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ISBN:
0-7570-0028-2
Length: 192 Pages
Size: 7.5 X9-inch
Format: Quality Paperback
Category: Cooking / Vegetarian / Miso
Price: $15.95
Availability:
In Print
Click below for:
Synopsis • Contents
Introduction • Reviews |
Synopsis
In Japan, the preparation of miso has been considered
an art form for centuries. Those who prepare miso are, in turn,
looked upon as Masters. As a food, miso can be used in a wide variety
of savory and satisfying dishes. As a folk remedy, it has been successfully
used to treat poor digestion, cancer, radiation sickness, tobacco
poisoning, and even low libido--to the point that its healing properties
have been confirmed by modern science. Through a unique double-fermentation
process that dates back to pre-industrial Japan, soybeans and grains
are transformed into this wondrous food. Readily available in supermarkets
and natural food stores, miso is an integral ingredient in numerous
health-oriented cookbooks.
The Miso Book begins by presenting
miso basics--the different types, the various manufacturing methods,
and miso’s role in maintaining good health. Also presented are easy-to-use
directions for making miso at home. What follows is the book’s recipe
section, which begins with information on the cooking and blending
qualities of different types of miso, pointers on which types of
miso work best with various foods, and guidelines on how to use
different misos as dairy and meat substitutes. The book offers over
100 recipes in which miso is used in "Dips and Spreads," "Sauces,"
"Fish Dishes," "Grain Dishes," "Soups and Stews," "Vegetable Dishes,"
and "Bean, Tofu, and Tempeh Dishes."
Since 1980, John
and Jan Belleme have published nearly one hundred articles
about food and health in major health food-oriented magazines. The
Bellemes are also accomplished food photographers and food stylists.
Over two hundred of their photographs have appeared in such magazines
as East-West, Vegetarian Times, and Palate Pleasers. They are coauthors
of Cooking with Japanese Foods. When they have the time, the authors
conduct workshops and slideshows on making and using traditional
Japanese foods and on natural food cooking. The Bellemes reside
in Saluda, North Carolina.
Contents
Part
One: All About Miso
1. The
Miracle of Fermentation
2. Shedding
Light on Miso
3. Miso
Medicine
Part
Two: Cooking with Miso
4. Basic
Principles
5. Salads
and Dressings
6. Dips and Spreads
7. Sauces
8. Fish Dishes
9. Grain Dishes
10. Soups and Stews
11. Vegetable Dishes
12. Bean, Tofu and Tempeh Dishes
Resources
Index
Introduction
The world’s most ancient cultivated plants were not grains and vegetables but rather microscopic organisms--molds, yeast, and bacteria--that cause foods to ferment. Our ancestors stumbled upon the fermentation process, probably quite by accident, when they discovered that adding the right amount of salt to food prevented it from spoiling. The salt also transformed the molecular structure of the food, making it more flavorful and digestible. Through the magic of fermentation, we have learned to harness the microbial world to do our “fireless cooking,” transforming such foods as cabbage into sauerkraut, cucumbers into pickles, and milk into yogurt and cheeses. In Japan, through a centuries-old double-fermentation process, soybeans and grains are transformed into miso--one of the country’s culinary treasures.
For the Japanese, miso preparation is considered an art form, and those who prepare it are considered Masters. As a food, miso is used to flavor and enhance the nutritional value of a wide variety of savory and satisfying dishes. As a folk remedy, it has been successfully used to treat digestive problems, cancer, radiation sickness, tobacco poisoning, and even low libido--to the point that its healing properties have been confirmed by modern science. With varieties that offer an incredible diversity of colors, tastes, and textures, miso is no longer a secret of Eastern cuisine. This Japanese fermented food is slowly expanding its reach, stimulating the creativity of cooks around the world.
Japan is a densely populated island with scant natural resources. During preindustrial times, the very survival of the Japanese people may well have depended on the development of their unique and diversified fermentation processes. In fact, Japan’s two most important foods, rice and soybeans, have been preserved for centuries through the miso-making process. Before the advent of refrigeration and food preservatives, miso was the country’s emergency ration of choice, and every family had a keg stored away for hard times. Indeed, with its important essential vitamins and minerals and excellent balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, miso is one of nature’s perfect survival foods. Properly stored, miso can provide life-sustaining nourishment decades after it is made.
Until modern times, most Japanese families started their day with a bowl of miso soup (many still do). [John, unless this is not done anymore, I think: (many still do) should be left in] In fact, it was is not unusual for families living in the countryside, where there were fewer food choices, to have miso several times a day. According to our miso teacher, Takamichi Onozaki, as recently as the 1960s, it was common for rural families to make their own miso or buy unfermented (raw) miso from the local miso maker to ferment in their homes. Each family took pride in fermenting its own miso, and the subtle difference between various homemade varieties was often the subject of endless conversation. This preference for “home brews” extended beyond the home to include hundreds of local variations, which represented the different regions and climates of the Japanese islands. Names such as Tsugaru, Kaga, Gozen, Sanuki, Fuchu, and Setouchi are just a few of the hundreds of local and regional varieties of miso, each with its own characteristic flavor, texture, and color.
The Miso Book includes everything you will ever want to know about this healthy, delicious, and versatile food. Part One, appropriately titled “All About Miso,” includes three informative chapters on various aspects of miso. Chapter 1, “Shedding Light on Miso,” presents miso basics--how it is made, the ingredients used, and the various types. It also offers helpful tips on how to determine product quality before making a miso purchase. Chapter 2, “Miso Medicine,” offers a comprehensive report on miso’s incredible health benefits, which are supported by the scientific research of several countries (as well as traditional Japanese folklore). Little-known facts about miso’s extraordinary healing power will amaze and inspire you to include this food in your daily diet. Chapter 3 guides you in “Making Miso at Home.” Before the Second World War, it was common for the Japanese people to make their own miso, using generations-old family recipes. This chapter offers clear, easy-to-follow instructions to help you start your own family tradition of putting up miso. [is “putting up miso” a commonly used term for “making miso”?]
Rounding out Part One are two fascinating insets on the production of this Japanese mainstay. In “The Miso Master’s Apprentice,” you’ll hear the true story of the apprenticeship we served under miso master Takamichi Onozaki. It was in his small family-run shop in rural Japan that we learned the ancient craft of miso making--an experience that changed our lives forever. “Breakfast of Emperors” takes a look at one of Japan’s oldest and most prestigious miso factories. More than a business, the Hatcho Miso Company is a Japanese institution; one that has also has played an important role in Japan’s military history.
Part Two of The Miso Book begins with a chapter that details everything you’ll need to know when cooking with this exceptional food. It includes general guidelines as well as specific tips for using miso to create dishes that are both healthful and delicious. The balance of chapters in Part Two offers over [100? Marie will add number later ] easy-to-follow recipes that include miso in a wide variety of appetizers, entrées, and everything in between. You’ll find flavorful salad dressings, satisfying soups, delicious sauces, sensational seafood dishes, and much, much more. Many of these recipes are traditional family favorites, some are new creations, and others are adaptations of dishes we’ve enjoyed at fine restaurants. Best of all, the recipes are easy to prepare--even the novice cook will find success.
Miso is a super food; by simply drinking a bowl of miso soup each day, you can begin to experience its health benefits. But if you want to enjoy miso’s full culinary potential, incorporate it a number of dishes, beginning with the choices offered in this book. With miso as a part of your diet, you’ll soon discover for yourself why it is considered one of the culinary treasures of Japan.
Reviews
"[An] engrossing guide to fermented soy ... a buffet of tempting recipes ... [the authors’] reverence
and enthusiasm for their topic is impressive."
--Publishers Weekly
"Offers everything you could need to know
about this popular ingredient."
--Healing Lifestyles & Spas
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