One of the nice things about living in Japan—and there are many—is a simple, seasonal dish like pīsu gohan (ピースご飯、rice with green peas). I don't think I ever ate a fresh green pea before coming to Japan. In the US, they always seemed to be frozen with carrot cubes; were bland, mushy, and often the neglected vegetable portion of a TV dinner.

Tonight, we are having another seasonal speciality: sora mame (そら豆、broad beans).