“Maitake” is a mushroom native to northeastern Japan. It is used widely in Japanese and Chinese medicine as an aid to restore balance to the body. Known here as the “king of mushrooms”, it is one of the principle mushrooms used in Japanese and Okinawan cuisine. It can be […]
The Hmong red cucumber is a rather deceiving vegetable. From the outside it looks like a gourd or a squash. Many Westerners here in Okinawa have come across them and not known they were looking at a cucumber in disguise! The flesh is mild and […]
The “egg fruit” (scientific name: Pouteria campechinana) is a sweet, light fruit, originally from central America. It is cultivated widely throughout Southeast Asia, including Okinawa. It grows on a hardy evergreen, (Sapotaceae family) and is a distant cousin of the shea nut from the African […]
Perhaps the world’s first “cake pop”, The “hanami dango” is a popular confection in Japan and Okinawa. Similar to the popular mochi dessert of Japan; which is a sweet dumpling made with machiko (glutinous rice flower), it is served on a skewer to celebrate flower blooming […]
The farmer’s markets here in Okinawa are nothing short of extraordinary. Never before, in all my travels; have I seen such a volume of fresh markets spread over such a small area. You can easily shop at four or five in one day. Although, why […]
Update: July 2019. I intended on writing a book on Okinawan foods while living in Okinawa. But after I was blindsided by depression, I had to focus on getting better and making sure my family was okay. I did get better. Sometimes I still look […]
There is something so exciting about buying something special, and rare, and fresh for dinner. You bring it home, wrapped up in a disheveled little package….nothing like a grocery store package…but a package actually packed by a human being and not a machine. Not a […]
The farmer’s markets here in Okinawa are sparkling with vibrancy! Tomatoes; all shapes, colors, and sizes, are in season. The flavors of these little gems are so complex…. That you would be wise to eat them right out of the box. If you feel so […]
The fresh, salty smell. The cool ice crunching. The hustle and bustle of the skilled workers. A port-side fish market is quite possibly the happiest place on earth. Undoubtedly, there is a sense of purpose and energy in the air. For this, is an […]
Recently, my husband, myself and our new baby had the honor of attending a class on Okinawa Soba, given by Chef Nozaki San in the little village of Onno, Okinawa. Soba, also known as Yakisoba, is a mainstay of Okinawa cuisine. Many people confuse Okinawa […]
Pronounced (die-kahn as in Kahn, Wrath of… ), the daikon is a mystifying vegetable to us Westerners. It’s size is impressive. It’s shape and weight remind me of a baseball bat. lol. It’s a radish, actually. A sweet, juicy radish that tastes nothing like our […]
Things have been busy, here at The Flying Kitchen. Youngest of seven is 3 months old, and I’ve officially given myself permission to put my jet pack back on and get to work. After one week of learning, shopping and cooking, I can surmise that […]
