Bakamame | Idiotically Huge Edamame Assortment 

2023

Mokuhanga (woodblock printing) and ink on Gampi Paper

 

While traveling in Japan, I was invited to an izakaya with 8 friends, and we ordered several dishes to share. The most comical of all the dishes was a giant platter of edamame, whose menu name implied you were an idiot for ordering this size. Holding up the platter, the edamame covered one's entire face and neck. A slightly smaller “true to scale” silhouette of the platter is visible on Bakamame.

Bakamame is a reminder of that gathering, and a comment on sustainable practices surrounding soy products. Increasingly, soy milk and protein, tofu, edamame, and other products are entering the diets of Americans as we seek alternative healthy and sustainable food options. If you haven’t yet, I encourage you to give edamame a try!