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My top recommendation for Japanese tinned food is mackerel in brine. the chunks are usually large, cut into thick, round slices.
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Another umeshigoto- seasonal plum work in early summer! This time at home, I made plum wine with plums, rock sugar and brandy. For the plum juice, I used plums, rock sugar and beet sugar. I love watching the maturing process- it’s one of the joys of this yearly tradition.
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Ume Miso: One of the early summer ume shigoto, plum tasks, is making Ume Miso- plum miso. It’s made by layering plums, suger and miso, then left to pickle in the fridge for a few months until ready to enjoy!
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Umeshigoto. Some people in Japan enjoy making plum wine or plum juice at home- a seasonal activity known as umeshigoto, which literally means plum work.
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This is home made gari- pickled fresh young ginger, often served with sushi. To make it, thinly sliced ginger is briefly boiled, squeezed and then pickled in a sweet vinegar mixture made with rice vinegar, dashi, sugar and salt. The anthocyanin pigments in the ginger react with the vinegar, giving it a lovely pink colour.
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Shinshoga, or fresh young ginger, is in season in early summer. Light, aromatic, and tender, it’s often pickled in sweet vinegar to make Gari, the pink ginger comminly served with sushi.
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At home, I use Hon Mirin, the traditional type made from glutinous rice, rice koji and shochu, or brewed alcohol. It contains about 14% alcohol and no salt, and adds a gentle, natural sweetness to dishes.
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The Sanjya Matsuri, a traditional festival in early summer in Tokyo, is the most important event of the year for the people of Asakusa. It was a great fun again in this year!! #sanjyamatsuri #sanjyafestival #三社祭2025
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Soramame, or broad beans are in season in early summer. In Asakusa, they are especially loved because they appear around the same time as the Sanjya Festival- Sanjya Matsuri, held in May. It is often said that when soramame are on the table, the Sanjya Festival is just around the corner.
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There are a few types of nuka used to make nukadoko, a fermented rice bran bed for pickling.