Japanese Food References & Cookbooks
- Alford, Jeffrey and Naiomi Duguid. Seductions of Rice. New York: Artisan, 1998. ISBN 1-57965-113-5
- I have to admit to laughing at the title when someone first gave me this book, but I find it more useful every time I open it. One chapter is devoted to Japanese food out of ten, but the other nine chapters are just as enthralling if you have any interest in world cuisine in general. The recipes aren't just for rice dishes, many are what one should serve with rice. A list of sources for ordering specialty rices is also handy.
- Homma Gaku. The Folk Art of Japanese Country Cooking: A Traditional Diet for Today's World. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books, 1991. ISBN 1-55643-098-1
- A very chatty cookbook with wonderful information on traditional cooking methods, seasonal and celebrational foods. I highly recommend it for the high proportion of very basic recipes that are likely to be pre-1600's.
- Hosking, Richard. At the Japanese Table. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000. ISBN 0-19-590980-1
- A small book, but packed full of information on historical & modern Japanese foodstuffs, preparation methods, presentation & ettiquette.
- Hosking,Richard. A Dictionary of Japanese Food: Ingredients & Culture. Boston: Tuttle Publishing, 1996. ISBN 0-8048-2042-2
- If you can never remember if tamago is chicken eggs or fish eggs, or want to make sure that the sake you order is alcoholic rather than fishy, this is the book for you! As fun reading from beginning to end as it is for looking up individual terms.
- Ishige Naomichi. The History and Culture of Japanese Food. New York: Kegan Paul, 2001. ISBN 0-7103-0657-1
- The only English-language Japanese food history book I've come across. No recipes, and expensive, but an invaluable source for its focus on archaeological digs and extant documents rather than the generalities one usually finds in food history books.
- Kazuko Emi. Japanese Cooking: The Traditions, Techniques, Ingredients, and Recipes. New York: Hermes House, 2002.
- If you fall in love with cookbooks that have great pictures, then run, don't walk, to get this one. Then take it to the Asian Market where you never could identify anything in the produce section and amaze yourself with your newfound recognition abilities! A few of the recipes are a bit on the modern side, but many others are about as traditional as one can get, and all of them are true to Japanese cuisine in preparation and flavor.
- Shimbo Hiroko. The Japanese Kitchen. Boston: The Harvard Common Press, 2000. ISBN 1-55832-176-4 (hc) 1-55832-177-2 (pb)
- Written by a woman who teaches Japanese cooking in Philadelphia as an effort to capture some of her class in cookbook form. The beginning section is mostly about ingredients, with a few basic recipes. Later in the book she builds on the basics in each section i.e. recipes in "fish and shellfish" or "noodles" will call for basic sauces or broths that were introduced earlier. Easy to follow and mostly traditional ingredients.
- Shurtleff, William & Akiko Aoyagi. The Book of Miso. Hayama:Autumn Press, 1976.
- Very in-depth analysis of hishio (fermented seasonings) and miso in Japan's early history plus lots of recipes.
- Shurtleff, William & Akiko Aoyagi. The Book of Tofu. Hayama:Autumn Press, 1975.
- I haven't read this one yet, but assume it to be as useful as the Miso book.
- Tsuji, Shizuo. Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art. Tokyo: Kodansha International, 1980. ISBN 0-87011-399-2
- A classic cookbook presented in sections that match the Japanese codification of dishes by cooking methods. Considered a must-have by many Japanese cooking afficionados.