Japanese replica food, Amalfi lemons and a slow cook book

Plenty of ideas about looking at, reading about and cooking with citrus

Nov 28, 2024

Hello Lemonistas,

Welcome to the latest edition of The Lemon Grove newsletter.

Christmas and the holiday season is fast approaching, if not already here in much of the ‘muzak’ blasting out of hidden speakers in the high street shops I visit - was mid-November too early? Yes! I had to leave one shop when being told by the band Wizard that they wish it could be Christmas every day! Anyway, enough Grinching already. Here are some of the features that will appear in the coming Monday editions of The Lemon Grove leading up to 2025.

a pile of oranges with purple ribbons on them

This will be the timetable over the next few weeks leading up to Christmas and the New Year.

But most importantly, what are your favourite food and drink books from this year and maybe from the past few years? Click the box below and let us know your recommendations, and we’ll publish a list of some of your ‘must reads’.

Japan’s cultural fascination with replica food

Shokuhin Sampuru is the Japanese art of making fake or replica food. Food that looks good enough to eat. These unexpectedly realistic food replicas are often used to advertise menus in front of restaurants across the country.

on the right is a plate with three replica mandarins and two halves, and on the left is an example of fake food described as orange slices on pizza — Examples of replica food, these popular Japanese mandarin (left) are know as Mikan the Japanese name for Citrus Unshiu. They are small, easy to peel and mostly seedless. To the right, this plate was labelled 'Pizza with orange' © The Lemon Grove

A new exhibition in London at Japan House offers a rare opportunity outside Japan to see these skilfully-created models up close. This eclectic exhibition explores the history, materials, processes, and future potential of the craft.

Image on the right is of a a plate of slices of a green, Japanese citrus fruit called Sudachi. On the left is a whole Sudachi, about the size of a lime, with a knobbly skin — These fruits are Sudachi, a Japanese citrus with a refreshing aroma and tartness, similar to lemons © The Lemon Grove

Each of Japan’s 47 prefectures is represented with a food replica specially commissioned from manufacturing group Iwasaki Group. Dishes range from Okinawan goya chanpuru (bitter melon stir fry) to the indigenous Ainu ohaw (soup with salmon) from the northern island of Hokkaido.

Three examples of colourful, Japanese replica dishes including a bento box and two desserts with fruit, cherries and cream — Examples of Japanese replica food including (in the centre) a bento box © The Lemon Grove

This dummy food is typically made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and various resins. The food is moulded in silicon moulds and then hand-painted.

The Looks Delicious! Exploring Japan’s food replica culture exhibition is open now and runs until February 16, 2025. Free entry.

READ, WATCH & COOK

READ: A Sweet History since 1830 is written as a tribute to the Pansa family and their Pasticceria Pansa, a popular bakery in the centre of Amalfi, southern Italy. With a mix of history, culture and recipes, the book intertwines the story of generations of bakers, the geography of the Amalfi area and the home of the magnificently and eponymous lemon. Pasticceria Pansa opened in 1830 and served British aristocracy on the Grand Tour, while catering to thousands of tourists who visit today.

"In a world that changes at a dizzying pace, where the ephemeral often takes the place of the eternal and the new supplants the old with disturbing ease, that of the Pansa family of Amalfi is a story made of continuity, tradition and craftsmanship," wrote master Iginio Massari in the preface to thebook, encapsulating the spirit of Pasticceria Pansa.

Check out Ciao Amalfi for more about this special place.

Buy A Sweet History since 1830 here.

Images of a pastry known as Lemon Delight made in Amalfi, Italy. About the size of a tennis ball it is white in colour with a piece of chocolate on top. — Pasticceria Pansa's famous 'Lemon Delight' pastry and the exterior of their shop in the centre of town. © The Lemon Grove

LISTEN: Thinking Allowed, BBC Radio 4

Laurie Taylor uncovers the social history of our abundant but scarcely noticed food packaging and its role in global food systems and offers a defence of processed food. Listen here.

READ: While over on iGlobe News, you’ll find my article asking whether western diets are killing us.
Once you’ve read this, check out the latest report from The Food Foundation in the UK, about the country’s flailing food system. Read the report here.

COOK: Vanilla, Lemon and Nutmeg Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is arguably one of my favourite desserts, so I was thrilled to see a new recipe in food writer and chef Charlotte Pike’s latest book, ‘Quick Prep Slow Cook’. I’ve just attended Charlotte’s book launch at the iconic Books for Cooks shop in London’s Notting Hill district and immediately came home to slow-cook a delicious bowl of rice pudding. Charlotte has kindly let me share the recipe (see blow) with you.

The book is divided into sections including Vegetarian (Red lentil, turmeric, lemon and spinach stew); Chicken (with preserved lemon, harissa and olives); Meat (Braised lamb with red wine, orange and green olives), Curries (Potato and spinach) and Sweet (Coconut and lemon sponge pudding with spiced plums). There are lots of cooking tips, for example, how to make homemade yoghurt or soda bread, and it's written in Charolotte’s customary inspiring, breezy and knowledgeable tone.

Buy Quick Prep Slow Cook, here.

The images below are published courtesy of Julie Friend of The Tiny Table, follow her on Substack, here.

Images from Charlotte Pike's (pictured left) book (centre) launch at the shop Books for Cooks (right) held in west London — Images from Charlotte's book launch at Books for Cooks in west London © Julie Friend

Serves 6
After two hours it is fully cooked and quite liquid.
After 2 ½ - 3 hours, the pudding will have thickened up.

100g (3 ½ oz) pudding rice
750 ml (1 ½ pints) milk
300 ml (½ pint) double cream
75 g (3 oz) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or bean paste
Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon
¼ tsp ground nutmeg

1. Measure all the ingredients into the slow cooker bowl. It is quite nice to take the lemon zest off the lemon in big strips, using a potato peeler. These impart a a lovely lemon flavour, but can be removed before serving, if preferred.

2. Cover with the lid, set the slow cooker to low and cook for 2-3 hours. If you can, give the pudding a stir or even a gentle whisk every 30 minutes or so, to ensure it cooks evenly, and the rice breaks up as it cooks. When the rice has swollen and is tender and the liquid has been absorbed, taste and check the rice is fully cooked and the flavouring is to your taste. Add more sugar, vanilla, lemon or nutmeg, if you like.

3. Serve hot or cold with fresh fruit, fruit compote, more cream or even some good quality jam.

4. As the pudding cools, it will thicken further, especially so if it is left in the slow cooker bowl to cool.

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