by Mora Chartrand A shared homemade meal is a fine way to offer gratitude for friends and family and participating in the actual act of cooking the meal together makes it even more special. Shabu shabu (swish-swish) is the Japanese onomatopoeic equivalent for the name of a popular nabemono, a simple and delectable Japanese hot…

Jimbocho Den: Dishes Without Rules…Part I by Mora Chartrand Much has been written about restaurant Jimbocho Den since its 2007 opening by chef-owner Zaiyu Hasegawa, then a 29-year-old unknown. Today, he is no longer unknown. Den is almost always on the must-dine list of those passionate about Japanese cuisine, both from Japan and abroad. In…

Buaisou Indigo by Matt Gross from AirBnB Magazine. Introduction by Mora Chartrand Main Article: Buaisou Indigo from AirBnB magazine, written by Matt Gross If there is one color that epitomizes Japan for me, it is indigo — deep, mystical, midnight blue. The oldest evidence tells us that indigo dyeing first appeared in Japan in the…