Beyond the Stereotypes

Long ago my father used to tell a joke that went like this – What is the definition of heaven? To have an American salary, a British house, a Chinese cook and a Japanese wife. What is the definition of hell? To have a Chinese salary, a Japanese house, a British cook and an American wife

Christmas In Havana

In Havana’s Plaza Vieja (old square), a pavement artist produces a sketch of me containing two features that are purely imaginary. One is a nose long enough to stir a mojito; the other is a hat-band proclaiming “Cuba Must Survive.”

Who’s Stuffed The Most?

Warren Buffet visited Japan for the first time in November. At the press conference journalists blinked in disbelief at his breezy assertion that their grandchildren…

Cooking The Books

A Guide To The Different National Cuisines
Japanese – Simple materials used with elegance; the emphasis is on presentation and visual effect…