I just returned from Japan where I was reminded how seriously they take their food. I lived in Japan for nearly two years, and it was like living inside the “Larousse Gastronomique.” The quality of the ingredients they use is extraordinary. In the same shop as I found this muskmelon there were bunches of grapes for $100 a pop!

One night we went for shabu-shabu (kind of a Japanese beef-and-vegetable hot pot), and out came this wagyu beef that was so beautifully marbled it felt like heresy dunking it in the water, but the flavor mixed with the house-made ponzu sauce was amazing!

Honestly, I could fill pages recounting every food story from my two weeks in Japan, but I'd prefer you go and experience it firsthand. You may never come back!