Rosh Hashanah is coming! Are you in menu planning mode yet, like me? I hope this look back into the Nourish Co. archives sparks some inspiration. It seems that with each passing year, I’m all about simplifying so I can spend more of my effort and energy on being present with my loved ones during this very special time of year. L’Shana Tova!

On Rosh Hashanah, we celebrate God’s creation of the world, and we eat sweet foods to symbolize hopes for a sweet New Year. In our home, I like to honor my husbands Ashkenazi Jewish food traditions as well as my own Japanese American food traditions. Sometimes that means creating something entirely new like this baked apple and miso honey sundae!

Every good cook has their secret resources. Mine is The Japanese Pantry, who source ingredients made by Japanese food artisan families who have been making these products for generations. I enjoyed coming up with two simple recipes using the Pure Rice Vinegar from Io Jozo, a 123-year-old vinegar company. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed developing (and eating) them!

Last night, I had the honor of being one of the speakers at a very special Tu B’Shvat seder dinner at Urban Adamah, a Jewish urban farm in Berkeley. I had the task of speaking about barley, one of the seven sacred Biblical species. As I dove into researching this humble grain, I learned that it has many lessons to teach us.

Last month, I was lucky enough to be part of a panel and marketplace called “Navigating Our Hxistories: An Evening of Multi-Disiplinary Storytelling” in San Francisco’s Presidio. We wanted to create a space for people just like us, where for one of the first times, we could celebrate together and start to establish a sense of pride for who we are and how far we’ve come, thanks to the tireless work of all who came before us…

When I was growing up, my Mom would always remind me that “objects have feelings, too, so we must treat them with great care.” As I’ve gotten older and built my own home, I am finally beginning to understand what she meant. Even the smallest, inanimate objects in our home contain special energy and that’s why a family heirloom passed down through the generations can be such a powerful and treasured object. That’s why I am beyond excited to share with you a collection of my favorite objects!

The Culture Luminaries series is back this week with Allie Barnes (@alliesbest)! I loved chatting with Allie about her YouTube channel, her ritual objects, and she even brought on a special little guest, too!

Diana is an independent historian, writer, and the creator of @tessakuproject a preservation project and printed journal series dedicated to sharing oral histories from Japanese American elders who lived through the WWII incarceration.

The Culture Luminaries series continues with Vivian and Jenn of East Meets Dress! During her own wedding planning process, co-founder Jenn struggled to find a modern qipao and answers to her questions about her wedding tea ceremony. Two years later, together with her maid of honor Vivian, she launched East Meets Dress to help other brides in a similar position.

To me, ritual objects are family heirlooms. And family heirlooms are not mass produced and sold in big box stores. They are made with materials that withstand the test of time and/or patina over time. Heirlooms are elegantly timeless. I’ve had countless conversations with friends about the absence of objects like these on the market today. And when I couldn’t find them, I decided to collaborate with my favorite artisans to create my own line.

When I was growing up, my Mom would always remind me that “objects have feelings, too, so we must treat them with great care.” As I’ve gotten older and built my own home, I am finally beginning to understand what she meant. Even the smallest, inanimate objects in our home contain special energy and that’s why a family heirloom passed down through the generations can be such a powerful and treasured object. That’s why I am beyond excited to share with you a collection of my favorite objects!

This is a photo of my place of worship. The thought of a gunman opening fire on us while we are at our most vulnerable, in prayer, terrifies me and breaks my heart into a million pieces to even fathom. Here 11 suggestions of actions to take in the coming weeks, so we can hold each other up during this frightening time in our history.

Earth Day is right around the corner! These days, I try to practice the essence of being kind to the Earth every day. I grew up with a long-standing, low-waste mentality; The Japanese concept of mottainai, which roughly translates to “what a waste!” While I do my best to practice mottainai at home, it is admittedly harder to do so while traveling. Through trial and error, I’ve created a guide with mottainai tips and tricks, as well as a few products that help reduce waste while traveling…

While a trip to Montgomery may not be high on your list of places to visit (it wasn't on mine), I found it incredibly healing to visit in our current political climate. It's the heart of where so many of the divisions in our country started, and visiting is an empowering way in which we can begin to take ownership and responsibility for our shared history. 

How do we get to the core of racism and begin to heal? I think it's through confronting and acknowledging our history. Bryan and I recently visited Montgomery, Alabama- the heart of where so many divisions in our country started. I found it surprisingly healing to visit in our current political climate, and I came back a different person. I know Montgomery is not high on most people's travel lists, but I really encourage everyone to visit.