Year-end kitchen: Preparations for New Year's dishes and memorable flavors
Year-end kitchen
Preparation of New Year's dishes and memorable flavors
As the end of the year approaches, the atmosphere in the kitchen gradually changes.
The feeling of your hands touching the cold water, the colors of the root vegetables lined up on the cutting board, the aroma of dashi rising from the steam.
All of this signals the beginning of the quiet ritual of "New Year's Eve."
Osechi cuisine is not just a feast.
It is a form of prayer to pray for the safety of family members and to celebrate the turning point of the season.
Above all, it is the "taste landscape" that accumulates in our memories.
The time to "prepare"
Preparing for Osechi doesn't end in one day.
It takes a few days to prepare it little by little.
It starts with soaking the black beans in water, then soaking the kelp, removing the salt from the herring roe,
I move my hands while facing each material.
Simmer the black beans over low heat.
With the hope that "you will be able to live diligently,"
Don't leave the pot until it's fluffy and glossy.
Its sweetness is somehow nostalgic and gentle.
Tazukuri is crispy fried small fish coated in a sweet and spicy sauce.
This dish, which prays for a bountiful harvest, is said to have originated from small fish that were once used as fertilizer for fields.
Each small fish is packed with the blessings of the land and the wisdom of life.
The golden color of kinton is a symbol of abundance.
Pureed sweet potatoes with candied chestnuts are a delicious addition.
The vibrant colors will make your hand stop in its tracks.
"May next year be a fruitful one as well."
Such a wish comes out naturally.
Memories in the kitchen
Memories abound in the kitchen at the end of the year.
When I was a child, I used to help my grandmother while watching her back.
"This carrot looks nice if you cut it at a slight angle."
"Lotus root has holes in it, so you can see into the future."
Those words still come back to me at random moments.
When cooking, not only the taste but also the movements of the hands, the sounds, and even the aroma are memorable.
The sound of tapping on a cutting board, the steam rising from a pot of stew,
After tasting it, someone muttered, "Maybe I should add a little more soy sauce."
When all these elements come together, the kitchen at the end of the year becomes a story.
Don't push yourself too hard, but put in the effort
In modern life, it can be difficult to make everything by hand.
That's why, without thinking, "I have to make everything,"
It's also important to arrange things within a reasonable range, such as "make this" and "buy this."
For example, we make our own black beans and sweet potato paste.
I buy datemaki and konbumaki from my favorite store.
Instead, we put a little extra effort into the presentation, using different dishes and colors to create a seasonal feel.
This creates a warm dining table that strikes a balance between effort and heart.
Connecting taste memories
The taste of osechi is woven into memories.
The sweetness of my grandmother's simmered food, the aroma of my father's grilled yellowtail,
My mother secretly made extra chestnut paste for me.
These memories will remain in your heart even after the new year.
Before long, when I was in the kitchen preparing New Year's dishes for other people,
That memory naturally emerges in the movements of the hands and the seasoning.
And new memories are born.
The slightly burnt edges of the first datemaki my child made.
The family gathered around the New Year's morning dinner table laughing.
The memory of the taste will be passed on quietly and surely to the future.
In conclusion
The kitchen at the end of the year is a mysterious place where busyness and tranquility coexist.
As I work, my mind reflects on the past year and thinks about the year to come.
It is in those moments that the beauty of life resides.
Preparing for osechi is not just a matter of preparation,
A quiet endeavor to retrieve memories and pass them on to the future.
This year again, I will stand in the kitchen and imagine someone's smiling face beyond the steam.
I want to prepare each and every flavor.