Olive Pictorial Originally published on 2022-06-12
The following article is from Mordor Aimei, written by Aimei
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In the hot summer, it is undoubtedly the home of plums. Japanese people have a soft spot for plums, from the indispensable plum wine in izakaya to the plum snacks in convenience stores.
Today, June 12th, the magic capital Shanghai has a light rain and officially entered Mei. Let's take a look at the main production areas of plums in Japan and the various ways to eat them.
A brief history of plum consumption in Japan
Qingmei first appeared in China, and the Book of Shang has a record: If you make a peace soup, you will only salt plum. It can be seen that at that time, salt and plum were regarded as important condiments. 1500 years ago, the Tang envoy brought back to Japan the precious medicine "Ume" with analgesic and antipyretic effects from China.
In the Heian period (984 AD), Tanba Yasunai, Japan's oldest medical work, "Medical Heart Formula", "Food Therapy", recorded that umeboshi can remove heat and relieve chest tightness, limb pain, numbness of hands and feet, and rapid heartbeat. At the same time, it has a certain effect on rough skin and dysentery.
It is recorded that Ome once cured the stubborn illness of Emperor Murakami of Japan, so Ome gradually spread widely in Japan. Umeboshi became a necessity among samurai as an antidote and appetizer, and they carried it with them when they traveled. During the Meiji period, there were two epidemics of dysentery in Japan, and people at that time used plums as a treatment and prevention of dysentery, which was very effective.
After the epidemic event, the Japanese ate plums much more frequently than before, not only as medicine, but also into their daily diet. There is even a Japanese folk saying: plum, which allows people to escape the disaster of the day (梅はその日の難のがれ).
During this period, plum wine brewing also slowly became popular in Japan, at first as a home brew, and later slowly formed an industry. In 1962, the amendment of the Japanese tax law made it possible for breweries at that time to legally brew plum wine and sell it, and familiar plum wine brands such as CHOYA have gradually opened up the market since then.
Where do Japanese plums come from?
01 Wakayama Prefecture
Wakayama Prefecture is Japan's No. 1 plum producer, and "Kishu" is the ancient name of Wakayama. Kishu plum trees are usually planted on slopes, and when the fruits are ripe and fall off on their own, they are picked up and harvested by farmers, so that the harvested plums are thin skin, thick flesh, small kernels, soft and juicy, because the fruits are soft and fragile, most of them are handmade and carefully made one by one, which is one of the reasons why "Kishu Minami Takama" is called Japan's highest quality plum.
Due to the influence of the Kuroshio Current, the southern part of Wakayama has little temperature variation, warmth and humidity, and long hours of sunshine throughout the year, making it ideal for plum cultivation. As a huge plum producing area in Japan, Wakayama Prefecture has a plum cultivation area of 5,620 hectares, mainly distributed in the southern town and Tanabe City, of which the main production area of southern plum is known by the Japanese as "a million at a glance, ten miles of fragrance".
Wakayama harvested 41,300 tons of plums last year, ranking first in Japan's plum production with an overwhelming volume, accounting for 58.1% of Japan's total plum production.
In 2006, Wakayama was recognized as a regional brand of Wakayama Prefecture, and is recognized as a high-end brand in Japanese plums, and plum wine with the inscription "100% use of Kishu Minami Takama" is often seen on the market. A Nangao plum tree can bear about 3,000 fruits, twice as many as ordinary plum trees. Due to the large fruit and rich juice content, the green plums harvested before ripening are mainly used to make plum wine or plum juice.
Waiting for fully ripe plums to fall naturally before harvesting is the secret of Nangaome's delicious taste. The bright yellow color is a sign of the ripening of the southern high plum, and the bright contrast of red and yellow reveals the ripeness of the fruit. Every June, trucks loaded with ripe South Gaome make their way through the streets, and the fruity aroma wafts through the air for a long time.
In addition to Minami Komei, Wakayama Prefecture also grows another kind of plum, the ancient city plum. The fruit of the ancient city plum is stronger than that of Nangaomei, and when used to make plum wine, a lot of plum essence is revealed, so the plum wine made can taste the natural taste of plums, so it is called "green gem" by the Japanese, and it is a green plum that is very suitable for making plum wine.
02 Gunma Prefecture
In the ranking of plum production by region in Japan, Gunma Prefecture harvested 5,190 tons last year, which can rank second, behind Wakayama Prefecture.
Shirakaga plum, which has been cultivated since the Edo period, is the main variety cultivated in Gunma Prefecture. Although more than 300 varieties of plums are grown throughout Japan, each of them has its own characteristics and is usually processed according to its characteristics. For example, Shirakaga plum has the characteristics of large grain shape, firm fruit, thick flesh and less fiber, so the thick flesh is used to make dried plums, and the fruit is strong to make plum wine. Utilizing its own value for a variety of purposes is also an outstanding advantage of Shirakagame.
Due to the continuous sluggish consumption in the plum market in recent years, some new specialty varieties have gradually been introduced to the market, including the "Red Dance" developed and cultivated in Gunma Prefecture. Since it is cross-bred with plums and plums, its flesh will appear red. "Red Dance" is characterized by its large size, thick and firm flesh, just the right amount of acidity, and rich in citric acid and vitamin C. When ripe, the fruit has a beautiful orange and red color, and because of its chewy fruit, it is generally used to process into dried plums.
03 Aomori Prefecture
In 2021, Aomori Prefecture produced 1,440 tons of plums, ranking fourth.
In general, plums are plants that prefer warm climates, but why is Aomori Prefecture, which has a cooler temperature, also a major producer of plums? In fact, the "Bungo" plum grown in Aomori Prefecture is a natural hybrid with the "apricot" that loves cool climates, so its cold tolerance in plums is quite strong.
Aomori Prefecture's "Bungo" plum is famous for its large size, each weighing about 40~60g and 4~5cm in diameter. The fruit is pale yellow-green, with thick flesh, small seeds, and less sour taste when eaten. Therefore, whether it is used to make plum juice, or for dried plums or crispy plums, Bungo is a good choice.
What do plums do they eat for?
In addition to eating plums alone, plum meat, plum juice, plum vinegar, plum wine, plum sauce can all be cooked, many Japanese housewives of the older generation know how to make homemade pickled plums, pay attention to a little will also add perilla leaves rich in anthocyanins to make perme. In addition to adding rice balls, when making steamed fish or coleslaw, you can also chop dried plums to make a sauce to add flavor.
01 Umeboshi
Umeboshi, which has been served to the table of ordinary families since the Edo period, plays a pivotal role in Japanese cuisine, and in Japan there is a saying that "you should drink tea and eat umeboshi every day in summer". The citric acid contained in dried plums has the effect of reducing fatigue and preventing embroids, so in the past, Japanese people put dried plums in rice balls to not only prevent rice from rotting but also to enjoy healthy food.
For soft and plump dried plums, it is ideal to use plums that ripen on the tree from mid-June to late June. Dried plums should be made from the fruits that turn yellow or red and have a special aroma of plums. Varieties such as Nangaome and Baikaga plum with thin and soft skin, many flesh and small kernels are very suitable choices.
If you want to try homemade dried plums, you need to pay special attention to the amount of salt, generally 18~20% of the weight of plums, if the salt is less, the preservation time of dried plums will be greatly reduced. In addition to simple dried white plums that are only salted, you can also add perilla, honey and other ingredients for different flavors.
02 Plum sauce
Sweet and sour and appetizing plum sauce is an indispensable condiment on Japanese tables. Plum sauce is eaten directly on bread in a very simple and pure way. You can also add plum sauce to the seasoning of teriyaki chicken, which has a summer taste. Or pour it over desserts and ice cream to add sweet and sour flavor.
Ripe and softened plums are commonly used to make plum sauce, but in recent years, as the public's taste has changed, grainy jams made with green plums have also been introduced on the market. There are no special requirements for plum varieties, and it is better to use Bungo plum with less sourness. If you make plum paste at home, tell everyone a trick - using pre-frozen plums is not only convenient to remove the pulp, but also makes the plum paste smoother and more delicious.
03 Crispy plums
Crispy plums, which can be bought at convenience stores and supermarkets, are popular snacks for all ages in Japan. Crispy plums, which are characterized by their chewiness, are of course made of green plums with green skin, hard fruits, and unripe plums. The classic of crispy plums is the smaller size of Longgang plum and Koshu plum, in addition, the slightly larger medium-grained warbler can maintain good hardness after processing, so it is also recommended.
In addition, many people wonder why you add eggshells when marinating crispy plums? This is because the "calcium" contained in the eggshell can turn the pectin contained in the pulp of the green plum into calcium gum and prevent the plum from softening, thereby maintaining the crisp taste.
04 Plum juice
Refreshing and sweet plum juice is a sharp tool to relieve summer heat fatigue, frozen green plums and rock sugar overlap alternately, slowly penetrating the essence of plums over time, and the sour and sweet taste are balanced just right. The citric acid contained in plums has the effect of improving energy metabolism, reducing fatigue and increasing appetite, so it is very suitable for drinking in summer.
The plum juice soaked in green plums is refreshing and watery, and the flavor is mellow when used up after ripening plums. It is recommended to make plum juice with large plums with a lot of flesh and rich juice.
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Text: Gu Simin
Partial reference: Japan Tourism Organization WeChat public account
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