Recently in Food Category

Having spent a decent amount of time enjoying the cuisine of both Italy and Japan, this is good news!

A farm near Milan is raising Japanese Wagyu cows to woo meat-loving Italians with the world's most expensive Kobe steaks.

The Italians are hoping the tender, marbled beef will revive falling beef consumption and give their profits a boost.

Described by one chef as "the Ferrari of meat," Kobe has been making inroads in Italy even though it costs about 100 euros ($148.2) per kg to buy. That's twice the price of Italy's Fiorentina T-bone steaks from Chianina cows.

Italian farmers pin beef hopes on Japanese cows - Yahoo! News

I have only thumbed through a friend's copy of the recently released (and now sold out) Michelin Guide Tokyo. I have only been to a handful of the restaurants in the guide (maybe 5-7 of the 1 stars.) It is staggering to think that while Paris and New York City have roughly 20,000 restaurants, the greater Tokyo area has over 160,000 restaurants.

There's a longer discussion about what really deserves stars and why it took a non-Japanese company to create the most-recognizable guide to food in Tokyo, and how many of the best restaurants are invite-only and thus are not reviewed, but that's for another day.

The full list of Michelin Guide Tokyo restaurants are on the Michelin website (name only- buy the guidebook for the reviews once they reprint it.)

The WSJ has a nice profile of chef Ivan Orkin, [Trying to Out-Noodle the Japanese - WSJ.com ]who has opened a ramen restaurant, Ivan Ramen, in Setagaya. I hope to make it over there and try a bowl.

One of the things I love about being in Japan is being able to have excellent sushi. I don't go very often, but when I do go to sushi, I'll either go to a local place that's very good and not cheap, or I'll go with friends who are visiting to Tsukiji. So I was a bit blase when I saw folks on MeFi going gaga over this piece by Nick Tosches on Tsukiji. But after reading it, I am impressed.

Letter from Tokyo - If You Knew Sushi (vanityfair.com)

World famous Taiwanese dumplings, originally uploaded by bindernagel.

Luckily they have a few stores in Japan too.

http://www.dintaifung.com.tw/eng/

This is very funny.

This blog is doing funny stuff with their date stamp too: " 二〇〇六年一二月一四日（木） 16：21 "

YouTube Exclusive...

Read the book though- will stop you from eating fast food.

For my Silicon Valley friends.

Chowhound's San Francisco Bay Area Message Board: Nijiya Market to open in SJ Japantown. Tell me what to expect.

This is VERY FUNNY! Must see TV :)

Documentary On Japanese Sushi - Google Video

Probably not found at your local 7-11 (unless you're in Japan) would be this new green tea and sweet red bean flavored Kit Kat.

This dessert pictured on the box (shaved ice, green tea syrup, and sweet red beans is a famous Japanese summer dessert.



Yes, this is absolutely real.

Technorati Tags: chocolate, candy