Onigiri Bento with New-Harvest Rice

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Rice is the bedrock of Japanese food culture and autumn is special for many Japanese because it is the time when rice can be enjoyed at its very best. This is the season to eat shinmai, or new-harvest rice, which is prized for its superior taste. The taste of shinmai derives from its moisture content, so flavor is lost as rice dries with the passage of time. The best way to enjoy shinmai is with as little added flavor as possible, so onigiri is an excellent way to partake of the year’s harvest. In this class, we’ll show how to cook shinmai, and prepare onigiri and some dishes to accompany them, for a bento that expresses the essence of autumn in Japan.
Time: November 15, 2015 (Sun.) 12:00～16：00
Cost: 3,800 yen (Material and facility usage fee)
What to bring: Apron and something to write with
Deadline: November 13, 2015 (Fri.) 11:00 AM

Location: Yanaka (Taito-ku) at a location convenient to both the Chiyoda Subway Line (6 minutes from Sendagi Station) and the JR Yamanote Line (8 minutes from Nippori Station).
Details will be provided to those who register for the class.

Cancellation Policy:
By the way, if you make a reservation, but later find that you cannot attend, please let us know as early as possible.
＃Please note that payment of the participation fee will still be expected for a cancellation after the deadline and in the case of a simple failure to attend after making a reservation. Bank transfer details will be provided. A person who reserves a class spot, but then fails to attend, without notifying Kitchen Nippon, may be blocked from further participation. We have decided to implement this rule because we purchase materials for each class and late cancellations and no-shows result in wastage and make it difficult to hold the class fee down.

This class will be taught by Chef Machiko Tateno (https://www.facebook.com/machiko.tateno).
Chef Machiko Tateno is an expert in cooking with fermented foods, a menu consultant, and Registered Dietician. After spending seven years as a supervising dietician at a hospital, Chef Tateno attended cooking schools in Japan and Ireland -the latter, the world-renowned Ballymaloe Cookery School- to learn cooking approaches that emphasize the qualities and characteristics of ingredients. Later serving as the Executive Chef of Roppongi Nouen, Chef Tateno now focuses on home-style Japanese cooking with particular attention paid to the use of fermented foods. She develops recipes that are both delicious and easy to prepare, and has written or co-written several books on Japanese cooking.