J-Sei’s New Book Club:

American Harvest by Marie Mutsuki Mockett

Join us for a Summer Book Club excursion through American Harvest, the latest epic journey by author Marie Mutsuki Mockett.

We will welcome back author Marie Mutsuki Mockett for a live Zoom visit in the Fall to discuss her latest book, AMERICAN HARVEST. We hosted Marie in 2016 to mark the publication of Where the Dead Pause and the Japanese Say Goodbye, her personal pilgrimage through the temples and rituals of Japan following the devastating tragedy in Tohoku in 2011. This time, we look forward to a very different journey—through America’s heartland.

In anticipation of Marie’s visit, we’re very excited to announce our Summer Book Club. Beginning in July and continuing over several consecutive weeks, we will read AMERICAN HARVEST together, and through weekly postings and virtual discussions we’ll explore the many thoughtful and thought-provoking themes and events in the book. Capping the book club experience will be our live event with Marie, in which you will not only hear about the book and other works directly from the author but you’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions and share your thoughts.

Please RSVP to join the Summer Book Club and purchase the book at a special rate.  Contact Jill Shiraki at jill@j-sei.org

Marie Mutsuki Mockett is the author of a novel, Picking Bones from Ash, and a memoir, Where the Dead Pause, and the Japanese Say Goodbye, which was a finalist for the PEN Open Book Award. She has written for numerous publications and has been a guest on The World, Talk of the Nation and All Things Considered on NPR. She is a core faculty member of the Rainier Writing Workshop and a Visiting Writer in the MFA program Saint Mary’s College in Moraga, California.

Sake: Culture, Tasting, and Food Pairings

3 Fridays: July 10, 24, and August 7 at 7 pm

Sake expert David Sakamoto will present a three-class online program on the intricacies of Japan’s national drink. He will share his knowledge gained as a certified Advanced Sake Professional by the Sake Education Council in Tokyo and from a Level 3 Award in Sake from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (London). David has visited over 30 sake breweries and has interned at Daimon Shuzo in Osaka and Obata Shuzo’s Gakkogura in Niigata.

The classes will introduce sake through its history, grades and styles, and serving traditions; provide a virtual trip through Japan’s major sake-brewing regions and their food cultures; and offer an exploration of taste profiles and the subtle nuances sake brings to food pairing in collaboration with J-Sei Chef Yuji Ishikata.

Each class will cover a different aspect of sake:

 July 10 – Sake 101: What is sake, its history, and current trends; different grades and styles; proper storage and serving suggestions.

 July 24 – Regionality of Sake: Japan’s major sake-brewing prefectures; terroir in the sake world; the impact of local ingredients, geography, Toji Guilds, and food culture.

 August 7 – Pairing Sake with Food: The five major taste profiles; similarities and differences between sake and wine pairing; sake’s nuances and how they complement dishes beyond sashimi, sushi, and other Japanese foods, with J-Sei Chef Yuji Ishikata.

The lecture is free, but RSVP on Eventbrite is required to receive the link for the online classes.

A sake-tasting kit, featuring a flight of five 3 oz. samples will be available for $30 donation. David will lead a tasting tutorial and discussion during each class. For the final class on August 7th,  sake tasting + food pairing menu prepared by Yuji Ishikata will be available for $55 ($30 sake kit + $25 food pairing). Sake and food pairing kits can be ordered below. We have closed sales of sake +food pairing for August 7th. 

Reserve your Fridays to gather online for this special J-Sei summertime experience. Kanpai!

J-Sei At the Movies: Midnight Diner

Friday, June 12th, 6:30 pm

Japanese are obsessed with food—not just making it, but also the act of eating it. Join J-Sei for an informal discussion about a Japanese cultural phenomenon known as gourmet drama—combining cooking, eating, and fictional storytelling to create a unique sense of place that many of us are craving during this time of isolation. In particular, we’ll focus on a popular Japanese TV series that has become an international hit thanks to Netflix: MIDNIGHT DINER (Japanese title: 深夜食堂 Shinya Shokudō).

Running for 5 seasons so far and 2 feature-length movies, MIDNIGHT DINER is adapted from the long-running manga by Abe Yarō about a fictional Shinjuku izakaya open only from midnight to 7:00 a.m., the ups and downs of its customers, and the owner who cooks special dishes just for them. You can watch episodes with a Netflix subscription, but even if you haven’t seen the show we hope you will join us for this fun, mouth-watering discussion. We plan to share some video clips from the series as we discuss its appeal and popularity with foodies and non-foodies alike.

Anyone can check out the trailers for Season 1 and 2 of the Netflix co-production by clicking here: https://www.netflix.com/title/80113037.

RSVP is required to receive a link to the program.

Please rsvp at Eventbrite.

Simple Japanese Cooking 3

Thursday, August 20, 3 pm

Another chance to engage in cooking with Azusa and learn to create delicious Japanese dishes.  Our last workshop, we were thrilled to have eleven home chefs cooking alongside. While a few commented that the Agedashi Doufu required some technique, all were pleased to create this delectable dish and get a lovely dinner on the table.  Some of us prefer to watch and learn, others learn by doing, and either way, we would love to have you join us.

See the latest review of the cookbook in the Nichi Bei Weekly.

 Sign up now and we will get the menu, recipes, and shopping list to you.  Please rsvp to jill@j-sei.org with “Simple Japanese Cooking” in the subject line, so we can send you the ZOOM link and the recipe in advance.

Simple Japanese Cooking 2

Thursday, May 28th

After an enthusiastic welcome and our hunger for creative intervention in the kitchen, we invited Azusa Oda to join us once again.  Don’t miss Simple Japanese Cooking 2 and get ready to prep & chop, and cook alongside Azusa for immediate delectable rewards.  What a joy to have dinner ready to enjoy right after the workshop, especially as we shelter in.  While some of us savor the dishes by watching the demo and reading the recipes, all participants, all ages, and all levels, for viewing or cooking are welcome. By request from participants, the workshop featured Age Dashi Tofu, Shioyake Salmon and Green Salad with Sesame Miso Dressing.

Simple Japanese Cooking 1

Thursday, April 30th – 3 pm

Preparing meals and cooking at home have become an essential part of our every day as we shelter-in-place.  Learn some tips and techniques to add Simple Japanese Cooking to your repertoire.  Azusa Oda, an avid home cook, brings her passion for Japanese cooking to your kitchen to teach classic and inventive dishes that are relatively easy to make.  Join us for a cooking demo, food talk, and let’s make a dish together.

Azusa Oda is an avid home cook, food blogger, and designer. She comes from a long line of professional and home cooks, and her abilities in the kitchen have been heavily influenced by growing up as her mother’s unofficial sous chef. Raised in both Tokyo and the Bay Area of California, she had a bicultural upbringing that shaped the way she views Japanese culinary traditions and techniques.

She created her blog, humblebeanblog.com, in 2008 to share her contemporary variations on Japanese dishes and to show that simple and delicious Japanese food can be made at home with relative ease. While cooking is one of her passions, she nurtures an equal interest in design and has an MFA from California College of the Arts. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and daughter.

RSVP with “Simple Japanese Cooking” in subject line to jill@j-sei.org  An event link and more information on the workshop will be provided.

Donation is appreciated, but not required.  Suggested donation: $5 – $15.  The recently released “Japanese Cookbook for Beginners: Classic and Modern Recipes Made Easy” (Rockridge Press, 2020)  is now available.  Retail: $16.99; Kindle: $6.99  Purchase from the author Azusa Oda for $20 (includes shipping).