Currently I live in a small town in France and unfortunately a decent Japanese restuarant is hard to find. But there was a simple solution to this problem for me: learn how to cook Japanese food at home. So with the power of the internet I searched for the recipes of my favourite Japanese dishes. And yet, something was strange about the ingredients I saw. Worcestershire sauce? Chicken broth? I know my way around a Japanese kitchen enough to know these ingredients weren't adding up to the taste that I wanted. 

 So I decided a different approach. With my Japanese dictionary app open, I started to look up Japanese recipes in Japanese instead of in English. And this made a world of a difference. Suddenly the recipes included cooking sake, mirin, and dashi stock, and I was learning the Japanese words for these ingredients and measurements.

 I know very well that there must be authentic recipes for different cuisines written in English, but I realised that the chances of finding a delicious and authentic-tasting recipe for Japanese food improve a lot if I look for it in Japanese. I can only imagine it would be the same for other cuisines.
 
It's a wonderful example of hitting two birds with one stone. Craving some Italian pasta? Try looking up a pasta recipe in Italian and learn some Italian words at the same time! I can't say it will be quick, or that it will be easy. But I can say for certain that there is a special feeling of satisfaction when you find the perfect recipe to recreate a special dish that you have missed eating for months or even years!

Vocabulary - 単語

decent - ちゃんとした、まともな

• Please wear some decent clothes to the wedding.

with the power of (the internet) - （インターネット）の力で

• We can do anything with the power of friendship!

Worcestershire sauce - ウスターソース・ウスターシャーソース

broth - ブロス、（煮・だし）汁

• The soup tastes different when you add beef broth instead of chicken broth.

know my way around~ - ～（やり方を）知ている

• I know my way around this town.
• I know my way around a boat.

a world of a difference - 大きな違う、世界は変わる

• It makes a world of a difference to know how to cook.
• There is a world of a difference between what she says and what she does.

 measurements - 寸法、計量

• Please let me take your shirt measurement
• Can you check the sugar measurement？

satisfaction・satisfied - 満足

• The student was satisfied with his test marks.
• The bird sat in it's new nest with an air of satisfaction.