Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto & Recipe by Mike Bartley
When Kitchen was first published in Japan in 1987 it won two of Japan's most prestigious literary prizes, climbed its way to the top of the bestseller lists, then remained there for over a year and sold millions of copies.
April Read
Banana Yoshimoto was hailed as a young writer of great talent and great passion whose work has quickly earned a place among the best of modern literature, and has been described as 'the voice of young Japan' by the Independent on Sunday.
Full disclosure, i haven’t read this book yet - i’ve just booked a holiday so i’m trying to stock pile as many good books to read while away.
This is what the book is about with review written by Susannah B a top 500 reviewer vine voice.
Mikage, the heroine of Banana Yoshimoto's novella 'Kitchen' is an orphan who, since the death of her parents, has been cared for by her grandmother, who lives in a large apartment with a very comfortable and comforting kitchen.
When her grandmother sadly dies, Mikage finds solace by taking her bed into the kitchen and sleeping next to the old refrigerator with its reassuring hum.
Mikage knows she can't continue to spend her days and nights ensconced in the comfort of her grandmother's kitchen, but she can't seem to find the energy to move her life forward; therefore when an acquaintance of hers, a young man named Yuichi Tanabe, offers her a home with him and his very glamorous mother, Eriko, in their well-appointed apartment, Mikage finds herself agreeing - and when she arrives at the Tanabes' home and falls immediately in love with their kitchen, she knows she has come to the right place.
As Mikage gets to know Yuichi better, she realises he is a more interesting and unusual young man than she first thought, but Yuichi's mother (who, before her sex change, was his father) is an even more unusual individual.
However both Yuichi and Eriko make Mikage feel welcomed and wanted, and slowly, as she spends more time with the Tanabes, Mikage begins to cope with the loss of her beloved grandmother.
But then something happens to Eriko that changes the dynamics of Mikage and Yuichi's relationship - however is this a change for the better or worse for our two protagonists?
First-person narrated by Mikage, this is an unusual and off-beat story, written in a charming, idiosyncratic style which, in places, has passages which seem almost dreamlike.
One to read and enjoy in one sitting (this is more novella than novel) and then possibly to put back on the bookshelf to experience again when you feel the need for something a little different.
Mike Bartley
Mike outside the iconic MasterChef logo
It sounds as though Mike Bartley began cooking many years ago.
At university, him and his flat mates realised he didn’t have to be eating pot noodles so started to cook for each other.
Mike has moved on from pot noodles to fall in love with foraging for lovage around his home in County Durham and celeriac.
Food influences come from everywhere and there isn’t a cuisine Mike doesn’t like but he says his speciality is ‘traditional British and European with a modern twist’.
As Mikes skilled grew so did his foodie ambition. Friends and family encouraged him to apply for MasterChef UK and after relocating back to Bishop Auckland that’s just what he did.
After what he says was a strange lockdown audition, Mike became a contestant in 2021.
When his time on the show ended, he decided to “pack in the day job and pursue a career as a chef. Focusing on bringing a fine dining experience into people's homes as a personal chef, I have catered for a range of special occasions and family/friend gatherings in the North-East, ranging from 4 - 40 guests.
I have been fortunate to spend time in two of my favourite Michelin Star restaurants - Roots, York (Tommy Banks) and Restaurant Hjem, Northumberland (Alex Nietosvouri), gaining valuable experience which has helped me elevate my cooking way beyond the level I was at when I entered Masterchef.
In October 2021, I launched 'Dine @ Home' - a three course meal available for delivery throughout County Durham. Click here to find out more.” Mike
Mike has very kindly gifted Foodie Book Club the recipe for April, Wild Garlic Tagliatelle with Wild Garlic Pesto, Confit Baby Tomatoes & Ricotta.
Find out more about his food on his website:
Instagram at @djamkitchen.
Facebook
Wild Garlic Tagliatelle with Wild Garlic Pesto, Confit Baby Tomatoes & Ricotta.
“This is a super cheap dinner, vegetarian friendly and packs a huge punch in flavour. If you’re lucky enough to have wild garlic growing nearby, it’s so nice to be able to pick wild food and oversee it’s journey to the plate. My oldest son doesn’t normally take an interest in cooking, but he loves getting involved with this one. “Mike
Wild Garlic Tagliatelle with Wild Garlic Pesto, Confit Baby Tomatoes & Ricotta.
INGREDIENTS (serves 3)
For the pasta:
• 300g pasta flour
• 3 eggs + 1 extra yolk
• 40g wild garlic
For the pesto:
• 40g wild garlic
• 1/2 lemon
• 25ml olive oil
• 25g parmesan (or alternative hard cheese)
• 50g pine nuts
For the confit tomatoes:
• 250g mixed baby tomatoes
• 100ml extra virgin olive oil
• 2 sprigs thyme
To finish:
• 50g ricotta cheese
• parmesan for grating
METHOD
For the pasta:
• Blend eggs and wild garlic in a food processor until smooth.
• Combine with flour in a bowl, then tip onto a work surface and knead for 10 minutes.
• Cover with cling film and place in the fridge until needed.
• Cut dough into 4 and roll out using a pasta maker, flouring the pasta after each roll, then use the tagliatelle setting.
Alternatively use a rolling pin then roll into a sausage shape and cut through the sausage at 1cm intervals.
• Cook for 2-3 minutes in salted boiling water.
For the pesto:
• Add all ingredients to a food processor and blend. You might need to do this in batches.
Taste and adjust if a certain flavour is missing.
• Tip into a small bowl, cover with cling film and store in the fridge until needed.
For the tomatoes:
• If you have a vacuum sealer and sous vide, place all ingredients into vacuum bag with salt & pepper.
• Seal bag, then cook in water bath at 60°C for 1 hour and 15 minutes.
• If you don’t have a vacuum sealer, cook in the oven in a small dish as above. You might need a little more oil to cover the tomatoes.
To finish:
• Drain water from pasta pan, retaining a little water.
Add 1tbsp of the pesto and mix.
• Add pasta to plate, remove tomatoes from oil with a slotted spoon and place on top of pasta.
• Add a good dollop of pesto on top.
• Finish with ricotta and grated parmesan
