When it was first published, Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art changed the way the culinary world viewed Japanese cooking, moving it from obscure ethnic food to haute cuisine. Twenty-five years later, much has changed. Japanese food is a favorite of diners around the world. Not only is sushi as much a part of the Western culinary scene as burgers, bagels, and burritos, but some Japanese chefs have become household names. Japanese flavors, ingredients, and textures have been fused into dishes from a wide variety of other cuisines. What hasn't changed over the years, however, are the foundations of Japanese cooking. When he originally wrote Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art, Shizuo Tsuji, a scholar who trained under famous European chefs, was so careful and precise in his descriptions of the cuisine and its vital philosophies, and so thoughtful in his choice of dishes and recipes, that his words--and the dishes they help produce--are as fresh today as when they were first written. The 25th Anniversary edition celebrates Tsuji's classic work. Building on M.F.K.Fisher's eloquent introduction, the volume now includes a thought-provoking new Foreword by Gourmet Editor-in-Chief Ruth Reichl and a new preface by the author's son and Tsuji Culinary Institute Director Yoshiki Tsuji. Beautifully illustrated with eight pages of new color photos and over 500 drawings, and containing 230 traditional recipes as well as detailed explanations of ingredients, kitchen utensils, techniques and cultural aspects of Japanese cuisine, this edition continues the Tsuji legacy of bringing the Japanese kitchen within the reach of Western cooks.
Japanese food was virtually unknown in many Western cities in the 1980s, when Shizuo Tsujii wrote Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art. M.F.K. Fisher's introduction eloquently sets the stage for Tsujii's classic work. It may be the most thought-provoking piece ever written about Japanese food for non-Asians, pointing out how food and even the physical act of eating differ from what they are in Japan. Tsujii's writing is clear and educational. He talks specifically to a Western, non-Asian audience, demonstrating far more awareness of our culinary preferences and prejudices than most Westerners have for his. Following the preface (which should not be skipped), an arrangement of color photos of key ingredients and dishes sets the scene. Next, part 1 provides a thorough explanation of techniques for Japanese cooking and instructions for making all the basic elements of dishes. These "lessons" cover cutting vegetables, steaming, grilling, and deep frying the Japanese way, and even how to make sushi. Recipes cover Basic Vinegar Salad Dressings, Sushi Rice, and Teriyaki. To prepare Vinegared Octopus, a complete series of drawings clearly demonstrates each step.
Part 2 consists solely of recipes. Gather together fresh ginger, soy sauce, the sweet wine mirin , sake, and rice vinegar and you can make many of them. Beginners might start with Deep Fried Chicken Patties, Steak Teriyaki, Tortoise Shell Tofu, simply bathed in a tasty sauce, and Asparagus Rice, a light and colorful dish. Because of its combination of background information, comprehensive recipes, and excellent instructions, Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art will always remain an important book for learning about this simple yet complex cuisine. --Dana Jacobi
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 5.0 / 5.0
Best Japanese cookbook, but...:
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. However, I still only give three stars, because being the best is not good enough. 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... more info
The Japanese Cooking Bible:
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... more info
Lots of information about the culture of Japanese cooking; not merely a cookbook:
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.
Great Japanese cooking book:
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.
