-9% $45.34$45.34
$3.99 delivery Tuesday, January 21
Ships from: sebebooks Sold by: sebebooks
$35.64$35.64
Ships from: Amazon Sold by: gatecitybooks
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Follow the author
OK
Japanese Farm Food Hardcover – September 4, 2012
Purchase options and add-ons
Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2012: USA Winner, Best Japanese Cuisine Book
"Our life centers on the farm and the field. We eat what we grow." --Nancy Singleton Hachisu,
Japanese Farm Food offers a unique window into life on a Japanese farm through the simple, clear-flavored recipes cooked from family crops and other local, organic products. The multitude of vibrant images by Kenji Miura of green fields, a traditional farmhouse, antique baskets, and ceramic bowls filled with beautiful, simple dishes are interwoven with Japanese indigo fabrics to convey an intimate, authentic portrait of life and food on a Japanese farm. With a focus on fresh and thoughtfully sourced ingredients, the recipes in Japanese Farm Food are perfect for fans of farmers' markets, and for home cooks looking for accessible Japanese dishes. Personal stories about family and farm life complete this incredible volume.
American born and raised, Nancy Singleton Hachisu lives with her husband and teenage sons on a rural Japanese farm, where they prepare these 165 bright, seasonal dishes. The recipes are organized logically with the intention of reassuring you how easy it is to cook Japanese food. Not just a book about Japanese food, Japanese Farm Food is a book about love, life on the farm, and community. Covering everything from pickles and soups to noodles, rice, and dipping sauces, with a special emphasis on vegetables, Hachisu demystifies the rural Japanese kitchen, laying bare the essential ingredients, equipment, and techniques needed for Japanese home cooking.
"Nancy Hachisu is...intrepid. Outrageously creative. Intensely passionate. Committed. True and real. I urge you to cook from this book with abandon, but first read it like a memoir, chapter by chapter, and you will share in the story of a modern-day family, a totally unique and extraordinary one." --Patricia Wells
"This book is both an intimate portrait of Nancy's life on the farm, and an important work that shows the universality of an authentic food culture." --Alice Waters
"The modest title Japanese Farm Food turns out to be large, embracing and perhaps surprising. Unlike the farm-to-table life as we know it here, where precious farm foods are cooked with recipes, often with some elaboration, real farm food means eating the same thing day after day when it’s plentiful, putting it up for when it's not, and cooking it very, very simply because the farm demands so much more time in the field than in the kitchen. This beautiful, touching, and ultimately common sense book is about a life that's balanced between the idea that a life chooses you and that you in turn choose it and then live it wholeheartedly and largely. Thank you, Nancy, for sharing your rich, intentional and truly inspiring life." --Deborah Madison
"Nancy Hachisu’s amazing depth of knowledge of Japanese food and culture shines through in every part of this book. You will feel as if you live next door to her...savoring and learning her down-to-earth approach to cooking and to loving food." --Hiroko Shimbo
"Taking a peek into Nancy Hachisu's stunning Japanese Farm Food is like entering a magical world. It's a Japan that used to be, not the modern Japan defined by the busyness of Tokyo, but a more timeless place, a place whose rhythms are set by seasons and traditions and the work of the farm. Japanese Farm Food is so much more than a cookbook. This book has soul. Every vegetable, every tool has a story. Who grew this eggplant? Who made this soy sauce? Nancy doesn't have to ask, "Where does my food come from?" She knows. Here's a woman who grows and harvests her own rice, grain by grain. Not that she asks or expects us to do the same at all. What she does offer is a glimpse into her life in rural Japan, with its shoji screens and filtered light, and recipes from her farm kitchen that you can't wait to try." --Elise Bauer, SimplyRecipes.com
"Japanese Farm Food is a lovely book about the culture, landscape, and food of Japan, a true insider's view of the Japanese kitchen, from farm to table, by a passionate and talented writer." --Michael Ruhlman
- Print length400 pages
- LanguageEnglish
- PublisherAndrews McMeel Publishing
- Publication dateSeptember 4, 2012
- Dimensions8.2 x 1.5 x 10 inches
- ISBN-101449418295
- ISBN-13978-1449418298
Book recommendations, author interviews, editors' picks, and more. Read it now
Frequently bought together
Customers who viewed this item also viewed
From the Publisher
Bitter Melon Stir-Fried with Egg and Red Pepper
Goya Champuru
Slice the bitter melons in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut off the ends and slice crosswise into ¹⁄8-inch (3-mm) half-rounds.
Tear the chile peppers in half or thirds and reserve in a small bowl.
Break the eggs into another bowl and whisk with a fork or chopsticks.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok over medium-high heat and drop the chile peppers into the hot oil. Immediately decrease the flame to low and fry the peppers to infuse the oil. Throw in the bitter melon slices and toss over high heat until no longer raw (about 4 minutes or so). Add the salt as you are cooking the bitter melon.
Mix in the beaten egg and toss quickly as the egg curds form. Remove from the heat when the eggs are still not quite set. Stir until just set and turn into a medium-sized serving bowl. Eat hot.
Ingredients
- 3 small to medium bitter melons (goya), about 1 pound/500 g
- 2 small dried chile peppers (japones or árbol)
- 6 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
Japanese Farm Food | Preserving the Japanese Way | |
Customer Reviews |
4.6 out of 5 stars
370
|
4.6 out of 5 stars
361
|
Price | $21.95$21.95 | $50.00$50.00 |
Also by Nancy Singleton Hachisu | Japanese Farm Food | Preserving the Japanese Way: Traditions of Salting, Fermenting, and Pickling for the Modern Kitchen |
Editorial Reviews
Review
"The book offers a breadth of information, with lessons about Japanese products and techniques, and instructions for everything from homemade tofu to udon noodles. But for me, the recipes for simple vegetable dishes, often flavored with only a bit of miso or a splash of sake, are the most fascinating" (David Tanis, New York Times)
"In her sumptuous exploration of Japanese dishes, Nancy Singleton Hachisu expertly blends all of these, creating a memorable collection that will appeal not just to cooks but to anyone who appreciates a simple, lovingly prepared meal." (Elizabeth Millard, Foreword Reviews)
"With simple, nourishing dishes and richly detailed stories of Japanese farm life, Nancy Sington Hachisu creates a whole world between the fabric-bound covers of this book. Once you step inside, it's very tempting to stay." (Emma Christensen, The Kitchn)
"Essays on the author's years in Japan and lush photos make the book as great a pleasure to peruse as it is to cook from." (Karen Shimizu, Saveur)
About the Author
Product details
- Publisher : Andrews McMeel Publishing; 8/30/12 edition (September 4, 2012)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 400 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1449418295
- ISBN-13 : 978-1449418298
- Item Weight : 3.35 pounds
- Dimensions : 8.2 x 1.5 x 10 inches
- Best Sellers Rank: #437,571 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #216 in Japanese Cooking, Food & Wine
- #344 in Organic Cooking
- #536 in Vegetable Cooking (Books)
- Customer Reviews:
About the author
Nancy Singleton Hachisu is a native Californian, Stanford graduate who has lived with her Japanese farmer husband in an 90-year-old farmhouse in rural Saitama since 1988. Author of four cookbooks: Japanese Farm Food (Andrews McMeel, Sept. 2012), Preserving the Japanese Way, (Andrews McMeel, Aug. 2015), Japan: The Cookbook (Phaidon, April 2018), and Food Artisans of Japan (Hardie Grant, Nov. 2019). Hachisu’s work has been translated into French, Italian, Spanish, German, Portuguese, Dutch, and Japanese.
Hachisu appears frequently in Japanese media, documenting her preserving and farm food life as well as visits to artisanal producers in more remote areas of Japan to advocate for Japan’s disappearing food traditions. Hachisu also assisted on and appeared in the Salt episode of Netflix’s runaway hit: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat.
Customer reviews
Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.
To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.
Learn more how customers reviews work on AmazonCustomers say
Customers find the recipes simple and easy to follow. They enjoy the engaging stories and appreciate the author's appreciation for Japanese culture and graciousness towards the community. Readers describe the book as thought-provoking and insightful, with delicious and authentic flavors. The writing style is described as warm and easy to read, highlighting the author's deep love of growing and cultivating. Overall, customers find the book enjoyable and enjoyable to prepare.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews
Customers appreciate the recipes' simplicity and ease of execution. They find the stories behind the recipes fascinating, and the ingredients are well-described. The book provides useful information on simple Japanese food, and the amount or lack of ingredients in each dish is appealing. Overall, customers find it a great cookbook that presents hearty, delicious home cooking.
"...is a chart of every veggie you can think of - and references to recipes in the book (for other veggies) that will also work for the one on your..." Read more
"...Another great cookbook is Japanese Cooking Made Simple, excellent for its rice (and sushi rice) recipes...." Read more
"...Above all, they are easily executed in an American kitchen for someone with only a slight knowledge of cookery...." Read more
"...Although the stories behind the recipes are fascinating, the recipes also present another side of Japanese cooking with a bit of world-wide fusion..." Read more
Customers enjoy the stories and pictures in the book. They find the narratives compelling, interesting, and warm. The author's family story is interesting, and the book is inspiring.
"...But I also value the book for the story, aesthetic layout, and photos of Hachisu's immersion in traditional Japan as she meets & marries a Japanese..." Read more
"...is the ultimate down to earth, realistic slow food movement cookbook - memoir - photographic volume that belongs in every foodies' library...." Read more
"...There are instructions on how to make the perfect rice. The book is so inspiring that I am now determined to make ramen noodles and tofu from scratch..." Read more
"...Beautiful book, with a fascinating story as background. The author married a Japanese farmer and has lived in Japan most of her adult years...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's language and appreciate its cultural aspects. They find the story inspiring and enjoy learning about Japanese food and farm life beyond teriyaki and westernized sushi. The book provides a real sense of Japan and nostalgia with photos of Hachisu's immersion in traditional Japan as she meets and marries a local man.
"...the book for the story, aesthetic layout, and photos of Hachisu's immersion in traditional Japan as she meets & marries a Japanese farmer with the..." Read more
"...Another great cookbook is Japanese Cooking Made Simple, excellent for its rice (and sushi rice) recipes...." Read more
"A lovely book that reveals an ordinary, everyday Japan that most Americans are not familiar with...." Read more
"...It is imbued with an appreciation for Japanese culture and graciousness towards the community that inspires the recipes...." Read more
Customers find the book insightful and inspiring. They appreciate the down-to-earth, practical recipes and the author's perspective on Japan. The book presents hearty, delicious home cooking that reveals an ordinary, everyday Japan for Americans.
"...There is an aura of respect in this book; such respect: For the spiritual, for the land, for the food, for life and for others...." Read more
"...But the recipes are simple, authentic, and delicious...." Read more
"...The recipe for Terriyaki Chicken, for instance, is easy and fantasic, very few ingredients...." Read more
"A lovely book that reveals an ordinary, everyday Japan that most Americans are not familiar with...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's Japanese food. They find the flavors authentic and the sauces easy to make. The book is a tribute to fresh, simple preparation of vegetables that can be grown at home.
"...for your copy of this book to be delivered, pick up some good quality soy sauce, miso, mirin, vinegar, unhulled white sesame seeds and cukes and you..." Read more
"...But the recipes are simple, authentic, and delicious...." Read more
"...the sushi-bar, exclusive restaurant, yet it is no less artistic and tasty. The photos are beautifully executed." Read more
"...All in all this is a tribute to the universality of fresh food, simply prepared...." Read more
Customers enjoy the book's writing quality. They find it well-written, warm, and interesting. The text describes life on an organic farm and shows the author's love of growing, cultivating, and raising animals. The book is described as beautiful and great from a farm perspective.
"...The author's writing is creative and descriptive, both in her memoirs and her recipe instructions...." Read more
"...'s binding is a little weak, but it has very high quality paper easy to write on." Read more
"This book is beautifully presented and showcases the author's deep love of growing, cultivating, and raising the food/animals that are used in the..." Read more
"...Her writing is warm, interesting and leaves you with the feeling of sitting in her kitchen among family and friends as you read it." Read more
Customers find the book easy to use and practical. They say the salt and butter is excellent and the Katsu is amazing. The sauces are good and easy to make.
"...cooking--I find this Japanese Farm Food to be more down-to-earth and usable...." Read more
"...Inspirational, international, very individual, practical. Worth being widely read." Read more
"...The Katsu is AMAZING. The sauces are good and easy to make. The Gyozas were just like a restaurant. Definitely make these again." Read more
"...for salmon butter fish with sake, salt and butter was EASY and EXCELLENT! i eat a lot of fish and this is becoming a "go to" favorite...." Read more
Customers find the book helpful with its resources and recipes. They appreciate the informative photographs and new techniques offered. The book provides do-able, hands-on recipes that are straightforward.
"...While I think it's a great book--loaded with information and well-worth having in your cook book collection if you are at all interested in..." Read more
"...presented and showcases the author's deep love of growing, cultivating, and raising the food/animals that are used in the recipes that she presents...." Read more
"...The photographs are lovely and often informative. However, the recipes are not all that they could be...." Read more
"...This is farming on a gardening level of intensity...." Read more
Reviews with images
Damaged Book that Looks Used
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 9, 2012As an avid gardener I'm always looking for cucumber, eggplant, leafy greens and pickle recipes. What simple, distinctively new (to me--an American cook) recipes I found for the overflowing bounty from my gardens! Plus there are plenty of new ways with fish, chicken, meat and eggs.
UPDATE Jan. 2, 2013: See bottom of review.
As an adventurous cook I'm always looking for the next unique technique that keeps me curious and will keep me on my toes learning in my kitchen. (One of my mottos is "If you are not learning, you're dying." This cook book provides so many new techniques that I found my heart racing as I turned each page.
As a conscientious and concerned member of this world in which we live, and as an independent and individual thinker, I found the author's memoirs full of important thoughts and viable opinions.
While you will find peace and comfort in this book, in its writing and in its beautiful pictures, it is not a book of calming haiku poetry and a return to an older time and pace--but the grace of haikus and the respect for the old ways runs harmoniously through this book. The author's writing is creative and descriptive, both in her memoirs and her recipe instructions. The author and (what we learn of) her husband seem to be hard-working, down-to-earth people who love food, love their family and friends and try to give back to the community and the earth. There is an aura of respect in this book; such respect: For the spiritual, for the land, for the food, for life and for others.
While the author writes about her life in Japan for the past 20-some years, she is still very much an American; with her Viking stove, her collections of patinated chests, boxes and vessels, her malachite counter tops, her busy schedule, her own business (an English-orientation school), and her involvement in organizations. This unique combination of her "baggage" adds individuality and panache and flair to her recipes.
Some ingredients and tools will be hard to find, but can be ordered online. It will be great fun learning! The pages of resources alone are worth the price of this book. (I found a great resource for all kinds of varieties of bok choy and a resource for beautiful donabe pots.) But there are plenty recipes that you can become acquainted with, without a hunt for ingredients. If you are waiting for your copy of this book to be delivered, pick up some good quality soy sauce, miso, mirin, vinegar, unhulled white sesame seeds and cukes and you'll be ready to roll the day your book arrives.
The unfamiliar ingredients will seem daunting, but if you take it one ingredient at a time, you'll have no problems, because the unknown will be balanced by the simple, straightforward techniques.
If you've been thinking lately that the food you are now eating is just "too" full of flavors, (if you ever feel that way), you will find relief in this beautiful cook book.
I just received my copy of this book, but I've already read it cover-to-cover. I've already tried some of the cuke and eggplant recipes, a pickled vegetable recipe and a rice recipe. I can see this cook book will not disappoint!
Oh, boy, I want to keep writing and telling you about all the great small treasures in this book, but I realize a long review does not get read at all. Pick up a copy of this book now, then, when it starts winning awards and accolades, you can say you're already well-acquainted with it and cook from it often!
UPDATE Jan. 2, 2013: Recently, I found Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen at my local library and I spent about four hours browsing through it. While I think it's a great book--loaded with information and well-worth having in your cook book collection if you are at all interested in Japanese cooking--I find this Japanese Farm Food to be more down-to-earth and usable. The recipes in Japanese Farm Food are simpler; with fewer ingredients and fewer steps involved in producing memorable results.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 21, 2017The recipes are all farm-to-table, so you need to pick and choose how much work you want to put into your cooking! But the recipes are simple, authentic, and delicious. One of my favorite features is a chart of every veggie you can think of - and references to recipes in the book (for other veggies) that will also work for the one on your grocery shelf or in your garden. The recipes are well organized and planned out. But I also value the book for the story, aesthetic layout, and photos of Hachisu's immersion in traditional Japan as she meets & marries a Japanese farmer with the same cultural and food values. Her story and that of her Japanese family can be read apart from the recipes. The book is beautiful and made to look like it is bound in Japanese indigo-dyed cloth. I love it!
- Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2015This isn't the only Japanese cookbook I use, but more of my favorite recipes (as a new Japanese cook) come from this book than any others. As other reviewers have said, there are more comprehensive, more authentic Japanese cookbooks out there (Washoku Recipes From The Japanese Home Kitchen; and Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art are fantastic), but Japanese Farm Food is good for its simplicity, and for its short, personal blurbs introducing each recipe. The recipe for Terriyaki Chicken, for instance, is easy and fantasic, very few ingredients. Another great cookbook is Japanese Cooking Made Simple, excellent for its rice (and sushi rice) recipes. I considered giving this book four stars since it's not the quality of Washoku, but for how much use it gets in my kitchen, I gave it a five. It's also beautiful to look through, with pages of photography of the dishes, her kitchen / pantry, and farm. Note: my copy's binding is a little weak, but it has very high quality paper easy to write on.
- Reviewed in the United States on January 6, 2013A lovely book that reveals an ordinary, everyday Japan that most Americans are not familiar with. The recipes are practical, simple, and down to earth. Above all, they are easily executed in an American kitchen for someone with only a slight knowledge of cookery. The sole reason I am rating it a 4-star is because the author implies that only Japanese ingredients can be used; actually my experience has been that there are common substitutes for nearly all Japanese ingredients at any US grocery store. And they work satisfactorily. The charm of this book is that it is far from the sushi-bar, exclusive restaurant, yet it is no less artistic and tasty. The photos are beautifully executed.
- Reviewed in the United States on September 6, 2012This is the ultimate down to earth, realistic slow food movement cookbook - memoir - photographic volume that belongs in every foodies' library. The recipes are simple - the Japanese equivalent to the West Coast rancher food of my own youth. The main difference? the old-time skills are rural Japanese not the old country i.e. Finland. Living in Seattle, most of the Japanese ingredients including fresh vegetables. For some cooks, shiso leaves or yuzu juice may present a bit of a problem but everything is finable.
Although the stories behind the recipes are fascinating, the recipes also present another side of Japanese cooking with a bit of world-wide fusion tucked into the very traditional. Examples:
1. a sesame-miso vinaigrette with rice vinegar and rapeseed oil.
2. a charcoal-grilled yellowtail collar with soy sauce and daikon
3. new potato tempura
4. stir-fried snap peas with miso, red pepper, ginger
5. red bean rice
...
All in all this is a tribute to the universality of fresh food, simply prepared.
If this appeals to you, also consider Shiro Kashiba: Wit, Wisdom and Recipes from a Sushi Pioneer by Shiro Kashiba and Ann Norton (sorry product link is not working correctly).
Top reviews from other countries
- Joyce StephensonReviewed in Canada on December 6, 2020
5.0 out of 5 stars I was introduced to this book by a dear Friend from Japan who has moved here.
Purchased for my son who wanted to learn how to cook proper Japanese food. He loves this book.
-
Prendre soin de soi et des autresReviewed in France on June 5, 2019
5.0 out of 5 stars Un beau livre de vie et de cuisine
Magnifique ouvrage de cuisine traditionnelle et moderne, et un vivant, lucide et généreux témoignage de vie en tant qu'épouse étrangère, dans une famille japonaise. De belles pages sur la vie à la ferme et dans la maison ancestrale.
Des recettes qui invitent à se constituer un fonds raisonnable de produits japonais de base : comment faire la cuisine sans Shoyu, Miso, Shitake, Kombu, katsuobushi ? La cuisine japonaise peut être simple, utiliser des produits frais de chez nous, et inspirer le respect des matières et des couleurs, une cuisine du vivant.
Une livre authentique. Il manque un index des ingrédients, permettant d’aller aux recettes correspondantes au marché du jour, mais les recettes dont rangées par types de plat: amuse-gueule, condiments et soupes, soja et œufs, nouilles et riz, etc.
-
Cliente AmazonReviewed in Spain on December 27, 2017
5.0 out of 5 stars Un libro precioso
Un libro en inglés precioso, tiene un diseño muy bonito, una buena historia, unas bonitas fotografias y muchas recetas interesantes.
- A ForestReviewed in Australia on May 27, 2022
5.0 out of 5 stars Japanese Farm Cooking
Nancy Singleton Hachisu welcomes you into her world of family, farming and cooking in Japan. Spot on recipes which include clear instructions and photographs. This book makes it easy to transition into Japanese home comfort food. I like the book alot.
-
savignyReviewed in Germany on September 25, 2016
5.0 out of 5 stars Klasse für sich !
Wunderschönes dickes Buch mit sehr schönen Fotos. Ich lerne viel daraus über
japanisches Familienleben auf dem Land, gesunde Ernährung, viele Verweise auf Bezugsquellen
oder Selbermachen und wirklich ganz andere Rezepte als ich sie aus meinen vielen bisherigen
japanischen Kochbüchern kenne. Sehr reich, großzügig, informiert und unterhaltsam. Lohnt sich wirklich.