[.uk] The Fine Art of Japanese Food Arrangement (ISBN 4770029306)

A reprint of a classic:
We bought this fabulous volume in hard cover in Osaka in 1986. At a much higher price. Not only are the food arrangements gorgeous but the utensils are major museum pieces. The best of Japanese ceramics, lacquer, bamboo, beautifully photographed. (We are neither Japanese nor potters--just people who find beauty an important renewal in our troublesome.)

Stunning!:
I saw this in a bookstore and it was so beautiful I just HAD to have it! The title explains the book perfectly. It has interesting historical information and many large, impressive photos of food which is stunningly arranged. This is not so much a cookbook (there are no actual recipes but foods and methods of preperation are listed) This is a fabulous coffee table/art book. Even for people who can't afford the antique museum quality ceramics and laquerware pictured, there are great ideas for methods of arranging foods that are sure to make any meal look more beautiful. There is also information about seasonal foods, the color of foods, the importance of giving flavos and shapes contrast. I have found these things to make a huge difference in the success of a meal. This is a great book for anyone who is a big fan of Japanese food. The book gave me a lot of great ideas and I now find it much easier to plan and arrange a meal, be it French food, American food, or Asian food.

for lover's of japanese pottery:
As a person who loves to prepare japanese food items, I was overjoyed to see so many photographs of beautiful examples of japanese ceramics. Of course I expected the food arrangement to be explained but above and beyond this are color photos of various types of serving ware. In addition to food preparation I find the presentation aspect of eating to be a bonus that only heightens the experience.