Not only are the ingredients and flavors of Japanese food unfamiliar to foreigners, but so are the methods and the philosophy behind the cuisine.

Bicultural author Maki Itoh was born in Tokyo but grew up helping out in her mother's Japanese restaurant in New York, so she is uniquely positioned to explain the cuisine to non-Japanese....

Not only are the ingredients and flavors of Japanese food unfamiliar to foreigners, but so are the methods and the philosophy behind the cuisine.

Bicultural author Maki Itoh was born in Tokyo but grew up helping out in her mother's Japanese restaurant in New York, so she is uniquely positioned to explain the cuisine to non-Japanese. She knows both sides--what real Japanese food is, and also what foreigners fail to understand about it. This book provides a clear overview answering all the questions non-Japanese have about one of the world's greatest cuisines:

• What makes Japanese food unique? A history of Japanese food culture, from prehistoric times to the present day, from the perspective of a native Japanese person who grew up with the cuisine.
• What are the key ingredients used in Japanese cuisine, why and how they are used? Itoh addresses which ingredients are essential to recreating authentic Japanese cuisine at home.
• How do you design a Japanese meal correctly? The book addresses issues like seasonality, balancing flavors, and the concept of umami and how to create it.
• Which Japanese recipes are right for you? The 600 authentic recipes in this book cover everything from soups to sushi and ramen to hotpots and izakaya dishes. But which ones should you try?