Passionately Raw!

I have been fascinated with Japanese culture and cuisine for many years. The Cherry Blossom Festival is probably one of the most amazing times to visit Japan and experience not just the beauty of nature but also the unique aspects of Japanese culture. If you have ever been to Japan during the Cherry Blossom Festival you must have noticed a slight obsession with the cherry blossoms. These pink beauties find their way into many dishes. They are used in desserts and sweets that are served to accompany the tea ceremony. They are also preserved in salt and sold throughout the year.   Sakura-no-Shiozuke 桜の塩漬け Consider these two recipes presented here as my homage to the short lived beauty of the sakura. They are my raw food experiment and I will probably have to improve them at some point. I used the salt-preserved cherry blossoms from last year's harvest. You can buy them in any Japanese grocery store or order online from a specialized grocer. They are actually very tasty, so give it