Alex Szwalek

My guest Melanie yesterday said “it tastes like a summer morning after rain”. It’s fresh, it’s warm, smells like herb garden. And it’s moist too. Spinach uszka filled with hand-shelled ton of peas and baby fava. Lots of fresh majoram, a big bunch of dill too. Just a bit of garlic, generous black pepper in the filling and on the dumplin when you serve. Fennel butter works insane. (But terragon just always beats it all). I warm up butter aside and pour it over warm dumplings rather than cook them in it. When making dough- boiling water always, generous splash of oil. Let it rest, keep it slightly sticky, add flour while rolling out. I never use eggs, but I do use soft flour. Babcia works on her dough for 15 minutes- I let my rest and work on it less. Boil just so they swim up +3 minutes.

FIRST KAMASU THIS SEASON!

The time I found a tiny crab in my Hamaguri 🐚🦪🐚🦪🐚🦪

Ryuta Fukumura at HAKUJITSU

Naho Kamada at HIN ARTS&SCIENCE

I am overjoyed and so proud to finally share this personal record of delights and nuances from the new, long-awaited exhibition “Seven Rooms” by Aesop. The installation of seven rooms - a scenography of seven so-called “living spaces”- is inspired by the domestic interiors in Good Morning (1959) by Yasujirō Ozu. Each room reinterprets traditional Japanese codes in new, unexpected ways. Packaging became a building material and antique furniture became a context for modern solutions. I loved how the space for play was allowed and created- a play between vintage objects we could find in warehouses and shops and signature, statement design pieces, while still allowing things kept (and many times saved) enter the dialogue. An old mold made into a book stand or a gigantic piece of plaster- a fragment of an old wall, made into a key art work in Living Room. Exploration of these possibilities left me forever grateful and excited! It brought so much aliveness to this whole piece of work! The Bathroom made of soap bricks, The Cabinet of Curiosities with the same kind of herbarium my mum made when I was a child and a shōgi chess set that becomes a game of fragrance; The Living Room- a space of gathering and teatime- exchange and pause. The Solarium with Noguchi’s gigantic sun in the middle- my favourite space of leisure, filled with old magazines and all things that mean pleasure;The Kitchen, which feels like an intimate herbal laboratory with parsley tinctures. And nothing but accidential- The Corridor, an integral part of the installation, a passage worth a pause. Each of these spaces becomes an encounter with everyday routines and actions. I love how each time I work with the Aesop team, I witness the ways the brand observes, interprets and focuses on ever-presence. Each time it becomes an enriching experience, nourishing me inside and out. Thank you @aesop and whole team of @aesop family, for once again bringing me into a space of wonder. This work left me truly inspired and forever in awe of the possibilities of materials. “The Seven Rooms” installation at SKWAT / Twelve Books Center until March 1st! #PR #Aesop #aesopfragrance #aesopskincare #sevenrooms @aesop

I am so happy to finally share this! Farah @farahkrm wrote a piece on my work for the issue 62 of @milkdecoration_magazine !! Stefania @steynesthesia shot this story back in December during her visit in @moritosha in Zentokuji-ji temple- my second home here in Japan. I’ve spent such a big part of my year in Moritosha’s kitchen and being able to spend holidays with the community so special to my heart- has been such a gift. And what a gift it was to also have my great friend there with me just before Christmas, capturing me, doing my thing. I cherish you Stefania and I love the way you see me. Thank you Laurine @laurine.abrieu for having our story published, Farah @farahkrm for the interview and the piece you wrote. Thank you @milkdecoration_magazine 💛 Thank you dear @hayashiguchi.sari and @izumakimaki and dear @moritosha staff for continuous support! Issue 62 now on stands! Go and get your copy xx

The warmest day this year, the dreamiest Monday spent in @hljod_tokyo amongs Takuma’s vibrant plants and art pieces. Gentle wind carried the frangnance of the long cooked broths and saffron stew I’ve been making. Earthy feeling of earth fired ceramics by @tuchinoco_doki inspired me to the core of my spine and the warmth of dear friends that make this space so unique filled me with so much excitement and energy for what’s to come! Takuma, Saiko, Chiaki, Nishiyama-San and Mia. Thank you. Together with @delphineparodi and @hljod_tokyo we are preparing to hold two special dinners in this electrifying space by the end of March. We will be announcing it soon.

Dear Saiko in the kitchen and cabbage in two steps 💚 @soooo_kooooooo @hljod_tokyo

The warmest day this year, the dreamiest Monday spent in @hljod_tokyo amongs Takuma’s vibrant plants and art pieces. Gentle wind carried the frangnance of the long cooked broths and saffron stew I’ve been making. Earthy feeling of earth fired ceramics by @tuchinoco_doki inspired me to the core of my spine and the warmth of dear friends that make this space so unique filled me with so much excitement and energy for what’s to come! Takuma, Saiko, Chiaki, Nishiyama-San and Mia. Thank you. Together with @delphineparodi and @hljod_tokyo we are preparing to hold two special dinners in this electrifying space by the end of March. We will be announcing it soon.

Incredible @hiroko_utouto and her new exhibition in Tokyo. You are amazing Hiroko San, congratulations 🤍

Sage beans, sweetest yellow carrots from carrot kingdom @omefarm and yellow potatoes. Perfect for stews and soups, nutty and firm. Seabass stew with mussels, leeks and fennel with a big splash of simple homemade rocket and lettuce pesto. Lots of Kampot @millpepper and for a terragon fans- handful of it on top. Kabosu citrus works best with fennel. You can make it more soupy than saucy by adding extra broth. Otherwise cube it, freeze it and use for any fish based stew. And suddenly a flu and week at home is not bad at all :)