 |
|
 |
|
|
| |
Toppage ＞ Shudo - The Way of Sake＞ chapter11 |
|
 |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
| A small, peaceful drinking party is held on the Feast of the Chrysanthemum. A drinker wipes his mouth with his sleeve after he accidentally moistens his lips, while taking a sip of sake and attempting to avoid the floating chrysanthemum petals in his sake cup. |
|
 |
|
 |
『 Juyo (Double Ninth Day) 』 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
 The name Nagatsuki derives its name from Aki no yonaga (long evening of autumn). Some say September, being the month of harvest, also used to be called Juku-zuki (Ripened month) and Inekari-zuki (Month of rice harvest). September, the ninth month of the current Gregorian calendar, also means the month of harvest.
It’s the time of year when the Pacific high pressure system, which has for long prevailed during the summer, loses strength, and a number of migratory high pressure systems begins to pass through the Japanese archipelago. But a short while later a rain-front begins to hover over southern coasts, ushering in the autumnal rain-front in Kanto and areas west. Typhoons also begin to form above southern waters. Last year (1999), ten typhoons hit Japanese shores, bringing in massive rain and wreaking havoc across the archipelago.
|
|
 |
 |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Chrysanthemum Sake』 |
|
| |
 In the sixth century, a devoted subject of Emperor Wen of China’s Wei dynasty went deep into the mountains after receiving orders from his master to search for water with healing powers. There he encountered a hermit who claimed to be seven hundred years old.
Seven hundred years ago, the hermit was a boy servant to Emperor Mu of the Chou dynasty. He had been tricked and banished to the mountain, where he wrote verses he received from the Emperor on chrysanthemum leaves, and drank dew off the flower and gained immorality. The boy servant, who himself was astounded by his own longevity, and legends has it that he passed on the secrets to his eternal youth to Emperor Wen.
The story is included in Taiheiki, the Chronicle of Medieval Japan, volume 13. The hermit goes by the name of Chrysanthemum Boy. It is a title of a play in the Kanze school (other schools call it Makura-jido (Pillow Boy). Sake, with floating chrysanthemum petals, is said to be a joyous sake that brings longevity.
September ninth is traditionally the Festival of J?y?. In China, even numbers belong to yin, while odd numbers to yang. When the two yang numbers meet, the occasion called for a celebration. In the lunar calendar, the day fell on the chrysanthemum season, hence, also the name, Festival of Chrysanthemum.
The tradition crossed Japanese shores during the Heian period, and taken up at Imperial Court. During the Edo period between the 17th to 19th centuries, the tradition was made most public out of the five Sekku festivals observed.
Even today, one would like to reproduce the tradition by dropping several petals of edible chrysanthemum petals on his/her sake cup.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Moon-viewing Sake』 |
|
| |
 August 15th in the traditional lunar calendar (present day September 18th) is Ch?sh? no Meigetsu, or “mid-autumn full moon”. The lunar calendar finds July to be shosh? (the beginning of autumn), August ch?sh? (mid-autumn) and September bansh? (end of autumn). On this night, tables are set in front of homes and gardens. Dumplings, adorned with Japanese pampas grass and autumnal wild flowers and grass, are offered to the moon. Moon-gazers enjoy the full moon while sipping sake.
The day is also referred to as Imo Meigetsu, (Potato Full Moon), because a dozen dumplings and potatoes were offered to the moon. Tradition has it that the number was increased to thirteen in leap years.
The moon with transparent light, reflects inside the cup of sake. It’s a sight that would make viewers want to recite poems, or prose.
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
『Chopstick Manners』 |
|
| |
|
|
| |
Chopsticks are indispensable to Japanese cuisine. The utensil should be used elegantly, as bad manners may cause the drinking party to turn ugly. Here are some taboos:
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Utsuri-bashi (capricious chopsticks)』
Also goes by the name of nautsuri. The gesture picks up one food with chopsticks only to change one’s mind and pick up another. This lacks respect to both the organizer of the party and the chef, because it’s evidence that the diner has not savored any of the dishes. A piece of food should be taken and savored. The diner should take a sip of sake in between the dishes. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Komibashi (stuffing chopsticks)』
This gesture of stuffing an already-full mouth with food using chopsticks is ill-mannered and unpleasant to watch.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Neburibashi (licking chopsticks)』
One should never lick the tips of chopsticks as it is unforgivable as well as ugly. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Saguri-bashi (stirring chopsticks)』
This gesture involves stirring a bowl of soup with chopsticks, to search out certain ingredients. Diners tend to do this without thinking, so one should take a mental note not to do so.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Mayoi-bashi (wandering chopsticks)』
It’s considered very bad manners to wave chopsticks around in the air above one’s food, as if wondering what to eat next. |
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Kara-bashi (empty chopsticks)』
This is one of the worst things one could do - pick up and touch the foods with chopsticks once but put the food back without eating.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Sashi-bashi (stabbing chopsticks)』
Typically, males tend to stab food, such as potatoes, to eat. But if the food is slippery or too big to pick up, it should be halved with chopsticks.
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Mackerel』 |
|
| |
 Mackerel becomes tastier as it gets fatter, when the autumn sets in.
Locals near fishing ports tend to savor the delicacy raw, but this is not recommended to those with allergies, as raw mackerel causes stomachaches, diarrhea, and rash. The fish should be eaten marinated, or heated, be it grilled with salt or simmered with miso paste broth with a yuzu citrus fruit flavor.
The expression, “Don’t feed autumn mackerel to daughters-in-law” does not imply treating the wives of one’ s sons unkindly. Because honsaba Japanese mackerel spawn in the spring, they do not carry eggs. The Japanese traditionally took that as a bad omen, and that their son may not be blessed with children if autumn mackerel was eaten.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Haze (Goby)』 |
|
| |
 The goby season kicks in at this time of year. The fish is also called higan haze, because they can be caught before and after the week of higan, or Buddhist services performed during the equinoctial week. Though preparing the dish may be painstaking, fresh goby is best eaten in raw slices or in paper-thin slices. The most common way of enjoying the delicacy is slitting open its back to take the bones out and eaten in deep fried tempura. It makes a perfect tempura dish, along with megochi (dragonet) and kisu (sillago) because of its light flavor |
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Ochiayu (Downstream Sweetfish)』 |
|
| |
 The young sweetfish season seems only a while ago. But it’s already the season for ochiayu, the season when sweetfish go downstream to spawn. The fish spawn in about October. These sweetfish specifically go by the name of ochiayu. They are also called sabiayu, because they turn rusty in color. They contain much fast, and the female sweetfish carry lots of eggs.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Kudari-gatsuo (Descending Bonito)』 |
|
| |
 The bonito that swam northwards are now beginning to make a descent. The fish is by now rich with fat, compared to spring, much to the joy of gourmand, who best enjoy the bonito at this time of year.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
『Kinukatsugi (Unblemished Taro)』 |
|
| |
 The vegetable’s name derives from kinukazuki, a cloth worn over the heads of ladies in the upper ranks of society for more than one thousand years. Kinukatsugi is young taro. The vegetable should be boiled as is, and eaten with salt while peeling off its skin. It is a tasty vegetable that can be served between a course meal, as its simple taste compliments a sake drink.
|
|
|
| Translated by Stephen Hanson
|
|
|
