It’s going to be a quick one today, folks, because I am furiously packing up the house for our move to Seattle! Before I could drag myself out of bed this morning to commence the dreaded job of packing, I grabbed my laptop for a little morning food news.

I came across an article about Spam sushi (called Spam Musubi) on Serious Eats. Spam sushi!? Remember my blog about me being a sushi snob? Well, here’s one of those moments where I turn up my nose. I guess I should try (almost) everything once, but this would be a stretch…

Although I love the author’s article and her picture is beautiful.

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During the holiday season when our bellies are consistently being pushed to maximum capacity with baked goods, carb-laden sides, hefty meats and poultries, it’s nice to have a break and eat something light and healthy.

It’s a cold, crisp night here in San Mateo, California. Perfect for nabe (nabemono). Nabe, or hot pot, is a typical Japanese soup eaten in the colder months, and usually cooked in a pot at the table. These popular nabe dishes may ring a bell here in the States: Sukiyaki, Shabu Shabu, Oden. While typical nabes include vegetables and fish, seafood or meat, there really is no hard fast rule as to what you can throw in.

Tonight our nabe includes the following: Copper River salmon (one small fillet for the two of us), a few large shrimp, oyster and enoki mushrooms, mizuna (Japanese mustard greens), tofu and shirataki (konyaku) noodles. The broth is as follows:

2/3 C. mirin

2/3 C. sake

2/3 C. soy sauce

1, 1/3 C. dashi

2 T. sugar

Cook until sugar dissolves and alcohol reduces.

Serve with hot sake to make the meal complete.

Itadakimasu (let’s eat)!

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My favorite citrus is the yuzu. I discovered this amazingly fragrant fruit while living in Japan years ago, and am happy that I am now able to find it more and more here in the States. Yuzu is a small citrus originally from China but also widely used in Japanese cuisine. Some refer to it as citron but I do not believe it is the same variety. It is smaller and a little less juicy than the average lemon but its fragrance packs a much more powerful punch. You can find it in the fall and winter months in Japanese markets. I love to zest some over fresh tofu with ponzu sauce, grilled fish, sauteed spinach, or simply use as a garnish. Also, typical in Japan this time of year, it is wonderful sliced in half and thrown into your bath for a nice long soak.

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