Daily One Inch Button - Gyudon

Beef bowl. That's the literal translation, anyhow. This dish actually includes a good serving of rice as well as nicely simmered onion and the occasional shiritaki. Gyudon is so popular that it has restaurants that serve nothing but it, Yoshinoya being one of them. Actually, Yoshinoya is popular enough that there's even one of them on the New 42nd Street, not too far from Times Square. Check out this awesome commercial.

If you're a fan of Tommy Lee Jones you can see him at Yoshinoya in this commercial. Side note: the fear of mad cow disease, which halted the Japanese importation of beef in 2004 and again in early 2006, had a strong affect on gyudon sales; some places substituted pork for the beef and it had to be called butadon instead.

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Daily One Inch Button - Omurice

Omelet? Omelette? No, omurice. What's that, you ask? Great question. It's the deliciousness of an omelet with the tremendous power of rice. Yes, it etymologically derives from the words omelet and rice and is, in fact, a Japanese concoction said to have come about at the turn of the twentieth century in the Ginza district.

Would you like to make your own omurice? Well perhaps the awesome film Tampopo can help you, courtesy of this instructional video. If you prefer a little less comedy in your instruction, try オムライスの作り方[how to make an omurice] instead. Either way, you can get your learn on, so to speak.

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Daily One Inch Button - Japanese Pot Stickers Gyoza

I don't know about you but these pot stickers look delicious. Do you know how to make pot stickers? It's okay if you don't know, you don't have to be embarassed because I didn't know how to make them before I saw this awesome video on the preparation of them.

Japanese pot stickers have a rich garlic flavor, which means that my mother would love them. (My parents friends used to tease her and ask if she made her cake with garlic as well.) They are thinner than Chinese pot stickers so if you are carb conscious, this is the way to go. Way to go, Gyoza!

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Daily One Inch Button - Curry Rice

This is not for the faint of heart. This is some pretty powerful stuff right here. Sure, you can argue that there are mild curries available but are they really curries unless they burn a hole in the plate? Is it really salsa unless the tips of your hair ignite after the first mouthful?

Interestingly, curry became popular in Japan in the 1960s. Compared to many other popular foods in Japan, it is extremely easy to make and therefore does not take out a lot of time for cooking. This could be one of the many reasons that it became so popular and why it remains popular.

Then there's the real reason. That's right, because it's delicious.

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Daily One Inch Button - Ramen Noodles

Hark, we have returned to a regular non-rerun posting schedule! Tell your friends. No, really, tell them if you haven't done so already. You like your friends, right?

This is what I think people should anticipate after a long blustery day; it's a nice bowl of ramen noodles. Doesn't it look just divine? I can't think of a better way to end the day than with that delicious combination of noodles (spelt or otherwise) with a rich broth, a good combination of vegetables (don't forget the spring onions, please!) and just the right amount of meat, soy or real. I might just have to end this post a little early to make myself a bowl for lunch.

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Daily One Inch Button - Miso Soup

You know that one commercial where the snowman kid comes home and he's obviously really cold, and his mother serves up a big piping hot bowl of soup? (Where is the father in this picture? Just wondering.) How much more satisfied would the boy have been post melting had the soup been a nice hearty miso instead of the store bought made from condensed full of preservatives soup that the mother chose to make? How much healthier would that former snow boy be? I'll tell you right now that he would be one healthy child. Treat yourself (and your snow children) to some hearty miso soup today.

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Daily One Inch Button - Soy Sauce

Would it be naive of me to assume that everyone is familiar with the world famous Kikkoman soy sauce commercial? It wasn't until years later that Matsubara sensei told me that there was a pun in the song - "show me / show you" is funny because "show you" is a good homonym for "shoyu" which is what soy sauce is known as in Japan - and has been since the seventh century, when it was introduced by Buddhist monks.

Fun fact: Japan is the leading nation in producing tamari. Fun fact two: the word "umami" is a word used to describe soy sauce's distinct taste.

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Daily One Inch Button - Skipjack Tuna

The plate rolls slowly toward you on the conveyor belt. You know you want it, that skipjack tuna. It sure looks good, doesn't it? This particular sushi looks like it's eager to be eaten by you. I guess that makes it peculiar sushi, doesn't it?

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Daily One Inch Button - Mochi Bunny

Have you heard about the bunnies that make mochi on the moon? Here now for the very first time - a mochi making bunny on a button, for your wearing pleasure.

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Daily One Inch Button - Fried Tofu Since 1600

Have you ever had really good fried tofu? I don't mean the kind that has been cooked in all kinds of sauces and spices - I'm talking about straight-up flour and tofu, fried in oil. You can add your own sauce(s) later. Yum yum. We've added a new glimmering look to the online images so you have a better idea of what the buttons look like in real life. :)

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Daily One Inch Button - Unagi

What can I say about Unagi, other than it's not kosher? This one is daring you to eat him. Eat me, he says. Eat me!

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Daily One Inch Button - Tamago!

When I was a kid I didn't understand how it was possible that egg could be made into anything other than scrambled eggs, eyes for a pancake, a hard boiled egg, or part of a baked good.

Ah, sushi. Mmm. Part two of a series. :)

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