WashokuLovers
Winter is gone. Done. Goodbye!
And hello Spring! It’s a new season, and for us that means a whole new menu to look forward to every time we go to our favourite restaurants. Right now it’s Autumn in Japan, but since we’re in the Southern Hemisphere, Washoku Chefs will be looking to available seasonal produce to create their new menus. So what’s in season in Japan?
One of the biggest Spring attractions in Japan is the sakura flowers! During Spring, a lot of desserts will start to incorporate sakura as a flavour – think mochi rice cakes and daifuku.
Photo: Mochi and red bean paste
Lesser known in Western countries are sansai – root vegetables found growing in mountainous regions. They often have no English translation, or get translated into the scientific names of the plants. These vegetables are pickled, served as side dishes, or fried in tempura batter and served as a main course. With the current interest in healthy foods spreading more and more, it has become more common for younger people to go on mountain trips to forage for vegetables in Japan!
Some of the more common varieties of sansai include bamboo shoots and warabi. You might have heard of it before, it’s become a very popular flavour for mochi, even in Australia! Nanohana is another common Spring vegetable, it’s similar to canola, and is closely related to broccoli, what a surprise!
Photo: a tempura stall from Kyoto food market
There are many more things to eat and do in Spring, especially if you’re in Japan. If you’re in Sydney, then we suggest you try some of our newest restaurants, EnToriciya or Toshiya where the Washoku Lovers membership benefit is carpaccio!
Osaka Bar also has kushiyaki – foods cooked on sticks – as the Washoku Lovers membership benefit. Available are several different meats, and vegetables! Check back to see if there are any Spring vegetables next time you go.
Root vegetables have many health benefits, and a bunch of vitamins and minerals. Set yourself a food goal to try more vegetables this season!
