Kimchi is less a recipe and more a mindset and technique. It, along with other ferments, give me the regularity of vegetables that prioritizes texture over richness, process over product. As a result, my meal planning doesn’t rely on ledgers of calories in and calories out. Instead, I follow the seasons, I adapt to my surrounds, I make do with whatever is around.
Category: storytime
the ABCs of FFF
At the start of grad school, I wanted to build an abecedary. (Many people have since asked me how to pronounce this term. I say “ah-BECK-eh-dairy” unlike… Read more “the ABCs of FFF”
3.11 + 10y = Fukushima revisited
In 2013, I spoke with families and farmers trying to navigate a post-Fukushima food system. In honor of the 10-year anniversary of the nuclear disaster and the mess thereafter, I’m sharing their stories that I’d compiled into an unpublished academic paper.
Joy Too Soon
I hear my phone ding in rapid succession. I know it’s my mother. She’s the only one who writes me this way. Since our respective lockdowns, my… Read more “Joy Too Soon”
Woven Into Each Other
Japanese kioke (lit. trans. wood oke) barrels are unique in that they are held together by bamboo hoops called taga. No glue, no nails. Just meters of bamboo that are intricately cut, angled, and woven to make sure that everything seamlessly maintains a circular shape. Over centuries of practicing, woven bamboo became the answer to the practical problem of creating salt-based seasonings in a humid climate. With metal, rust would creep into the fermented products. So how are these practices maintained today?
Sky’s Yours Today
Since I was a child, I found immense calm from listening to radio chatter of air traffic controllers. Fast forward to today, and I still find it to be calming. I’ve been using it as ambient noise for timed writing sessions while I write my dissertation. While under COVID-lockdown, I hear something unsuspecting…
The Story of Porc
There are three things that my mother despises: garlic, cilantro, and pork. And like any good daughter, my three favorite things have become: garlic, cilantro, and pork.
Ofuro Time
I’m taking a bath. Baths in Japan are a big deal; entire enclosures are dedicated to them here. A small hand appears behind the foggy glass door… Read more “Ofuro Time”
Maya Hey 