6: yakage's food lovin' (part 1)

2.12.22

“To know a place, one must know its food” sounds like it should be a movie quote. Or a book quote. Some kind of a quote.

I’m finding this to be true with how I’ve been learning Yakage…and I can confidently say my stomach is very happy for it! I’m also finding that my food experience so far can be summarized with the word “care.” And perhaps you’ll understand why after reading this bit. So without further ado, let me take you on a Yakage food tour (though be prepared, as it’s probably part 1 of many.)

Yuki-sponsored goodness!

When I think of Michael Scott’s “world’s greatest boss” mug, my current boss Yuki-san immediately comes to mind. Yuki-san is what you’d call a fixer-upper, a jack-of-all-trades, but most importantly, just a super kind and helpful guy. And a fraction of the kindness I’ve already received has to do with…food!

Yuki invited me over his house to help chop wood for his ongoing kamado making project (kamado = traditional Japanese wood stove), and after a few hours of my embarrassing chopping, Yuki-san came out of his house with four aluminum bowls. Curious, I peeked to look in them and behold! Inside was what epitomizes “winter comfy food” as there were fresh udon noodles in dashi broth, ready to be warmed by the fire crackling outside. But there’s more. Tomita-kun, another coworker, brought out and cracked open dazzling orange-yolked eggs for each bowl…as it started to snow! Yuki-san’s son called it “winter’s makeup” and as the fire cooked the udon soup, I felt this was a moment of warmth, frozen in time. To then eat the udon in light snow with this company…I couldn’t have asked for a better February day.

Aside from this outdoor udon experience, Yuki-san has given me rice from his own crops (yes, he’s also a rice farmer…also his hobby is leather crafts?) and when I say it’s the best rice I’ve cooked, I do not lie. It was so soft and packed with flavor (rice…has flavor!?) I felt I could devour the whole pot there, though it’s my rice supply for the next two weeks. While finishing every last grain that night, I couldn’t help but think how the rice was so good not only because of the fresh countryside environment, but because it was grown, cared for, and gifted by someone I really respect.

Yuritei Farmstand!

Last week, when biking back from Mitani hoikuen, a battered flag with faded “roasted sweet potato” characters caught my eye. This required further investigation, so I crossed the road and found myself at a small roadside farmstand. From the outside, the farmstand looked unassuming, as it had old blue tents and long forgotten farm equipment scattered around the entrance. But behind the doors…another world. The room was FULL of shelves holding local vegetables, fruits, fresh riceball bentos, handmade jams, handmade cookies, the works. And…wait what’s this? Another whole room full of local rice, flour, more vegetables, kimchi, beans, and more!? I had to walk around three times to take it all in before actually choosing what I’d treat myself to (which ended up being carrots, apples, clementines, a HUGE daikon radish, handmade daifuku, handmade Yuzu jam, and handmade cookies–all from Yakage grounds.)

Now getting the haul wasn’t even the best part–it was the owner, Sato-san’s, hospitality and conversation that truly won me over. We got to share a bit about ourselves to each other, and though there weren’t any freshly roasted sweet potatoes, she gave me one from the morning just because. With such a nourishing interaction and a backpack full of local goods, I was nearly skipping out of the store. I’m hoping Sato-san and I can become good friends, as I plan on going back regularly for not only her sweet, sweet vibes, but also for the sweetest carrots and crunchiest daikon I’ve had so far.

*latest update: I went to Yuritei today after work, and as I approached I saw they were CLOSED. BUT! A worker came out and was like “what do you need?” proceeding to open the store up and allow me to buy some carrots, cucumbers, and the biggest daikon I’ve seen. The farmer literally went in the back, pulled out a machete, cut the daikon radish, and gave me a third…which is still larger than my head. She THEN proceeded to give me three roasted sweet potatoes for the ride home…did I mention just how amazing these people are?

Fruitopia

So, I’ve already written way more than I had intended, thus I’ll end the food writing here for today and spare you from having to read a whole novel. We end with the magical realm of the world’s most amazing STRAWBERRIES.

And this magical realm was introduced to me by two magical people, James and Manki. Manki is the local middle school English JET teacher, and after our first meeting, she and her husband instantly took me under their wing like you wouldn’t believe. Case A: walking home after my first full week, Manki texted me asking if I’d want to have their Friday dinner special–the 7/11 Haul–with them. I said yes in a matter of seconds, and what resulted was a welcoming night I'll hold near and dear to my heart.

After clearing away our 7/11 feast, they placed a plate of GLEAMING, HUGE, RED strawberries in front of me. My first thought: are these rubies? I barely heard Manki say “you haven’t lived until you’ve had a Yakage strawberry” before biting into something so juicy, so glorious…the most amazing strawberry I’d ever tasted. It was like heaven in fruit form. PLUS! These strawberries were farmed and harvested by none other than James himself, as he is a farmer at Yakage’s famous fruit farm, Fruitopia, nestled in the mountains. I could go on and on about Fruitopia because they gave me a tour the following week, and I experienced the heaven from which the heavenly strawberry originated for myself. Not only was I able to pick and eat as many strawberries as I wanted right in the greenhouses, but I also got to feed 15+ cats (Fruitopia’s feline friends), eat bibimbap cooked by an older lady who exuded mom vibes (she didn’t have take out containers so she instead brought out a paper plate and a roll of plastic wrap for me), and then indulge in a fruit parfait whose beauty would have won Miss Dessert. I also found asian pears that were larger than my head priced at $5. HMart could never.

So. In conclusion. With food comes knowledge, and the knowledge I’ve been reaping confirms, yet again, that Yakage is full of the most generous and caring people.

And that Yakage is lovin' on me via the best produce in my life.

And that I cannot WAIT to indulge on allll of Mother Natures’ other seasonal TREATS from Yakage!