Back in Tokyo, I had the joy of hosting two sold-out donabe cooking classes at Nagatani-en's beautiful Tokyo shop as a celebration of the release of my new cookbook, Simply Donabe.
It was so wonderful to be reunited with the Nagatani family and their incredible team, who helped make both events such a success.
For each class, I demonstrated three donabe dishes from the book:
- Salmon Asari Miso Tomato Stew (p. 108)
- Gyu Touchi-Mushi (p. 159)
- Orange Saffron Rice (p. 198)
(We also served Renkon Yuzu-Kosho Caper-Ae, p. 56 — a lovely little addition!)
Teaching donabe cooking to a Japanese audience, for whom donabe is already a beloved part of everyday life, was a uniquely special experience. It was not about introducing them to donabe, but rather sharing the endless possibilities of donabe cooking beyond what feels most familiar: the Japanese-style hot pot, short grain rice, classic soups.
So I chose recipes that felt unexpected to them. Using ingredients like extra virgin olive oil. Sautéing aromatics and spices. Cooking basmati rice in the oven.
They were so engaged and embraced everything with such openness and curiosity. I truly loved our conversations. They asked me so many wonderful things. What dishes are most popular in America? What ingredients are easy or hard to find? Do people in the US love sharing a pot the way we do in Japan?
The Nagatani-en team did a tremendous job making everything run beautifully, including all the kitchen work behind the scenes. I am so grateful for them.
After the events, we gathered for dinner at the home of our dear friend Chef Shotaro-san to celebrate good food, good friendship, and of course, donabe. Chef Shotaro-san has been cooking with Nagatani-en donabe for many years and his dishes are always extraordinary. What I love most is seeing how well-loved his donabe are — some chipped, some worn — and how he treasures them all the more for it. That evening was a true celebration of donabe love.
Thank you to the Nagatani-en family and team for everything.
Happy Donabe Life! Naoko