I loathe owning lots of stuff. Especially heavy stuff. I love feeling as though I could pack up my essentials in a few bags and be on my way, anywhere, at the drop of a hat. Because of this, I always give books away. I only keep those which are precious to me.
Despite this penchant for material minimalism, I have a collection of cookbooks that I would carry across a desert in heels.
My latest prize is Elizabeth Andoh's Kansha .
Elizabeth Andoh, owner and operator of Taste of Culture was one of my esteemed teachers of traditional Japanese cuisine while I studied in Tokyo. From her kitchen, with a view of iconic Fuji-san, Elizabeth demonstrates the preparation of sumptuous Japanese fare and extoles the beauty of seasonality. For those unable to have the pleasure of joining Elizabeth in her kitchen, she also offers an online culinary classroom .
I'll admit that I enjoyed my torrid affair with Pescetarianism while I lived in Japan.
Upon my return to Canada, however, I immediately ran back to the comforting arms of pure Vegetarianism.
At first I worried that I would miss out on all the wonders that Japanese cuisine has to offer. With it's liberal use of dashi and obvious plethora of fish and seafood entrees, what's a Veggie girl to eat at her favourite Izakaya? I embarked on a journey to discover what was still available to me, and to approximately recreate what was not.
Admittedly, having lived in Japan for 40 years, Elizabeth is much more adept at the task than I've been. Which is why I was overjoyed to hear that she published Kansha, where she lovingly displays the wealth of animal-free ingredients and recipes that do in fact thrive within the well-established walls of Japanese culinary tradition.
Kansha and the knowledge Elizabeth imparts is truly a gift to Chefs, Aesthetes, and Veggie people everywhere.
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