Cooking Demonstrations and Tastings for Busy Parents/Workers – KojiFest2019 presented by people that have mastered the art of living and eating tasty food with too little time in the day. Got kids? Work, like even two jobs ? Need to spend less time and money cooking and more time enjoying food? We know what you need to know.

Suggested Donation is $20 for the 3 hour demo and tasting. Bring cash and pay there.

You’ll see demonstrations of
a) how to make miso (味噌)
b) how to make shio-koji (塩糀)
c) how to make misodama (味噌玉)
d) how to make takikomi gohan (味噌炊き込みご飯)
e) how to make refrigerated kimchi base and how to prepare things to use with it – like a hundred zucchini you can’t deal with.

The point of all these items is to show you what to have on hand, and what to do with them.

Need to spend less time and money cooking and more time enjoying food? We know what you need to know.

Makiko Ishida (Maki) is a koji enthusiast, and a busy parent that knows how to budget time without sacrificing nutrition or taste for her family. A native Tokyoite who was born into a katsuobushi (fermented bonito) trading family. Maki-san has a unique sense of how to take traditional Japanese condiments and make everyday American fare. She especially loves to share easy and fast Japanese home-cooking ideas using koji-fermented staples such as miso, soy sauce, mirin, shio-koji, and sake that anyone can apply into his or her own kitchen.

You can use something in your pantry, refrigerator or from your local store and make something filling and very tasty. Chef Ken Fornataro will show you how to make food with miso, koji, shio-koji, soy sauce, mirin and other ingredients. For eople that are eating a vegan diet but they can be easily adapted. Come and ask how.

We’ll also show you how to get ready for the arrival of fresh foods from your local farmer or garden or grocer’s shelves. Based on the demonstrations we’ll have – if accessing the ingredients makes sense and preferably uses ugly vegetables, the following, all vegan, mostly gluten free items:

Menu:
• Fried Jalapeño and Garlic Salsa
• Szechuan Sauerkraut with pastrami flavored smoked hamma natto
• Shiitake Kombu Dashi Dama
• Gohan Takikomi
• Edamame Crispy Beans (glazed with a shio-koji plum mirin)
• Jasmine Amasake (sweet, thick, koji based rice)
• Miso Mayo Dip (miso, mayo with special seasonings, radishes)
• Cucumber Misozuke (Cukes aged in a black pepper miso)
• Spicy carrot, garlic ginger, tomatillo, onion Kimchi
• Coriander Seed, Fennel and Lime Rind pickles
• Toasted Almond KIsses (savory, nutty and sweet)
• Garlic Misozuke (Fresh garlic fermented in miso)

Suggested Donation is $20 for the 3 hour demo and tasting. Bring cash and pay there.