Mini-Course
The Japanese-Italian Fusion Kitchen.
Five days. Five techniques. Everything you need to cook confidently at the intersection of Japanese and Italian cooking — dashi, miso, the umami pairing system, and five foundational fusion recipes.
Five days. One complete foundation.
Day 1
Dashi — The Invisible Foundation
Make ichiban dashi from scratch. Understand why kombu and katsuobushi together produce more umami than any other combination. Apply it to miso soup and as the base for Day 2.
Day 2
Miso — Where Fermented Depth Meets Italian Technique
Dissolve miso into pasta water. Make miso butter. Understand why white miso and Parmigiano are structurally equivalent and when to use each.
Day 3
The Umami Pairing System
Work through the Flavor Pairing Matrix. Learn the 24 Italian-Japanese swaps and why the synergy pairs (glutamate + inosinate) multiply umami 6-8x. Cook Ramen alla Carbonara.
Day 4
Mirin, Sake, and the Japanese Approach to Sweetness
Cook teriyaki from scratch. Understand why mirin is not the same as sugar and what fermented sweetness adds to a dish that refined sugar doesn't.
Day 5
Build Your Own Fusion Dish
Using the framework: identify the structure of an Italian or Japanese dish you love, find the equivalent components in the other tradition, and make it. The five-day course culminates in a dish you invented.
What's included.
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5 detailed technique guides — PDF format, printable
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5 full recipes (including the Ramen alla Carbonara foundation recipe)
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The Flavor Pairing Matrix — the full 24-pair chart
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The Umami Cheat Sheet (one-page quick reference)
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Shopping list: the 12 ingredients you need for all 5 days
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Lifetime access — revisit any lesson any time
Price
$37
One-time. Lifetime access. Instant download.
Get the course →Book buyers: code TMTBOOK saves $10
Not sure? Start with the 19 free recipes — they use all the same techniques. If you want to understand the why behind the recipes, the course is the next step.
Questions.
Do I need cooking experience?
No. The course assumes you can boil water and use a knife — nothing more. Every technique is explained from first principles. The course is designed for Italian home cooks who are new to Japanese ingredients, and vice versa.
What ingredients do I need?
The core ingredients for all 5 days cost about $40–60 at an Asian grocery store or Amazon: kombu, katsuobushi, white miso, mirin, sake, soy sauce, sesame oil. You likely already have the Italian pantry items.
Is this a video course?
No — this is a PDF-based learning experience. Detailed written technique guides with step-by-step instructions, diagrams where needed, and recipes. Works on any device, printable.
What if I've already bought the book?
The mini-course goes deeper on technique than the book does. The book is recipes; the course is the system behind the recipes. They complement each other. Buyers of Tokyo Meets Tuscany get $10 off with code TMTBOOK at checkout.
Five days. One foundation.
Everything you need to cook confidently at the intersection.
Free download
Not ready for the course? Start with the free collection.
Nineteen fusion recipes and the Flavor Pairing Matrix — free, no account needed. The same techniques as the course, in recipe form.