Are you hungry? We sat down with Tim Anderson, chef and author to discuss his newest cookbook, 'Hokkaido', featuring recipes from all across Japan's most northern island. Exploring the many regions of Hokkaido, the book includes traditional recipes, homages, and Ainu cuisine. Let's get into it!
Hello! Thank you for joining us. To start us off, could you please give us a short introduction of yourself?
My name is Tim Anderson, I am a Wisconsin-born, London-based chef and food writer, who most people will know from the 2011 season of MasterChef, or from my many cookbooks on Japanese food.
For those who are unfamiliar, how did your interest in Japan and Japanese cuisine come to be?
As a teenager I was already interested in Japanese pop culture, especially RPGs and video games in general. At the same time, I had started to become interested in food, and spent a lot of time watching the Food Network in America. When I was 14 or 15, Iron Chef (料理の鉄人) debuted, and I became obsessed with it. From there I started trying as much Japanese food as I could and learning to cook a few dishes. I went on to major in Japanese studies in college in Los Angeles, and that’s where my interest really expanded. I studied Japanese food history and culture and learned a lot more about Japanese food through restaurants in LA. I then went on to live in Japan on the JET Program.
Can you tell us more about your new cookbook, ‘Hokkaido’? Where did the inspiration for it come from?
I have been fascinated with Hokkaido since I first visited in 2005, when I was in Japan on a research grant to study local foods. The history, culture, climate and food of Hokkaido really reminded me of Wisconsin, with all its beer, cheese, corn, potatoes, and meat dishes. I went again in 2007 on a short trip with my girlfriend, who I was crazily in love with, and who eventually became my wife. These two visits made me absolutely enamored with Hokkaido and I have always wanted to go back and learn more about the food culture there. This project has been literally a dream come true.
How would you describe the culinary identity of Hokkaido?
There are three distinct threads of food in Hokkaido: a traditional Japanese influence that showcases local produce through classic washoku preparations; the food of the Ainu, which is focused on utilising wild plants and animals with pre-Meiji cooking methods and seasonings; and the Western-style agriculture introduced by the Meiji government under the guidance of advisors like Dr. Clark. This is an incredibly interesting mix. The three types of cuisine are usually distinct, but they often come together in interesting ways. For example, the potatoes that were introduced through trade with Western powers are now commonly used in Ainu dishes, and the Ainu introduced kombu into Japanese cookery. There are very powerful influences that go back-and-forth between these different traditions.
Do you have a favourite dish or region that you featured in the book? Why? A favourite traditional dish?
Curry ramen, from Muroran and Tomakomai, is incredible. When I first had it at Aji no Daiō in Muroran I was completely enraptured. But this is a more recent invention, from the 1960s. In terms of older, traditional dishes, I love hokke, prepared ‘ichiya-boshi’ – salted and dried overnight. It is in my opinion the king of yakizakana.
What sets Hokkaido cuisine apart from that of the rest of Japan?
The produce of Hokkaido is incredibly unique, especially its seafood and its milk products. It’s not that these things don’t exist in other parts of Japan, but in Hokkaido the quality and variety of them are second to none. And of course Ainu cuisine is very specific to Hokkaido. There may be one or two other places in the rest of Japan to try it, but in Hokkaido there are increasing opportunities to taste it and to learn about it, such as at Upopoy.
How does Hokkaido’s climate affect the cuisine of the area?
The snow that makes Hokkaido difficult to farm in the winter melts in the spring and carries with it volcanic minerals from the mountains. This makes both the soil and the seas extremely fertile, which is one reason why everything tastes so good there. For example I learned that the reason Rishiri produces such excellent kombu and uni is because the waters that come down from Mt. Rishiri carry nutrients to feed the kombu, and then the uni feasts on the kombu. It is an amazing ecosystem.
How is Hokkaido cuisine evolving in the modern day?
To me, the most exciting thing that is happening in Hokkaido cuisine is a resurgence of Ainu food. When I first visited Hokkaido in 2005 there were very, very few places to try Ainu food or to learn about it. Now there are more and more restaurants and cookery classes being offered around the prefecture. I encourage anyone visiting Hokkaido to visit Upopoy, which is a great destination to learn about Ainu food that is not far from Sapporo. They even have a garden growing traditional Ainu crops.
Where do you see the future of Hokkaido cuisine both domestically and internationally?
I hope that visitors to Hokkaido will try to explore beyond the main tourist destinations to experience some of the really unique local foods in smaller towns. For example if you are visiting Furano to see the flower fields, why not visit Ashibetsu for gatatan, or if you’re in Obihiro, go to Tokachi-Shimizu for the beef and soba. Japan is becoming increasingly centralised around the big cities, both in terms of population density and tourism. It’s a shame because I really believe there’s so much great food and so much beauty outside of the main urban centres.
Do you have any recommendations for spots to visit in Hokkaido, both culinary and travelwise?
My favourite journey through Hokkaido was from Kushiro to Abashiri, with the lakes – Akan, Kussharo, and Mashū – in the middle. Kushiro city has some excellent food, like tonkatsu spaghetti from Izumiya and seafood from the robata restaurants. Don’t miss a katte-don breakfast from the fish market, as well. From there you can go see the red-crowned cranes in person at the International Crane Centre on the way to Lake Akan. Lake Akan has so much to do but I would particularly recommend visiting Poronno for Ainu food. Then you can get a bus to either Lake Kussharo or Lake Mashū, both of which are beautiful. Try some Teshikaga ramen in Teshikaga, then get a train to Abashiri where you can visit the fascinating prison museum and try food that is actually served to prisoners at the museum café. Abashiri also has excellent salmon, scallops, and all sorts of other seafood.
Thank you for talking with us!
You can find Tim Anderson at @cheftimanderson (Instagram) and Hokkaido is available in bookstores now!
