🌍 Washoku and Mediterranean Food Have More in Common Than You Think
Japanese and Mediterranean food look very different, but they share the same core ideas.
What they have in common:
- Both focus on minimally processed foods
- Both include fermented or preserved foods (miso and nukazuke in Japan, olives and cheese in Mediterranean)
- Both are built around grains (rice in Japan, couscous and farro in Mediterranean)
- Both have strong communal dining traditions
The key difference:
- Mediterranean cuisine is built around olive oil
- Japanese cuisine is built around soy sauce
- These are like the DNA of each cuisine
In both traditions, protein is not the main event. Vegetables, grains, and fermented foods are the real stars.
Washoku also follows four principles of respect:
- Respect for farmers
- Respect for the cook
- Respect for yourself
- Respect for nature
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Lessons from LIP #250
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