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| Using okara to stuff fish |
I am always amazed at how many videos there are on Japanese culture and how YouTube has become a platform for them. My latest discovery is a series of small vignettes called
Grandma's Recipes by
Yu Nakamura about disappearing recipes from rural Japan that are kept alive by old women. The videographer explains what they are doing this way.
"Our team especially tries to focus on eccentric, lovely but “Rock” ladies above the age of 80, who have lived through World War Two. We interview them with great care, and through their recipes which represents the relationships they share with those they care about, we are able to uncover great depth in their life stories. We want to spread those stories to the young generations living today. We believe that if we can share the stories of those beautiful and loving ladies to the world, regardless of borders and languages, people may appreciate even the dinner table just a little bit more."
"There are many grandmas over the age of 80 who have collected many "wrinkles" of joy throughout the years. We collect those "wrinkles" in the form of their favorite recipes and we try to understand the depth of their life stories."
The photography is beautiful even if you don't want to try the recipes, the majority of which seem to be
Osechi, New Year's dishes.
- Sansai (Wild Vegetables, picked in Spring)
- Grandma Mitsuko from Haida making whole fish sushi.
- Tatsuko - san, a shoyu-maker from Fukui, making a soup for New Year's
- Osechi made by Keiko oba-chan in Tokyo, nishiki eggs and other dishes
- Teacher Tsunko on Noto Island making cod for "Kishu-sai", the festival of fishery.
