Culinary experiments reveal forgotten love for childhood Japanese food

In the narrative, Linda Bleck reflects on her childhood experiences with Japanese cuisine, particularly the ramen her mother loved. Growing up with her grandmother, Obaachan, who spent 23 years in the United States, Linda enjoyed the comfort of traditional Japanese dishes. However, after moving out and transitioning to a plant-based diet, she began to lose touch with these cultural foods. As she explored new vegan recipes, she found them lacking the familiarity and warmth of her childhood meals. Eventually, a Christmas gift of a shojin ryori cookbook reignited her passion for Japanese cooking, leading her to create vegan versions of her favorite childhood dishes. Using ingredients like yuba to mimic chicken cutlets and shiitake mushrooms in takoyaki, she reconnected with the flavors of her youth. Cooking these dishes brought back memories of family gatherings and time spent in onsen, ultimately allowing her to feel at home again. This journey not only revived her love for Japanese cuisine but also enriched her culinary experiments with meaningful connections to her heritage.