Japanese Pickles of "Kawakatsu". 100 Years History Which Were Made by Sincere Shopkeepers
What do you imagine of Japanese traditional foods? What do you know about Kyoto foods?
Japanese pickles, we call "tsukemono" in Japanese, are pickled vegetables in salt, vinegar,
miso etc. There are many kinds of Japanese pickles.
Here I the writer want to introduce "Kawakatsu" Japanese pickles shop because I joined the
"Tsukemono class" and heard their history and saw how to make. Very impressed so want to
share it.
川勝総本家 "kawakatsu-sohomke" is 103 years old.
In 1917, the first shopkeeper opened the "tsukemono" shop in Kyoto. However Kyoto did not have the energy at that time not only in the tsukemono market but also the various kinds of aspects. Because of this, he thought the unique idea for selling. He put the tsukemono on the car and delivered them. Also he put the tsukemono in the sushi box. These his ways had a lot of attention from many people.
The photo above is "Nukazuke" which the pickles made in brine and fermented rice bran.
Tsukemono of chinese cabbages or radishes were sold by retaining its original form like the
photo above in 1980 but Kawakatsu started to sell the "cut tsukemono" like the main photo
of this page(on the top) and it became the big hit item.
Why Kawakatsu cut the tsukemono? One day, the customer said " please cut this because
it is difficult to eat this original form" "it is trouble to cut for the single people".
Kawakatsu got the hint from the customer's reviews.
Now Kawakatsu give us the tsukemono lesson. If you are interested in tsukemono, please
join it! This white tsukemono is one of the "Three major tsukemono" in Kyoto. It is "Senmai-
zuke" 千枚漬け. Kyoto Kabura (turnip) is pickled by Hokkaido kelp and daishi (Japanese
seasoning). "Senmai" means "a thousand" and "zuke" means "pickled".
The skin of Kyoto Kabura (turnip) is cut by cherry tree's cutter. Cherry tree is strong and
hard. Kabura (turnip) is cut a thousand pieces.
"Think and decide how much dashi ( Japanese seasoning) and kelp add on Kabura when I
cut the skin of it." Kawakatsu managing director said.
He can feel and know the kabura condition when he cut the skin and adjust the taste.
It is professional skill.
Hope you find your favorite tsukemono !
HP: http://www.kawakatu.com/index.php (only in Japanese)
There are shops in Kyoto, Osaka, Tokyo and Kanagawa.
shop list: http://www.kawakatu.com/shoplist.php#tokyo
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If you need any help, please contact me.