Grain in Ear

June 5th is "Grain in Ear".

The blended tea representing "Grain in Ear" variety combines Kurazawa, a pan-Pan-fried bancha from Makinohara City, Shizuoka Prefecture, with peach, peach leaves, and Japanese citrus "Tachibana" peel.

This blended tea has a refreshing and sweet aroma and a lovely impression. It is fresh, but also has a glossy taste that reminds one of rain-soaked broad-leaved trees.

"Grain in Ear" is the season for sowing thorny grass seeds such as rice and wheat.

There is a term called "moving away from rice," but in fact it has not even been 100 years since rice became widespread nationwide in Japan.

For people living in rural areas, eating rice on a daily basis was just a dream. Although we feel more and more grateful for rice these days, rice was a precious commodity in the past, incomparable to today.

Meanwhile, Sencha became popular among the common people during the Edo period. At that time, rice cooked in Sencha, known as "cha-meshi," or rice mixed with tea leaves, became popular.

When soybeans and other ingredients are added, it is called "Nara Cha-meshi," and a restaurant where you can eat Nara Cha-meshi opened in Asakusa and became a huge hit.

From then on, the number of restaurants serving Nara Cha-meshi increased, and in Arita, Saga Prefecture, a porcelain production area, lidded bowls specifically for Nara Cha-meshi were made, so there is no doubt that this was a rice dish beloved by "Edokko".

We who live in modern times should also be passionate about delicious food and liven up food culture.