[Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture] What are Koriyama brand vegetables? I cooked and tried it (Sasuke eggplant/Mankichidon edition)

Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture has vegetables called Koriyama Brand Vegetables

The vegetables that are unique to Koriyama and produced with the aim of establishing a brand are varieties that are not found in regular supermarkets or fruit and vegetable stores. However, don't belittle it and think, ``Isn't it just a novelty product?'' You will be surprised by the name, you will be surprised by the appearance, and you will be surprised by the taste. These are powerful vegetables that will give you a new eating experience.

I would like to report on my experience cooking and eating Sasuke eggplant '' and ` `Mankichi don which I purchased from the Koriyama brand vegetables that are available in the summer Please use this as a reference when shopping.

What are Koriyama brand vegetables?

Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture is where the Abukuma River, a Class I river, flows. The rich soil and water allow for the cultivation of high quality rice, and it is famous as one of the best rice producing areas in Japan. Koriyama Brand Vegetables was started by producers who wanted to ``create something unique to Koriyama .

There are three characteristics of Koriyama brand vegetables.

1. We prioritize taste rather than market popularity. We select varieties that are superior in taste, rather than uniformity in shape or shelf life.
2. Unify cultivation methods and prevent fluctuations in quality.
3. The results of analyzing and visualizing the taste and nutritional content are published on the official website.

Even if you count the varieties of the same vegetable, there are hundreds of varieties. For example, there are about 300 varieties of carrots. From a huge number of varieties, we choose products with a focus on ``tastiness'' from the consumer's perspective rather than ``ease of sale'' from the seller's perspective. The producers are professionals who know everything about vegetables. Koriyama brand vegetables are special vegetables selected and grown by professionals. We continue to produce, sell, and promote vegetables with the aim of producing vegetables that consumers choose because they are delicious.

Koriyama Brand Vegetable Council <Information>

• Name: Koriyama Brand Vegetable Council
• Official website: Mekikino Vegetables from Kooriyama. ｜Koriyama Brand Vegetable Council

This time we will introduce “Sasuke Eggplant” and “Mankichi Don”

You can only find each vegetable produced as Koriyama brand vegetables for a limited time during the year. Vegetables grown by nature and people in Koriyama reach consumers at the ``best time of year.''

This time, the vegetables I found in early July are "Sasuke eggplant" and "Mankichi don." What kind of vegetables are each? Introducing the features.

What is "Sasuke eggplant"

``Sasuke Nasu'' shows off her beautiful appearance as if wearing a jet black dress. They start being shipped in early July every year and can be seen in stores until late October. The characteristics of Sasuke eggplant are its softness and sweetness. Another advantage is that it has little bitterness and can be eaten raw. Even the skin is soft, so you can eat it as is without peeling it.

By the way, if you are familiar with the Fukushima language, this may be a no-brainer, but the name Sasuke eggplant comes from the Fukushima dialect. "Sasukenai" means "no problem" or "okay." Even when you're sad, angry, or tired, saying "Sasuke-nee~" is a warm word that makes everything okay. The name Sasuke eggplant comes from the fact that even when eaten raw, the eggplant is ``disappointing''.

What is “Mankichidon”?

Mankichi-don is an onion with a cute colon and round shape. They are on sale for a long period of time from late June to mid-March of the following year. Mankichi-don is characterized by its high sugar content. When heated, the sweetness of onions becomes more concentrated, making them even more delicious.

The name comes from Mankichi Saito, who made a great contribution to agriculture in Fukushima. He is from Fukushima Prefecture and is a pioneer of agricultural economics in Japan. He personally visited rural villages, investigated the management conditions of farmers, and created the foundation that supported the economic development of Japanese agriculture. Apparently, this delicious onion was named in honor of Mankichi Saito's great achievements.

I tried Koriyama brand vegetables “Sasuke eggplant” and “Mankichi don”

These are the Sasuke eggplant and Mankichi don that I got this time. The Koriyama brand vegetable logo shines proudly.

The selling price of each product is about the same as eggplants and onions during the same period. Thank you for being easy to buy! You can see the efforts of the producers who sell their products from the consumer's perspective.

First, Sasuke eggplant. A fresh, moist and glossy surface is a sign of freshness. There are no scratches or scratches, and it looks like it was raised with care.

The first ``surprise'' came when I inserted the knife. When you cut it with a knife, it doesn't feel "crunchy" or "crunchy"...it feels "fluffy"! The knife blade cuts smoothly and smoothly without getting caught.

I was surprised for the second time when I took a bite without adding anything to try the raw food. It's shockingly soft. Not only the texture but also the flavor is soft. I can hardly feel any harshness or bitterness. It was true that you could eat it in a salad without peeling it.

This time, I created a simple pickle-style dish by mixing Sasuke eggplant cut into 1cm thick pieces, shredded perilla leaves, and mentsuyu. Then, the third ``surprise'' occurred. Within 10 minutes of rubbing it in, the moisture comes out and it becomes soft. The one-dish dish was completed in a flash...

When I tried it, I noticed that the flavor had soaked through, as if it had been marinated for a long time. It wasn't harsh, had a moist, fluffy texture, and was very delicious.

were perfect for eating raw , so much so that it felt like a waste to heat them up Sasuke Nasu gives us a lot of surprises and excitement...this guy is not an ordinary person.

Next is Mankichidon. The round shape is cute.

The cross section had a very silky feel. You can see how each layer is thick.

According to the official website, you can enjoy the shocking sweetness when roasted whole. This time I wanted to make it simpler and easier to enjoy, so I sliced ​​it into rounds and fried them in a frying pan.

It was fried on both sides in a frying pan and topped with bonito flakes and soy sauce. Even after baking for a short time, it remains perfectly soft. I don't feel the spiciness at all. The texture is smooth and the sweet flesh slides in. I think onions are a standard grilled vegetable for grilled meat and BBQ, but the gentle flavor of Mankichi-don is sure to be a perfect complement to meat.

Next time, be sure to try the slowly roasted Mankichi don! It was a taste with high expectations.

summary

Koriyama Brand Vegetables are delicious vegetables grown with care by producers that are unique to Koriyama . This time, we ate Sasuke eggplant and Mankichi don, and the vegetables were selected from seeds and grown by vegetable professionals, and the result was truly amazing. It was very interesting to be able to understand why I chose this species the moment I tasted it.

If you see Koriyama brand vegetables somewhere, please give them a try. Your "delicious favorites" will surely increase by one.