ARC Review: Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley. This post includes affiliate links that kick us a smaller percentage at no cost to you, if you use them to shop. If this post is useful, please use them to support my work! It's so appreciated. Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker is horror, but it's so…

ByMichelleApril 8, 20260Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s New Salted Caramel Mochi Ice Cream

Trader Joe's latest mochi ice cream flavor is Salted Caramel. And I gotta tell ya, after the abomination that was Caramel Apple, I came into this tasting cautiously optimistic. I mean, you can't screw up plain caramel, can you? Thankfully, the answer in this case is no. Now, is it truly salted caramel?…

ByMichelleMarch 24, 20260Comments

Product Review

We Put Costco Tonkotsu Ramen Broth to the Test

I'm generally skeptical about Asian boxed broths. 9 times out of 10, you're better off starting from scratch for even the simplest miso or shoyu-based soups. Tonkotsu broth is the exception. It's a commitment and takes a looooonnnnnng time. So this time, I said, ok, let's see what Costco's got with this Kirkland Tonkotsu…

ByMichelleMarch 23, 20260Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Mini Taiyaki

These days, you usually see taiyaki used as a soft serve cone with a swirl of matcha coming out of the fish's mouth. But the classic filling is red bean paste (anko). You might also see chocolate or custard like these Trader Joe's Mini Taiyaki. They come 8 to a bag and you just pop…

ByMichelleApril 22, 20250Comments

Product Review

Taste Test: Trader Joe’s versus Shirakiku Chicken Karaage

I'm not gonna string you along. Trader Joe's Chicken Karaage ($6.49 per 18.97 oz. bag) doesn't measure up as either karaage or chicken nuggets/fingers. Before we get to the taste test, let's take a look at Trader Joe's version on its own. So, the bag does say it's Japanese-inspired, leaving some room for variation.…

ByMichelleAugust 7, 20230Comments

Product Review

We Tried Trader Joe’s Mochi Cake Mix

A few weeks ago, Trader Joe's promised it'd be rolling out a gluten-free Mochi Cake Mix as part of its new Spring and Summer products. It's in stores now for $3.99 and we tried it. What Trader Joe's didn't say in the initial announcement was that it would be "Hawaiian inspired," flavored with coconut milk powder. A…

ByMichelleApril 26, 20195Comments

Book Reviews

Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai | 5-Star Review

In Hate to Want You, Olivia Kane and Nicholas Chandler’s families have been intertwined for generations. Their grandfathers started a grocery store together and then a series of tragedies put the store solely in the hands of Chandlers. More importantly, it drove a wedge between sweethearts Olivia and Nicholas. But the spark, make that inferno,…

ByMichelleAugust 9, 20170Comments

Not About Food

Never Again

Instructions to All Persons of Japanese Descent, from the National Park Service's Collection of Historical Documents. In 1940, my grandma was a 21-year old maid in Los Angeles. She worked for a family the Jefferson Park neighborhood and her name is listed with theirs in the Census. By the time President Franklin Roosevelt issued Executive…

ByMichelleFebruary 19, 20170Comments

Cooking Main Course Recipes

GINGER MISO CHICKEN BURGERS

Summer may be winding down, but grilling season is far from over. I've been obsessed with burgers and really, anything on a bun lately. While nothing beats a classic beef hamburger, my a-ha this year is that chicken thighs actually make a better burger than turkey. And if you're willing to go an extra step, grind your…

ByMichelleAugust 19, 20160Comments

Book Reviews Cooking Recipes Salads Side Dishes

The Easiest Zucchini Salad You Will Ever Make

Simplicity is a hallmark of Japanese home cooking. Sometimes, it's simplicity to the point where you actually have to ask yourself, how does this require a recipe? Often, it doesn't. Most of my grandma's "recipes" were like that. Take the scribbled list of ingredients and figure it out. This list is adapted from a recipe…

ByMichelleJuly 21, 20160Comments

ARC Review: Japanese Gothic by Kylie Lee Baker

We Tried Trader Joe’s New Salted Caramel Mochi Ice Cream

We Put Costco Tonkotsu Ramen Broth to the Test

We Tried Trader Joe’s Mini Taiyaki

Taste Test: Trader Joe’s versus Shirakiku Chicken Karaage

We Tried Trader Joe’s Mochi Cake Mix

Hate to Want You by Alisha Rai | 5-Star Review

Never Again

GINGER MISO CHICKEN BURGERS

The Easiest Zucchini Salad You Will Ever Make

Review: The Paris Match Should be a NYT Bestseller

Philippa Soo, Simu Liu Narrate New Romcom Just Kiss Already

Book Review: A Ghastly Catastrophe by Deanna Raybourn