Specialty Food Magazine

Ishikawa region that uses the stems of the green tea (matcha) plant as well as other popular teas such as kukicha. Chagara is another example of mottainai, using the used tea leaves for compost or aromatherapy, among numerous other reuses. • Shusseuo—This is a term often used in the Japanese seafood industry to describe fish that are called by different names depending on their growth stage, such as the word "alevin" for a newly hatched salmon or trout. Dating back to the Edo period, samurai and scholars would customarily change their names upon their coming-of-age ceremonies and promotions. The term "shusseuo" originated from this custom. Some of these fish are considered to bring good luck and are used as ingredients in foods for festive events and milestone celebrations. An example is the term "hamachi" for yellowtail that is mature but not fully grown in terms of its fat content, and then "buri" for fully adult yellowtail. Another Japanese food tradition is fermentation, which has been practiced in Japan for thousands of years to preserve fish and other foods. It has expanded to include even more foods, and practices that include "snow aging," or the aging of foods in snow-covered rooms, which is practiced in the Niigata prefecture. Products include both red and white miso, soy sauce, sake, and mirin. Winter Fancy Food Show attendees can explore a range of foods from Japan in the Japan Pavilion, which will feature some 50 companies and organizations exhibiting various types of Japanese seafood and other products. In addition to a wide assortment of high-quality seafood, exhibitors will also showcase foods such as A4 and A5 Wagyu beef, rice, Japanese seasonings, and sweets. Artisanal farmers and purveyors will display products such as soy sauce, plant-based products, condiments, and dashi. In the Key Buyer lounge, which is open to attendees invited by the SFA, visitors can sample Japanese snacks, sweets, and savory bites. In addition, attendees can discover how some well-known chefs with Michelin-restaurant experience incorporate Japanese ingredients and techniques into their restaurant menus, and enjoy them in person at the "Taste it Live!" cooking demonstrations on Sunday and Monday at the Show. Japan is also home to the world-famous fish market Tsukiji, which was long the largest fish market in the world and a leading tourist attraction. Toyosu Fish Market, which opened in 2018, has since replaced Tsukiji after 83 years in operation. The early-morning tuna auction at the market is attended by the highest-level buyers in the world, who bid hundreds to thousands of yen to secure the best quality fish. "The world's most coveted fish from Toyosu Fish Market are shipped to revered, accomplished, and award-winning Michelin-starred chefs, culinary establishments, markets, and restaurants across the globe," says the JETRO spokesperson. In addition to seafood, other top Japanese food exports include whisky; beef; sauces and condiments, such as soy sauce, miso, and mirin; soft drinks; sake; snacks and confectionery foods. Describing Japan's Food Traditions The Japanese vernacular includes terminology that for centuries has underscored the values of the traditional practices, techniques, and traditions in its food industries. These include: • Washoku—This reflects a respect for nature that is centered on the sustainable use of natural resources. It is a social practice woven into the culture based on skills, knowledge, and tradition related to the preparation and consumption of food. • Mottainai—Japan's philosophy around sustainability dates back to ancient times, as reflected in this term that describes the sense of regret over waste. It is at the heart of not only food production and preparation, resulting in an emphasis on the values of "reduce, reuse, recycle, and upcycle," but it carries over into many other Japanese industries, including fashion and other nonfood items and energy. An example in the food industry is tea grown in the Mark Hamstra is a regular contributor to Specialty Food and SFA News Daily. Regional Japanese Culinary Highlights Japan is home to a wide variety of regional culinary traditions, from the colder regions of the north to the near-tropical south, along with classics that may have originated in the Edo era (1603- 1868), referring to the nation's former capital, and spread in various forms throughout the country. Following are some highlights of these regional cuisines: Hokkaido — Japan's northernmost island is famous for its seafood dishes, including ishikari- nabe, a hot-pot dish featuring chunks of salmon, vegetables, tofu, and konnyaku (a jelly made from the starchy conjac plant, also called devil's tongue). The region is also known for a barbequed lamb dish called Jingisukan, originating from the Japanese transliteration of Genghis Khan. Kyushu — Japan's southernmost and third biggest island is known for mizutaki, a boiled chicken dish, motsunabe, made from beef or pork tripe or other offal in a hot pot. It is also known for incorporating tropical fruits such as the golden Miyazaki mango, or the hyuganatsu, a bittersweet citrus fruit. Tokyo — Local dishes from the Japanese capital are often called "Edo-mae," a reference to Tokyo's former name. They include nigiri-zushi (raw fish served on a ball of rice), tempura, soba (buckwheat noodles), and chankonabe (a hot-pot featuring fish or chicken with vegetables, favored by sumo wrestlers).-M.H. WINTER 2024 39 SPONSORED ARTICLE

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