One of the best-kept secrets of Japanese cuisine is a range of side dishes known as tsukemono (, ). The word, pronounced 'tskay-moh-noh,' means 'something that has been steeped or marinated' (tsukesteeped; monothings). Although tsukemono are usually made from vegetables, some fruits, flowers, and a few rhizomes are also preserved this way; it is, therefore, more accurate to characterize them as 'pickled foods.' Their preparation makes use of one or more conservation techniques, involving ingredients such as salt, sugar, vinegar, alcohol, and herbs, in combination with methods including dehydration, marinating in salt and acidic liquids, fermentation, and curing. The process of making tsukemono amounts to more than just a simple way of preserving otherwise perishable fresh produce. Apart from its nutritional value, the dish stimulates the appetite, provides delicious taste sensations, and improves digestion, all while remaining an elegant study in simplicity and esthetic presentation. This book goes well beyond explaining the secrets of making crisp tsukemono. The authors discuss the cultural history and traditions associated with these pickled foods; provide recipes and outline techniques for preparing them at home with local ingredients; describe the healthful benefits and basic nutritional value to be found in the various types of pickles; and show how easy it is to serve them on a daily basis to stimulate the appetite or as condiments to accompany vegetable, fish, and meat dishes. The goal is to encourage the readers of this book to join us in a small culinary adventure that will allow us to expand and diversify our consumption of plant-based foods, which are so vital to our overall well-being. And along the way, there may be a few surprises.

Provides recipes and outlines techniques for preparing tsukemono at home with local ingredients Discusses the cultural history and traditions associated with these pickled foods Describes the healthful benefits and basic nutritional value to be found in the various types of pickles

Autorentext
Ole G. Mouritsen is a research scientist and professor of gastrophysics and culinary food innovation at Copenhagen University. His work focuses on basic sciences and their applications within the fields of biotechnology, biomedicine, and food. He is the recipient of numerous prizes for his work and for research communication. His extensive list of publications includes a number of monographs, several of them co-authored with Klavs Styrbæk, which integrate scientific insights with culinary perspectives and have been nominated three times for Gourmand Best in the World Awards. Currently, Ole is president of The Danish Gastronomical Academy and director of the National Danish Taste Centre Taste for Life, which is generously supported by the Nordea Foundation. This is a cross-disciplinary centre that aims to foster a better understanding of the fundamental nature of taste impressions and how we can use this knowledge to make much more informed and healthier food choices. Its extensive educational program reaches out to audiences of all ages, with a special effort directed toward children to shape their dietary habits from an early age. For many years, Ole has been fascinated with the Japanese culinary arts and in explaining the extent to which its techniques and taste elements can be adapted for the Western kitchen. In recognition of his efforts, he was appointed in 2016 as a Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries, and in 2017 the Japanese Emperor bestowed upon him The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays With Neck Ribbon, Kyokujitsuchujushö . Klavs Styrbæk is a professional chef who owns and operates STYRBÆKS together with his wife, Pia. By combining a high standard of craftsmanship, sparked by curiosity-driven enthusiasm, he has created a gourmet centre where people can enjoy excellent food and where they can come to learn and take their culinary skills to a whole new level. Klavs is particularly enthusiastic about seeking out unique, local raw ingredients that are incorporated into new taste adventures or used to revisit traditional Danish recipes that might otherwise be forgotten. This delicate balance between innovation and renewal is demonstrated in his award-winning cookbook Mormors mad (Grandmother's Food) (2006), which was honored with a special jury prize at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards in 2007. In 2008 and 2019 he was awarded an honorary diploma for excellence in the culinary arts by the Danish Gastronomical Academy. Many of the recipes that appear in the books co-authored with Ole originated in the test-kitchens at STYRBÆKS. Jonas Drotner Mouritsen is a graphic designer and owner of the design company Chromascope that specializes in graphic design, animation, and film production. His movie projects have won several international awards. In addition, he has been responsible for layout, photography, and design of several books about food, some of which have been nominated for Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. Mariela Johansen, who has Danish roots, lives in Vancouver, Canada, and holds an MA in Humanities with a special interest in the ancient world. Working with Ole and Klavs, she has translated several monographs, adapting them for a wider English language readership. Two of these, Umami: unlocking the secrets of the fifth taste and Mouthfeel: How Texture Makes Taste, won a Gourmand World Cookbook Award for the best translation of a cookbook published in the USA in 2014 and 2017, respectively.

Inhalt

Tsukemonoa Japanese culinary art based on the science of preservation.- Vegetables and tsukemonomade for each other.- The many varieties of tsukemono.- Salt, taste, mouthfeel, and colour.- Techniques and methods.- Tsukemono for everyone.- Tsukemono in Japan.- Tsukemono, nutrition, and wellness.- Wabi, tsukemono, and esthetics.- Index