010 4 ` Japanese Cooking A Simple Art ' by prominent Japanese culinary educator Shizuo Tsuji belongs to a very select group of excellent national / regional cookbooks such as ` Mastering the Art of French Cooking ' by Julia Child , ` Elements of Classic Italian Cuisine ' by Marcella Hazan , and ` From My Mexican Kitchen ' by Diana Kennedy . The distinguishing feature of all four of these books plus a select few others is that they give an authoritative and relatively complete survey of provisions , equipment , principles , and techniques of their selected cuisine .
In fact , Mr . Tsuji fits this archetype even better than some of the other titles in this group , especially since Diana Kennedy , for one , has written several volumes on Mexican cuisine , so the volume I cite is only her most recent and the one most dedicated to Mexican cooking techniques rather than simply recipes and regionality . In presenting the underlying principles of Japanese cooking , Mr . Tsuji's closest western writer is Ms . Hazan .
Although the Japanese have gone much further in wrapping their cuisine and culinary techniques with the doctrines of religion , a student of Italian cuisine will tell you that the Abbruzis and the Sicilians and the Tuscans among others are no slouches when it comes to using food to celebrate life and spirituality . Mr . Tsuji tells us of the Japanese practice of formal dinners with as many as a dozen small dishes , yet the Abbruzis pull out even more stops when they call for at least thirty dishes for major celebratory banquets and the Sicilians who must have seven fishes in their Christmas Eve dinners .
Western culinary experts have even put a lot of thought into the Japanese practice of small portions . A quick read of Thomas Keller's ` The French Laundry Cookbook ' will show that the Japanese have no monopoly on deep reflection on cooking .
All of these comparisons are meant to show the prospective reader that as different as Japanese cuisine is from those of Western Europe and the New World , they both deal with the same act of preparing and eating food , and one can celebrate the similarities as much as one marvels at the differences .
The author very cleverly ties together East and West by recruiting the great American culinary essayist M.F . K . Fisher to write the introduction . And , to insure that Ms . Fisher knew of what she spoke , he treated her to two weeks of eating the very best food Japan had to offer .
This excellent book is divided into four sections . The first is the introduction by Ms . Fisher and the author's preface . The second section of 270 pages is comprised of expositions on the major equipment , ingredients , and techniques of Japanese cooking . The third section of 135 pages is a collection of recipes which the author says can be treated exactly like a Western cookbook where you can select a recipe according to your interest or whim and have fun with it . The fourth section is the appendices of American sources for Japanese provisions , a table of seasonal Japanese fish and substitution possibilities , and weights and measures . The color plates in the first section gives an excellent picture of Japanese provisions and plating illustrations .
In the second section , ` Part One ' , there is a chapter on ` The Japanese Meal ' which lays out the composition of the formal courses of a classic meal . This is followed by an excellent 50 - page guide to Japanese ingredients . This is superior to any similar presentation I have seen in either number of foodstuffs discussed or in the depth of information given about each provision . Chapters follow this on Utensils and Knives . The chapter on knives is essential to Western novices to Japanese cooking , as Japanese knife styles are very different from our familiar French archetypes . In fact , one can probably divide the culinary world into those cuisines that use the Japanese style of knife versus those who use the French arsenal . I suspect truly expert knife skills can only be learned by observing and copying an expert . In fact , Mr . Tsuji says the teaching practice of ` old school ' Japanese master chefs is not to describe technique to apprentices , but to simply demonstrate and have the student imitate . Very Zen . Mr . Tsuji does give line drawings of many techniques , including ways to handle the major types of Japanese kitchen knives . This alone sets him apart from most other manuals and puts him in the company of the very best such as Ms . Child and Ms . Kennedy .
Based on my very limited knowledge of Japanese cooking before reading this book , I believe the author has covered the whole spectrum of dishes , including stock making ( dashi ) , soups , sashimi , grilling and pan frying , steaming , simmering , deep frying , salads , one pot cooking ( hot pot ) , rice , sushi , noodles , pickling , sweets , tea , and sake .
Given the size of the book , my guess is that the author just skims the surface of the full range of recipes , although I do believe he has covered the full range of Japanese techniques . There are excellent line drawings covering the dismemberment of just about every type of fish you may imagine . My only surprise was that the wok did not even make an appearance in this book . This book is authoritative enough for me to believe that the wok is much more a completely Chinese invention than it is a pan-Asian utensil .
Very highly recommended to all students of world food .
001 4 This is not just a great Japanese cookbook . It is a great cookbook in general . Not content to merely compile a series of recipes , Shizuo Tsuji adds descriptions of cooking techniques unique to Japanese food , insight into Japanese culture , and more importantly he imparts valuable knowledge on how to understand and appreciate Japanese cuisine .
He divides the book into two parts . The first part begins with a discussion on how meals are prepared and composed . Then he explains ingredients , tools , and techniques that are frequently used in the book . He ends part one with recipes that are intended to be a basic introduction to various types of Japanese food ( each type employs different methods of preparation and cooking , such as frying , steaming , etc . ) The recipes are traditional Japanese meals that you would encounter if you went to Japan .
Part two is all recipes , again divided into the same types that part one is divided into . However , these are slightly more complex and they build on the techniques learned in part one .
This is a book that can be used by beginners or more advanced cooks . It is definitely a useful reference for all those who love Japanese food and would like to know how to make it and how to enjoy it authentically .
002 4 If you love Japanese food , this is the book for you . More then simply a list of recipes , it really does describe Japanese cooking as an art form . Unfortunately , if you are a newcomer to Japanese cooking as I myself am , the book is not particularly useful in the kitchen . First of all , the book sacrifices ease for authenticity . This means that many of the dishes require ingredients or tools that aren't readily available at the local supermarket . However , if you want to really learn how authentic Japanese food is prepared , look no further .
003 4 I have been searching a long time for a comprehensive book on Japanese cooking because I grew up with a mother who was a fantastic cook . Unfortunately , she never used recipes or measuring devices , so I have been struggling to duplicate the many delicious dishes of my childhood to no avail . This book is the answer to my quest . The recipes are very authentic , and the author talks about the history of the various recipes and cooking techniques . This enhances the enjoyment of the beautiful cuisine . I feel like I am back home in Mom's kitchen !
004 4 While there are certainly recipes in this book , the author does not barrage you with hundreds of impossible to replicate dishes . Instead , this is the book to read if you wish to undersdand what Japanese food is and is not , and how to bring Japanese home cooking into your own home . This is a book to read , cover to cover , not one to pick up for the purpose of grabbing a couple of recipes . Of all the cookbooks I own , this is the first international cookbook that really gave me an understanding of WHAT it was that I was preparing . And that is more important than any recipe
005 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
We have used this book for years . Even in rural Oklahoma most of the recipies are possible with a little help from mail order and trips to Tulsa . Last year for the first time in many years I had two business trips to Japan . That was a real sanity check for this book - and yes it tells you how to do the real thing . At one lunch when we were eating cold udon noodles in a basket I looked at my Japanese hosts and said quite honestly - you know I make this exact thing at home . They were amazed , but because of this book it is true . This should be everyone's first book on Japanese cooking .
006 4 We have used this book for years . Even in rural Oklahoma most of the recipies are possible with a little help from mail order and trips to Tulsa . Last year for the first time in many years I had two business trips to Japan . That was a real sanity check for this book - and yes it tells you how to do the real thing . At one lunch when we were eating cold udon noodles in a basket I looked at my Japanese hosts and said quite honestly - you know I make this exact thing at home . They were amazed , but because of this book it is true . This should be everyone's first book on Japanese cooking .
007 4 A great cookbooks is not merely a set of recipes but a treatise on the art of cookery . A Simple Art is , quite simply , a great cookbook - - equal to anything written by Julia Child , Paula Wolfert , Alice Waters , and so on . I consider it as indispensible as anything in my cookbook collection , even reference works by Harold McGee and the like . And I don't even cook Japanese food !
The first half of the book is mainly partitioned into chapters by cooking technique : a chapter on steaming , on simmering , on grilling , and so forth . Each chapter begins with a very thorough essay on the equipment you need and the dos and don'ts of the technique . The quality of advice here is rarely equalled by any other cookbook .
There's a spectacular chapter on scaling , gutting , and fileting fish , and dressing chicken . There are elaborate diagrams for four fileting techniques for both roundfish and flatfish . I have seen no other book on fish cookery ( as comprehensive as Mark Bittman's and Alan Davidson's books are ) that can compare to this book's thoroughness in fish prep . It's not just cutting , but there are dozens of techniques , from various methods of salting to blanching that I've seen nowhere else . Many ingredients in the book beyond fish are treated with similar thoroughness . The chapter on grilling has over a dozen techniques on how to skewer ingredients !
One of the most impressive aspects of the book is it's obsession with presentation . This is the only book I own that elaborates a systematic approach to dressing the plate . Recipes are not just concluded with an afterthought of this dish looks great garnished with X . Rather , the text addresses each ingredient and the cooking technique concerning the how's and why's of presentation . This is , perhaps , a peculiarly Japanese phenomenon : an obsession with presentation matched by an obsession with systemization and rule-following . But is a wisdom , and technique , that can be easily adapted to any cuisine .
There are so many other wonderfully thorough discussions in the book . The author goes into some detail about the construction of meals - - that is , of how one puts together a succession of courses to create a harmonious whole . This is a fascinating cookbook , a must have for the cookbook obsessed . It's a great reference work covering topics of cookery overlooked by many of the great cookbooks in English . Yes , this is a book about Japanese cuisine , but the knowledge here applies well beyond it .
008 4 This is an excellent book with an absolute wealth of information on ingredients , cooking techniques , background information and presentation . Several colour plates compliment the recipes but I would have liked more of them . Some menu planning ideas and lots of line drawings illustrating technique . Rather short section on sushi - look elsewhere for that .
009 4 A very interesting book that provides an overview of all aspects of Japanese cooking , from its history and all necessary equipment to , of course , the recipes themselves . There is an especially helpful section techniques with fish , demonstrating proper ways to cut and prepare fish for presentation as sushi or cooking . Also nice are the color plates that give an idea of the importance of aesthetics in Japanese cooking , an idea that is developed in the text . Great for serious and casual chefs , as well as those interested in the history of food .
011 4 Tsuji's cookbook is the only Japanese cookbook you'll ever need . It covers , in great detail , Nihon-ryoori - traditional Japanese cooking . You will NOT find most home-style cooking or street-vendor foods ( such as ramen or okonomiyaki ) here . Tsuji's culinary school in Japan is to Japanese cooking what the Cordon Bleu is to French ; you wouldn't expect your maman or grand-mere to cook like a Cordon Bleu chef ( unless , of course , she was one ) ; neither would your okaasan or obaasan cook like Tsuji's cookbook teaches . At the same time , Tsuji attempts to make both the preparation and the appreciation of Japanese haute cuisine more approachable . It is best to read it through , in order to gain an understanding of the style of cooking , before starting to actually use the recipes . There are some great color plates , too , that show some examples of presentation ( very important in Nihon-ryoori ) as well as showing some of the ingredients used . There are some snack-type foods here , too , but mainly ones that have been around for a good bit , such as yakitori . All in all , it provides an excellent overview of traditional Japanese cooking prior to the fast-food invasion .
012 4 I have a few Japanese cookbooks that I never use because they seem to be just random collections of recipes . Though I love Japanese food , I had always been a bit intimidated by the thought of cooking it , because the ingredients and techniques are so far from those I usually use in my cooking . I have to say I love this book . Not only for the throrough introduction to Japanese ingredients , cooking techniques and food culture , but also because the author makes all of this understandable to the Western cook . Some of the recipes are time intensive , but I appreciate that whenever possible , he also includes short-cuts ( for example , while he shows the way to make dashi from scratch , he also identifies an instant dashi mix that produced great results ) . The recipes I've made so far almost all came out quite similarly to those I have enjoyed in Japanese restaurants . Enthusiastically recommended .
013 4 I have read this book and also used Tsuji's Japanese books - - he is heir to the light flavors and elegant presentation of west Japan ( think Kyoto ) food , but he makes it all his own in terms of practicality and modern appeal . His recipes stand out because they are classic , not faddy ; because Tsuji will always tell you the best and the simplest way ; and because you can be sure he has thought about every aspect , he isn't just parroting the past - - the attitudes in this cookbook should extend to improving your cooking in any field .
014 4 This is an indispensable book to any cook's library . The original edition was written in an era of mystery . Japanese food was not known to many . In this light ( or darkness ) the author painstakingly explains the nuances of japanese cuisine . No other author takes such an effort .
We live an era of globalized cuisine where sushi is served at cafeterias , oriental ingredients are available everywhere , and almost every species of fish is available regardless of origin . Despite our growing familiarity with the cuisine most of us are still ignorant about what makes a meal japanese . This book has served as an introduction to cooking japanese food to most serious cooks . It is unfettered by all of the attempts at fusion japanese ( cream cheese and salmon sushi , spam musubi etc . ) and is strictly focused on classical cuisine . Most new cookbooks about japanese cuisine stray from the classical cuisine and lack authenticity . Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art belongs beside Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking , Jacques Pepin's La Technique , and Richard Olney's the Good Cook series . The only other way I know of learning the proper way of cooking japanese food is to work for a great japaese chef .
015 4 I've used this book for years and if you follow the directions and get the right ingredients , you can make food that is just as good as in Japanese restaurants . ( I've never been to Japan so I can't comment on that . ) It's not a short-cuts-to-make-stuff-that's-kinda-Japanese kind of a book - it's for serious cooks only . That doesn't mean the recipes are complicated because they aren't . But you need authentic ingredients ( not hard to find in cities and good grocery stores with good international sections ) and you need to be willing to do things differently than you've always done them . The book also includes a lot of information as to the culture related to the food , dishes for serving , and detailed instructions.Can't recommend this book more highly . I love it .
016 4 i can't even begin to explain how excellent this book really is . . . it is an essential to every international cookbook shelf . . . mr . tsuji defines japanese food in clear and understandable terminology allowing the reader , in a sense , to get a visual and palatial ( maybe not a word , but forgive me ) feel of this very intricately simple cuisine . . . and yes , i too read it front to cover ( how many times can you say that about a cookbook ) . . . mr Tsuji is to japanese cuisine what escoffier is to the french , only more comprehensible , even to the western mindset . . .
017 4 This is the only Japanese cookbook you will ever need . As other reviewers have already mentioned , it is indeed the Bible of Japanese cooking .
A little bit about me , I first feel in love with Japanese cooking at the age of 8 , when for my birthday , my parents took me to Joto's Japanese restaurant and I tried Sukiyaki . The sauce was to die for . The sauce won me over more than the ingredients inside the pot .
I just had to know how to cook it so luckily for me there was a Japanese market nearby . I went inside a bought Japanese Cuisine for Everyone by Yukiko Moriyama . It was ok for the time . It does contain actual photographs of all the sauce bottles and packages of dried foods that you need to find . It can be hard to locate items at the market and the pictures helped in the beginning . Then , years later , I bought Japanese Women Don't Get Old or Fat by Naomi Moriyama . It does have some traditional recipes mixed in with fusion cooking . Recently I bought Japanese Homestyle Cooking by Tokiko Suzuki and Harumi's Japanese Cooking by Harumi Kurihaara . Someone let me borrow an old book from Time Life books in the Foods of the World series called The Cooking of Japan . I have looked through the Nobu cookbook and it is filled with wonderful pictures but the recipes are hard for the average cook . That said , Tsuji's Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art towers above all others in content , detailed descriptions , cutting techniques , meal planning , and how to put together lunches and dinners based on the seasons . Other books have the aboved mentioned information but not on the level of Tsuji . Its like comparing the novels of Jane Austen to those of Danielle Steel . Both are romantic writers but only one is a genuis whose works stand the test of time .
Now in its 25th Anniversary , not much revising was needed , according to the author's son , you can see real Japanese cooking without all the added fusion cooking of today .
I do agree with Tsuji in his introduction where he writes , With a Japanese recipe , however , unless you have been to this country and eaten the food , you will probably have little idea of what you will be aiming at . Despite the fact that sushi bars are everywhere and numerous Japanese restaurants are popping up , I feel dissatisfied everytime I go to a Japanese restuarant in the Tampa Bay area . Ok the sushi is good for the most part , if you avoid the California and cucumber rolls , but the main dishes are usually sub par . Each time I look at the menu and see Teriyaki Chicken or Steak I cringe . Its just not what I'm looking for . I'm sure America does have real Japanese resturants like Rangetsu in Orlando that cater to Japanese tourists or in other places like LA or NYC . I'm baised because I'm spoiled . I lived in Osaka , Japan for three years and Osaka has to be one of the great food cities , along with Kyoto , in all of Japan . Tokyo does have excellent food and the giant crab in Hokkaido is great but there's something about the food in Kansai that is extraordinary .
I lived with a Japanese host family for 1 - year . Often on Saturdays , if I had no other plans , we would go to the supermarket to pick out things for the whole family . I got first hand experience on how to pick what kind of fish and why and how to buy various ingredients .
Then she would cook and I would sneak around the corner and watch . Sometimes I didn't think she wanted me to see how to cook so I was always quiet . Then I would slip back to my room and write it all down .
Also , you could wander around Osaka and just happen to find little soba and udon stands , kaiten 100 - yen sushi , ramen restaurants , sukiyaki shops , shabu-shabu , Yakiniku grills , and my own personal favorite , Okonomiyaki ( seafood pancake ) where your table is a grill and you make and cook Okonomiyaki yourself . Staying 3 - years in Osaka , I never had bad food even at the occasional trips to Wendy's or MacDonalds . Ok with that in mind , Japanese Cooking shows most of the stuff I learned from my host mother , plus the Osaka-style of Sukiyaki that I ate at many different restaurants in Osaka , Kyoto , and Kobe , and all the foods that I tried in the Kansai area . It goes far beyond all my experiences with my host mother , reading various cookbooks , and learning how to cook simple dishes from different Japanese girlfriends . ( When I would visit a Japanese girl at her apartment , I would cook for the most part . ) I wish I would have read this book before going to Osaka because all kinds of doors would have opened up that I didn't even see at the time .
Overall the single best Japanese cookbook out there .
018 4 I bought the first edition some decades ago and it has proved a standby . This was the first Japanese cookbook which I purchased , by comparison , others have never matched it . In the past 10 years , I have been to Japan a number of times and sampled many different regional cuisines and specialties ; food often not available or served in the West . This books does justice to them . If you are going to buy a cookbook on Japanese cooking . . . . this is it !
019 4 This book has more recipes than I expected . The first section provides color photographs of ingredients and their name . It is very helpful to know what an ingredient looks like before going to the Asian markets . Many times there are no English words in the produce signs or on the packaging .
There is a clear description of all cookware you will need , and how to use it . It is very thorough .
I have tried many of the recipes and the drawings of the techniques are very helpful . If you are looking for one book that has it all with regard to information and recipes , this is a great choice . If you love beautiful pictures of every dish and lots of color , this may not be the right choice .
It is the best Japanese cookbook of the six I own .
020 4 If you want to get the spirit of Japanese cooking then this is the best place to start ( aside from visiting Japan itself ) . I used to go to my local Japanese store and I didn't understand all those different products . After studying this work I now have good beginers know how . This book is much more than a cookbook .
021 4 A Simple Art is complete , authentic guide to japanese cooking . I love sushi and bought this book to learn more about its preparation , but that is just a small part of the book . It's an all-in-one reference , containing recipes , technique , history , and culture . Like a cross between Rick Bayless and Iron Chef , only it's not funny like that would be .
The simplicity referred to in the title is not ease of preparation ; nearly all recipes are from scratch . Simplicity refers to the ethos of Japanese cuisine : natural and fresh . All the basics , many of which are surprisingly simple to prepare , are in here , as well as many more unusual recipes . However , you'll probably need different ingredients than what you can find at the local supermarket .
022 4 I won't call Shizuo Tsuji's masterpiece a cookbook . Instead , I call it a book on cooking . The distinction is esoteric perhaps , but important . If you think of cookbooks as paint-by-numbers manuals that merely show you the mechanics of recipe preparation with little in the way of actual food education , then by all standards , Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art is not a cookbook . It is a book on cooking , specifically , Japanese cooking . And not just any book on Japanese cooking . It is THE book on Japanese cooking , widely recognized and lauded as one of the best of its kind . It is a rare gem .
As a testament to the instantly recognizable caliber of this text , I offer this anecdote : I discovered it several years ago while I was living in Japan . It belonged to an American ex-pat , a foodie who spent part of his time there apprenticing in a soba shop in Akita , so he really knew his stuff . With just a casual flip through the pages ( being a foodie myself ) , I immediately saw the value of the book and made a mental note to buy it when I came back to the US . I had forgotten about it until now , but now that I have it , I am very happy with the purchase .
True to Tsuji's pedagogical background as a culinary school founder , this book doesn't just teach recipe mechanics . It seeks to train you in the art and techniques of Japanese food preparation , with a healthy dose of etiquette , culture , philosophy , and history thrown into the mix . It is certainly ambitious in scope and perhaps not for the uninitiated .
I would say a moderate / advanced beginner level of familiarity with Japanese cuisine ( or general Asian ingredients , at least ) and comfort level around the kitchen is a prerequisite . Failing that , a willingness to learn and make a lot of failures . Most Americans will never have heard of many of these ingredients , and some are indeed hard to find , or impossible outside of major metropolitan areas or communities with a large Asian population . But here's an important tip : You'll find many of the most important base ingredients in Korean or Chinese supermarkets , should you live near any . Stuff like miso paste , udon , wakame , mirin , short grained rice , and seasonings are commonly sold there . Many of the vegetables used in Japanese cooking are also found there , dry or fresh . Here in NYC , I can find 95% or more of the ingredients in Chinese stores . You can buy shiso seeds on Amazon to grow yourself should you be so adventurous !
If you want a book with lots of step by step photos and glossy color blowups of finished recipes ( aka , food porn ) , this is not for you . Aside from 17 pages of photos and fish illustrations at the front , the entire presentation is devoid of photography , deferring instead to line drawings . This is a good choice , as the drawings are crisp and exhibit line economy and clarity , something that is often difficult to achieve with photography . They also add a touch of class to the book .
Similarly , if you are looking for quick-fix recipes that sacrifice authenticity for ease of preparation in the American home , dishes requiring little effort and no prior cooking experience , or foods limited to ingredient available in the average American supermarket , this book is also not for you . There are plenty of other books that will fit the bill . Good enough to pass isn't good enough here , and Tusji makes no compromises . Some of the dishes detailed are quite laborious or difficult for beginners . For example , he teaches you how to cut whole fish for sashimi .
For true lovers of Japanese food ( not just people who go to a sushi restaurant , order the sushi deluxe and call themselves aficionados ) , you owe it to yourself to order this book . What you'll get is an exhaustive overview of the diversity of Japanese food , the majority of stuff which you'll never see in Japanese restaurants in the US , however authentic they claim to be . Don't expect instant results , but instead , be patient and enjoy the journey into food education ( a Zen-like approach that is not out of line with the spirit of the book ) . Japanese sushi chefs supposedly spend years learning how to form the rice ball before they are even allowed near the fish .
Enjoying the freshness of food and appreciating nature's seasons and its broad spectrum of flavors is the essence of Japanese gastronomy and culinary art . Enjoy the book and happy cooking !
023 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
If you ever wondered about the flavorings and cooking methods underlying authentic Japanese cooking , this book tells all , how the broth and soup were created , what the ingredients probably were , etc . That is all good to know , and heightens appreciation when I go to a restaurant .
However , this book is not for home cooking , especially if you are someone with a day job with limited time to cook . The recipes are discouraging in that they take way too much time and steps to prepare . For most of these recipes , I would have to make the fish or sea kelp based stock ahead of time , but the author also cautions that the stock would not taste good if made too many days in advance .
There are no shortcuts offered . The author's message is , to taste good , it's all meticulous craftspersonship and the freshest ingredients . That may be true .
I personally need a cookbook that allows for an occasional bouillon cube to be used , allows for frozen ingredients , allows for some reality of daily life .
Again , it * is * a good reference book for how it should be .
024 4 If you ever wondered about the flavorings and cooking methods underlying authentic Japanese cooking , this book tells all , how the broth and soup were created , what the ingredients probably were , etc . That is all good to know , and heightens appreciation when I go to a restaurant .
However , this book is not for home cooking , especially if you are someone with a day job with limited time to cook . The recipes are discouraging in that they take way too much time and steps to prepare . For most of these recipes , I would have to make the fish or sea kelp based stock ahead of time , but the author also cautions that the stock would not taste good if made too many days in advance .
There are no shortcuts offered . The author's message is , to taste good , it's all meticulous craftspersonship and the freshest ingredients . That may be true .
I personally need a cookbook that allows for an occasional bouillon cube to be used , allows for frozen ingredients , allows for some reality of daily life .
Again , it * is * a good reference book for how it should be .
025 4 A particularly good discussion of knives and knife techniques , which are integral to this cuisine . It's not a fluffy book . If you really want to start learning about this cuisine , this is an excellent place to start . Much more than a few recipies and some pictures . Well done !
026 4 This cook book is essential to anyone who is serious about Japanese cuisine . It's a great reference , and provides a very impressive battery of recipes . My copy is falling apart , and has oil stains throughout , I've used it so much . I've used this one book more than any other in my cooking library . It's like my ' textbook ' on Japanese cuisine .
027 4 I have always wanted to buy this book but it was a bit expensive for me .
Now that I finally got this book , I have been reading it on a daily basis ( almost ) .
It's so interesting to read , I actually take it to bed . . . ( - :
The book is providing background information you don't find in other books on ingredients , utensils , knifes and on all the important recepies , cooking technics etc . This book is all I could hope for and more , as I am getting more advanced and serious in my Japanese cooking at home and for family and friends .
That's the right book for you if you are really interested in the Japanese kitchen beyond from just making occasional sushi .
I doughbt that I am going to need another Japanese cooking book in the next few years . . . This is the real thing !
028 4 This book is wonderful because it doesn't just show you a bunch of recipes , but explains how and why Japanese cooking can be so lovely . The recipes explain the concept behind each dish so that variations and invention are easy . Plus , any book with an introduction by MFK Fischer has to be worth it's salt .
029 4 People call this the Bible of Japanese cooking . They're mostly not kidding . This is hands down the most comprehensive and detailed Japanese cookbook in English . It's The Joy of Cooking Mark II , only for Japanese food .
If there's anything you want to know how to cook and it's not in here , you're probably going to have to find a Japanese language cookbook that contains it . You might be able to find your missing recipe on a web page in fascinatingly worded English painstakingly put together by a native Japanese speaker , but otherwise , this is the book to look in for the broadest range and the greatest depth . It's a gourmet's cookbook . Some of the recipes are intimidatingly complex . But a large percentage of them aren't intimidating at all . It's a fabulous book . Ask for it for a birthday present or something . I sat down and read it end to end like a novel , and never got bored .
( Full disclosure : I've semiprofessionally taught Japanese cooking classes . )
030 4 What Julia Child's
Mastering The Art of French Cooking
was to the cuisine of France , so Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art is to Japanese food . This is the single-absolute-must-have book for anyone interested in cooking or even simply appreciating and eating the many delights and delicacies that come from this culinary culture .
Author Tsuji Shizuo doesn't simply want to teach you how to cook . He wants you to understand the thought process that goes into Japanese cooking , into the culture of food-lovers that produced one of the world's most delicious and diverse national cuisines . Starting with the ingredients , he walks your through all of the core items you will need , the flavors found within , how they can be combined and how they should be prepared . Everything that is touted in modern cooking : freshness , seasonal ingredients , food prepared to augment its natural flavor ; it all comes from Japan .
Along with theory , this is a serious cooking manual as well . Cutting techniques , preparation styles , in-depth recipes for all major traditional Japanese foods ; this is a classroom in a book . Along with the ingredient list there is also an explanation of traditional tools , and what can be substituted from what is commonly found in a Western kitchen . Knives get a lot of focus , as the standard Western knife set is designed for French cooking which has different demands than Japanese .
One thing this book is not is food porn . There are no glorious and mouth-watering color photographs of the various recipes , no clever and cute names for dishes or original variations . The illustrations are all instructional in nature , with step-by-step processes to show you how to cut and stir to get the desired result . Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art is probably not for the casual fan who just wants something easy and quick . It is much more Anthony Bourdain than Rachael Ray .
But if you really want to master the art of Japanese cooking , then you need this book . It is that simple .
031 4 My son went to Japan a few years ago and wanted me to learn to cook some Japanese dishes . As anyone who has ever tried a new cuisine can tell you , it's a frightening experience . And to the Japanese , the whole cooking process , including the preparation and presentation are key to the whole experience .
This book made the process easy and fun . The directions were easy to follow and concise . I also liked the pictures as they gave me something to compare my dishes to .
Now I try to cook something from this book when my son comes home from college .
032 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
A beautiful book , clearly written , but the simple of the title is misleading . These are difficult , exacting recipes calling for both ingredients and kitchenware that require a search in specialty Japanese markets .
033 4 A beautiful book , clearly written , but the simple of the title is misleading . These are difficult , exacting recipes calling for both ingredients and kitchenware that require a search in specialty Japanese markets .
035 4 Now in a superbly presented 25th Anniversary Edition , Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art by the late Japanese master chef Shizuo Tsuji ( 1933 - 1993 ) has been considered to be the best and most comprehensive single volume on the variety and preparation of Japanese cuisine . More than a simple compendium of instructions for Japanese dishes , Japanese Cooking provides a core background on the concepts underlying Japanese traditions and ideas about food and dining . Here presented are the quintessential qualities that professional chefs and amateur gourmets need to understand if they are to fully appreciate and expertly prepare Japanese cuisine whether it be for a simple family meal or an extravagant celebratory occasion . Featuring more than 100 recipes that fully showcase the best of Japanese cuisine and the culinary expertise to make even the most novice kitchen cook the peer of a competent Japanese chef , Japanese Cooking is a core addition to any and all personal , professional , or community library multicultural cookbook collections .
036 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
This is the best reference I know of for westerners on Japanese cooking . I appreciated the book's very readable tone , its thoroughness , the depth of its discussion . But what I loved even more was the book's respect for Japanese food . And in turn its respect for us readers .
I notice that some have criticized this book for choosing authenticity above ease or convenience . While those criticisms are valid in that they are honest , informative to potential buyers , and well-meant , I have to take issue - I believe that this book's unwillingness to substitute ease for authenticity is really one of its greatest strengths . Not because authenticity is something one should strive for all the time - it's not . But because it keeps the book from becoming dated . Good cooks will always be able to make their own substitutions in technique and ingredients based on what is most available to them . This book would have been horribly dated and even tacky if it offered suggestions and recipes to make Japanese food based on what you could find in an American supermarket in 1980 . Instead , by introducing the least compromised version of Japanese food to Western readers , building a real understanding of that food , and then trusting readers to apply their own judgment , this book has become the single best reference for Westerners looking to learn Japanese cooking and remained so for almost 30 years .
Which is another great reason to buy Japanese Cooking , A Simple Art - it will undoubtedly be just as useful in another 30 years as it is now .
037 4 This is the best reference I know of for westerners on Japanese cooking . I appreciated the book's very readable tone , its thoroughness , the depth of its discussion . But what I loved even more was the book's respect for Japanese food . And in turn its respect for us readers .
I notice that some have criticized this book for choosing authenticity above ease or convenience . While those criticisms are valid in that they are honest , informative to potential buyers , and well-meant , I have to take issue - I believe that this book's unwillingness to substitute ease for authenticity is really one of its greatest strengths . Not because authenticity is something one should strive for all the time - it's not . But because it keeps the book from becoming dated . Good cooks will always be able to make their own substitutions in technique and ingredients based on what is most available to them . This book would have been horribly dated and even tacky if it offered suggestions and recipes to make Japanese food based on what you could find in an American supermarket in 1980 . Instead , by introducing the least compromised version of Japanese food to Western readers , building a real understanding of that food , and then trusting readers to apply their own judgment , this book has become the single best reference for Westerners looking to learn Japanese cooking and remained so for almost 30 years .
Which is another great reason to buy Japanese Cooking , A Simple Art - it will undoubtedly be just as useful in another 30 years as it is now .
038 4 A very long and in depth book on Japanese cooking . But if you want to truly learn about the origins of why and how things are done , it is a must have . This is not your basic take off the shelf and look up a recipe cook book . It is a cook book / history book .
039 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
This book is a comprehensive guide to Japanese cooking , ingredients , table manners , utensils , and methods . Tsuji's writing is highly accessible and , most importantly , very clear , especially regarding methods . Although my wife and I are complete n00bs regarding Japanese cuisine , we have had no trouble following the instructions and getting fantastic results . The recipes are delicious , and most of them are reasonably easy to prepare . You will use a lot of dishes , however , as many ingredients have to be cooked separately before they are combined .
The only potential issue we have noticed is in choosing ingredients and their amounts . Be very careful that you buy exactly the right ingredients , especially if you are not familiar with them . We accidentally bought thick-sliced fried tofu instead of thin fried tofu for pockets because we did not pay attention to the specific name of the ingredient . Ask for help if you are not sure about what you are buying . Also , the recipes themselves will not always be completely clear on how much you should use : one block of konnyaku , for instance . In some cases , including konnyaku , Tsuji will specify the size of a single portion in the section of the book dealing with that ingredient , so double-check your amounts before going to the store .
040 4 This book is a comprehensive guide to Japanese cooking , ingredients , table manners , utensils , and methods . Tsuji's writing is highly accessible and , most importantly , very clear , especially regarding methods . Although my wife and I are complete n00bs regarding Japanese cuisine , we have had no trouble following the instructions and getting fantastic results . The recipes are delicious , and most of them are reasonably easy to prepare . You will use a lot of dishes , however , as many ingredients have to be cooked separately before they are combined .
The only potential issue we have noticed is in choosing ingredients and their amounts . Be very careful that you buy exactly the right ingredients , especially if you are not familiar with them . We accidentally bought thick-sliced fried tofu instead of thin fried tofu for pockets because we did not pay attention to the specific name of the ingredient . Ask for help if you are not sure about what you are buying . Also , the recipes themselves will not always be completely clear on how much you should use : one block of konnyaku , for instance . In some cases , including konnyaku , Tsuji will specify the size of a single portion in the section of the book dealing with that ingredient , so double-check your amounts before going to the store .
041 4 This book contains a treasure trove of info on every aspect of japanese cuisine . it contains : a dictionary of ingredients , equipment , knife tech , and some garnishes , as well as the recipes . A truly splendid read .
042 4 Like Tanizaki's In Praise of Shadows this book can easily be renamed In Praise of Traditional Japanese Cooking . As the author points out , the best traditions and customs are still not lost , but they have been preserved and practiced by a few exclusive restaurants , which the ordinary Japanese ( or tourist ) is unlikely to be able to visit .
Besides the nostalgic and sophisticated overtone , the book is actually practical if you manage to find the ingredients . After couple of months of exploring different stores , I was able to find almost everything I needed from katsuo-bushi , mirin and mochi to agar-agar used in Japanese sweets . For example , if you manage to find azuki beans and mochi , you will be able to make most of the desserts described in the book . I have already tried several recipes ( miso soup , steamed salmon among others ) and they all turned out to be fantastic . The meals are very light , always cooked with minimum treatment of the ingredients so the nutrients are preserved . If you try to eat Japanese at least once a week , then konbu , wakame and nori are supposedly good sources of B12 .
One thing that I found particularly valuable about this cookbook is that it provides detailed instructions on how to cook the meal based on what ingredients you find . Say you find dried shiitake instead of fresh ones and cannot read the label ( in Japanese ) about how to prepare the dried mushrooms . Well , the book has it all . The same goes for dashi , and many other major ingredients . Tsuji is very clear on what you are likely to find on the ( US ) market , and what not , and if the ingredient is difficult to find , in most cases he suggests a substitute for it although reluctantly . I hope you will enjoy this meticulous cookbook , it is indeed special .
043 4 I wanted a book with a lot of information and recipes . Too many cook books are filled with pictures , and empty of information . This book is the opposite . Don't expect many photos , do expect lots of information . The author gives you information about the food , about the preparation , and about the ingredients . It even gives you a little Japanese history as related to the food .
This is a must buy for anyone serious about cooking Japanese food .
044 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
The perfect book if you want in depth info on japanes cooking and its culture . Full of self-explainatory diagrams that really helps with cooking techniques
045 4 The perfect book if you want in depth info on japanes cooking and its culture . Full of self-explainatory diagrams that really helps with cooking techniques
046 4 Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art can be intimidating unless one invests a little time in reading the introductory chapters . Recipes are arranged around cooking techniques , not ingredients . There are no chapters for meat , poultry and vegetables , but instead the recipes are organized by grilled foods , fried foods , steamed foods , sashimi , sushi , etc . In addition , it is helpful to have a basic knowledge of Japanese ingredients and Western substititions , so recipes that call for burdock root , for example , do not have to be rejected if one has a carrot to substitute . Japanese meals can be complex and contain many small dishes , or can consist of a casserole served with rice and pickles . All of these items are in Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art . Start small with a single dish , and move up to a full meal .
I'm not likely to cook a casserole that involves a whole fish head ( not easy to come by in Colorado ) , but I make Potato Tumble quite often in the winter , and it is a simple comforting dish , alone worth the price of the book . The term art in the title tends to make the book sound demanding , but it is , in reality , full of straightforward recipes that celebrate good quality ingredients , as it the goal of modern cooking .
047 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
I was looking for a comprehensive Japanese cookbook that uses original ingredients ( rather than what happens to be available in the West ) . This is the best Japanese cookbook from this perspective that I've seen . For a 20 year old book it is very good , but standards of authenticity should be higher today .
I have not found a single comprehensive cookbook that fully uses Japanese ingredients . Many ingredients might not have been available in the West when the book was written ( like wagyu beef ) , but they are now so the cookbook should cover them . There are also herbs still not available and I would have liked them covered as well .
I suppose such a cookbook will be written during the coming decade , in the meantime I can recommend this book . I don't think there is any better book at the time of writing this review . If you are aware of a better book , please let me know in the comments section . When that better book comes along this book deserves three stars only .
048 4 I was looking for a comprehensive Japanese cookbook that uses original ingredients ( rather than what happens to be available in the West ) . This is the best Japanese cookbook from this perspective that I've seen . For a 20 year old book it is very good , but standards of authenticity should be higher today .
I have not found a single comprehensive cookbook that fully uses Japanese ingredients . Many ingredients might not have been available in the West when the book was written ( like wagyu beef ) , but they are now so the cookbook should cover them . There are also herbs still not available and I would have liked them covered as well .
I suppose such a cookbook will be written during the coming decade , in the meantime I can recommend this book . I don't think there is any better book at the time of writing this review . If you are aware of a better book , please let me know in the comments section . When that better book comes along this book deserves three stars only .
049 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
I agree with all of the reviewers who cite the thoroughness and the attention to technique and to information on unfamiliar ingredients . I ordered the 1980 version by mistake , because it was so much cheaper . I really don't know if it is much different than the newer version , but somewhere I read that it hadn't been revised much . If I have any disappointment about the book , it is that there are very few pictures .
050 4 I agree with all of the reviewers who cite the thoroughness and the attention to technique and to information on unfamiliar ingredients . I ordered the 1980 version by mistake , because it was so much cheaper . I really don't know if it is much different than the newer version , but somewhere I read that it hadn't been revised much . If I have any disappointment about the book , it is that there are very few pictures .
051 4 I purchased this for my daughter for Christmas . I took some time to browse through the book and found it full of interesting information in addition to recipes and directions on how to prepare ingredients . I was very impressed , as was my daughter .
052 4 This book is part of cooking history . The Introduction alone , by M.F.K . Fisher , is worth the purchase price . She lays the background for how this book came to be published : Tsuji , a Japanese chef , was interested in food beyond Japan's borders , and he thought that Japanese cooking could add value to cooking in the West . Although are not written for quick and easy preparation , Tsuji's goal was to interpret the history and traditions of Japan's isolated cultural heritage to chefs and cooks in America , France , and other parts of the world with little exposure to a philosophy of food that took single ingredients as the focus . Fresh vegetables , a small amount of just-caught fish , or carefully rationed meat could serve as the center of a meal with many intricately simple accompaniments , all prepared with an eye for balance and beauty . In this way , Tsuji gives the west an entirely new way to cook food . You eat with your eyes first has since become popular in recipe books and on pedagogic cooking shows , and we can see its origins in the delicate preparations valued by Japanese Cooking .
053 4 This book explains everything , and is actually an enjoyable read .
054 4 I have never seen a better Japanese cookbook . My copy is about twenty years old and I use it regularly .
055 4 I purchased this title to surprise our new Japanese exchange student with a little taste of home . It was a cross-cultrual success and we continue to learn from the volume .
056 4 I have to admit that I haven't yet to try one recipe from here . It is so informative . I like to read cook book and learn about the background of each food so this is the book for me .
057 4 I found this book a bit dry . . . It seems to be some history / some cooking which i usually like alot . But the writing didnt seem to have a spark to me . . . it read more like a text book . a school book , maybe . i read it through but i didnt find myself enjoying the experience as much as i would have liked to . The recipes seemed authentic and looked good but i wasnt * excited * enoguh by the book to try them . . . i can see using this more as a reference . . others may feel different tho
058 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
it's a fantastic book . it helps indeed one to have a real glimpse of the japanese cuisine . it is best to have a backround in japanese cuisine , it makes it easier to understand.but if you don't have it , you can still get it.it's an easy lecture . . . . i recomand it . max , bucharest , romania .
059 4 it's a fantastic book . it helps indeed one to have a real glimpse of the japanese cuisine . it is best to have a backround in japanese cuisine , it makes it easier to understand.but if you don't have it , you can still get it.it's an easy lecture . . . . i recomand it . max , bucharest , romania .
060 4 This is one of the most thorough Japanese cookbooks I've read or owned . And it's really more like one part history and one part recipes . While it is missing a few recipes ( I know one of them is more Chinese , but it has become a common quick food in Japan ) it has more than enough to make up for what few details are missing .
061 4 This review is from :
Japanese Cooking : A Simple Art ( Hardcover )
Interesting , Beautiful to look at , Can't wait to start trying new things . . . Thanks
062 4 Interesting , Beautiful to look at , Can't wait to start trying new things . . . Thanks
