Cooking, in a sense, is endless.
Even though a dish disappears the moment it is eaten, it continues to live on in our memories.

This cookbook by Ai Hosokawa features gorgeous photography, writing, and recipes all created by the author herself. Beginning with Italian cuisine, Hosokawa has explored dishes from many cultures, interpreting them through her own sensibility. The result is her personal collection of “classic” recipes spanning Japanese, Western, and Chinese influences.

Her thoughtful reflections on cooking and ingredients — and on how to truly enjoy food at its most delicious — are an essential part of the book.

Day after day, dishes spring forth like water from a well within. Ingredients touch water, play with fire, and are enveloped in steam. Colours and aromas overlap, releasing a fleeting brilliance on the plate.

This collection of recipes was created with the hope of capturing those moments within the pages of a book — so that when opened in someone’s hands, they might come alive once again. Selecting ingredients, cooking, photographing, tasting, and finally writing the recipes and reflections — by photographing dishes meant to be eaten, the author reveals a truth that only real cooking can express.

*定番 (Teiban) is a nuanced word in Japanese, which refers to something that is reliable, classic, and repeatedly loved over time. 

Written only in Japanese.

Ai Hosokawa
Born in 1972, Ai Hosokawa began cooking in her 20’s in Italy, where she became fascinated by the simple daily meals backed by the history and ingredients of the land. Now based in Kumamoto, Japan, Hosokawa regularly holds cooking classes and parties both inside and outside of Japan, with her world travels greatly influencing her style and tastes.

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定番

料理はある意味、果てしない。
食べれば目の前から消えてしまうのに、人の記憶の中で生き続ける。

料理家・細川亜衣さんが写真、文、レシピ、すべてを手がけた料理本。イタリア料理を起点に、さまざまな国の料理を味わい、自らの料理にアレンジしてきた著者流の和洋中の「定番料理」とは。料理や食材の着眼点、いかに美味しく食すかに真剣に向き合う著者の文章も必読。

日々、自分の中から泉のように溢れ出る料理の数々。素材が水に触れ、火と戯れ、蒸気に埋もれる様。色と香りが重なり合い、皿の中で放たれる一瞬の輝き。
本という束ねた紙の中にそれらを閉じ込め、それを開く人の手の中で、また生き生きとしたものに生まれ変わってくれたら。

そんな思いを込めて作ったのが、“料理集”だ。
素材を選び、料理をし、写真を撮り、自ら食べ、改めてレシピと文を綴る。食べるための料理を撮るからこそ、映し出せる真実がそこにはある。