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Hida Beef, Hoba Miso and Takayama Ramen
In Hida, a mountain land of long winters shut in by snow, people have built up ways to eat limited ingredients deliciously and without waste. Miso grilled on a magnolia leaf, a "steak" of grilled frozen pickles, dumplings seasoned with nothing but soy sauce. And a brand of beef that began with a single famous bull. These are the stories behind the flavours of Hida.
Labels: Factdocumented Likelysupported by most sources Legendoral tradition Urban legendlocal lore and rumour
Hida beef, which began with one bull
FactIn 1981 Gifu Prefecture acquired a breeding bull born in Hyogo Prefecture. His name was "Yasufuku". Yasufuku was an outstanding sire who passed on finely marbled meat, and he is said to have fathered about 39,000 calves in his lifetime.
FactIn 1988 it was decided that Japanese Black cattle raised in Gifu Prefecture whose meat reached a high quality grade would be called "Hida beef" (Hida-gyu). Yasufuku, who laid the foundations of today's Hida beef, is also called "the father of Hida beef".
Hoba miso and pickle steak
FactThe large leaves of the hoba (Japanese big-leaf magnolia) that fall in autumn are gathered and dried, and in winter one is placed over a small charcoal brazier or stove, topped with miso, spring onion, shiitake mushrooms and so on, and grilled. This is hoba miso (magnolia-leaf miso). The miso, scented by the leaf, goes well both with rice and with sake.
FactHida winters are cold, and pickles sometimes froze in their barrels. Frozen pickled Chinese cabbage and the like is grilled on an iron plate and bound with egg to make "tsukemono steak" (pickle steak), a dish born of snow-country wisdom as a way to warm up cold pickles. Pickled red turnips are also an essential part of the Hida winter table.
Takayama ramen and mitarashi dango
FactTakayama ramen is said to have begun with a noodle stall that started trading in the town of Takayama in 1938. It is known for thin, curly noodles and a light soy-sauce soup. Unlike ordinary ramen, where the soup and the seasoning sauce are made separately and combined in the bowl, many shops simmer the soup and sauce together from the start, which is peculiar to Takayama. Locally it is called "chuka soba".
FactTakayama's "mitarashi dango" (rice dumplings on skewers) are not coated in a sweet sauce but brushed with soy sauce and grilled until fragrant. Freshly grilled dumplings are sold at shopfronts in the old town.
Look here: magnolia leaves as tableware
Magnolia leaves were used not only for grilling miso but also as wrappers for rice balls and sushi. The leaves are said to have antibacterial properties, and in early summer "hoba-zushi", sushi wrapped in magnolia leaves, is made too. On Hida's tables, leaves from the mountains took the place of plates.
Main sources: JA Hida, "Hida Beef" / Hida Beef Brand Promotion Council / Gifu Prefecture official tourism site, "Takayama Ramen" / Hida-Takayama official tourism site