Ise-mo, a traditional vegetable with 300 years of history
The power of tradition
From Shima Time, Fall 2024 edition
Executive Chef Higuchi, Executive Chef Tsukahara of Japanese Traditional Japanese, and Executive Chef Kurino visited farmers from the JA Taki District Ise Momo Association, a central organization for Ise Momo production.
There we saw producers making efforts to ensure the preservation of local traditional vegetables and pouring their love into Iseimo.
Taki Town, Taki District, located in the central part of Mie Prefecture, is a place with unusual geographical features.
The Median Tectonic Line runs through the area, dividing the geological layers in two from Kanto to Kyushu, resulting in soil with different geology and allowing a wide variety of agricultural crops to be grown.
There are theories about the origin of the place name "Taki" that it comes from the old word "Taki," which means a land where many foods grow, or "Tagiru," which means gushing water.
Ise is also grown thanks to the bountiful environment and the perseverance of its farmers.
The Tsuda area is an expansive area of farmland blessed with the Kushida River, a first-class river.
When we arrived at the field, we were greeted by JA Taki District Ise Momo Section Chairman Umemura Hitoshi, Vice Chairman Nakanishi Katsumi, and new farmer Ogawa Tadayasu.
Approximately 10 hectares of Ise-imo fields and a ditch for improving drainage (left)
"We practice crop rotation, growing rice and Iseimo alternately. We produce Iseimo over a period of 13 months in paddy fields used for rice cultivation, which prevents problems caused by continuous cropping and has sterilizing effects. The following year, we grow Iseimo in a different paddy field."
In September, after the rice harvest, we prepare the soil in the rice fields to turn them into Ise-mo fields.
The necessary fertilizer is mixed and the field is tilled, and when it's ready, ridges are created and trenches about 30cm deep are dug around the outside of the field to improve drainage.
Executive Chef Higuchi watching Nakanishi at work
In March, seed potatoes selected from Ise potatoes harvested last year are planted in the soil, and in May, supports for the vines are erected. The supports are handmade from cut bamboo, and are perfectly uniform in length and thickness, showing the careful work that goes into their work.
Executive Chef Higuchi seemed surprised when he heard that as many as 2,000 supports are made for each field every year.
Umemura says, "If there are weeds in Iseimo, the nutrients won't reach the plants properly, so daily weeding is essential. We make it easier to remove weeds by setting up supports to keep the vines off the soil. It also improves air circulation, which helps prevent pests from attaching to the leaves.
Ise potatoes are vulnerable to pests, and if you don't take action immediately when the leaves start to change color, the whole field will be wiped out within a week. Furthermore, they can spread to neighboring fields, so daily observation is very important."
The unique flavor of Iseimo.
Rice straw is laid on the furrows to prevent weeds and maintain humidity, and then in May or June, all the vines that have grown are pulled out by the roots, leaving only one.
Nakanishi says, "If there are multiple vines, many small Ise potatoes will grow and they won't grow very large. So they concentrate nutrients on one vine. This work is called 'pruning,' and it takes time and effort to prune all the vines in the field by hand in the heat."
To avoid the heat during the summer, it is their daily routine to pull out weeds, remove sprouts, and check for pests in the early morning and evening.
The Ise potatoes, which are grown with great care, are harvested in October.
The skin of the first fruits is soft and would be damaged if dug by machine, so they are dug by hand. Umemura says he judges the quality of the year by the taste of the first fruits.
Executive Chef Higuchi and Executive Chef Tsukahara of Traditional Japanese chatting with Umemura
When we asked Ogawa about his recommended way to eat it, he replied, "Okonomiyaki. It's fluffy and delicious, and the flavor improves when heated."
Mr. Nakanishi and Head Chef Kurino
Chef Kurino said, "I once grilled grated Iseimo on a teppanyaki grill and it turned out deliciously fragrant. This flavor is unique to Iseimo."
The producers and chefs at Ise have endless discussions to make.
With people's help and ingenuity, we can move Isemo towards the future.
The JA Iseimo Farming Committee currently has 20 members, 14 of whom are over 60 years old. Iseimo farming requires manual labor such as weeding every day, and the younger members work together to help with the heavy lifting.
In addition to the hard work, if the producers continue to age, it is thought that Ise potatoes will no longer be cultivated, so eight years ago, the Taki Town Office joined in and launched the "Ise Potato Promotion Project." In collaboration with the local Ouka High School's Production and Economics Department and Mie University, the project has achieved labor-saving measures such as mechanization, such as improving a potato digger for use with Ise potatoes, and the use of weed-prevention mulch sheets.
In addition, they also trained new farmers, and three of them became full-time farmers, and about five people started growing Ise potatoes in their home gardens. The project ended last year, but they are currently preparing for the next goal, which is to promote sales.
Mr. Ogawa and Traditional Japanese Executive Chef Tsukahara discuss the appeal of Ise-mono
Ogawa, who started farming eight years ago as a result of this project, said, "I had no experience in farming at all. Growing Ise potatoes involves a lot of manual work that cannot be mechanized, so it was much harder than I had imagined when I first started farming. But now I'm grateful to the senior farmers who gave me so much guidance, and I feel a sense of accomplishment and pride in growing Ise potatoes, a traditional Mie vegetable."
Ise is also grown in fertile soil, where farmers pour a lot of love into it. Executive Chef Higuchi said, "I learned that the flavor has been preserved through hard work over its 300-year history. It's a fascinating ingredient that is rich in nutrients and gives energy to those who eat it."
| Executive Chef Hiroe Higuchi | He was appointed Executive Chef of Shima Kanko Hotel in 2014 and was in charge of the working dinner at the Ise-Shima Summit in 2016. In 2017, he received the Bronze Award from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries' Chef Recognition Program, Cuisine Masters Award. In 2023, he was awarded the Chevalier of the French Order of Agricultural Merit. |
|---|---|
| Traditional Japanese executive chef Kyoji Tsukahara | In 1987, he trained at the Japanese restaurants "Miyako" and "Uemachi" at the Miyako Hotel Osaka(now the Sheraton Miyako Hotel Osaka ). In 2016, he was involved in providing Traditional Japanese cuisine at the Ise-Shima Summit. In 2019, he was appointed Executive Chef of the Traditional Japanese at the Shima Kanko Hotel . |
| Lian Yamabuki Head Chef Masaya Kurino | In 2020, he became head chef of Shima Kanko Hotel Teppanyaki Yamabuki. Using his extensive on-site experience, he serves teppanyaki that allows you to enjoy conversation at the counter and a sense of realism. |
Autumn cuisine brought to you by Executive Chef Hiroe Higuchi's cooking story
Chilled Ise potato and consommé soup
Taki is a place where many ingredients are grown in Mie Prefecture. This cold soup brings out the charm of Iseimo, one of them. I heard from an Iseimo producer that "you can really appreciate its characteristics if you eat it raw," so this time I focused on a cooking method that allows you to enjoy raw Iseimo.
Grated Iseimo is mixed with two types of consommé, beef and chicken, and diluted to the right consistency. A powerfully flavored jelly made with rich beef consommé is served on the plate. Iseimo, which is so viscous that it does not come off the grater, is frozen into rods and deep-fried to create a chewy texture. Finely chopped raw Iseimo and cherry tomatoes from Taki are also added as accents. The flavor of the consommé adds richness to the flavor of the Iseimo, resulting in a rich taste. The dish is simple in appearance, yet elegant. Nutritious Iseimo made with love. Made with care to give you more energy the more you eat.
It will be available in the "Elegance" and "Aventage" courses in September.
*The availability period may change depending on stock availability.
| French Restaurant “La Mer” | the BAY SUITES 5F Dinner 17:30-21:00 (Last Order 19:30) |
|---|
Autumn cuisine brought to you by Traditional Japanese executive chef Kyoji Tsukahara's cooking story
Ise-imo, sea urchin soup, grated yam, simmered 99 pieces
You can enjoy nutritious Ise imo in a variety of flavors that make use of traditional Traditional Japanese cooking methods.
Iseimo and sea urchin jelly is made by combining grated Iseimo with kelp stock, adding steamed sea urchin, and solidifying it with a small amount of agar. The stickiness and flavor of the raw Iseimo goes well with the umami of the sea urchin and the aroma of the seashore.
Ise-mono with grated yam is made by marinating Ise-maguro tuna with grated Ise-maguro and quail eggs. Ise-mono is made without any binders, and the strong stickiness and flavor of the ingredients are preserved, enveloping the rich flavor of the red meat of Ise-maguro tuna with the eggs.
Tsukumoni, a dish made with kuruma prawns and Iseimo, is made by wrapping the prawns in grated Iseimo and quickly frying them in hot oil. When cooked in a broth seasoned with bonito stock, soy sauce, and sugar, the aroma and texture of the Iseimo combine with the kuruma prawns to create a dish with a rich flavor. Please enjoy the charms of Iseimo in a variety of ways.
*There may be days when we are unable to provide the product depending on stock availability.
| Japanese Restaurant “Hamayu” | the BAY SUITES 4F Dinner 17:30-21:00 (Last Order 19:30) Lunch 11:30-13:30 (LO 13:00) *Lunch is available for parties of four or more. Reservations must be made one week in advance. |
|---|
Autumn dishes brought to you by Teppanyaki "Yamabuki" chef Masaya Kurino's cooking story
Ise tuna and grilled green laver
We created this dish so that you can experience the strong stickiness and flavor of Ise mochi, as well as the wonderful texture that is created by adding heat.
Grated Ise imo is mixed with bonito stock and green laver. It is then spread out on a hot plate and slowly cooked, and you can see the Ise imo becoming plump and fragrant with the green laver. Then, marinated Ise tuna is placed on top and rolled up in the browned Ise imo. The fragrant surface, the creamy texture inside, and the rare Ise tuna create an excellent balance. The robust flavor of the Ise imo and the flavor of the green laver bring the whole dish together. The simple finish brings out the best in the ingredients. We also recommend adding wasabi to taste. This dish is a harmonious blend of the bounty of Mie's land and sea.
| Teppanyaki Restaurant “Yamabuki” | the CLUB 2F (reservation required) Lunch (Saturdays and Sundays only) 11:30-13:30 (last orders 13:00) Dinner 17:30-21:00 (last orders 19:30/until 20:00 the day before) *Closed on Wednesdays. *Lunch is available for 4 or more people. Reservations must be made at least one week in advance. |
|---|
Return to Feature Articles List
Shima Kanko Hotel quarterly magazine "Shima Time"
The Ise-Shima region changes its appearance little by little with the gentle passage of time, providing us with the flavors and colors of each season.
As the seasons change, Shima Kanko Hotel quarterly magazine, "Shima Time," introduces the four seasons of Ise-Shima through the local culture and abundant nature.
