Food Artisans of Japan: Recipes and Stories

In this meticulous follow-up to Japan: The Cookbook, Hachisu interweaves recipes from some of her favorite Japanese chefs with profiles of various artisans. Throughout, she warns against the temptations of compromise: in the section on buying shoyu, she cautions readers to avoid companies that use cheap Chinese soybeans. She is equally zealous when it comes to recipes, such as her sous vide turnip with Iberian ham and parsley sauce from Chef Shinobu Namae (“Shave each turnip into a beautifully perfect shape weighing 85g”). While several such recipes feel daunting, there are plenty that aren’t: she offers recipes for roasted shiitake stuffed with yuzu miso, onion, and walnuts; salt-grilled butterfish with smashed tofu; and potato dumplings in red bean sauce with milk ice cream—a paean to the milk from a local fourth-generation dairy farmer, and to potato flour from the last producer in Japan. In a sidebar, Hachisu beautifully captures the artistry of the flour maker Hidemitsu Kikuchi, who places ropes of dried potatoes in the icy water of a nearby stream. This intense, captivating volume will most appeal to home cooks already schooled in Japanese cooking. [em](Nov.) [/em]