As far as Summers go, this was one of the best in recent memory. My first trip to Tales of the Cocktail, a new puppy, and all around nice, scorching hot weather made this season a tough act for Fall to follow. But alas, we have arrived
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I am not a gardener.

I have no interest in physical labour, no patience for watching stuff grow and I’m always too busy for watering.

But after spending one year looking at a pack of Japanese Shiso leaf seeds I got from Yoko (a pure shisoholic) I had to cave in and
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Quite possibly the only herb in the mint family that the Japanese will not associate with toothpaste is shiso. Shiso, or sometimes referred to as perilla, Japanese basil or beefsteak plant is often found as a garnish in Japanese cuisine. I noticed that Yamahomo and I seem to
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While rummaging through my fridge the other day (fine, fine, my parent’s fridge) I was delighted to find a hefty package of myoga. SCORE! It’s so difficult to describe, this myoga. Vegetable? Herb? Spice?? They grow in the ground, so maybe it’s just simply a
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My flat-mate was recently in Mali for work and brought back little bags of burgundy dried flowers that look like potpourri. She said she bought them
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Back atcha this week to talk about an ingredient that is essential for so many cocktails, yet is usually given a mere cursory glance: simple syrup. I suppose the reason for this is, well, as
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Shiso, as you might know, comes with your sashimi dish at any Japanese restaurant. It is usually green, and looks as if they are recycled since no one eats them. I like them wrapped in a piece of sashimi since it absorbs fishy-ness from fish. People call it “Japanese basil” or perilla.

There is also red
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