Ivan Orkin

I own a copy of Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji, and it is all the things they say: comprehensive, encyclopedic, exhaustive. And it left me a little exhausted. It’s hard to know where to begin, which is why I sought out a simpler, more narrowly focused book as a stepping stone.

I’ve made several recipes out of this book (and a few out of his Ivan Ramen book, which has more complex recipes and a better teriyaki recipe than the one in here). The chicken and vegetable rice (tori no takikomi gohan) is simple and was liked by the whole family, as was the okonomiyaki recipe in here. I love the blends of Japanese foods with his own food heritage - shiso gravlax, for instance. It gives ideas of how to incorporate Japanese flavors into your own cooking, which is one of my goals. Also, many of the recipes here gave me a springboard to find other, more complex or more authentic versions. The list of ingredients in the back is incredibly helpful for getting your pantry stocked for Japanese cooking as well.

This is a good beginner's Japanese cookbook aimed at American cooks, and I enjoyed his writing. I do wish he had included a few more suggestions for substitutions; it’s obvious he’s spent his life in big cities. Still, I feel more equipped to tackle Shizuo Tsuji now.
… (altro)

Ramen, so delicious with so many variations. Yes, I am a committed fan of ramen. I search for restaurants serving ramen when I travel. I make my own noodles at home. I work on perfecting the right balance for my broth and seasoning. I am a raman addict. So when I saw this book I did my happy dance and clicked the keys to have it in my hands. I got more than I hoped for when I finished it.
Ivan, is a Jewish White guy from New York. He studied Japanese lit and when graduated thought he should use it so he moved to Japan. Where he met his first wife and started to discover his destiny. He feel in love with Japan, the people, and the food. They moved back to NY for a while where they had a child. Tragedy struck and his life went into a
spin. He ended up picking up and moving back to Japan where he floundered and slowly rebuilt his life. He also ate a lot of ramen. This quest for the perfect bowl was fascinating to read. His story is important to the bowl he places in front of his customer.
The history of every ingredient, every step has value. His interaction with other great chefs and retailers, it all builds the flavor. This is a book where the history of the soup is impotent to understand to respect the final product. I loved it, his story was never uninteresting.
The recipes while time consuming have been directed in a way to simplify the process with timing. I have included many of his steps into my homestyle bowl and plan of using them all soon. What I love about his recipes is that he pushes you to be creative, make it yours. There is one to die for dessert, Lemon Sorbet. Totally drool worthy according to everyone in my home that has eaten it.… (altro)