Thank you all for the incredible response I’ve received to the news of my cookbook, The Japanese Pantry, finally going on sale. It feels really good to hear that so many of you were excited about it and had been anticipating it for some time. And thank you to each of you who have already purchased a copy or intend to soon. Every sale feels like a validation that I’ve created something interesting and worthwhile. I’ve been very hypercritical of every recipe, every story, every photo that went into this book because I know that I’m still a novice at this and have so much to learn. Already, as I plan for the next two (yes two!) books that I have in mind, I see ways in which I can improve upon this first endeavor and produce something even more informative and beautiful next time.

I thought today I’d share a recipe from the book that’s incredibly easy to put together. These crispy “popcorn” edamame were so good that even though I nailed the recipe the first time I made them, I ended up making another test batch “just to be sure.” I might have eaten the whole batch in one sitting.

From the book:

“We all love crunchy snacks. For some it’s crispy chips, for others it’s crackers, and for still others only a bowl of buttery popcorn will do. But all that carb-laden junk food is just that – junk. It’s hard to find a healthy snack that satisfies the craving for salt and fat without busting your gut. These crunchy roasted “popcorn” edamame come close. They have all the crispiness of a potato chip and are endlessly poppable, but contain just a scant teaspoon of oil. The delightful texture and bright flavor will have you snacking happy.”

And here’s how simple they are to make…

I love that edamame (young soy beans) are found in almost all major grocery stores these days. They are a really tasty snack food that even children love, despite resembling other less yummy green vegetables. This is one Japanese ingredient that has definitely made its way into the mainstream. Maybe someday kids will be snacking on pickled plums instead of candy too. Seriously doubt that one though.

February 4, 2013 Alayna Discussion, Recipes 22 comments

I cannot believe it’s really here!

I’ve been working on The Japanese Pantry for about a year and a half now, set many goals along the way that I never seemed to meet in time, and thought I was done months ago but kept running into little snags that would push back the release date further and further each time. Now, I can finally say with triumphant certainty, “It’s done!”

I think this book succeeds in presenting the message I was trying to convey with it – that you don’t need to know anything about Japanese cooking to enjoy delicious Japanese-inspired dishes at home. All it takes is the addition of a few Japanese ingredients, now widely available in most major grocery stores, to turn the dishes you already love into an exotic experience.

You probably already have soy sauce in your refrigerator, maybe even a bottle of pre-made teriyaki sauce. With the addition of just a few more simple ingredients like these, you can create real authentic Japanese flavors at home. This is what I do every day – use a special ingredient to make a familiar food more fun!

Most of the recipes in the book reflect this “hybrid Japanese” style, where a Japanese flavor is used to make a simple dish spectacular. Some recipes are traditional Japanese foods, but pared down and simplified so they can be enjoyed at home without much fuss. So even if you don’t think you like Japanese food, there’s bound to be something in this book that appeals to you. Here’s some of what you’ll find…

Yum! If you would like to purchase a copy…

The Japanese Pantry in paperback format is sold through Amazon.com and is Amazon Prime eligible. You can also order it directly from the publisher, Create Space (owned by Amazon), which I confess will net me a higher royalty.  Whichever way you choose, know that I greatly appreciate your support.

January 28, 2013 Alayna Discussion 16 comments

Looks a little different around here, doesn’t it? Welcome to the new Thyme Bombe, everyone!

I know I’ve been gone for a while, but it’s because I’ve been working on some things behind the scenes for the last few months that are just now ready to come to light – the first of which you’re seeing now. This isn’t just a facelift though, there are some other changes happening to this site that I hope you’ll be just as excited about as I am.

Firstly, from here on I’ll be focusing mostly on recipe creation. Not every post will be a recipe, but all posts will be very focused on food and less focused on personal stories and day-to-day life. I want to continue sharing my personal goings-on with all of you, but from now on those things will be shared when they are relevant to the food I’m sharing too.

Next, I want to start providing you with more informative, quality content. No more pictures of some random dinner I threw together last night. I want to delve into the history of different foods, the origin of exotic ingredients, and how these things can fit into your life and your own style of cooking.

And finally, I want to present all of this to you with stunning photos of beautiful food. I have learned a lot about photography in the last year, and while I have a long way to go before I feel like I really have a grip on it, I am definitely a stronger photographer now than I was at this blog’s beginning. From now on, dimly lit photos snapped without much thought or care simply won’t make the cut.

I imagine it’ll take some time before I figure out exactly what belongs on this blog and what doesn’t, so I hope you’ll be patient with me as I work through it, but hopefully what you’ll see in the coming months is a movement toward a better blog with more interesting and beautiful content. I really think you’re gonna like it.

And stay tuned in the following days for another big announcement that has been over a year in the making! If you’ve been reading that long, you may be able to guess what it is…

January 24, 2013 Alayna Discussion 10 comments