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The Tragedy of the Common—Sense

C’est la guerre. The long-dreaded World War III is finally here. The waiting is over. It is here and now, everywhere and against...

Barcarolle for Baccalà

Venice, once the rich republic of seafaring traders, now trades in tourism. Instead of spices and silk from the Orient, she receives fridge

Everything Tastes Like Chicken

“What’s the matter? Where’re you going? You, chicken! That’s it, isn’t it—Nothing but a little chicken!” Marty’s body stiffens, his eyes...

Dreaming the Dream of Icarus

But in the meantime, pray to George Carlin (and maybe Joe Pesci too just to make sure), and chant "Save the Planet":   Save the t

Authentically Alien

Authenticity—that is what we strive for. It is about being genuine; it is about being true; and it is about being original. Don’t we all wis

Say Sayonara to Sushi

Gone with the wind and time—we say good bye to Tsukiji, to the sea, to edomae and to the fish. Forgotten and foregone is the art of nimono a

Sweet and Salty and, Sweaty

For every single yen counts here in Nishinari, Osaka. It is a town without convenience stores because nothing sold in 7-Eleven or FamilyMart

Estonia, a Country of Mean

There are 28 countries, soon to be 27, in the European Union: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic,...

Eating Taboo

Human beings are animals. Thus we get into cat fights and dog fights, and we sigh, blaming our misbehavior on our animal instincts. Neverthe

The Hot Sushi

Perhaps, the cruel wind that breathes down from Mount Hiei carries a cold that is made more physiologically chilling by its psychological as

The Fish Named Weak

Sardines – these unfortunate creatures – are so weak that they are even named as “weak fish” in Japanese (iwashi).

American Wagashi

"I observe how fast the people eat higashi," says Mr. Kita, as it was his gauge for the dryness of the customer's mouth, he ex

Kissaten du temps perdu

a café provides that sweet touch of human sympathy, a conviviality in the hubbub of activities, a sense of companionship and a feeling of be

The Thing That Moves Us

Culture is nothing but a web of ideas, shifting and changing. For, the human mind is simply too susceptible to inertia (so are the rest of t

The Oldest Christian Vegan Feast!?

As the palate opens, so does the mind. Once the physical hunger is satiated, the intellect starts to wander and wonder – what kind of land,

Mont Blanc - Aiming for the Summit

The origin of this famous gateau can be traced back to the Duchy of Savoy at the foot of the eponymous Mont Blanc, naturally, but the origin

Time Preserved in a Jar

ut a jar of jam is not just a jar of cooked fruit, is it? It is a magical mixture where nature meets art: made of only sugar and fruit, the

Breaking of the Bread

Yet one little bakery in Nara – just steps away from the deer, the people and the largest Buddha in the world – has decided to name their sh

The Ceremony of Coffee

Now, there is no argument that ceremony is dead: it is dead in Japan, it is dead in the U.K., and it is dead just about everywhere and anywh

Dear Mr. Potato Head

In the heart of quaint Ningyo-cho, one of the few districts in Tokyo which still wears Edo on its sleeve, or a shield against modernity, is

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