No Recipes (by Marc Matsumoto)

Wellness culture discovered #fibermaxxing last year. Japanese Buddhist monks have been doing it since the 6th century with the help of an ingredient related to the "corpse flower". marcmatsumoto.substack.com/p/the-voodoo-l…

In Japanese, "gohan" means cooked rice, but it also means "meal." That's not a coincidence. This week on Substack: Why Rice Isn't a Side Dish open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

What do mochi, cherry pie, and potato salad have in common? One molecule most cooks never learn about. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

You don't need to be a physicist, a race car driver, or an economist to master thermodynamics, sensory processing, and resource management. You just need to bake chocolate chip cookies. Here's why cooking taught me everything I needed to know in life. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

This Japanese word could save you $2,900 a year on groceries. "Mottainai" has no English equivalent, but it is one reason food waste in Japan is among the lowest in the developed world. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

Nobody says "I don't like cheese" after a bite of one kind. Tofu deserves the same courtesy. It's not one food, it's a category, from quivering custard that melts on your tongue to crumbly slabs you can grill like steak: open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

Do you cook with MSG? I don't, and it's not about health. MSG is safe, the science is clear on that. My issue is that it's like a video game cheat code. It works, but the more you rely on it, the less you develop the skills that make cooking interesting. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

We're still over a week out from the official start of spring, but my local greengrocer has been easing into the season for weeks now. This week, I've written all about the taste of spring in Japan. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

We're taught to fear rot, but some of the tastiest foods on Earth exist because someone left something sit for a little too long. This week, I'm jumping into the funky fermented foods at the heart of Japanese cuisine. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

Most places treat the sandwich as a solved problem, but Japan is just getting started. This week I’ve written about why Japan is obsessed with sandwiches. What's the most unconventional sandwich you love? open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

That tub of miso in your fridge isn't just for soup. It's great in bolognese, even better in beef stew, and don't get me started on what it does to chocolate chip cookies. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

Japanese meals make "less" feel like plenty, so moderation becomes natural instead of a punishing act of willpower. Here's how to design your meals to feel plentiful: open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

For the past few weeks, I’ve been sharing a weekly article on the structures and ingredients that make Japanese meals feel so satisfying. This week, in Part 3, I’m diving into the taste that makes small portions feel satisfying. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

In Japan, December 25th marks a shift from 🎄 to New Year's mode. I'm sharing the Tokyo-style ozoni from my childhood: clear dashi broth, toasted mochi, and a little good fortune in every bowl. Whatever you're celebrating, wishing you peace, joy, & warmth. marcsrecipes.com/ozoni-recipe/

If you’re planning on serving anything with raw fish this year for the holidays, read this first. I go through the risks involved and how you can minimize them so you can enjoy it without spending the meal wondering if you’ll regret it later. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

I've pulled together the tools and ingredients that quietly transformed my kitchen this year into a gift guide for the curious cook. If you’re wondering why these made the list, there’s a story behind every pick. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

Love that my local Costco stocks langue de boeuf. It makes for the best boeuf bourguignon.

Great piece on how Japan’s 400+ texture words fuel nonstop confectionery innovation, letting brands spin micro-variants in gummies, chips, chocolate & more. Honored to be interviewed. If you’re in F&B, give it a read: marketshake.gourmetpro.co/p/how-japan-tu…

If you've ever wondered what the deal is with Japanese-style pasta. I wrote a full rundown of its history and along with recipes over on Substack this week. open.substack.com/pub/marcmatsum…

This salmon rice bowl may look sushi-bar fancy, but it’s weeknight simple. A quick soy-mirin marinade transforms raw salmon into a silky, savory topping for hot rice. We’ve been making it on repeat all summer. norecipes.com/salmon-sashimi…