Raw fish. It doesn’t get better than that. While
the idea of regularly consuming fatty tuna and squid had never appealed to my previous palate, this type of food has become a staple of my everyday life in
Japan. A bargain compared to the sushi sold in America (or at least, in any place remotely close to the Georgetown University area) and infinitely more
fresh, a meal of around 12 pieces of sushi, which costs less than the price of the average McDonald’s order, has become the norm for me. The drastically
different food landscape I am experiencing has caused me to increase the amount of rice I consume, notice the stark reduction in the amount of fruit I come across, and face a drastic change in my dessert choices, as I have had to
become accustomed to the light and airy Japanese delicacies available here instead of the rich American sweets I am so used to. Therefore, it should be plain to see that I have undergone a profound change in cuisine from the familiar dishes of the Georgetown dining hall to a whole new culinary adventure here in Japan.
Part of the challenge has been learning which Japanese foods bear similar names to, but are different from, their American varieties. For example, food items bearing the name "pumpkin" in Japan do not actually contain pumpkin. If something, except for the standard Starbucks pumpkin spice latte, claims to be pumpkin flavored, brace yourself. The Japanese pumpkin is more akin to a fleshy squash than to the Halloween emblem we’re accustomed to. Order a pumpkin maple ice cream cone at 31 Flavors (aka Baskin Robbins) and you’ll be spooked whether it's October or not; lacking spices or cinnamon, the taste you’re supposed to be enjoying in no way resembles what you would expect at home. The same warning goes for sweet potatoes; the Japanese version is yellow, not orange. Do not make the mistake of becoming homesick for Thanksgiving dinner and attempting to make a sweet potato casserole, as you’ll only be disappointed. Take it from my personal experience. The difference in taste is not necessarily bad; it’s just different from America, like many aspects of Japanese life.
Furthermore there are a handful of vegetables that may be unknown to the average American eye, but that can be a creative addition to your everyday cooking. However, it has taken me quite some time and practice to wrangle them into my own cooking. The Japanese radish, daikon, is a brutish hulking vegetable that can be over 1 foot long and is sold for roughly a dollar at any number of locations. With a mild flavor, daikon can be used to complement different tastes and can do so in a variety of ways; grated, mashed, sliced...it doesn’t matter, as long as the vegetable is in the meal. Renkon, or lotus root, is another produce that is more or less unknown to Western audiences and everywhere in Japan. Tough, and often served raw or deep-fried, this food can pop up in a variety of dishes. Comparable to a potato, the tuber is thought to be a good source of fiber and other nutrients.
Another way in which Japanese cuisine differs from American food is that Japanese chefs are a lot more conscious of seasonal availability. In teishoku, the traditional type of meal that is usually served at ryoukan (Japanese bed and breakfasts, which are often located near hot springs), each dish is tailored to complement the season, the food available, and the other dishes. The Japanese idea of shun entails using ingredients at the peak of their season in order to celebrate their distinct flavors and elevate the resulting meal; therefore, you are guaranteed a unique dish to enjoy year-round, no matter the season. Oden, a warm broth-based dish, served primarily in winter, can be found in almost any convenience store (which in Japan are reliable sources for food) as soon as the weather begins cooling. Part of the intrigue relating to these seasonal snacks is the fact that they are only offered at certain times of the year, which leaves people waiting in anticipation for their favorite foods to become available. The attention paid to these small details is certainly not a practice that is common throughout America and truly heightens the eating experience.
Despite these differences, the food in Japan exceeds any preconceived notions one could have before visiting the country. Most people’s awareness of Japanese food is limited only to sushi, teriyaki, and Kobe beef, and glosses over the vast amount of flavor and variety that can be found in traditional Japanese recipes and available foods. With a stomach like mine (for those that don’t know: ravenous, possessing its own sentience, akin to a garbage disposal), no amount of surprises or unfamiliar ingredients can dare to stop me. Certainly, upon my return to America, I hope that I will have learned a little culture and enough culinary sense to introduce these unique flavors and cooking perspectives to campus and diversify my meal plan from simply Leo’s and frozen Trader Joe’s meals to something slightly more satisfying.
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