In 1975,Gourmet magazine published a series on traditional Japanese food —the first of its kind in a major American food magazine — wri...
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reviews
Mar 09, 2011
Amanda
rated it: 
I have several Japanese cookbooks covering everything from hotpots to sushi, but Washoku is excellent because it covers everyday Japanese "home cooking." Andoh covers all of the basics, from what you need in your pantry to how to wash and cook rice properly. She also explains the Japanese philosophy of food, presentation and balanced meals through Buddhism and Shinto with The Five Principles.
The only drawback for some readers in more remote areas of America would be the lack of More...
The only drawback for some readers in more remote areas of America would be the lack of More...
Mar 27, 2011
Rachel
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I enjoyed this cookbook better than the last one I reviewed from the author, Kansha Cooking. I thought it was better organized and easier to understand. Plus most of the ingredients were pretty accessible and the recipes easier to make as long as you did a few basic recipes, such as the Basic Sea Stock (Dashi). The indexes were in the front of the book as an intro before you came to the main body of recipes. Once again, the design of the book and photographs within were beautiful to look at.
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Jan 12, 2009
Elizabeth
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This cookbook is more practical than it first appears. I was afraid it would be more of a coffee-table book than something I could actually use, but it has useful guides to Japanese ingredients, cooking equipment, and techniques. The recipes sounded a bit exotic, but once I started reading my way through them, I saw that Andoh's guides gave all the information necessary and that the recipes weren't all that arcane after all. The major drawback I see, however, is that Andoh assumes that you can g
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Sep 15, 2011
Jen
rated it:
The only possible problem I might have with this book is that I waited so long to buy it. This is a must-read for anyone contemplating setting up house in Japan, as well as those interested in Japanese home cooking outside of Japan.
The set-up of the book makes it read like a story but also easy to refer to at a later date. Each recipe has added facts about presentation or how it fits into Japanese culture as a whole.
My cooking has improved a great deal since reading this. More...
The set-up of the book makes it read like a story but also easy to refer to at a later date. Each recipe has added facts about presentation or how it fits into Japanese culture as a whole.
My cooking has improved a great deal since reading this. More...
Jun 18, 2010
Leifer
rated it:
I'm still using this book almost every week. I want her to write more.
it took me a bit to get into it, mostly because of the overwhelming vocabulary of cooking/food terms, but once I did I realized it is actually pretty simple recipes (which utilize a lot of leftovers, at that!) You could call this "home cooking" which I've never seen another Japanese cookbook touch.
Would love to meet her someday.
it took me a bit to get into it, mostly because of the overwhelming vocabulary of cooking/food terms, but once I did I realized it is actually pretty simple recipes (which utilize a lot of leftovers, at that!) You could call this "home cooking" which I've never seen another Japanese cookbook touch.
Would love to meet her someday.
Jan 27, 2012
Kathleen
rated it:
What a fantastic book! I want to buy a copy and work my way through each recipe. Andoh explains traditional methods for achieving balance in a meal, traditional attitudes about food, etc. She also gives an extensive description of a well stocked Japanese pantry. Beautifully written and photographed. A great resource for the home cook who loves Japanese food.
Dec 16, 2011
Sayaka
rated it: 
the recipes are mostly japanese country/comfort food i grew up eating at my grandmothers. since i live in central michigan, it is hard to find a lot of the ingredients. i wish there were more photos accompanying the recipes. a third of the book is explaining the ingredients.
Jan 10, 2010
Rachael
rated it:
This cookbook is phenomenal. If you have any interest in learning to cook Japanese cuisine, this should be your go-to tome. It covers pantry basics, tools, techniques, and recipes. Andoh is considered to be the preeminent Western expert on Japanese cuisine and is an excellent writer--both of which show in this book. It is extensive and easy to follow.
Apr 13, 2008
Matt
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This is a really, really good book if you want to learn Japanese home cooking. The food in this book is the food that, up until recently was the food eaten in the majority of Japanese homes. It's honestly Japanese soul-food. Most of my standard recipes are some variation on Elizabeth Andoh's.
Jul 31, 2008
Mariam
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The recipes are either hit or miss. I was really looking for something focusing on dishes popular in Japan (i.e. takoyaki, okonomiyaki, agedashi), and was dissapointed to not find them in there. That being said, it's a beautiful volume and is good reference for some of the basics.
Jan 27, 2008
Jennifer
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This is one of my favorite cookbooks. It's sometimes a little tedious to follow her precise directions, but I understand the reasoning and have learned more from this book about Japanese cooking than any other.
Oct 13, 2008
Craig
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This by far my favorite cookbook. the first 90 pages are just about the ingredients. all the recipices are simple, tasty and cheap.
Jan 22, 2008
Chadwick
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Finally, a real sourcebook for the fundamentals of Japanese cooking.
Feb 10, 2012
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