2021-01-02 に最初に投稿 | 1339 ヒット
Posted on 2021-01-02 | 1339 view(s)
なぜかうちの母はお嫁入りのときに四角のお重でなくて、まあるいお重を買いはりました。それをアメリカに持ってきて使ってますが、いろんなお料理の本にお重のキレイな詰め方とかで、まあるいお重を使ってるとこ見たことなくて、参考にできなくてこまってます（笑）。日本にいるときは、あんまりいろいろ作らなくても、お店の出来合い物をで買ってお煮しめ、きんとん（うちのはサツマイモとリンゴきんとんです。
今年は栗もいれてみました）以外はあんまり作りません。むかーしは、魚屋さんが家に竜皮巻も持ってきてくれたなあ。でも、あんまり日本物がないアメリカの田舎に住んでるので、かまぼこまで根性で手作りで作ってます。だって、冷凍のかまぼこ、すかすかになるんだもん。昔は、あんまりおせちの味好きじゃなかったけど、大人になって、おいしい味がわかってきました。やっぱりちょっと日本酒とね。
[Image description: 3 circular dishes containing numerous traditional Japanese dishes]
I posted earlier New Year's dish served in tray. However, traditional way we serve dish is in layered box. I brought the ones that my mom bought as a dowry, but this is not really the traditional shape. My mom bought the one in cylinder shape, but typically, it's square box shape, usually has 3 layers. Japanese traditional New Year's dish has specific place where particular dish is placed.
1st layer (right back) usually serves appetizer like dishes. Each dish has it's meaning. Black beans signifies industriousness, tiny sardines signifies good harvest in field (as they use sardine powder as fertilizer), sweet potato paste signifies pot of gold (as the color of the dish is gold/yellow), burdock signifies longevity, eggroll (not fried egg roll, actual rolled cake like egg bake) signifies scholarly success, herring's roe signifies fertility (not need for me! :-D)
2nd layer (left back) usually includes grilled protein and sour dish. I usually include items from both ocean and mountain to bring bounties from both places.
3rd layer usually (center front) has braised vegs. Again, burdock signifies longevity, lotus signifies ability to see future well through holes, shape of konnyaku (こんにゃく, コンニャク, 蒟蒻, 菎蒻) jelly signifies ropes to connect others and also strength. Usually it also includes taro potatoes to signify fertility, but I am super allergic to this, so I don't have it in my dish.
These dishes should be made on New Year's Eve to give it to the gods to thank for all the blessings from past year and on New Year's day, we eat left over from gods. Usually first 3 days (Jan 1-3), we also don't cook using fire to let gods of fire rest and also often, gods of fire at home are women who cook (traditional gender role of Japan) can also rest :-D So many dishes are really either sour or strong in it's taste so it will last for long time. As a kid, I really don't like most of dishes, but as I get older, I now appreciate the mixture of those tastes.