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The Furies (the troublemaking goddesses in Greek mythology) continue to stir up chaos in our world. Topsy-turvy change seems to be the name of the game on planet earth. Despite the roller coaster ride of current events, however, some classics do endure the test of time. Toddlers still love Goodnight Moon; families still splash in ocean waves together…And most everyone continues to enjoy peanut butter cookies!
Crumbled peanut... Read More |
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Dad played a decorated war hero, General MacArthur on NHK TV. (The PBS of Japan.) In real life, medals never dangled on my father’s chest. Yet, he’s always been my hero. His gentle spirit and generosity continue to influence and inspire me. More times than I care to recall, he drove me to the train station so I could catch the right train to make it on time to school.
A content kitty cat catches up on the news with... Read More |
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Dashing out the door to the PTA or a dance party? For a fast and easy dinner, how do you feel about a Japanese-style cheese pizza topped with octopus and mayonnaise? I thought so.
I’ve modified Asian flavor profiles and pizza with The Ninja Baker’s Asian Pizza Rice. This is one of those meals you can whip up in mere minutes. Especially if you’ve already got cooked rice in the freezer. (Simply zap to life in the microwave... Read More |
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California sushi rolls allegedly cropped up in LA’s Little Tokyo in the 1960s. The California roll is a made-in-America invention. Avocados with sushi, mayonnaise with tuna, canned Spam on white rice are creations of the West.
The Ninja Baker's California Sushi Rolls
In ‘60s and ‘70s Japan, going to a sushi restaurant was like visiting a 3-Star Michelin restaurant in Paris. Every detail bowed its... Read More |
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“Tea is quiet and our thirst for tea is never far from our craving for beauty.”
(James Norwood Pratt, author of Tea Lover’s Treasury and Tea Dictionary)
Perhaps the quote explains why students of sado, the Japanese tea ceremony, dedicate themselves to the discipline of perfecting the art of offering tea. Sado is a discipline.
Clad in a spring pastel kimono,
green tea is offered to guests with a... Read More |
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Imagine a samurai slashing his sword through a pancake. Seems comical, right? Except for this Ninja Baker's hyperbole about sword play, something similar to today's savory okonomiyaki pancakes were served to warriors of the Edo (Feudal) period.
Similar to a pizza, you can pick whatever toppings you like
for your okonomiyaki pancake.
Two styles of okonomiyaki vie for affection on the Japanese culinary... Read More |
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The Cake Slice Bakers are a group of bakers from around the world. We vote on a recipe and then bake the sweet from the same cookbook every month. Our current book is Carole Walter's Great Cakes. This month the rules changed. The cookbook remains the same but bakers choose one out of four great cakes. The Ninja Baker's selection is Manhattan Cheesecake! (A mighty fine choice if I do say so myself.)
Magic,... Read More |
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This post is sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission. All opinions are my own.
Thanks to a Dutch trade ship (piloted by an Englishman) that sailed into Southern Japan in 1598, potatoes were introduced to the Japanese diet by the 1600s. (Formal potato cultivation commenced in the 1800s.) Swiftly fast forward across the centuries, potatoes are essential to Japanese cuisine. Popularity winners include Japanese style curry, potato stuffed... Read More |
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Happy Mother’s Day! I’m blessed with two. Both are inspirations. My birth mother is a two-time Wimbledon semifinalist. Despite the obstacles of limited finances, Mom’s mighty confidence and unwavering determination resulted in multiple tennis trophies and first place titles. My stepmother, Barbara’s artistic sensibilities continue to influence my appreciation of breathtaking compositions of poetry, flowers, food and... Read More |
