The Japanese language has made words for the subtle difference in the red spectrum. Recently I learned a new color "daidai", this color is for a warm saturated orange color. The word “daidai” is actually the name of a citrus fruit. This orange is quite sour and is generally used more for decoration than for its juice. For those familiar with the Japanese New Year celebration, you might recall the daidai orange as the crowning touch on a stack of round mochi cakes.
The other day I received a bag full of these “daidai” oranges. Upon recommendation I used them to squeeze on freshly boiled seaweed, and also as a salad dressing.
On the Amakusa islands, many varieties of citrus grow in abundance. The taste, shape and color variations all make for non-stop delights for my taste buds. The only problem with a lot of these varieties is the over abundant use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides. These chemicals all wash into the rivers and eventually the sea leaving an environmental disaster.
The daidai variety is actually a type that does not require any special care. Although these varieties are not prized for their taste, and as such do not fetch a dear price at the markets, the fact that they are a sustainable crop should increase their value.
Posts
So, is it good as a salad dressing? Sounds good for you, is it nutritious?
ReplyDeleteI like your take on prices at the supermarket. I find it quite the controversy when I am doing my grocery shopping. Usually the price is so high for organic veggies. Some say 'organic' doesn't always mean organic and is a waste of money plus isn't necessarily any healthier for you. But the veggies that look too perfect due to the chemicals used to grow them scare me. Growing your own really is worth it!