SAMPLE MATERIAL
Introduction
I hesitate to tell you this story because I cannot recreate this dish. I have no recipe to offer you. I can hardly remember the ingredients. I share it because I want you to understand why I love Washoku, the subtle yet significant power inherent in Japanese culinary traditions, and what it feels like to lead with your senses and allow yourself to enter one of those rare and beautiful states where creativity flows effortlessly.
I was a few months into my first homestay in Japan. I’d spent many mornings helping Shigeyo, my best friend Naoko’s mother, prepare the family meals. Many times I’d work alongside her, chopping vegetables and stirring broth. On this particular day, both of Naoko’s parents were busy at the family bakery in Izu, so I was left to prepare lunch for the family on my own. With a full garden and stocked fridge, I had my choice of high-quality ingredients.
I don’t read in Japanese and in 2011 translation technology wasn’t widely available. That left me with only my gut as a guide. I pulled a stiff, silvery fish out of the freezer and began simmering a broth. I wish I could tell you more; How I sliced the freshly-pulled root vegetables or what kind of springy herbs I sprinkled on top. But over a decade later, I just don’t remember.
What I will never forget is Shigeyo’s reaction. Shock. Surprise. Disbelief? “Did you put Shio Saba in soup?” she asked as she sat down to eat. I stumbled in response, “I don’t know. Did I?” She gently informed me this was simply not done. “Omoshiroi,” Naoko’s Dad, Hirotaka, chimed in. Omoshiroi translates to “interesting or funny” in Japanese. But forever the consummate hosts, they gave the briny soup a try.
A few silent moments passed. My host parents shared a look, and to my relief, their eyes lit up. “Very goooooood,” they said. Within a few days, Shigeyo and Hirotaka had told all of their neighborhood friends about my “invention.” Strangers were stopping me on the street asking when I was going to open my Shio Saba soup shop, because of course, it would make me famous.
This moment encapsulates the early days of feeling my way through Japanese cuisine. Only 26 at the time, I was still a novice in Japanese cuisine, unaware of how much I had left to learn. Without the restraints of cultural expectations, I was able to work creatively within the ever-forgiving framework of Washoku — the Japanese practice of using five colors, five tastes, and five techniques to prepare a meal.
I never made this soup again - not because it wasn’t delicious - but because my curiosities led me to experiment with something new everyday for the duration of my homestay. And once I returned to the States, without ready access to Shio Saba and other foods unique to Japan, I began to iterate on Washoku with ingredients that were locally available in Texas.
What began as a fun creative challenge to cook with all the colors, tastes and elements grew into a fascination as I realized what a reliable formula it was for making meals that were equally delicious and healthy. As I continued to practice Washoku at home, I found myself experiencing enhanced moods, freedom from cravings, greater clarity, and a profound sense of gratitude.
The more I followed my senses, the more intuitive I became in the kitchen, and the more my confidence grew as a chef. Eventually an undeniable desire to share the fruits of my labor inspired me to open my own bento shop - Bento Picnic - which I ran as a sole proprietor in Austin, Texas from 2015 - 2023.
I remember the moment when the two animating concepts of my restaurant came together. I was boarding the Shinkansen leaving Tokyo for Izu when I picked up a grab-n-go meal at the train station. The carefully-prepared bento box was a beautiful collage of vegetables, seafood, and rice. As I ate, my breathing instinctively slowed and I chewed attentively, savoring each bite.
The humble bento box, with its alluring pockets and complementary fillings, is a natural way to showcase the beauty and diversity of Washoku. Able to be prepped in advance and kept at room temperature, bento boxes are also a practical way to create meals that can be eaten anywhere. At my restaurant, I took on the creative challenge of working within Washoku’s constraints to produce bento boxes using a mixture of Japanese staples and Texas produce.
It is my honor to share with you some of my favorite menus from the past decade of using Washoku to develop recipes for Bento Picnic. Our customers have shared that they are “perfectly arranged” “umami delights” that keep you “feeling good” after each meal, and I hope that you agree!
-Leanne Valenti, Chef Owner of Bento Picnic
What Problem Does Washoku Solve?
Growing up in America in the 1990’s during the rise of dieting culture, I commonly encountered conflicting messages about food and health. Unlike countries with a well-defined food culture, America’s ubiquitous grocery stores offer a vast array of culinary options from around the globe, with the majority of them being processed food products, rather than whole food ingredients.
The abundance of unhealthy convenience foods flooding modern society has been linked with the development of lifestyle diseases — as well as psychological burdens like guilt, stress, and dissatisfaction with body image — which has given birth to a dieting industry that is worth billions of dollars.
Many Americans oscillate between periods of indulgence and deprivation, symbolized by weekends of excess and weekdays of dieting. As this cycle of dietary extremes perpetuates, we experience the oxymoronic existence of being overfed yet undernourished.
As I was coming of age and starting to cook for myself, I was lucky to meet Naoko and discover Washoku, a middle path to the dietary extremes I had grown up knowing.
Naoko and I met while volunteering on a vegetable farm in Austin, Texas and she quickly became one of my best friends. In exchange for helping harvest vegetables on Sundays, we would earn two bushels of local veggies and then immediately return to Naoko’s apartment to prepare meals for the week.
Gradually, by following Naoko’s lead week by week, I got into the rhythm of Washoku. As I put traditional Japanese foodways into practice in my own life, I found more joy and creativity in the process of cooking, plus my moods balanced and my cravings diminished. These unexpected results that initially piqued my curiosity would lead me to enroll in a Macrobiotic chef’s program, spend months at a time in Japan, and start my own bento shop over the course of the next 15 years.
I would come to learn that Japanese cuisine is unique in that it was designed around an incredible bounty of ingredients. Because of its geography, Japan has more varieties of fish, cultivated veggies, and wild edibles than anywhere else in the world.
Perhaps it is because of the plethora of culinary options in Japan that they became masters of “the edit.” At the core of Washoku is an incredibly clever design principle: Use 5 colors, 5 tastes, and 5 elements per meal. This seemingly simple rule of thumb leads to an infinite array of culinary compositions that are satisfyingly delicious and deeply nourishing.
By following this principle of Washoku, I’ve discovered the foundation for my personal culinary philosophy, which is not subject to the ebb and flow of fad diets, but rooted in humanity’s ancestral awareness of how to honor life’s delicate balance — the environment all around us, and the ecosystem within us — while creating delicious meals with the constraints of a craftsperson.
What is Bento?
Bento (弁当) is Japanese for “Lunch Box.”
For most people the word bento conjures up the idea of a cute lunch box that you can bring along with you to work or send with your kids to school. One of the defining attributes of bento cuisine is that it can be prepared in advance — featuring curated recipes that often taste better or just as good chilled or at room temperature.
With this collection of Bento Picnic menus, my premise is to demonstrate how the virtue of make-ahead bento cuisine can be applied to make beautifully-plated meals anytime of day without last-minute fuss. It’s my hope that by following the menus in this book, you’ll feel free to be present with your company, and enjoy mealtime in a relaxed way - having done all the work up front.
“But aren’t bentos a lot of work?” — This is a question that people often ask me. Yes, there is earnest effort involved in making bento boxes. But engaging in a task that results in something tangible and delicious can be a gift in and of itself. In fact modern science has shown it to be critical to our mental health.
Kelly Lambert, a Ph.D. in behavioral neuroscience, has spent over a decade researching the brain’s effort-based rewards circuit. Dr. Lambert's research sheds light on the importance of exerting physical effort for mental well-being. In her studies, she has found that if we don’t regularly engage in the types of “activities that our ancestors needed for survival — like nurturing, cleaning, cooking, and farming — we make ourselves more vulnerable to depression and other emotional disorders.”
As Dr. Lambert published in Scientific American in 2008, our brains are “programmed to derive a deep sense of satisfaction and pleasure when our physical effort produces something tangible, visible and meaningful.”
On the flipside, prolonged inactivity in the accumbens-striatal-cortical network — the crucial system that connects movement, emotion and thinking — that Dr. Lambert calls the effort-driven-rewards circuit can lead to symptoms that are all too commonplace in modern societies, such as: loss of pleasure, feelings of worthlessness, slowed motor abilities and difficulty concentrating.
Today, with the convenience of technology, we often opt for sedentary activities over physically demanding tasks. Especially if our life’s work is computer-based, we often opt to stay wed to our keyboards instead of participating in any domestic duties. When we need food, we have an app for that. We forgo engaging in the complexity of movement and thought processes of cooking and thereby allowing the parts of our brain responsible for our sense of psychological well-being to go dormant.
The key to activating the effort-based rewards circuit is that there needs to be a tangible, visible result that the worker can enjoy — Which explains the sense of joy I derive from putting forth the effort to design and create healthy bento meals for myself and others.
This is where the ‘picnic’ part of Bento Picnic’s proposition comes in. For as much work as ‘bentos’ are thought to be, the word ‘picnic’ brings to mind at least an equal if not greater association with sheer pastoral pleasure and delight. In other words, enjoying the picnic is what makes all the effort of bento worth it.
Picnic is the yin to Bento’s yang, and Bento Picnic invites you to
Do your best to prepare. (It doesn’t have to be perfect.)
Then simply enjoy.
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CURIOUSLY, Another aspect of bento cuisine that I find liberating is its constraints.
By focusing on making bento boxes using Japanese menu design early in my career, it gave me a strong focal point within which I began to explore the near-infinite combination of colors, tastes and elements that I could fit within the perimeter of each dish.
In retrospect, taking on the constraints of bento and Washoku as a creative challenge was a helpful way to channel my energy, quiet the noise and distractions of my excessive society, and grow in my confidence as a chef.
As any painter knows, a blank canvas can be intimidating — even paralyzing at times. I’ve found the same is true with menu design. It can be helpful to have some kind of prompt or structure to draw forth the best ideas.
Rick Rubin speaks to this in his book, The Creative Act. Based on his experience in the music industry, Rubin reflects on how “the energy of wonder and discovery can get lost when treading the same ground over and over again.”
Rubin goes on to suggest that imposing rules can help structure our awareness for how to define a given project. He emphasizes that by using self-imposed rules to cull the unnecessary excess, we can set our work “apart from past efforts with potential for groundbreaking results.”
Using Washoku as a framework for crafting bento menus has offered me the perfect balance of structure and freedom to exercise my creativity, explore culinary possibilities, and design unparalleled dining experiences. Plus this traditional Japanese approach empowers me to come up with unique menus on the fly while shopping the farmers market — which is one of my greatest joys.
My hope for you, dear reader, is that you too will experience the excitement of discovering novel ways to incorporate five colors, five tastes, and five elements into your own seasonal creations. If Washoku resonates with you the same way it has for me, it can even become a contemplative practice — inviting you to drop into your senses and enter states of enhanced awareness three times per day.
In the pages that follow, I will share with you 16 of my favorite menus to give you an array of examples for all the ways you can put Washoku to use, but first let’s delve into the concept itself and the science behind it.
Washoku Explained
Washoku has two translations: 'Japanese Food' and 'Harmony Food.'
'Wa' (和) can mean either 'Japan' or 'Harmony,' while 'Shoku' (食) means 'Food.'
Let’s look first at the significance of Washoku as it refers to ‘Japanese Food.’
In 2013 UNESCO designated Washoku (Japanese Food) as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
This designation celebrates all of Japanese cuisine from across the archipelago -- which has incredible agricultural and aquatic diversity due to unique geographical traits:
Unparalleled access to seafood (Japan has 18,000 miles of coastline!)
Varied altitudes and terrain (70% of Japan is mountainous)
Rich range of climates and vegetation (Because the elongated shape of Japan reaches from the chilly north to the subtropical south)
Being an island nation, Japan has also been able to preserve more of its culinary heritage than many other parts of the world because it is not as susceptible to globalization.
For a deeper understanding of Washoku traditions, Elizabeth Andoh's extensive library of English-language books on Japanese cuisine provides invaluable insights. With a career spanning five decades, Elizabeth offers an anthropological exploration of Japan’s culinary heritage, making her work an essential resource for anyone interested in delving deeper into Washoku, as it pertains to Japanese foodways.
Here is how Elizabeth illuminates the nature of Washoku in the introduction of her IACP-Award winning cookbook Washoku: Recipes from the Japanese Home Kitchen.
While the Washoku approach can be applied to any cuisine, specific Washoku recipes emerged from a rich Japanese food tradition. The stories and legends associated with these dishes are acquired quite naturally by anyone brought up in a Japanese household. They are experienced, not taught, and are rarely taught across the culinary culinary divide.
However, far from a rigid set of rules that constrict the creative process, the underlying principles of Washoku provide a convenient framework for considering the many practical issues and aesthetic possibilities inherent in meal preparation.
If you enjoy lavishing time and creative energy on preparing food for yourself and others, the Washoku planning process will excite and energize you.
And when you feel pressed for time, a well stocked Washoku kitchen lets you throw together balanced meals — they do not have to be Japanese ones — in short order.
Even before I met Elizabeth in person, I learned so much about Japanese cuisine by pouring through the pages of her books. I feel lucky to have mentors like her — as well as my dear friend Naoko and her mother Shigeyo — who have bridged the cultural culinary divide and shared their knowledge of Washoku with me.
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Now let’s explore what is meant by Washoku when translated to ‘Harmony Food.’
A key aspect of Japan’s culinary identity is designing menus for harmonious eating experiences with reverence for nature -- no matter the region, season or climate.
Distilled to its essence, Washoku (Harmony Food) is a creative framework for making balanced menus with whatever happens to be in season wherever you are by using 5 colors, 5 tastes and 5 elements in every meal.
Lucky for us, we don’t need to be living within the Japanese archipelago to utilize this tenant of Washoku to create mealtime magic. In fact, I developed the recipes in this book by adhering to Washoku while using ingredients that I have locally available to me in Texas. This adaptation highlights the universality of Washoku principles in creating balanced and delicious meals.
My coverage of Washoku in this cookbook is not intended to represent all of Japanese cuisine, but rather to show how I’ve used Washoku as an organizing principle to create menus that are harmoniously balanced, healthy, and delicious — even though I live outside of Japan.
Drawing from a decade of using Washoku to design menus for my restaurant, Bento Picnic aims to shine light on how Japanese menu design is the gold standard in its ability to produce harmonious meals that are visually stunning, deeply nourishing, and reliably delicious.
Just like an artist who understands color theory is better equipped to create aesthetically striking and emotionally resonant pieces, anyone who practices Washoku -- the Japanese philosophy of designing menus with 5 colors, 5 tastes and 5 elements -- has a leg up when it comes to making mealtime magic.
Following Washoku generates a synergistic effect that extends beyond the pleasures of beauty and deliciousness. The health benefits of the colors, tastes, and elements are continually being proven by modern science as helpful indicators for how to nourish our bodies.
In the following sections, we'll explore how the colors, tastes, and elements of the foods we consume are not incidental details. They can actually serve as a roadmap to vibrant health based on the latest scientific research.
5 Colors
We eat with our eyes first, and bright pops of color add excitement to the dining experience, but aesthetics aren’t the only reason to add color to our plate. Eating a meal with the full spectrum of colors means we get an array of healthy nutrients because each color represents a unique nutritional profile.
The colors (and tastes) of our foods are created by volatile compounds made up of nutrient blocks such as amino acids, fatty acids, flavones and carotenoids. In other words, vibrant colors (and rich flavors) are tell-tale signs of nutrient density. We’ll get into the tastes in the next section, but let’s dive into the colors first!
Each color corresponds to a unique nutritional profile, so when you include the five major colors in each meal, you will maximize your intake of vital nutrients and antioxidants.
YELLOWS
Yellow foods are high in potassium, vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, and B vitamins
WHITE OR LIGHT HUES
White foods are rich in potassium, fiber, beta-glucans, lignans, and EGCG
BLACK OR DARK HUES
Black foods are high in protein, anthocyanins, calcium, thiamin, and riboflavin
GREENS
Green foods contain high levels of vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, and folate
REDS
Red foods contain high levels of minerals, polyphenols, and antioxidants
IMPORTANT NOTE:
As you strive to eat the rainbow, be mindful ONLY to consume NATURALLY OCCURRING colors. Artificial dyes don’t come along with any vitamins and nutrients, and they can end up doing more harm than good.
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The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) emphasizes the importance of consuming a diverse range of foods from all major food groups to maximize micronutrient intake and prevent deficiencies. It asserts that meeting daily recommended amounts of the 30+ micronutrients is equally essential as hitting your daily macros.
However, even though NASM publishes a plethora of healthy eating guidelines, the data clearly and repeatedly shows that most Americans are not getting enough variety in their diets, and are thus falling short of vital micronutrients which can lead to chronic disease and other health issues.
When you eat an array of colors at every meal, you’re likely to get more of the vitamins and minerals needed to build and protect your body and your mind.
In her recent publication, Unprocessed: How the Food We Eat is Fueling Our Mental Health Crisis, psychologist Kimberley Wilson explores the profound impact of nutrition on mental well-being. Wilson emphasizes the crucial role of diverse nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals, in supporting healthy brain function and mood regulation. She highlights the alarming statistic that fewer than 4.5% of young people in the UK are reportedly obtaining the complete range of essential nutrients necessary for optimal mental health.
Wilson's research underscores the importance of consuming a varied and minimally processed diet rich in colorful fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seafood to provide the brain with the essential nutrients it needs for growth, maintenance, and resilience against mental health issues. By incorporating a rainbow of colors into our diets, we can nourish both our bodies and minds, promoting overall well-being and vitality.
5 Tastes
When you stimulate all of your taste buds in one meal, it not only makes for a more exciting and satisfying dining experience. Incorporating a balance of tastes in each meal signals to the brain that you've consumed sufficient nutrients, promoting satiety and reducing the desire to overeat.
The purpose of eating is not just to fill our stomachs. The real reason we eat is to provide essential nourishment to every single cell in the body. Seeing as the different tastes correspond with specific nutritive properties, the biological role of tastes is to signal to the brain whether we’ve consumed sufficient nutrients for our cellular health. We can only feel truly satiated once the full spectrum of tastes hit our tongue.
As Gastroenterologist Dr. Nina Nandy explains in a recent interview with Live Science, the taste buds and smell receptors collectively signal to the brain when enough food has been consumed, thereby regulating hunger. Incorporating a balance of tastes in each meal can promote satiety, even before reaching full stomach capacity.
This scientific finding aligns with the old Japanese adage, “Hara hachi bu,” which translates to: “Eat until you’re 80% full.”
Before I knew the power of Washoku, the idea of eating until I was only 80% full sounded like torture. However, now I understand that I can feel 100% satiated even if my belly is only 80% full, as long as my meals include a full spectrum of nutrient-dense flavors.
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Eastern teachings go into elaborate detail on how each of the tastes affect the body and mind based on the quantity with which we consume them.
SWEET
In Moderation: Provides energy & vigor, prolongs life, clears complexion, strengthens skin, hair & voice
In Excess: Decays teeth, increases mucus, produces indigestion, lethargy & heaviness
PUNGENT (OR SPICY)
In Moderation: Increases circulation, sharpens sense organs, removes intestinal obstructions & helps elimination
In Excess: Causes body heat, dries the mouth & lips, causes burning sensation & thirst in throat, destroys virility
SALTY
In Moderation: Aids digestion by diffusing & liquefying food, cures stiffness, prevents accumulation of toxins
In Excess: Provokes dryness & thirst, causes fainting & body heat, destroys virility, impairs sense organs, induces premature aging
SOUR
In Moderation: Increases appetite, produces saliva, helps digestion, lightens the mind
In Excess: Provokes thirst, creates acidity in blood, causes burning sensation in throat & chest
BITTER
In Moderation: Purifies blood, rids body of toxins, stimulates nervous system, aids digestion & the assimilation of fats
In Excess: Causes thirst & constipation, Induces nervousness, edginess & loss of strength
Reference: Johari, Harish. Ayurvedic Healing Cuisine (2000)
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umami
You may have also heard of a sixth taste called UMAMI.
Coined in Japan in 1907, umami refers to the savory essence that enhances the dining experience. It can be found in various foods, from vegetables to meats, and is created during the breakdown of protein strands through the process of fermentation or cooking. To make sure you have plenty of umami in your meals, turn to the ELEMENTS section to see how to incorporate a variety of preparation styles in your cooking.
Reference: Kasabian, Anna and David. The Fifth Taste (2005)
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WARNING: There are a lot of artificial seasonings that food manufacturers put on their products to make them more craveable and increase their sales. Processed foods made with high levels of sugar, salt, saturated fat, and artificial flavorings can hijack our palette and cause us to feel insatiable which can lead to unconscious overeating.
But don’t worry! Your taste buds are resilient! You can reclaim them and restore balance to your system by mindfully consuming REAL foods along the 5 taste spectrum.
5 Elements
Utilizing all five elements involves employing a diverse range of cooking techniques, resulting not only in delicious umami flavors and appealing textures but also maximizing nutrient absorption. Each cooking method influences the digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients in our food, so using the full suite is a blueprint for culinary excellence and nutritional benefits.
For example, by balancing heavier cooking techniques from EARTH & METAL with lighter approaches from FIRE & TREE, you can craft healthier and more satisfying meals. Plus, adding in pickled components from WATER helps build a healthy gut biome and aids digestion!
According to the Yin Yang Theory of Macrobiotics, each of the 5 elements corresponds with specific cooking methods based on the directional flow of energy.
EARTH
Enclosed Cooking Methods, with Moisture
ie. Steamed, Boiled, Braised, Pressure Cooked
[Downward Energy]
METAL
Enclosed Cooking Methods, Dry
ie. Dehydrated, Baked, Roasted, Smoked, Deep Fried
[Compressive Energy]
WATER
Pickled/Fermented
ie. Traditionally fermented condiments like vinegar or soy sauce
As well as foods preserved in salt brine or served in miso broth
[Floating Energy]
TREE
Raw
ie. Chopped, Juiced, Puréed
[Upward Energy]
FIRE
Open-Air Cooking Methods
ie. Blanched, Dry Toasted, Grilled, Sautéed
[Expansive Energy]
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Just because the Nutrition Facts chart indicates certain nutrient values in our foods, doesn't guarantee that our bodies absorb them fully. The bioavailability of nutrients can vary depending on factors like food preparation methods, whether it's consumed raw, cooked, or combined with other foods.
Bioavailability refers to a nutrient's ability to be absorbed and utilized by the body.
For example, take Gomashio — the quintessential Japanese condiment made of sesame seeds and salt. The act of toasting and grinding the seeds to make gomashio transforms the structure of its amino acids, making the protein in the seeds more bioavailable and enhancing their umami flavor.
In other words, toasting sesame seeds until golden and aromatic, then grinding them with salt, partially breaks down the sesame seed proteins into easily digestible amino acids.
When amino acids are partially broken down during cooking, it gives your body a break from having to do so much digestive work and renders the nutrients in the ingredients more bioavailable.
Since consuming readily digestible foods is biologically advantageous, our taste buds provide positive reinforcement. Thus we experience foods — like gomashio — as delicious and savory, or as the Japanese call it umami.
Consider the strain on your digestion if you exclusively consumed deep-fried foods for a month. Functional medicine practitioner Ayla Barmmer explains that fats, being the most slowly digested macronutrient, require abundant enzymes and digestive juices like bile and stomach acid for breakdown, and an excess of deep-fried food can overtax the digestive system, causing bloating, nausea, and discomfort.
On the other hand, consuming only raw foods may seem healthier, but it can limit overall nutrient intake. Jennifer Nelson, Director of Clinical Dietetics at the Mayo Clinic, highlights the importance of a balanced diet. A diet restricted to raw foods may lead to nutritional deficiencies, particularly in vitamins B12 and D, selenium, zinc, iron, and omega-3 fatty acids.
While raw foods are an essential part of a nutritious diet, cooking can actually enhance the bioavailability of nutrients in certain foods by breaking down fibers and cellular walls. For example, cooking tomatoes increases the bioavailability of lycopene, an antioxidant. Similarly, cooking carrots enhances the body's absorption of beta-carotene. Cooking also reduces chemicals in vegetables that inhibit mineral absorption. Cooking spinach, for instance, makes more iron and calcium available.
Most people who turn their nose up to the idea of eating a salad for dinner, are just thinking of sitting down to a plate of raw veggies. However, if you apply Washoku to compose a salad, you can make a delectable dinner!
Imagine a hearty salad that encompasses all five elements with farm-fresh greens (TREE), homemade vinaigrette (WATER), and toppings like cooked grains or beans (EARTH), roasted nuts or croutons (METAL), and grilled proteins or sautéed mushrooms (FIRE).
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Here’s another example of using all 5 elements to create a harmonious meal:
Grill or sauté a centerpiece (FIRE).
Cook a grain like rice or noodles (EARTH).
Add a pinch of fermented pickle or condiment for digestion (WATER).
Include raw veggies for a salad or herb garnish (TREE).
Roast additional veggies or finish with a dehydrated seasoning like furikake (METAL).
Eat Local
In addition to the 5 Colors, 5 Tastes & 5 Elements, another core tenant of Washoku is eating local FOODS.
The absolute best practice is to consume a rainbow of flavorful foods that are grown within a walkable range from your home because Nature has an uncanny way of knowing exactly what nutrients we humans need, and making them available to us through the food sources that grow in the lands where we live.
Not only are local foods customized to our nutritive needs, they are also typically fresher and more nutritious overall since they spend less time in transit than their counterparts. With today's industrialized agriculture, many grocery store shelves are stocked with commodity crops that often lack flavor. Scientific testing shows that flavor deficiency correlates with a decrease in nutrient density. On the other hand, fresh ingredients cultivated in nutrient-rich soil consistently offer the most vibrant flavors and essential nutrients. Therefore, whenever feasible, seek out locally grown foods for unparalleled taste and nutrition.
Bonus: When you opt for locally sourced foods, you're not only enhancing your personal health but also supporting the health of the environment. By purchasing from local farmers and producers, you're reducing the carbon footprint associated with long-distance transportation, thereby mitigating environmental impact and contributing to sustainability efforts. Additionally, supporting local agriculture fosters community resilience and economic vitality, as it helps sustain small-scale farmers and businesses, preserving farmland and local food traditions for future generations.
So, by embracing locally sourced foods, you're not just nourishing yourself—you're nurturing a healthier, more sustainable food system for all!
These are all the benefits that locavores have long rallied around, but have you ever considered that when we honor the constraints imposed by Mother Nature by sourcing the majority of our food locally, we inherently become resourceful, adaptable and creative — like Nature herself!
Nature, the ultimate creator, exemplifies boundless resourcefulness and adaptability.
I, for one, am keenly aware that when I practice resourcefulness, adaptability, and creativity in my cooking, I feel divine! My senses awaken, my systems rejoice with nourishment and rejoin healthy natural rhythms, and I experience a magnificent upsurge in my gratitude for creation.
In fact, during the times in my life when I’ve been most in tune with Nature in my day-to-day, I’ve sensed an unparalleled connection to the world around me that recalls one of my favorite Mary Oliver poems:
Whoever you are, no matter how lonely,
the world offers itself to your imagination,
and calls to you like the wild geese, harsh and exciting —
over and over announcing your place
in the family of things.
And I’m not alone. Nancy Singleton Hachisu, the James Beard Award-winning author of five Japanese books, opened her most recent book, Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook, by sharing that she feels, “a sense of spirituality in touching the just-picked vegetables as they naturally come together in simple, flavorful dishes.”
For those seeking a deeper sense of belonging, I encourage you to embrace your role as an agile creator in harmony with Nature and see what unfolds for you.
For the most delicious, nourishing, and soulfully-satisfying meals,
choose the foods less traveled.
Conclusion
In summary, Washoku is an age-old method at the heart of one of the most successful food cultures on the planet, so it’s no surprise that there’s so much science showing how beneficial it is for our health and well-being.
It’s my intention to present Washoku here as a mindset shift — not an all or nothing practice. I encourage you to start with the colors, and as you feel comfortable, add in the tastes and elements. As you get into a rhythm with Washoku, you’ll notice an increase in your creativity in the kitchen as well as your awareness of what you are eating.
If you tend towards perfectionism, please keep in mind that Washoku is meant to be a source of stress or an unachievable standard with which to measure each meal. It is a forgiving philosophy.
For example, if previously you were only eating two colors in the course of the day, and now you eat three colors at every meal, this is a meaningful step forward. If you were inhaling your food without paying attention to the flavors, and you start to notice the mix of tastes with each bite, this increased level of awareness is a win.
Finally, Washoku is not something to expect or take for granted.
Having the time and resources to compose a meal with all five colors, five tastes, and five elements is truly a gift — and one to receive with immense gratitude. We won’t always have every color of the rainbow in our refrigerator or unlimited time to make an elaborate meal, but we can receive so much of Washoku’s benefits simply being present with what we do have. Taking time to express gratitude before eating works wonders at regulating the nervous system so that the digestive system can function optimally. So, take a moment to say thanks before digging in.
Sake Tasting Guide
As VP of Kome Collective — one of the largest importers of craft sake in the US — I have the joy of introducing some of the best sake coming out of Japan to restaurants and retailers around the nation. The popularity of sake in the US has grown exponentially in the twenty years that I’ve spent working with sake in restaurants, wholesale, and importing. From 2007 to 2022, the value of sake exports grew 579%, and it’s still continuing at a steep ascent!
This spike in the international interest in sake has motivated brewers to innovate on their centuries-old art and experiment with new iterations and techniques, which has been an incredible thing to bear witness to. It is my honor to introduce you to the work of some of the world’s most exciting sake breweries in the pages that follow; Like Yuho Brewery, which under the leadership of my dear friend Miho Fujita, has a earned a reputation for producing creative, experimental sake with strong acidity that actually taste better and better as they age -- something previously unheard of in the sake industry.
Sake is composed of just a few simple ingredients.
RICE: The type of rice has a huge impact on flavor as well as mouth feel
YEAST: The qualities of the yeast used impact aroma and acidity
KOJI: The character of the koji determines umami and sweetness
WATER: The water impacts mouth feel as well as the overall fermentation process
The fact that sake is made of just these few natural ingredients makes it all the more astonishing that the sensory experiences of drinking different sake can vary so widely. How the brewer handles the interaction between each of these elements is where the art of brewing truly begins, and will determine whether their sake exudes a range of possible profiles: from honeysuckle and tropical fruits to foraged mushroom and baking spice!
As much as I love to nerd out about the differences between each sake, one of the reasons I love sake so much as a category is because of how well it goes along with food! It honestly pairs better with most foods than wine. In essence, because the amino acids in the rice break down during the brewing process, sake is like a liquid umami bomb with the uncanny ability to accentuate a wide range of foods.
In more ways than one, sake is the ideal beverage to drink alongside the healthy Washoku-inspired meals presented in this cookbook.
Because it's made out of rice, sake has lower acidity than wine and no tannins, which gives it food-pairing superpowers, especially when it comes to complementing superfoods -- like all the vegetables of the rainbow.
The presence of amino acids in sake helps to accentuate the flavors of food so it will be your ally as you begin to explore and savor new ingredients & recipes with enhanced perception.
Since sake doesn’t oxidize as quickly as wine, there’s not the same pressure to finish a whole bottle of sake in one sitting. So you can feel free to open more bottles than one as an exercise in heightening your perception of which brews bring out different aspects of each menu.
Also because sake has significantly less acid than wine and very low histamines, it tends to cause far less hangover symptoms than other alcoholic beverages.
It’s also naturally gluten-free and sulfite-free!
How to choose sake. Trust your palette. Your experience of a particular sake will depend greatly on your personal preferences. I highly encourage you to open multiple bottles of sake at once, give them each a taste, and decide for yourself which one you prefer with your meal. In this book, I offer multiple sake options for each menu so you can decide for yourself which elements of the food you want to accentuate. If you are drawn to the briny or tangy flavors in a meal, you may be drawn to a different sake than if you prefer the sweet and creamy elements. When trying out a pairing, be sure to taste the sake and food simultaneously.
Start with the recommendations I provide, and pour yourself a glass of each. Take a small sip, not a big gulp, hold it in your mouth, and swirl it around. Suck in a bit of air through your teeth to accentuate the flavors. You can also smell the sake and notice each flavor note. Do you pick up citrus? Olive? Sandalwood? Toffee? Lemongrass? Fresh cheese? Seaweed? If you trust your intuition and your personal taste, you will be able to tell which sake you prefer. Don’t be afraid to drink multiple bottles with the same meal.
How to drink sake. Ideally, you should never pour your own sake. Start with the guest of honor and use two hands to fill their cup. Once everyone’s cup is full, raise a glass and say “Kanpai!” If you are drinking in your own home, no one will know if you skip these rituals. It does give you an opportunity, however, to experiment with which vessels highlight the elements of each sake.
Some sakes require a burgundy glass to allow the flavors and aromas to really shine. Go ahead and put your whole nose in the glass. You will be thrilled to discover an array of distinct scents in a single cup. Other sakes, often warmed, come to life in earthenware that makes you feel closer to its raw ingredients. I’ll provide servings recommendations for each sake, but I encourage you to sample different vessels for yourself.
A bottle of sake can generally stay open for a month after opening, some much longer. Generally, the more air on the liquid, the more the flavors mature. Again, trust your gut. If a bottle of sake isn’t good for drinking anymore, throw it in a stir fry sauce or marinate salmon. If it still smells good but is past its prime, pour a little into your bath or mix it with lotion. Used topically, sake can help improve the appearance and texture of your skin. I’m of the opinion that there’s never a reason to throw out sake.
How to serve sake. The temperature of sakes can have a pleasant effect on the flavors and aromas in each cup. In general, lower acid sakes that have more pronounced fruit and floral aromas are best served chilled in a wine glass to optimize their flavor notes. And as with wine, the thinner the glass, the more luxurious the experience is of drinking.
Any sake that I recommend at room temperature is also a great candidate for slightly warming. Drinking out of unfinished ceramic is an earthier, more rustic drinking experience and should be paired with sakes that have similarly earthy and rustic characteristics; these sakes are generally also higher in umami and acidity. Unfinished ceramic is also great at retaining and conducting heat, so that the natural heat from your hands can continue to warm the sake or stabilize its temperature.
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself. Artisan sake production is all about people. Brewers have fun with their craft and are dedicated to spreading the joy of creating sake more than anything else. That is why I want to encourage everyone to be experimental when pairing sake with food, to open more than one bottle at a time, and above all, enjoy each sip to the fullest.
Your intuition is your greatest friend. Part of the joy of sake is tailoring each experience — each cup — to the moment in front of you. You don’t need a sommelier to dictate your experience. I encourage you to discover your preferences and curate a unique drinking experience for yourself.
-Monica Samuels, VP of Kome Collective