あまぐも通信 2024年8月第2週 vol.11

Amagumo Newsletter, August 2024, 2nd week, vol.11

I hope you are staying cool during this hot summer.

We've passed the beginning of autumn, and the heat is starting to ease, but this summer is still hot. How are you all getting on? In Hokuto, the temperature has dropped considerably over the past few days, making the early mornings comfortable. However, this coolness is short-lived, as once the sun rises a little, the heat becomes dangerously hot. I finish my field work early in the morning and take refuge in a cool place during the day. I'm conserving my energy so I can get through the summer. I'm making good use of the scorching sun and making sun-dried tomatoes. Tomatoes have a lot of moisture and are prone to mold, but exposing them to the sun helps them dry out nicely.
In this heat, cold beer, gelato, and air-conditioned rooms are the best, but be careful not to cool your body and stomach too much. Even if the surface of your body feels hot, it's hard to feel the cold inside. If you're feeling unwell or suffering from summer fatigue, try warming your stomach first. We recommend hot tea, thick soups with okra or molokheiya, or kudzu soup made by dissolving kudzu starch in hot water. Umeboshi (pickled plums) and root vegetables also have the effect of warming the body.
Please give it a try.
The other day, we borrowed a space in Pitara Village and held a Nagashi somen noodle event. Everyone from the independent childcare group gathered, and the boys started by splitting the bamboo. The children also helped with the work of making tunnels and chiseling off the knots. When we finally started to let the somen flow, both children and adults were delighted! Everyone brought a variety of side dishes, condiments, and noodle soup, and in addition to somen noodles, we also let seasonal grapes and cherry tomatoes flow down the stream. The sight of the water flowing down the bamboo was refreshing and made the food go down easier.

Now, here are the contents of this week's vegetable set.

This week's vegetable set

Contains 8 to 9 of the following vegetables:

New potatoes

Freshly dug new potatoes! They are a variety called Hokkai Kogane, characterized by their golden color and dense flesh. When fried, they are creamy and fragrant. They don't fall apart when cooked, so you can add them to curry, stew, or oden to enjoy their deep flavor.

Green beans

This is a variety of Koshigaya green beans that has been cultivated for many years. They are large and soft even when harvested, with a moderate texture and a subtle sweetness, making them a traditional green bean. Boil them until golden brown and dip them in miso or mayonnaise to enjoy the aroma of the beans. They are also great in tempura and stir-fries.

eggplant

Due to the ongoing drought, there is not enough water, so the fruit does not grow in large quantities, but the taste is excellent. This is a variety called "shinkuro nasu" (pure black eggplant), which is now rare. It pairs extremely well with oil, and is delicious in classic deep-fried dishes and miso stir-fries. It has a subtle sweetness when eaten raw, and if you rub it with salt and lightly pickle it overnight, it becomes a delicious, crunchy pickle.

Korinky

It is a member of the pumpkin family, with a striking lemon yellow color. You can eat the skin and seeds raw, so slice it thinly or shred it and use it in salads. It is also delicious roasted or stewed. It has a unique aroma that will become addictive.

Sixteen cowpeas

The long green bean-like vegetable is called cowpea, a legume. It is soft and stringy, so you can use it in the same way as green beans. It has a unique flavor, and after boiling it, you can cut it up and enjoy it in salads, blanched dishes, stir-fries, simmered dishes, tempura, etc.

molokheiya

This sticky vegetable is highly nutritious and has a great effect on relieving fatigue after a heat-related illness. Remove the leaves from the stems, boil them briefly, then chop them up to create a sticky texture. Mix them with natto or tomato. If you're adding them to soup, there's no need to pre-boil them. They make a delicious, thick soup.

carrot

This year's carrots are growing slowly. Although they are small, they are fragrant and packed with sweetness. These soft and crunchy carrots become even sweeter when cooked slowly. They are delicious sautéed, roasted, or coated in batter to make carrot cutlets. The leaves have tough strings, so please use only the soft tips.

cherry tomatoes

This pack contains two varieties: the red fixed variety "Stella" cherry tomato and the dark pink black cherry tomato. Due to shipping restrictions, some tomatoes may not be fully ripe, so please wait until they reach their delicious color before enjoying them. Enjoy them as they are, add them to miso soup, or simmer them down to make a tomato sauce.

Perilla leaves

Perilla leaves look similar to shiso leaves, but in Korea, they are used to wrap grilled meat. Wrapping grilled meat and sauce in fresh leaves is sure to double your appetite. Place fresh leaves in a storage container with enough soy sauce to cover the leaves and leave for about three days to soak in the soy sauce. This makes them a great addition to rice.

Green shiso

This is a classic Japanese summer herb. Enjoy it chopped as is as a condiment. Pickled in soy sauce, it goes incredibly well with rice!

Green peppers and manganji

Bell peppers have little bitterness and are delicious eaten raw! They are also delicious stuffed with meat or stewed. Manganji peppers are a staple at our barbecue. Grill them whole until browned, then drizzle with sauce to enjoy their sweetness and aroma. They are also delicious grilled, deep-fried, or stewed. Bell peppers with an unusual creamy color are

beets

They are so rich in nutrients and minerals that they are sometimes called "edible blood," and have hematopoietic and antioxidant properties. Cut them into small pieces, boil them until soft, and use them as a garnish for various dishes. The bright red boiling water is also packed with nutrients, so please use it. Other uses include stir-fries and soups, and thinly slice them raw to add color to salads. Boil them whole without peeling the skin, until they are soft enough to easily pierce with a skewer, then peel them, chop them, and use them in salads to ensure that the nutrients are not lost.

Morning glory

It's called "Indian spinach" in English, and like spinach, it's rich in minerals. It can be used in the same way as spinach, in stir-fries, miso soup, salads, and more, and can be used in both Japanese and Western dishes. When boiled and chopped, it becomes very soft and creamy, which is perfect for invigorating a tired stomach in the summer. I personally like to stir-fry it with tomatoes, eggs, and bonito flakes.

Water spinach

As its name suggests, this vegetable has a hollow stem. It is very popular in Southeast Asia and is mainly used in stir-fries. Simply season it with garlic, chili peppers, and fish sauce to enjoy its delightful crunchy texture and unique flavor. It wilts easily, so if it starts to lose its vitality, cutting off a small portion of the root and placing it in water will make it crisp again.

Bonus: We've grown seedlings from seasonal flower seeds, and we've included a small selection of the various flowers we have. Please enjoy placing them in a vase. Since they're organic, you can also sprinkle the petals in your bath for a soothing experience.

The state of the fields

Harvest season has arrived! We spend most of our time every morning harvesting. The harvest of vegetables is increasing day by day. Vegetables use their energy to bear fruit, so we harvest them frequently to maintain the number of fruits so they don't run out of steam. We intentionally let grass grow in the paths between the vegetables, and when it has grown to a certain extent, we cut it and spread it around the vegetables. We also sprinkle rice bran on top to promote fermentation and replenish nutrients.
The time has finally come for autumn and winter vegetables to be planted and sown in the fields. We are making sure the fields are fully prepared so that we can start work at the right time.
The rice fields are also doing well, with rice ears starting to appear! Dragonflies are flying around above the fields, and I can feel the signs of autumn.

notice

-We are currently selling organic garden bouquets, which are popular as gifts.

You can find it in the [Products] tab on this page. It can be bundled with the vegetable set. Please take a look.

Without chemical fertilizers or pesticides
The main focus is on seasonal flowers grown in a field with a variety of vegetables, grasses, and insects.
We will deliver an organic garden bouquet with herbs, perennials, and branches, along with the scent of the soil and wind of Hokuto City.

There are many types of flowers that you don't often see in flower shops,
The main focus is on small flowers that are not too conspicuous but are like a microcosm, and flowers that look natural.
This is a bouquet that can be displayed casually in your everyday life.

We are now accepting new orders for our vegetable set subscription.

We still have spaces available for our popular vegetable set subscription, so please share it with your friends, family, and colleagues.

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