Salmon Poke Bowl, Avocado and Scallions

 

This past semester, I read Haruki Murakami’s book “What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” while training for the Philadelphia half marathon. The book opens up in Hawaii, as the author reflects on his island summer runs. He describes his feelings, the weather, the landscapes, the routes… painting colorful pictures in his reader’s mind. I found Murakami’s writing to be incredibly motivating and inspiring. Surely, any reader will feel an urge to drop the book, go for a long long run, and never give up. While that thought certainly crossed my mind, his book also made me want to finally try my hands at Poke (though that could also be the influence of Anthony Bourdain’s “Parts Unknown”, which includes a great episode in Hawaii)!

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Sesame-Crusted Tuna Sushi Bowl

If I could snap my fingers and be instantly transported to another country, I’d visit Japan. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been fascinated with this country and its incredibly rich culture. Be it art, architecture, food, landscapes and gardens… everything is aesthetically pleasing! From the outside, it is refinement at its finest. It is perfection and sophistication in every detail, and it is incredibly interesting to me.

4×4 Veggie Rolls

One of my favorite things to do when I’m home with a lot of time on my hands, and little to do, is to take cooking classes. I love to go to this place called “Atelier des Chefs”, meaning “Chef’s Workshop”, for their 30-minutes lunch formula. You learn how to make a recipe from start to finish and get to eat what you cooked at a communal table with the rest of the class. It’s a fantastic format! A few years back, I took a sushi/maki class there, where I learned how to “roll” for the first time.