This series came to my attention thanks to Amazon's "you might also like" feature - points for them! I found out more about it on its TV Tropes page; it was a long-running series about competing gourmands, and subsets of the stories (and recipes) were chosen for publication in these English-language trade paperback editions. They're sorted by ingredients, more or less; I chose the "Vegetables" volume because when I skimmed through it I saw a story about someone who desperately hated eggplant, and since I changed from an eggplant-hater as a kid to a devoted fan as an adult, I couldn't resist.

The book opens with some asparagus recipes, then a page of character-bios, and then leaps into the stories. There are vicious battles between the hero and his father (who's a jerk of the first water - but who does tend to be right about food most of the time, at least in the earlier stories; eventually his son manages to win a few rounds but it's never easy), lots of emphasis on organic farming methods and use of local ingredients, and many, many scenes of the most delectable-sounding dishes. [Even the ones that are a bit too exotic for my taste are described in such a way that I'd like to try them.] Whether the dishes are elaborate and detailed, involving rare and delicate ingredients, or are very simple - such as the new potatoes boiled in milk, with salt - they sound just marvelous. And not only is the food delicious, but the meals often result in fixing problems, whether emotional ones in families or business-related issues of some kind. There's even a story in which a young boy, who frequently gets bullied, earns the respect of his fellow students after being taught how to prepare food. Better living through dining together!

[I like the use of a tiny chef's knife and chopsticks replacing the letter "i" in the title!]

Volumes in the series:

Japanese Cuisine
Sake
Ramen & Gyoza
Fish, Sushi and Sashimi
Vegetables
Rice
Pub Food

I'm adding this to the Manga/Manhwa bookbox, which will be on its way shortly. Hope someone enjoys it!

*** Released as part of the 2013 Wine + Food + BookCrossing challenge. ***

I'll be keeping this one.

Read yesterday.

Oishinbo is a long-running Japanese manga series. It started in 1983 and, as far as I know, new chapters are still being produced. Instead of bringing the 110+ volume series to America directly, Viz decided to an “a la carte” version that instead focused on the highlights. Each book focuses on a different type of food, from rice to fish to the star of this volume, the humble vegetable.

The Tozai News has commissioned the creation of an “Ultimate Menu” embodying the soul of Japanese cuisine to celebrate its 100th anniversary. Reporter Yamaoka Shiro is responsible for creating this august list with help from his friends and the Tozai News staff. Each episode focuses on a different ingredient or aspect of cuisine, with an emphasis on fresh, organic vegetables and quality ingredients.

It’s a little difficult to determine the overarching plot in this series of excerpts. It’s obvious that great spans of time have elapsed and large chunks of the story are gone – in one chapter, Yamaoka’s pretty partner Kurita Yuko laments that he hasn’t noticed her interest in him; in the next chapter, she’s his wife – but each chapter tends to have a self-contained story that is pretty easy to follow. In one chapter, for example, a boy is being bullied at school, but through a cooking lesson he’s able to win his classmate’s hearts. In another, a wealthy man suddenly loses his fortune, and the Tozai News reporters help him rediscover the simpler life. The tales are heartwarming and sweet.

Even though I don’t know what exactly is going on, plotwise, the characters are all very distinctive. Yamaoka is rather lazy, a genius when it comes to food but oblivious to much of the world around him. Kurita is sweet, patient, and kind – all traits desperately needed when dealing with the difficult Yamaoka. The staff of the newspaper has all the stereotypical characters: an overbearing boss, a flirtatious beauty, and a somewhat geeky supervisor, but they’re all depicted with such warmth and affection that the reader quickly grows fond of them, too.

But the star of the series is obviously the food. The vegetables all look delicious, a tough trick in black and white drawings! The characters describe the food with such mouth-watering detail that it’s easy to imagine exactly how it tastes. There’s an educational aspect – the characters discuss different methods of preparation, and what to look for when purchasing fresh vegetables – that makes the book delightful for foodies. I also enjoyed the cultural aspect of the dishes; many of the traits that the Japanese characters praise in their food aren’t always important in the minds of American diners. Ultimately, this series makes me want to branch out of my comfort zone and try new vegetables, and check out the rest of the series, even though as a story the lack of cohesion bothered me.

sent to HI77!

Pull up your pants

by the roots,
and get cooking!