try to find, depending on your preferences. He also provides the reader with plenty of references in the way of sake organization addresses and websites, etc. However, my biggest gripe with this slim volume is the lack of explanation of any of the Kanji (Japanese symbolic characters) which correspond to the classifications he describes earlier in the book. On a saké bottle label, not only are the brewery and sake names written in Kanji and Hiragana (a simpler Japanese alphabet), but the classification and style often are as well. Thus, knowledge of what the Kanji for "junmai" is, for example, is essential in many cases, and should've been included in this book.

Editorial Review:

Written by a leading expert on the subject of the fermented Japanese rice beverage that has exploded in popularity in the United States, this connoisseur's guide provides a fascinating look at the drink's cultural history, plus sections on the venerable craft of making saké, an up-to-date alphabetical directory of more than 100 Japanese and American sakés, ratings, tasting notes, full-color pictures of labels, and a complete listing of breweries. John Gauntner lives in Japan and publishes the newsletter Saké World.

The Sushi Experience

Hiroko Shimbo

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 4 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

Editorial Review:

From Hiroko Shimbo, the well-known and widely admired authority on Japanese food, here is the most comprehensive, engaging, and instructive book that has ever been written on the fascinating world of sushi—the delights of eating it, preparing it, and savoring it in its many forms.

Shimbo introduces you first to the history of sushi (it started out as a way of preserving fish) and shows how it has evolved into the phenomenon it is today, relished by food lovers the world over. She then takes you into a typical sushi bar—guiding you in all aspects of the experience, from the ordering of sushi and the etiquette of eating it to the appropriate exchange with your sushi chef—all in Japanese, of course (you can tear off this sheet and the one on the back flap to tuck into your pocket so you’ll have these valuable tips with you the next time you visit a sushi bar).

For the home cook there are step-by-step illustrated instructions on how to make sushi rice properly and how to shape the rice around a variety of delicious fillings (primarily of cooked and preserved fish and seafood, omelets, vegetables, and seasonings). There are sauces and accompaniments to complement the sushi meal. A new world will open up as you discover sushi pouches, tossed and arranged sushi salads, sushi for the lunch box, and sushi dolls to make with your children.

Now, along with the professional chef, you are ready to tackle raw fish and seafood, and Shimbo gives you all the tools—what fish to buy, how to be sure that is safe to eat raw, and how to slice it expertly.

It’s all here in this all-encompassing, gloriously illustrated book, along with stories about fishermen, knife makers, tea growers, wasabi farmers, and sake brewers, to inspire American cooks to create, and enjoy, our own perfect sushi.

The Joy of Japanese Cooking

Kuwako Takahashi, David Narsai

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

non plus ultra 5 out of 5 stars.
17 of 18 people found this review helpful.

I live in Japan. My wife is Japanese (but I do most of the cooking at home.) Our son-in-law is a well-known "ita-mae" - Japanese chef at a famous resort hotel. So, I am somewhat familiar with Japanese cuisine... and I get immeasurable pleasure surprising all of my family with delicious dishes prepared under the tutelage of Takahashi-sensei. Her recipes are easy to follow, produce delicious results, and are authentic. The family is still talking about the seafood casserole (nabe) I made for New Year's festivities using this book. My personal favorites are the simmered pork and daikon, the kinpira, the pickled lotus root, ...where do I stop? It's all good. No, it's delicious!

I have several English-language Japanese cookbooks - all quite good, but this is my favorite. It is quite simply "hors concours," the non plus ultra. The only thing you need to supplement this gem is a copy of Richard Hosking's "A Dictionary of Japanese Food, Ingredients and Culture" - and you really don't need it. Takahashi-sensei's glossary and explanations are enough.

If you love or are simply interested in Japanese cuisine and want the very best cookbook available to produce it at home, do whatever necessary - short of physical violence - to get your hands on a copy of Takahashi-sensei's "The Joy of Japanese Cooking." Then, enjoy... and enjoy... and enjoy!

Editorial Review:

Japanese food, with its emphasis on fresh ingredients and delicate flavours, is delicious and healthy, but the unfamiliar ingredients and techniques may discourage novices from making it at home. Now, THE JOY OF JAPANESE COOKING explains how to prepare and present Japanese meals. Both novice and experienced cooks will find the carefully tested, precise, and clearly illustrated recipes simple and rewarding.

The Japanese Kitchen: A Book of Essential Ingredients with 200 Authentic Recipes,

Kimiko Barber

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

a brilliant introduction to Japanese food 5 out of 5 stars.
8 of 9 people found this review helpful.

The ingredients-led entries in this book make it easy to follow and I was amazed by how simple many of the recipes were. The five that I've made have all worked extremely well and been delicious. The photography is stunning and really brought alive the world that is Japanese cooking. I read about the book in Newsweek and thoroughly agree it's one of the best cookbooks I've found in the US during 2004. Just fab.

Editorial Review:

Until recently, Japanese cooking has remained in the shadows, but the remarkable and long-awaited upsurge in the popularity of sushi and noodle bars and, subsequently, the growth in the availability of ingredients, have put the country firmly on the culinary map. In The Japanese Kitchen Kimiko Barber invites you on a personal tour of her country's exquisite cuisine. She presents 100 essential ingredients and 200 recipes from all over Japan. Every ingredient, from the familiar to the unknown, has its own separate entry giving in-depth background information on history, appearance, taste, manufacture, buying, storing, culinary use and health benefits. Recipes range from the classic, such as Miso Soup with Tofu or Chilled Soba Noodles with Wasabi and Soy Sauce: to the more contemporary Marinated Tiger Prawns in Sweet Ginger Vinegar, or delicious Seared Beef Tataki.

Guide to Food Buying in Japan (Books to Span the East and West)

Carolyn R. Krouse

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 5.0 of 5

An Excellent resource! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

I love this book. I live in Japan and regularly take it the store with me. It has helpful language information, packaging information and explanations of all the "foreign" things I'm looking at in the store. My book has a different cover (older edition, I assume), but it was worth every penny...and it's not cheap!

Food of Japan (Food of the World Cookbooks)

Wendy Hutton, Heinz Von Holzen

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 3 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

the food of japan great book 5 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Elegant and simple recipes for traditional and popular japanesedishes. Easy format for beginners. Marvelously illustrated with colorphotographs. Includes dictionary of japanese cooking terms first and them proceeds with recipes. Priced reasonably. This is one of a series on international cooking. END

Stylish and stylized 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

Part of the Periplus series on Pacific Rim cooking, this slim volume features a choice selection of recipes ranging from homey classics like Ochazuke (rice with green tea) to elegant Red Snapper with Sea Urchin Threads. The food styling is gorgeous, though something few of us would be willing to spend the hours to accomplish at home. Carve each piece of potato into a 3D hexagon? I think not.

And, despite an extensive pictorial glossary, many recipes call for ingredients that are not available in Japanese markets in the United States, and are not defined anywhere in the book. Ohba leaf, anyone, or Hime radish? The book's editors in Asia are obviously out of touch with American readers.

Editorial Review:

Part of the "Periplus World Cookbooks" series, this book presents step-by-step instructions for recipes from Japan, with tips for preparation in Western kitchens. Essays on local food cover everything from dietary healing to ingredients, techniques and utensils.

Sushi Made Easy

Nobuko Tsuda

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Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 5 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Well balanced, covering basic steps. Good starter book. 4 out of 5 stars.
127 of 127 people found this review helpful.

This book takes a well balanced approach that is geared toward the novice. I found the sections on equipment and ingredients to be very good overviews on these topics. Assembly instructions were pretty good, and frankly, the pictures go a long way toward showing you what the end result will / should look like. Other books I looked at contained more history and shopping tips than I wanted. The key to success with sushi is experiment!

Become a sushi chef overnight! 4 out of 5 stars.
36 of 36 people found this review helpful.

This is an excellent beginner's book for sushi lovers. Includes beautiful color photos to show the art of presentation and the beauty of the cuisine. It could have included pronuciation tips for some of the words, and the technique described for making nori rolls was awkward (I place strips of filling on rice closer to the center), but otherwise I highly recommend this book.

Editorial Review:

Visually appealing, flavorful, and nutritious sushi has long been one of the most popular foods of Japan and is now a favorite of epicures around the world. Here, the ingredients and utensils for making sushi are introduced and the principles of sushi-making explained through thirty-six recipes illustrated with drawings and sixteen pages of color photographs. Included are instructions for dressing and filleting twenty-one kinds of fish, serving suggestions, and recipes for soups to complete an authentic sushi meal.