Masterclass
What soba is, why Japan eats toshikoshi soba on New Year's Eve, the regional styles from Tokyo, Nagano, Izumo and Niigata, and how to cook it at home.
The best sushi rice to buy in the UK in 2026: Yamazaki Emi no Kizuna in 5kg and 1kg bags, and Hakodate Nanatsuboshi from Hokkaido, compared on grain, origin and...
How Japanese log-grown (genboku) shiitake are farmed, where Japan's dried shiitake come from, how Japan labels shiitake origin, and how to soak dried shiitake for dashi and simmered dishes.
What udon is, why Kagawa became its home, the regional styles from Sanuki and Osaka kitsune to flat kishimen and Gunma himokawa, the New Year bowl, and how to make...
What panko is and what the name means, how Japan's JAS standard defines it, its place in yōshoku dishes like tonkatsu and croquettes, Shizuoka's kuro hanpen fry, and how to...
Japanese ramen bowls explained: the sizes we sell (197mm to 212mm), ramen bowl vs donburi, materials, care, and which bowl to buy for home or a restaurant.
What yuzu kosho is made from, why it has no pepper, green versus red, its Kyushu origins around Mt Hiko, and how to use it with hotpots, noodles, sashimi and...
The best matcha to buy in the UK in 2026: how matcha is made, how to read grade words, and three matcha products we stock for lattes, iced green tea...
How Edo-style unagi kabayaki is made, Tokyo versus Osaka eel, where the name and the summer eel day come from, MAFF's kabayaki tare recipe, and how Japan manages its eel...
How curry reached Japan from Britain, Yokosuka navy curry, what goes in karē raisu, curry roux versus curry powder, fukujinzuke, and how to make Japanese curry at home.
How Japanese kokutō black sugar is made, its Amami and Okinawa histories, how it differs from brown sugar, and how to make kuromitsu syrup for warabi mochi and other sweets.
Umeshu is ume fruit, sugar and alcohol: a liqueur, not a wine. What it is, how it is made, what honkaku umeshu means on the label, and the mirin umeshu...