The reader writes:

Tonight my husband and I are enjoying Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki at the Okonomimura, a building with three entire floors devoted to nothing but purveyors of this rib-sticking delicacy. First, the cook lays down a thin crepe on the griddle, followed by layers upon layers of fillings: a huge mound of shredded cabbage, green onion, bean sprouts, and dried seaweed, followed by strips of thick bacon, noodles, and (what else?) a fried egg. After the stack is flipped, the crepe is brushed with a salty-sweet brown sauce. You cut off chunks with a metal spatula and transfer them to your awaiting bowl while the rest of the stack stays on the griddle and caramelizes. Amazing.

!!!!!!!!!!!

I was just watching this week the “Salt” episode of the Samin Nosrat food series on Netflix. That episode is set in Japan, and made me want to hop on a plane to go there.

I missed this one from a reader who sent it last month. Wow! This is like the Platonic ideal of a VFYT, a perfection rarely seen outside of the collected works of James C.:

He writes:

Greetings from Cinque Terre in Italy. My wife and I arrived yesterday for a few nights in these beautiful towns along the Italian Riviera. I was instantly in love. Our first lunch here was intoxicating and I had to share some pictures. First, oysters and prosecco. They were tasty but what really stole the show was the anchovies with lemon, oil, and fennel. They were incredible! Probably the second best thing I’ve eaten in Italy (The first was fettuccine Alfredo at the restaurant which purportedly invented the dish. In all seriousness, the Alfredo was so delicious it made me cry.) Next, sea bass ravioli with mussels and shrimp and a delightful glass of the local white wine. All accompanied by a cool Mediterranean sea breeze. I cannot imagine a better way to be celebrating ten years of marriage with my wife.