My latest and first Japan Times articles are both about the same thing, sort of

I always forget to post links to my Japan Times stuff, but I have been writing at least one article for them since July 2010! My latest article, which went live last Sunday, is about combatting summer fatigue with the help of pork (Vitamin B-1 or thiamine), ginger, vinegar and veggies. As it happens, my very first article for the Japan Times was also about combatting summer fatigue, although the recipe is for cold soba noodles with lots of toppings.

I still remember writing that first article very well -- because I was actually hospitalized at the time. I had just gotten the assignment from them a few days before I got bitten by an insect and the bite got infected. So I had the spousal unit cook the elements of the dish and put it together in my hospital room! I didn't eat any of it though (ok, I did taste it to see it was okay) because I was on a strictly controlled hospital diet.

In any case, both recipes are pretty quick and easy, especially the latest one. I hope you give them a try! The pickled vegetables have been especially useful this summer.