Gohan Everyday Japanese Cooking - Author Emiko Davies in Conversation

Gohan. Everyday Japanese Cooking. Memories and Stories From My Family's Kitchen

Join us on Monday December 11th when

Author Emiko Davies and her mother Sumie Davies

are in conversation with moderator Dianne Fitzpatrick, President, Australia Japan Society (ACT)

'Gohan to me means the everyday home-cooked meal. Nothing fussy, but quick and easy, and nourishing. One that is made with love. I think the best food is created when you cook for someone you love.' Sumie Davies

On Monday December 11th at 6pm at Asia Bookroom, award winning food writer Emiko Davies will discuss her new book Gohan Everyday Japanese Cooking. Gohan is based on the recipes and food culture Emiko learnt from her mother and her extended Japanese family.

Although Emiko has lived in Italy for many years now and is well-known for her five Italian cook books and knowledge of the food of Italy, her Japanese family have given her a deep and permanent love for Japanese food and flavours. We are very lucky that Emiko is visiting her family in Canberra and we will have the very special opportunity to hear her in discussion with her mother Sumie, the inspiration of so much in this book. Dianne Fitzpatrick, President of the Australia Japan Society (ACT) will act as moderator.

Emiko wrote about Gohan in her blog:

[Gohan] is a book I have been longing to write for many years, made up of a collection of my most favourite ever, nostalgic recipes of the Japanese home cooking that I grew up with.

It’s so very special to me that this book will be making its way out there in the world this autumn. It’s not just because it was a book that was originally turned down, or that it is sprinkled with old family photos and stories of the fascinating (and I think relatively little known) culinary history of Japan (like the 1,200 year old ban on meat that was only lifted 200 years ago, the Buddhist history of noodles and more), but the other thing that writing and researching this cookbook has done is it has opened up a deep exploration of my heritage that I think I have been suppressing since as long as I can remember.

But this is my soul food. This is the food I was born to crave. I may not speak Japanese fluently, but the food is the food I love most in the world. Being the first born of a Japanese mother, newly arrived in Australia as a young 20 year old, I am hardwired to with a preference for Japanese flavours and textures, with a love of the sharpness of rakkyo (pickled Chinese onion), the saltiness of umeboshi, the creamy bite of raw squid, the umami of dashi and a predisposition for a deep appreciation of tofu and anko (sweet red bean paste), the soul of all my favourite Japanese sweets. I would give up all the chocolate in the world for it.