October 2021

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Mayonnaise, a staple in the refrigerators of Japanese households, is not only used for salads and vegetables, but is also an indispensable part of Japanese meals as a versatile seasoning that can be used with almost any food.

Mayonnaise was introduced to Japan a little later than ketchup, in the Taisho era. It was introduced by Toichiro Nakajima, the founder of Kewpie Corporation, who wanted to launch a nutritious mayonnaise in Japan in the hope of improving the physique of the Japanese people.

While Japanese mayonnaise is popularly made using only egg yolks, most of the world's mayonnaise uses whole eggs, so the taste and texture popular in Japan is said to be slightly different from that of foreign countries. Mayonnaise, made with vegetable oil, egg yolk, and vinegar as the main ingredients, goes well with Japanese food and has become an inseparable part of our daily lives. 

You can create Japanese mayonnaise at home by mixing egg yolks, apple cider vinegar, salt, lemon juice, honey, and a little vegetable oil, and stirring well until it becomes creamy. Please try to make it using our cookware and enjoy it mixing and arranging with various ingredients and seasonings, such as tuna, corn, and miso.

Sori Yanagi's Whisk
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yanagisori/awadate.html
Sori Yanagi's Stainless Steel Bowl
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yanagisori/bowl.html 
Koizumi Glass's Flat Bottom Evaporating Dish 120mm
https://www.shokunin.com/en/koizumi/johatsu.html
Yamasaki Design Works's Sandwich Guide
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamasaki/sandwich.html

References
https://www.kewpie.co.jp/mayonnaise/history/ 
https://plustrivia.com/originfoods/797/ 
https://www.olive-hitomawashi.com/column/2021/01/post-13413.html 
https://latte.la/column/20735585 

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Shrimp taro root is a type of taro characterized by its unique shape and striped pattern that resembles a shrimp. The flesh is dense and sticky with a unique texture and rich flavor, making it one of the best tasting traditional vegetables in Kyoto. The typical Kyoto delicacy has been enjoyed by households since ancient times, and is often used in stews because it does not easily fall apart. It is mainly eaten at New Year's and other festive occasions, and is often made from autumn to winter when shrimp taro roots are sold in stores.

Shrimp taro root is not a variety of potato, but a product of a unique cultivation method. It is said that a court official who served the Shorenin-no-miya during the Anei period and who was entrusted with the cultivation of chrysanthemums was given the task of cultivating the potato seeds brought back from Nagasaki, and was able to produce large shrimp-shaped potatoes with stripes on the skin, which was eventually named "ebi-imo."

Later, through a series of ingenious ways of cooking the dish with "bodara," a dried codfish brought mainly from Hokkaido, the Kyoto taste of "imobo" was invented. It is said that the gelatinous material from the cod prevents the shrimp taro root from falling apart, while the scum from the shrimp taro root tenderizes the cod. Such a characteristic of Kyoto cuisine is known as "deaimon," in which ingredients from different parts of Japan with completely different characteristics are used to bring out the best in each other.

When you come to Kyoto, please enjoy imobo, a combination of Kyoto's taste and wisdom accumulated over the years. If you would like to make it at home, please prepare it in a traditional earthenware pot such as the ovenable and microwavable Matsuyama Tokojo's Yukihira Pot to stay warm in the cold winter. If you can't find shrimp taro root, you may use the usual taro instead.

Matsuyama Tokojo's Yukihira Pot
https://www.shokunin.com/en/matsuyama/

References
http://www.imobou.com/imobou 
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/ 
https://ja-kyoto.jp/kyoyasai/ebiimo.html 

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[Nousaku's Kuzushi Tare LL Gold Leaf has been added]

This is a gorgeous bowl with a tin body decorated with gold leaf. Kuzushi, which expresses the soft characteristics of tin by slightly distorting its shape, is a metal vessel that somehow evokes warmth. The luxurious finish looks great on salads, sashimi, and other dishes, and makes a great gift.

Nousaku's Kuzushi Tare LL Gold Leaf
https://www.shokunin.com/en/nousaku/zakka.html