In Japanese, the word "hanami" means "flower viewing," whether the flowers are cherry ("sakura,") plum ("ume,") or some other fruit tree in bloom. Probably the most popular hanami event centers around the blooming of the cherry trees between the end of March and the beginning of April. During hanami time in Japan, people attend and/or host outdoor picnics and parties under the blooms, either during the day or at night. Special paper lanterns hang underneath the trees at night. More

The matsutake mushroom season is winding down, although I am still finding some matsutakes foraged in Oregon at the local co-op. I'm pretty sure they won't be around anymore in the next two weeks. I love this mushroom, it is one of my favorites. I put together a quick and easy rice dish that highlights the flavor of these fragrant mushrooms. More

Tobiko, or "poor man's caviar," is the roe of the flying fish. It is a popular sushi ingredient, usually served sprinkled on top of maki sushi rolls or on its own. The eggs are very small, smaller than salmon roe or masago. They often come in various colors; what's the deal? More

Mitsuba is a type of Japanese parsley that is a key ingredient in the soup steamed in a teapot called dobin mushi. Light and refreshing, it has a clean, grassy taste. More

Nabe (cooking pot) mono (things, stuff) is a popular Japanese hot pot dish commonly served in the cold winter months. It is cooked table side and served communally. One thing I like about nabemono (in addition to its deliciousness!) is its versatility. There are so many different ingredients to choose from! During the cooking process, the broth becomes more flavorful. At the end, after all the ingredients are eaten, rice and egg are added to the seasoned broth and a porridge is made. More

Thanks to the LA Times and this visual guide to making soba noodles, we know what we'll be doing this weekend! All we'll need is some buckwheat flour, water, a rolling pin, a plastic bag, and a chef's knife. (A plastic bag?!) More

When I traveled in Japan last winter, one of my favorite dishes was matsutake dobin mushi. Matsutakes are wonderfully fragrant pine mushrooms, and dobin ("teapot") mushi ("steamed") is a soup steamed in a small teapot. Put these two words together, and you have matsutake dobin mushi, a nourishing mushroom soup. More

One element of Japanese cuisine is that it celebrates the seasons. Japanese dishes feature what is fresh and seasonal, and are cooked in such a way that is appropriate for the seasonal weather. During the winter, hearty soups such as oden are commonly found, as are hot pot meals such as sukiyaki. More

Perhaps you've seen these trees with the beautiful fan-shaped leaves in your neighborhood or in a local park. The female members of these trees produce an edible nut; unfortunately, the fruit enclosing the nut smells really bad. Their fragrance deters most people from trying them, much like the durian fruit. More

In Japan, there is a variety of plum called ume. It actually resembles an apricot more than a plum, but it's called a plum. It's very astringent and when eaten raw can give a person a stomach ache, so the Japanese infuse them in alcohol and pickle them. In pickled form, these are called umeboshi. More