Food Culture in Japan

MICHAEL ASHKENAZI is a scholar specializing in Japanese food and culture. He is the co-author, with his wife, Jeanne Jacob, of The Essence of Japanese Cuisine: An Essay on Food and Culture (2000).JEANNE JACOB has worked in the business world, in marketing to Japan and serving as a liaison. She also has extensive publishing experience, and after having lived in Japan for a number of years, she co-authored with husband, Michael Ashkenazi, The Essence of Japanese Cuisine: An Essay on Food and Culture (2000).

• PrefaceAcknowledgmentsTimeline1. Historical Overview2. Major Foods and Ingredients3. Cooking4. Typical Meals5. Eating Out6. Special Occasions: Holidays, Celebrations, and Religious Rituals7. Diet and HealthGlossaryResource GuideBibliographyIndex

Ashkenazi and Jacob explain some of the history of foods in Japan. Other than seafood, most foods were introduced over the long history of the country. It would take a much longer book to provide all the details, but readers can get a good understanding of the patterns of food habits from this book....readers will enjoy this book, which includes a few recipes. Part of a new series entitled Food Culture around the World, this work joins a recent group of books in English on the subject of Japanese food. Some are cookbooks; others, like this one, are also historical. Recommended. All levels. - Choice