Pumpkin Okayu

Several years ago, Hoitsu Suzuki Roshi  (son of the late author Shunryu Suzuki Roshi) had been invited to Zen River as Jokeshi (official witness) to a Shusohossen ceremony. It would be a perfect occasion to serve a Japanese-style breakfast with okayu and miso soup and all the pre-requisite condiments; pickled ume plums, toasted nori seaweed, […]

Lavender & Nut Dressing

One day, a friend of ours came from Hawaii to visit Zen River and brought along a small sachet of culinary lavender. First we made lavender cake. Quite yummy.  Then I thought, hey, it might work well in a creamy, nutty salad dressing? It did. And if you enjoy the flavour, as well as the […]

Chunky Orange Marmalade

Orange marmalade. Love it. If I didn’t like cooking so much I’d probably eat marmalade and buttered toast at least twice a day – followed by a mug of Britain’s finest black tea steeped for ages and drowned in (soy) milk. So if like me – and my Dutch hubby no less – you have […]