nondestructive inspection

As my first duty station, Okinawa has had many perks. Living here has given me plenty of new cultural experiences. Perhaps the most unique one has been the change in food.

Yoshoku, or Western dishes, came to Okinawa decades after hitting Japan’s mainland. The adoption of the Western cuisine was accelerated when the island became more exposed to American food after the battle of Okinawa.

Every year when summer rolls around, cold-served pasta appears on menus at many restaurants in Japan. Starting with standard tomato sauce, flavors range from bisque sauce to cod roe sauce and more. Normally, a hot and spicy dish would be my go-to when eating pasta.

If you live on Okinawa, you might have heard about Goya, a local cucumber-like vegetable also known as bitter melon.

As far as cooking is concerned, I am all for cutting corners. But, when I learned that pasta could be cooked in the microwave, I had to take it with a grain of salt.

Being stuck at home doesn’t mean that amazing food is off the menu. More so than ever, now’s the time to start honing those cooking skills so you can whip up enjoyable dishes without having to strain your wallet.