International Food Extravaganza Period D

Happiness/Hapanese/Japanese (coincidence? I think not!)

~Blog post #1~

April 12, 2015

By: Brianna Serrano

食べ物. Food. Of all the extraordinary, delicious, intriguing cultures that flourish this planet Earth, my heart and stomach have always ached for a Japanese experience. Coming from a cultured family, my upbringing revolved solely on trying everything food-wise. I suppose it runs in the Serrano blood since basically all of our favorite dishes are Japanese. In fact, almost every Sunday throughout the year, we have a Japanese-themed dinner where we make our food from scratch. Some of the foods include miso soup (or clear soup), Udon noodles, and sushi bowls (a family rendition). Normally when people ponder about Japanese food, they think “sushi” almost immediately. Little do they know, the Japanese culture offers endless dishes that are just as addictive as sushi. Whenever my family and I dine at an authentic Japanese restaurant, it is tradition to prepare ourselves by using a heated cleansing towel for our hands. Typically, to introduce our meal, it begins with miso soup or edamame (Wikipedia). Afterwards, an entire world of uniquely made dishes is at our fingertips. Most dishes are accompanied with white rice or soup and are often associated with fish. Since Japan is surrounded by the Pacific Ocean, the East China Sea, and the Korea Strait, the influence of oceanic ingredients have formed Japan’s cuisine (http://www.gdrc.org). Some of the ingredients incorporated are different kinds of fish and seaweed. It’s quite challenging to stay picky while reading a Japanese menu since the variety is endless. Typically, my heart is latched onto tempura-fried shrimp, along with salmon teriyaki. As I continue exploring the ethereal history and culture of Japan, I guarantee my hunger for Japanese cuisine will only leave me wanting more.