New Residence Kitchen Garden Highlights Healthy Eating

 July 8, Tokyo, Japan -- Susie Roos, wife of Ambassador John V. Roos, today unveiled the Residence Kitchen Garden.  Inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s White House Garden, Ms. Roos and the Ambassador’s Residence staff created the new Residence Kitchen Garden to promote healthy eating.  The first produce from the garden formed the basis for healthy dishes to be served at the 2010 U.S. Embassy Independence Day celebration. Using the Japanese cucumbers, eggplant, tomatoes, blueberries, raspberries, yuzu, and a variety of herbs from the garden, U.S. Embassy Agricultural Trade Office (ATO) Chef Consultant, Ema Koeda, created a special menu for the July 8 event.

“Michelle Obama is leading a healthy eating movement in the U.S.,” said Ms. Roos, “and I wanted to do my part here. The traditional Japanese diet is one of the healthiest in the world, but even in Japan it’s important to make sure young people understand how crucial a healthy diet with lots of fruits and vegetables is.”  Chef Koeda created delicious recipes featuring the fruits and vegetables from the garden along with other American ingredients, such as California olive oil, cherries, Alaskan Cod, romaine lettuce, broccoli, zucchini, pork, American beef, wild rice, avocado for the approximately 1500 Independence Day reception guests.