Japanese Food: It's part of the Deal |GaijinDaddy

Sukiyaki. It's Delicious!

Part of the fun of dating someone from a different culture is learning and experiencing their culture, as well as sharing yours with them. Part of that culture is the food.

If you discover that you do not like the food at all from their culture, it may be hard to continue the relationship. Think of a hard core vegan dating a butcher. There's going to be some difficulties in the relationship.

So, I'm sure you can imagine my surprise when I meet a married couple , and one of them can't stand the food of the other's culture.

Usually, it's one partner that can not bring themselves to eat Japanese food.

This is like a Beef Stew. It's So Good!

I absolutely love Japanese food. I can't get enough of it. One of the first memories I have of dating my wife was the first time she invited me over to eat the curry that she made. She asked me the question "Do you Like Japanese curry?"

"DO I?!" Oh, yes I do.

A common English expression is "The shortest distance to a man's heart is through his stomach". How true that is.

Since getting married, every few nights my wife will ask me if the dinner she made was OK, to which I'll reply that it was delicious. I'm not just being a good guy, I really, really like her food.

Sukiyaki and Raw Egg? Pass....

She's expecting one day that I'll be unable to eat what she cooks, and I'll want to go out for some fast food instead, or eat a sandwich at home. I have yet be given something that I didn't like. Maybe if she gives me a bowl of rice with Natto and a raw egg, then I'll insist to go eat something else. (And if she's reading this, don't get any ideas!)

So all in all, I really do like Japanese food. I even eat some things that Japanese people think are strange like uni (urchin) or certain kinds of Soba (buckwheat noodles), which makes me quite an oddity when I am traveling in Japan. My philosophy when traveling has always been "When in Rome, do what the Roman's do" That includes eating whatever everyone else is eating, no matter how strange I think it may be.

An American Style meal

In our house, we both alternate with the cooking duties. Some nights I'll cook American style food, other nights she cooks complete Japanese style meals. We end up getting a good mix of Japanese and American styled food throughout each week, so we don't get bored of the food. Sometimes, I try to cook Japanese foods like omriceu or handmade gyoza dumplings with limited success, and other nights she'll cook my favorite Lasagna with great success.

With food not just being such big part of life but necessary to sustain it, It's shocking to me how many people I have met that will date or even marry a Japanese person, and not like to eat Japanese food at all!

So Fresh!

Not even Conveyor Belt Sushi?

I've met people that can't stand the smell of fish, and will insist that no fish be cooked in the house. I never did find out if he was OK with sushi, which would have of course negated the whole smell of cooked fish issue.

I've met a couple that prepares two separate meals to eat together; One American Dish, on Japanese. Of course, it's the wife that does all the cooking. (Really? He can't cook too?!) This of course takes twice the amount of pots and pans to prepare. I'm not sure if they made enough for leftovers.

Japanese Fast Food: Ramen

I've even met a couple that said that he couldn't wrap his head around what it was his wife was eating! He was so disgusted by some things that he would either eat in a different room, or would go out to eat.

Sure, Japanese people eat some really strange things: Octopus and squid (sometimes still moving); Raw eggs over rice or meat; Natto, just to name a few. But not everything is a completely foreign experience to corn fed, beef loving Americans!

Omelet on top, Rice and Chicken below

There is so much more to Japanese food than raw fish and noodles. I'm sure with a little effort to even try some different foods, these guys would love to eat with their wives.

None of these couples have kids, I can't even begin imagine what they would do at mealtime if they did.

My kids get a Bento box to bring to school, and eat natto at home. Sure, it's stinky, and it sometimes overpowers me, but I'm not going to stop them from eating it or tell them how gross I think it tastes. Same with my wife, when she sees me show them how to dunk their cookies into their milk, or give them a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.