At home, with the flavour and ferments of Japan
Wholesome Japanese cooking - demystified
If you love eating Japanese food but prefer not to eat, additives and highly refined sugars, learn from me, how to make a wide range of delicious, satisfying, Japanese style dishes.
These are dairy, gluten and refined sugar free and predominantly, plant based.
All made with, additive free Japanese wholefood staples; to provide dense nutrition and optimum digestibility.
Learn to make meals your whole family will enjoy for, breakfast, lunch, dinner, a quick supper, a snack and some, you could offer at festive events and dinner parties.
Make these with, wholesome grains, beans including tofu & tempeh, a wide range of vegetables, small amounts of the highest quality meat, fish and egg recipes too. Learn a range of quick and easily made dressings, sauces, marinades and condiments; to excite palates, create quick pickles, ferments and seaweed dishes, to nourish and delight.
This course is also likely to fulfil your needs, excite and delight, if...
- You would love a better understanding of what wholesome Japanese foods are, where to buy them and how to prepare them, simply, at home.
- You want to expand your cooking skills, understand how to adjust flavour, so all the dishes you present are well balanced
- You have good quality Japanese ingredients you love but you only know one thing to use them in and you would like to expand your repertoire.
I am a wholefood* chef, author and educator, with a special interest in fermentation. I have had a lifelong fascination with Japan, its customs, arts, crafts, people, nature, traditional foods and ferments.
I became enamoured with macrobiotics and the concept of 'food as medicine' engendered by it, when I was just fourteen. When applied to eating, macrobiotics is a means for, understanding the energetic properties of foods and what is appropriate, for your immediate circumstances.
I spent my 23rd year in Tokyo, working, and studying macrobiotics; revelling in all that was unknown to me. After coming to Australia, Willem Venter (1958-1991) and I co-founded Sydney's, Iku Wholefoods Kitchen in 1985. I sold in 1997. We founded Iku, based on our shared love of Japan and macrobiotic principles. We pioneered hand made, organic wholefoods. If you ate there, you will likely recognise some of the dishes within the course. At the start, Iku served small amounts of dairy, fish and eggs and since this is how I continue to eat, the course recipes reflect that. If you prefer to eat as a vegetarian or vegan, all the recipes taught can be adapted to suit.
I have spent all the years since Iku, expanding my knowledge of and refining my use of Japanese wholefood ingredients, always with the aim of making, enticing, nutritious and digestible meals. In this course, I will pass on some of my understanding, so that you may enjoy a little of what these delightful foods can offer, you and your table.
Holly
*Wholefoods, are ingredients that are as close to their origins as possible. Processed only to the point, of greater digestibility and nutrition and ingredients, transformed to greater usefulness by the process of natural fermentation
This live round,
Has 6 x two-hour, interactive online Zoom classes
All live content will be recorded, to watch indefinitely
You can also return to future live rounds, of this course, free of charge!
Four classes in Spring
Sundays
October 8, 15, 22 & 29
10am to 12pm
Australian (AEDST)
One week break
Time to watch the replays, cook and formulate any questions for the next two lives, which will come to you from the Netherlands...
Bonus classes, in Autumn
Sundays
November 12 & 19
8pm to 10pm
Australian AEDST
10am to 12pm
Central European Time (CET)
Develop a relationship with...
Your Japanese Pantry
You will learn about artisanal and more commercially available options.
All are versatile, easy to use and delicious to have on hand
Learn which ingredients to choose
Why to choose one over another and have more than one recipe to use these in
Creating balanced meals
Apply Holly's principles of taste, texture, nourishment, simplicity and beauty; combined to produce, delicious, attractive and nourishing dishes
Balancing flavour
Get familiar with and put five element theory, as it relates to the seasons, flavours, colours and cooking styles to use. Use sour, bitter, sweet, pungent and salty ingredients and the appropriate cooking style, to create delicious well balanced dishes every time. Learn how to adjust flavours to your preference
Wholesome Dishes
Best quality ingredients need the least doing to them.
Learn to make simple, versatile & desirable dishes for breakfast, lunch, snacks and dinner.
Learn how time, water, pressure, salt and heat are used, to transform ingredients, to suit you and the season
You will develop confidence in...
- Choosing the best quality ingredients and knowing you can use them in many ways
- Considering what to cook, based on the needs and wants of those you are feeding
- Making and using stocks, soups, grains, noodles, beans, vegetables, sea vegetables, beef, pork and fish, pickles, ferments and something gently sweet too
- Knowing how, to cook relatively simple meals, to delight and satisfy the needs of your diners
- Making meals, that offer fantastic flavours, textures, nutrition and digestibility
- Using the principles taught, for creating a wide range of balanced dishes
- Altering recipes to account for the season you are in
- Knowing what cooking process to use, for what ingredients
- Making longer term ferments and a range of quick pickles
- Putting a few choice ingredients together, to make fantastic sauces and dressings
Self paced, online learning
Take advantage of all these features...
The core course - recorded and online
3.5hrs+ of high quality video content
Including - Intro to pantry staples, Japanese meals & the five elements of flavour
19 videos, teach 29+ recipes and components
Rewatch whenever you wish & cook along with me
12hrs of classes - in two seasons
All recorded to replay whenever it suits you
Six, two hour cooking classes
4 Sundays 10am-12pm AEDST
+ 2 bonus Sundays
8-10pm AEDST which is 10am-12pm CET
Learn new skills and recipes
You direct your learning, make requests
Have all your questions answered
A supportive private community
No facebook needed
Share your insights and queries with like minded students from across the globe
Learn together, everyone has something valuable to offer.
Your questions expand everyone's learning
Ask anything course related
Invaluable resources include
Your workbook with glossary pdf
Detailed recipes, to accompany the videos + extra recipes pdf
An expanding resources page, for sourcing ingredients and equipment
A linen tea towel, outlining the five elements of flavour & how to create balance - Available to buy
Ferment, a guide to the ancient art of culturing foods
I am thrilled to say that people are using my most recent book Ferment, a guide to the ancient art of culturing foods (Murdoch Books 2017) in the UK, USA, Hungarian, Czech & Korean publications. I have Australian imprint copies for sale in the shop on my website. Translations are available in the relevant countries and online.
Add to your Japanese skillset and learn to make your own Miso and Tofu from scratch
When you buy The Art & Alchemy of Japanese Wholefoods, you will be offered a 25% discount to also buy my two, new on demand mini courses, how to make Tofu & Miso - from scratch.
Pay just $120 for both & save $40 - grab this offer during check out, it appears, as you go to pay
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Comments from this community ...
Sally Mc Shane
Art & Alchemy online, June 2023
Tasmania
I have been lucky enough to enjoy a couple of your classes but this one is next level - everything is so beautiful to look at and a real visual feast!
The care and respect you give every ingredient really demonstrates how to transform often humble ingredients into their delicious and nutritious best. I love that you demonstrate Japanese wholefood cooking with a Holly twist born from long experience.
I live by the sea and am learning to incorporate seaweed into our diets. And wow - a ferment in under 5 minutes!!
Terese Hayward
Online student Art & Alchemy June 2023
It’s great to start understanding more about the ingredients and pantry stores, the course is easy to learn from.
I’ve been following your work for a long time and have bought your books for myself and friends.
I like the production of the videos - they are communicated at the right pace.
Elizabeth Spencer
Art & Alchemy online, June 2023 - Mittagong
I LOVE the classes, and videos, and recipe book, and how easy it is to find everything. All SO beautiful and engaging. Did anyone tell you that you're a great cook.. and teacher? I can watch you for hours. I find the sugar in Japanese food acrid, in restaurants and bought products. One of the things I LOVE about your cooking Holly, is the lack of processed sugars
Pauline O Callaghan
Art & Alchemy online June 2023 - Sydney
I know it's going to take me time to assimilate all of this wonderful information and ideas, but having the videos, recipes and community chat notes is invaluable! You just can't get this from a recipe book. I love that your food is so wholesome and nutritious. And I especially love the respect and appreciation you have for the foods you use.
Sheryl Simpson
Art & Alchemy Online June 2023 - New Zealand
Your classes were mesmerising, artful, thoughtful and calming. Your knowledge and steady voice provided a completely immersive experience, the space you curated with beautiful bowls, vessels, jars and produce was a visual feast.
Thanks for creating and holding that space for us all, where there seemed to be time for everything....including five minute ferments! to watch you tend your nukadoko was like watching a moving meditation.
Brooke Burton
Art & Alchemy online June 2023 - Victoria
The table spread with such delicious food is very inspiring.
I have loved the course Holly. I think your confidence in the kitchen, your well timed humour, the way you move from one thing to another, and answer questions in between has been a really wonderful way to receive.
Thank you so much for trusting us with your knowledge. Invaluable
I look forward to re watching the videos. A very generous way of keeping the community alive
