NEWS

Hello everyone!

Today we will start to introduce you to Japanese food and culture.

There is a reason for all food, and I think you will enjoy it more when you know about it!


Today we will start with miso.

Miso 
Miso, made by fermenting soybean with koji and salt, is an indispensable seasoning for miso soup.

There are three types of miso depending on the type of koji used for fermentation: rice miso, soybean miso and barley miso. Soya beans are used in all types of miso.

Miso 
Rice miso Heated soybeans + rice koji + salt 

Mame miso Steamed soybeans (mame-dama) + seed koji + salt 

Mugi miso Heated soybeans + barley koji + salt 

There are different types of miso in different parts of Japan.

Other fermented seasonings 

Vinegar
Vinegar includes rice vinegar, which is mainly made from rice, grain vinegar, which is made from wheat and other grains, and fruit vinegar, which is made from apples and other fruits.

Mirin 
Mirin is made from glutinous rice, rice malt and yakishichu, a liquor. In addition to adding a sweet flavour, mirin is also used to add richness and umami, to prevent cooking and to add lustre.

Making the most of the season - Japan's four seasons 
Throughout the year, there are certain times of the year when ingredients are most commonly harvested and when they are most delicious. With the current development of food distribution, some foods are available all year round, such as those grown in plastic greenhouses or imported from abroad, irrespective of their season. However, seasonal food is more nutritious, tastes better and is available in abundance during the season, making it less expensive. Food that is a little earlier than its season is called “run” and food that is a little too late in the season is called “nagori”. Japanese cuisine has always placed importance on these seasons and has devised dishes to suit each.

Autumn is also known as the “harvest season”, when grains such as rice and fruits are in abundance. The rich harvest of food is used to sustain the winter before the weather turns cold and snow often closes in. The four seasons in Japan are a yearly cycle, with the first buds sprouting in spring when the weather warms up, growing rapidly in summer and bearing fruit in autumn.

Spring: bamboo shoots, butterbur sprouts, rape blossoms, scallions, summer: corn, cucumbers, watermelon, ayu, autumn: saury, chestnuts, persimmons, matsutake mushrooms, winter: mandarin oranges, yellowtail, radish, Chinese cabbage 

Expressing the seasons 
Japanese people have devised ways to add seasonal colour to their dining table, for example by recognising the four seasons in the dishes they serve and decorating their tables with seasonal flowers when entertaining guests. They have also made efforts to decorate their dining tables with seasonal flowers. Enjoying the changing seasons in this way is another major characteristic of Japanese food.

Somen 
Vegetables from abroad 
Most vegetables come from abroad 
Many of the vegetables you see in shops today, such as burdocks, potatoes and carrots, are often thought to have been around in Japan for a long time. In fact, however, most of them were introduced from overseas, and were cultivated and established by improving them to suit the nature of each region.

Burdock 
Although often used in Japanese cuisine, burdock is actually said to have originated in Siberia and northern Europe, where it is now cultivated in Japan for food.


Potatoes 
Introduced in the early Edo period (1603-1867), they were used as food in times of famine, but from the Meiji period (1868-1912) onwards, when western cuisine was introduced, they became known for their delicious taste and were used to make meat and potatoes and croquettes.

Carrots 
Carrots were introduced before the Edo period and were widely used in boiled and dressed dishes. Today's sanzun carrots, for example, were introduced after the Meiji era.

Tomatoes 
Introduced during the Edo period (1603-1867), but at that time were for ornamental use. It became edible after the Meiji era (1868-1912) and was used as a seasoning for chicken rice and omelette rice when ketchup and other products were produced.

Chinese cabbage 
The tuberous Chinese cabbage (today's Chinese cabbage), with overlapping leaves, was introduced from China after the Meiji era. It came to be used for home pickles and nabe dishes in the Showa period.

Onions 
were introduced during the Edo period (1603-1867), but did not spread widely due to their distinctive flavour, and did not really become widespread until the Meiji period (1868-1912).

Milk and dairy products 
Aristocrats in the Heian period used it, but it did not develop until the late Edo period. They began to be used again from the Meiji era onwards, and are now used in Japanese restaurants for steamed tea bowls, or combined with Japanese ingredients in matcha ice-cream, for example, in a skilful way.


What did you think?

We hope you enjoyed some Japanese food today!

See you again next time.

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