Blast from the Past: Celebrating Iconic Zojirushi Co-Branded Products

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Zojirushi America Corporation

At Zojirushi, innovation and design have always been our driving forces, starting with the glass-lined vacuum bottle created in 1918. Over the years, we’ve had the honor of collaborating with renowned designers to create truly unique and iconic products, from rice cookers to stainless mugs. Since the 1970s, these partnerships have not only promoted our brand but also enriched our product offerings. Join us on a nostalgic journey back in time as we revisit some of our most memorable co-branded products!

The 1980s: A Decade of Iconic Collaborations

Mario Bellini’s “Simple & Beautiful” Designs

During the 1980s, we teamed up with the famous Italian designer Mario Bellini to create two iconic products: the Minideca Electric Air Pot® and the Iroiro Takeru Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer. Mario Bellini’s concept was to design products that were both simple and beautiful, familiar yet accessible.

a. Minideca Electric Air Pot® (1984)

The name “Minideca” translates to “mini-big” in Japanese, perfectly capturing the essence of this compact yet powerful product. Debuting in 1984, the Minideca combined easy dispensing with the convenience of electric heating, keeping water warm at all times. Fun fact: it earned a spot in the permanent collection at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, a testament to its innovative design and functionality.

b. Iroiro Takeru Micom Rice Cooker & Warmer (1985)

Released in 1985, the Iroiro Takeru was the first-ever multi-menu Micom Rice Cooker invented by Zojirushi, featuring settings for white rice, brown rice, porridge, mixed rice, and sweet rice. Mario Bellini’s futuristic design made it a visually stunning addition to any kitchen, a quality that remains attractive even today.

Tuff Boy POZZA by Giorgetto Giugiaro (1987)

In 1987, we collaborated with the renowned designer Giorgetto Giugiaro to create the Tuff Boy POZZA, our first stainless steel vacuum insulated bottle. This collaboration marked the beginning of our designer stainless steel mug and bottle product line. At a time when car ownership was a big deal in Japan, Giugiaro crafted a bottle that looked perfect on the go. The Tuff Boy POZZA was sleek, durable, and ready for any adventure.

Continuing the Legacy: Modern Collaborations

Our legacy of collaboration extends beyond the 1980s. We continued to work with visionary designers to bring fresh, innovative designs to our product lineup. Take a look at our most recent collaborations!

Glass Vacuum Carafe AH-EAE10 by David Tonge (2019)

In 2019, we worked with British designer David Tonge to create the Glass Vacuum Carafe AH-EAE10. Tonge’s design had a strong visual impact, blending elegance with practicality. The carafe’s unique design not only made it a beautiful piece to display but also ensured the best functionality, keeping beverages hot or cold for extended periods. This addition was a testament to our commitment to designer electronics.

Hana+Kana Collection by Nishioka Pencil (2020)

In 2020, we introduced our Stainless Mug SM-TAE48SA Hana+Kana Collection, featuring modern and sophisticated patterns designed by Nishioka Pencil. These designs were inspired by traditional Japanese “hana” (flower) prints and “kana” characters, merging cultural heritage with contemporary aesthetics, offering both beauty and functionality for any setting.

A Legacy of Design and Innovation

From our early collaborations with designers like Mario Bellini to our modern-day innovations, Zojirushi has continuously transformed kitchen counters into hubs of culinary creativity. Have you ever come across one of our vintage models? Share a favorite dish you loved making with one of our iconic appliances? Share your nostalgic memories and recipes with us on Facebook or Instagram. Let’s keep the spirit of innovation alive! #Zojirushi #ZoFan

Behind the Scenes: Crafting the Perfect Rice Cooker Cooking Course at Zojirushi

Posted on July 14, 2024 by Zojirushi America Corporation

At Zojirushi, we’re constantly pushing the boundaries of what our rice cookers can achieve, just as our customers are. We are excited to share the behind-the-scenes process of how we develop new cooking courses for our rice cookers so that we all can enjoy perfect results every time. With the popularity of grains like quinoa on the rise, we took on the challenge of perfecting a cooking course dedicated to it with our beloved Zojirushi Rice Cooker. Let’s explore the process it takes to create a new course – in this case, quinoa!

Creating a Quinoa Course

Picking the Right Grain Brand for Testing

First things first, we need a star player. Not all quinoa is the same, so we carefully select a brand that’s popular in the US, that is easily accessible, and likely to be found in your pantry. This ensures that everyone will enjoy consistent results every time they cook quinoa in a Zojirushi Rice Cooker.

Scooped quinoa and leveling off the cup with the back of a knife with a rice cooker in the background

It’s important to always measure grains with the rice measuring cup included with the rice cooker.

Initial Testing: A Blend of Science and Art

Our journey begins by following the cooking instructions on the quinoa package. Once we are done with that, we then try to replicate these results using the existing courses in our rice cookers. We experiment with different grain-to-water ratios and various cooking settings. It’s almost like being a mad scientist in the kitchen!

Adding quinoa to the rice cooker pan on the digital scale

Exact measures are important. We measure the grains and water by weight when testing.

Crafting the Ideal Course

Here’s where real creativity begins. We tweak cooking times, adjust temperatures, and perfect water amounts to create a course just for quinoa. It’s a meticulous process because we want every batch – whether it’s 0.5 cups or 5.5 cups – to be cooked evenly. We strive for the perfect texture, ensuring there are no burns, hard spots, or overly soft areas.

Preventing Rice Cooker Overflow and Burns: Our Safety Net

We rigorously test to prevent overflow or burning, even under unexpected conditions. By increasing the voltage or adding extra water, we push our rice cookers to their limits to make sure they perform perfectly every time.

On the left there are some brown spots on a failed batch. The right has an even color on the bottom and no browning.

Testing with Other Brands: Consistency is Key

Once we’ve perfected the process with one brand, we extend testing to various quinoa brands to ensure great results no matter what brand you pick up from the store. Consistency is crucial for us at Zojirushi, and we know it matters to you, too.

Launching the Product: Ready for Your Kitchen

After countless hours of testing and perfecting, we’re ready to launch our rice cookers on the market with the new quinoa course! Our dedication to perfecting each course reflects our strong commitment to excellence. Steps 3 and 4 in our process ensure that when you cook grains in your Zojirushi Rice Cooker, you get the best possible results every time.

While you can certainly experiment with cooking various grains, we recommend sticking to the courses we’ve meticulously developed for best performance and delicious outcomes.

Cook with Confidence

Cooking quinoa and other grains in a rice cooker might sound simple, but achieving consistent results requires precision. Our reliable rice cooker instructions guide you through, ensuring no grain is left uncooked or burnt. With the rising interest in grain varieties, from quinoa to steel-cut oats, we’re excited to continue innovating and expanding our course offerings. Be sure to check out our “Know Your Rice…and the right way to cook it!” page to find out the exact cooking instructions for different rice and grains in your rice cooker. If you run into any issues with your rice cooker, feel free to reach out to our friendly and knowledgeable Customer Service Department. We’re always here to help you achieve perfect results every time.

What’s your favorite course to use on your Zojirushi rice cooker? We’d love to hear your stories! Share your experiences with us on social media by tagging us on Instagram and Facebook. #Zojirushi #ZoFan

The Thrill of the Grill

Posted on July 4, 2024 by Bert Tanimoto

Grilling season has started and we’re ready to rock and roll at our house. Mind you, I have a Weber® that I break out once in a while, but I’m not great at it. I often miscalculate the amount of charcoal I’m supposed to use and that leads to undercooking or overcooking the meat. But thankfully, and this isn’t a shameless plug or anything, grilling indoors on an electric grill has benefits. I still get the charbroiled marks, I’m not fighting the wind and it’s safe for amateurs like me.

For these grilled vegetables, I coated them with a little olive oil and salt in a bowl before tossing them on the grill. Then like an assembly line I moved them over to a serving platter as they got done.

Of course since I’m not a vegetarian, I’m not against adding a nice steak to this cook-in.

For steak aficionados, it might be a sin to pre-cut a beautiful piece of sirloin into slices like this, but we do this sometimes if we have a side dish like these grilled veggies that are just as beautiful as the steak. Seriously though, since I like my steak with rice, it’s easier for me to eat this Japanese style—with chopsticks. Here’s a tip—when eating with rice, try dipping in soy sauce and wasabi, as if you’re eating sushi. Trust me, you’re gonna love it.

It was so much fun using the grill to cook those vegetables, you have a lot of leftovers and no more steak to eat it with. What do you do? Make a grilled veggie pasta salad of course. This is the kind of salad that holds up well in the refrigerator and probably tastes better on the second day anyway, as the dressing soaks into the pasta. I brought mine for lunch the next day and had it at room temperature—my favorite way to eat a pasta salad.

Did you do grilled pineapples like I did? If you did, you can cut them into small chunks and marinate them in rum for about 30min. Then all you do is use them as a topping with vanilla ice cream and you get the most delicious dessert. Get some Häagen-Dazs® and this really starts to taste like their rum raisin ice cream. Hey, I won’t judge you if you decided to drizzle more rum on top either (hic!).

Last month I tested some Zojirushi recipes. I’m going to try doing this from time to time so you guys can get an idea of how they actually come out. I’ve never baked their Baguette recipe in my bread machine, so I tried it. Even though you need to bake it in your own oven to get the shape you want, it still helps to let the machine do the dough. Follow the recipe to do these steps:

Once I got the bread baked, I wanted to make a Pan Bagnat, a French sandwich that is a specialty of Nice, France. Yay! I’ve been there (a long time ago) but I didn’t have this at the time. If you’ve ever had a niçoise salad before, this is kind of like that salad in between two slices of a baguette. Personally, I love tuna so this kind of sandwich was made for me. Here are the basic ingredients.

The dressing is just a basic vinaigrette that’s brushed on the bread. You can leave out the anchovies if you don’t like them, or add for more punch.

After I assembled it I decided to smash it down with a cast iron pan just to get it more easy to manage. This is the type of sandwich that gets better with allowing it to sit for a while to let the dressing soak through the ingredients. The baguette remains crispy on the outside so it doesn’t get soggy as long as you eat it in a reasonable amount of time.

As a matter of fact, my Pan Bagnat made a perfect lunch box. Try this—it’s not hard at all, but remember, it all starts with the bread!

Products used in this post:Home Bakery Maestro® Breadmaker BB-SSC10, Indoor Electric Grill EB-DLC10

Please note that these recipes were not tested by Zojirushi America.
All images by Bert Tanimoto ©2024

Blast from the Past: Zojirushi’s Most Iconic Tabletop Cooking Appliances!

Posted on June 23, 2024 by Zojirushi America Corporation

Step back in time with us to the mid-1970s, when family diner-style restaurants were gaining popularity, and more women were entering the workforce. It was a transformative period – home-cooked meals evolved from mere nourishment to cherished family gatherings. Dishes like yakiniku and nabe, meant to be enjoyed together, emphasize the joy of shared meals. Yet, traditional tabletop cooking was anything but convenient.

Enter Zojirushi. Through trial and error, we addressed key concerns like, “Is it handy?” “Are the temperature controls suitable?” and “Is it easy to clean up afterward?” This led us to develop a range of products to simplify tabletop cooking.

In 1974, we introduced the Yakiyaki (AG Model) Electric Griddle, and not long after, the Tabegoro (CN Model) Electric Hot Pot and the Age–age (CT Model) Electric Fryer followed in 1978. These appliances revolutionized home cooking, making it easy to grill, boil, and fry, while fostering stronger family bonds over delicious meals.

Join us on a nostalgic journey back to when Zojirushi first made the dining table the heart of the home!

Zojirushi’s First Electric Griddle

Teppanyaki, originating post-war from food cooked on scrap iron plates sold at black market food stalls, inspired our first electric griddle. We made it easy to enjoy teppanyaki at home and created our first iteration, the Electric Hot Plate in 1974. Embraced by many households, it became a predecessor to the heating technologies used in our products over the years.

Today, our innovative spirit continues with advanced models like the Gourmet Sizzler® Electric Griddle EA-DCC10 and the Electric Skillet EA-BDC10 These models transcend traditional cooking with variable temperature settings ranging from a gentle keep warm at 176°F to a searing 400°F. They are designed with a titanium and ceramic-enhanced triple-layer nonstick coating for exceptional durability and easy cleanup. Each unit comes with a convenient lid that speeds up cooking, enables steaming, and minimizes oil splatter.

Zojirushi’s First Electric Skillet

In pre-modern Japanese homes, there was often a hearth called “irori” that was used for cooking, lighting, and heating. From there, hotpot cuisine developed from the custom of eating the food that was boiled in the iroris.

Hotpot dishes, in which ingredients are served in a pot without tableware, later evolved to use stoves. With that in mind, we launched the electric Guri-Nabe in 1981. This eventually evolved into the Zojirushi skilletwe have today, expanding our product line.

Now, our product lineup includes the Gourmet d’Expert® Electric Skillet EP-PBC10, the Gourmet d’Expert® Electric Skillet EP-RAC50, and the Gourmet d’Expert® Electric Skillet for Yin Yang Hot Pot EP-PFC20. These versatile skillets facilitate a range of cooking techniques from grilling to slow cooking, equipped with adjustable temperature settings that ensure perfect heat for any dish. The EP-PBC10 features a deep-dish design ideal for soups and stews alongside a durable, easy-to-clean nonstick surface The larger EP-RAC50 includes two cooking pans: one deep and one flat, suitable for various culinary needs from sukiyaki to pancakes, with the additional steaming capabilities for healthier cooking options. The EP-PFC20 features a divided deep pan ideal for families that like to enjoy different hotpots at the same time.

Zojirushi’s First Fish Roaster

As an island nation, fish holds a special place in Japan. In addition to the popular dishes like sashimi, Japanese often grilled fish on the irori as well. In Japan, gas stoves often feature fish grills as it is an important part of Japanese cuisine. In 1991, Zojirushi introduced an electric fish griller, allowing households without a built-in grill to enjoy delicious grilled fish at home.

Today, our Fish Roaster EF-VPC40 continues this tradition, offering advanced features that significantly reduce odors and smoke., This makes indoor grilling a more enjoyable and feasible for every home cook. This model is designed to accommodate various types of fish, ensuring even cooking and superb flavor preservation with its powerful top and bottom heating elements. The built-in catalytic filter effectively minimizes odors, allowing you to grill indoors without the lingering smells often associated with fish cooking. The simple and intuitive controls also make it easy to achieve perfect results every time, ensuring that each meal is not just nourishing but also a delightful culinary experience.

Zojirushi’s First Indoor Grill

Another form of popular cooking in Japan is the “shichirin” (directly translated as “Seven Rings”), which is a small charcoal grill. In 1985, we introduced a table grill to enable easy at-home grilling of yakiniku and vegetables, inspired by the popular Shichirin style. Our commitment to indoor grilling has evolved into the Indoor Electric Grill EB-CC15 and the Indoor Electric Grill EB-DLC10, which offer enhanced safety measures and consistent heating.

The EB-CC15 features a large grill designed to direct oils away from food, promoting healthier cooking. With its variable heat setting, you can easily control cooking temperatures with precision. The even larger EB-DLC10 elevates versatility is high-powered at 1,500-watts, making it ideal for grilling everything from steaks to seafood, even vegetables. Both models boast titanium and ceramic-enhanced dual-layer nonstick coating for superior nonstick performance and easy cleanup. Additional safety features include a cool-touch handle and body guard, as well as a safety interlock system that prevents the heating element from operating unless the grill is correctly installed, ensuring a safe grilling experience.

From our very first hot pot to the multifunctional electric griddle, Zojirushi has led the charge in transforming kitchen counters into hubs of culinary creativity. Do you remember when you first used one of these iconic appliances? Have a favorite dish you loved making with them? Share your nostalgic memories and recipes with us on social media by tagging us on Instagram and Facebook. Let’s keep the spirit of innovation and togetherness alive! #Zojirushi #ZoFan

Ready to explore the full range of Zojirushi’s electric products? Visit our electric products page to discover our full lineup.

Testing Zojirushi Recipes

Posted on June 4, 2024 by Bert Tanimoto

Have you ever tried any of the recipes on the Zojirushi site? This month I tried making as many of them as I could because I thought you readers might be interested! So in honor of Father’s Day (June 16th), International Sushi Day (June 18th) and Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month, I made Diced Steak, Sausage Rolls, Chakin Sushi, and Green Vegetable Sushi from the Zojirushi recipe page. Fun! Let’s see how they turned out.

I changed up the Diced Steak a little bit to make it easier for me. The version you see above was pre-seared on my griddle to get it nice and browned before getting ready to sauté. The heat on the griddle is not as high as on my skillet, so if you have a skillet I would recommend using it instead. It took a little too long to achieve the fast sear I was looking for.

The Zojirushi recipe this was based on, the Diced Steak with Japanese Grilling Sauce, is more about making a sauce for dipping so it’s less important to have the meat be rare. My Diced Steak was further cooked with a butter and fresh garlic mix after searing, so I really only wanted it browned. This looks good, right?

I mean, this is pretty simple stuff and great for Father’s Day. Of course, I’m going to have mine with rice.

Next up for Father’s Day I tried the Smoky Sausage Roll from Zojirushi. After using the Pizza Dough course on my breadmaker as instructed, I divided the dough into 6 pieces and rolled them out into long pieces, roughly twice the length of my hot dogs.

Then I rolled them up! Make sure you give the dough plenty of time to rise before starting the baking—that part only takes about 12 minutes, so most of the time is spent waiting for the dough to rise properly. If you’ve done that, your hot dog rolls should bake perfectly.

See that? Take them out as soon as you see it brown. The hot dogs get roasted at the same time. I mean, these guys look beautiful!

This recipe is very easy and doesn’t really take much effort because the breadmaker does the hard part of preparing the dough. The only tricky part is working with the dough because it’s stretchy and you have to get used to shaping it. Mine don’t look so great, but once you wrap it around the hot dogs it doesn’t really seem to matter because they still bake nicely.

Serve with whatever condiments you like.

As you probably already know, there are several sushi recipes on the Zojirushi site that I could have tried making, but I chose their Chakin-Sushi because it looked challenging. He-heh; I was right. The ingredients are simple enough, and most of it we had around the house anyway. I only had to go out to get the imitation crab. This recipe uses a lot of eggs (9 of them) so be forewarned. And the other thing is to find the longest green onions as you can. It’ll make it easier for you to tie your chakin sushi egg pouch.

The other thing is to make the egg crepe as thin as possible if you can. I think mine came out too thick, so practice and try to do better than I did.

Once you get the hang of it you’ll be fine. Don’t overstuff them, but if you follow the recipe you’ll have the correct amount of rice mixture for each one anyway. And like I said—thin egg crepes allow you to make the pouches easier, and a longer green onion stalk gives you more to tie it with. BTW, the flavoring was excellent with this recipe, and it still came out looking halfway decent!

My last Zojirushi recipe was the Green Vegetable Sushi to celebrate not only International Sushi Day, but also Fresh Fruit and Vegetables Month. This recipe seems so simple (and it is) but it brings out the true flavor of sushi rice and its sweet vinegary aroma. If you’re a fan I would recommend it because it packs a lot of flavor and it’s so light and refreshing. Wait a second..nuts and raisins!? Trust me, it all works out in the end.

Make your sushi rice in an unfinished wooden salad bowl, or if you have a Japanese hangiri like this one, use it to absorb the moisture of the rice and retain the heat so that it doesn’t get watery when you toss it with the rice vinegar dressing. Toss the rice with your paddle, chopping it vertically and turning it over in sections rather than stirring.

Since I’m more of a meat/fish eater I wasn’t sure I would like this all-veggie recipe but it was really tasty and satisfying. I think the minced ginger helps to bring it to life, and I didn’t mind the raisins and chopped nuts at all. It’s kind of more like a salad than sushi. It just looks so healthy, doesn’t it?

How many Zojirushi recipes have you tried? If you haven’t tried any yet, what are you waiting for? The recipes are a great way to introduce you to new ways of using your Zojirushi product, and you learn a lot about different styles of cooking too.

Products used in this post: Home Bakery Maestro® Breadmaker BB-SSC10, Rice Cooker & Warmer NP-HCC10, Gourmet Sizzler® Electric Griddle EA-DCC10

Please note that the Garlic Butter Cube Steak was not tested by Zojirushi America.