2/19/2008

Sugar and Wasanbon

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All kinds of sugar (砂糖 satoo)
see below

. satookibi, satoo kibi 甘蔗 Satokibi, sugar cane .

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- quote -
History of Sugar in Japan
Documents show that sugar was first brought to Japan from China in the mid-eighth century as a luxury used mainly as a medicine. The primary source of sweetening in ancient times was either maltose candy or amazura ivy extract. As trade with the continent flourished from the fourteenth to seventeenth centuries, imports of sugar increased and its use expanded as a sweetener used in cooking. The practice of the tea ceremony spread among the upper classes during this period, and sweets made with sugar were developed to accompany the tea. The tradition of sweets that evolved along with the tea ceremony—virtual works of art created from sugar—form a culture of confectionery that Japan can be proud of. It was not until the eighteenth century, however, when sugar cane began to be cultivated in Japan, that sugar became more readily available to the common people.
-- Evolution of a Culture of Sweets
-- Japan's Distinctive Sweet Cuisine
- source : kikkoman.com/foodforum -



. Tanuma Okitsugu 田沼意次 .
encouraged the trade of white European sugar via the merchants of Nagasaki.
He also introduced the plant satokibi , first grown at his request at a Nichiren temple, the Ikegami Honmon-Ji 池上本門寺 in the South of Edo. From there its growth spread to other suitable areas of Japan.


- Ikegami Honmon-Ji 池上本門寺 - - More in the WIKIPEDIA !


. satoo no michi シュガーロード(砂糖の道) sugar road .
The road between Nagasaki and Kokura (Ogura) 小倉, then on to Kyoto during the Edo period.
A lot of Western cultural elements travelled this road, when even very expensive white sugar was only available at the island of Dejima.
Towns along this road were able to produce sweets with white sugar.


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Sweetness and Empire:
Sugar Consumption in Imperial Japan




I argue that although sugar was consumed as a luxury item in early-modern Japan, in the early decades of the twentieth century, and especially during the war years, the consumption of sweets became inseparable from the idea of Japanese modernity, linked to the act of consumption within the sphere of Japanese empire.
- source : Barak Kushner (バラク・クシュナー) -

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Wasanbon - Japanischer Zucker aus Shikoku


和三盆
wasambon, wasanbon toh, wasanbonto, wasanbon sugar

Once in the Eod period, a pilgrim on the Henro Trip in Shikoku fell ill and was taken care of by a doctor in Tokushima, 向山周慶 Sakiyama Shukei (1746 - 1819). Sakiyama was a student of the famous doctor Hiraga Gennai 平賀源内.
When then got well and returned to his home region, 奄美大島 Amami Oshima in Okinawa.
Soon he was back with plants of the Okinawa sugar cane 竹糖, because he thought they might grow in the waterless Sanuki plain of the region. To take sugar cane out of Okinawa was forbidden by law at that time, so he risked his life to do i.
His plan worked, and now he and the doctor have become local deities, venerated with two small wooden statues in the local shrine as O-Sato Sama お砂糖さま.

Shikoku Henro Temple Nr. 4 大日寺.

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Zucker versüßt das Leben – aber über viele Jahrhunderte war Japan angewiesen auf die Einfuhr von Zucker von den Ryukyu-Inseln (heute Okinawa). Der 8. Shogun, Tokugawa Yoshimune (1684-1751) beschloß daher, den Anbau von Zuckerrohr auf japanischem Boden zu fördern und unterstützte Versuche auf der Insel Shikoku. Das Gebiet im Bergland von Asan 阿讃(あさん) zwischen Kagawa und Tokushima war trocken und nicht geeignet für den Anbau von Weizen, bot aber dem Zuckerrohr der Sorte „Zuckerbambus“, Saccharum sinense Roxb (chikutoo 竹糖), ausreichend Wachstumsmöglichkeiten. Gepflanzt wurde im Frühjahr und im Dezember konnte geerntet werden. Die Verarbeitung musste dann schnell in der kalten Jahreszeit bis zum Ende Februar erfolgen.
Man unterscheidet den Wasanbon der Präfektur Kagawa, Sanuki Wasanbon 讃岐和三盆, und den von Tokushima, Awa Wasanbon 阿波和三盆糖. Sanuki bzw. Awa ist der alte Name der jeweiligen Provinz.


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Der Zuckerbambus wird nur bis zu zwei Meter hoch und ist wesentlich dünner als das Zuckerrohr von Okinawa. Der daraus gewonnene Zucker ist aber sehr wohlschmeckend, weil er nicht nur süß ist, sondern noch den leichten Geschmack vom Zuckerrohr hat. Er wird auf mühsahme Weise bis heute noch von Hand gewonnen. Nach dem Auspressen der Pflanze wird die Flüssigkeit gekocht und der Sud durch Abstehenlassen gereinigt. Danach wird er wieder gekocht und dann zum Kristallisieren in irdenen Töpfen stehengelassen. In diesem Stadium ist der Zucker noch relativ grob, „einen Schritt vor dem Weißen“ (shiroshitatoo 白下糖) und etwas braun in der Farbe.

Dieser Zucker wird nun auf ein Tablett (BON) gestreut und mit Wasser „poliert“, geknetet und am gleichen Tag noch im Schatten getrocknet, ein Vorgang, der dreimal (SAN) wiederholt wird. Um diesen nun fast weißen Puderzucker von anderen importierten Sorten zu underscheiden, wird er „japanischer“ (WA) genannt, daher also der Name WA SAN BON. Wasanbon war bis zum Ende des Zweiten Weltkrieges der einzige in Japan produzierte Zucker, wurde dann aber bald von billigerer Importware abgelöst und heute nur noch für hochqualitative Süßigkeiten, meist für die Teezeremonie verwendet.

Der Zucker kann ohne weitere Zusätze in kleine Formen gepresst werden, das beliebte japanische Trockenkonfekt (higashi 干菓子). Durch Zugabe von Farbstoff lassen sich Blüten und Blätter der Jahreszeit und andere Muster für die saisonalen Zusammentreffen für die Teezeremonie verarbeiten.

Als Puderzucker wird er auch anderen Süßspeisen und Konfekten untergemischt, z.B. Bisquitrollen und Pudding.

Anderes Trockenkonfekt ist das Rakugan 落雁, ein gepresstes Zuckerstückchen aus dem Mehl von Sojabohnen, Reis und Zucker.
Konpeito 金平糖, die japanische Aussprache des portugiesischen CONFEITO, sind kleine bunte sternförmige Zuckerbonbons.
Wasanbon mit Ingwer gemischt ergibt die Ingwerbonbons „Ingwerzucker“ (shoogatoo 生姜糖 ).




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Found on the way

Ekijuutoo Ekijuto 益寿糖 "Sugar for a longer life"
CLICK for more photos a soft mochi-type sweet with cinamon and walnut
During the Edo period, this was a kind of medicine with Chinese herbal medicine as ingredients and even later the Meiji Tenno gave it to his son,when he was in poor health.
http://www.kyoto-kagiya.co.jp/ekijuto.htm
京都市左京区百万遍角 Kyoto
. . . CLICK here for more Photos !


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Wasanbon Junko 和三盆醇乎(わさんぼんじゅんこ)"unmixed, pure"
Tokushima
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Wasanbon Saburee 和三盆サブレ
Awa
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



. Treasure Rabbit 玉兎 tama-usagi .
from the shop Seigetsudo 誠月堂 at Mount Yahikoyama, Niigata


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White and Brown Sugar from Japan

hiden kokutoo mitsu 秘伝黒糖蜜 black sugar and honey from a secret family recipe
Black sugar is the Japanese version of Brown sugar. This is a kind of dark syrup, good for deserts and sweets.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



muku no seitoo 無垢の星濤(むくのせいとう)"immaculate star sugar"
It is crystalized in three processes and takes some weeks to prepare. Goes nice with coffee and tea, syrup and jam.
From 鴻商店
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



namasatoo, nama satoo 生砂糖 raw sugar
made from sugarcane in Kyushu and Satsunan Island. The liquid is removed and the molasses remain in the sugar. Suitable for meat and fish dishes.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




onizarame, oni zarame 鬼粗目"coarse demon sugar"
with large crystals forming over a longer period of crystallization. Nice light sugary taste.

..... zarame 粗目 (ざらめ) crystal sugar
..... zarametoo 粗目糖
Kristallzucker, brauner Zucker



Satsunan niontoo 薩南 煮温糖 (におんとう)
From the southern Satsuma islands Satsunan in Kyushu. The sugar is cooked twice (ni-on) in the process of making, so it contains more minerals than other sugar.
Good for raw dishes, salads, vinegar dressings.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !




shunsetsutoo 春雪糖 "spring snow sugar"
shunsetsu yukidoketoo 春雪雪解け糖
from brown sugar of Okinawa blended with other brown sugar. Used for cooking of meat, seafood or baking. It has the special flavor of brown sugar.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



tezukuri kona kurozato 手作り粉末黒砂糖 handmade brown sugar powder
from Kyushu. The juice of sugarcane is boiled and then cooled down. With molasses, many minerals, vitamins and fragrance. Good for baking and cookies.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


wasanbon 和三盆 Wasambon, powder-fine Japanese sugar


. Aoni Yoshi 青丹よし Aoniyoshi
wasanbon in two colors from shrine Kasuga Taisha, Nara


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白玉にとけのこりたる砂糖かな
shiratama ni toke-nokoritaru satoo kana

on the Shiratama
it has not yet dissolved -
this sugar


高浜虚子 Takahama Kyoshi

. WASHOKU - Shiratama white dumplings


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山陰も桃の日あるか砂糖売
yama kage mo momo no hi aru ka satoo uri

even in mountain shade
is it Peach Day?
sugar vendor

Tr. David Lanoue

(Peach Day = Peach Festival)


. shiratama uri 白玉売 vendor of Shiratama in Edo .
In Edo, these vendors walk along, selling Shiratama and cold water (hiyamizu 「冷水(ひやみず)). The vendor scoops cold water from a well in the morning and starts his business. The dumplings were made of kanzarashiko flour 寒晒粉 (another name for Shiratamako). They were put in a bowl, covered with cold water and some brown sugar then sprinkled on top of them.
also called 砂糖水屋 sato mizuya.


source : toraya-group.co.jp/toraya/bunko

Selling sugar-water 砂糖水

. Doing Business in Edo - 江戸の商売 .

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Related words

***** Sweets from Shikoku

***** . INGREDIENTS .

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##sugar #satoo ##sato ##wasanbon
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2 comments:

Gabi Greve said...

Kobayashi Issa

山陰も桃の日あるか砂糖売
yama kage mo momo no hi aru ka satoo uri

even in mountain shade
is it Peach Day?
sugar vendor

.
Tr. David Lanoue
.

Gabi Greve said...

NARA —A group of experts has re-created an ancient sweetener that was traditionally made using reduced sap from the natsuzuta vine, a type of ivy.

“Amazurasen”
was a popular sweetener in Japan as far back as 1,000 years ago, but had all but disappeared by the Edo period (1603-1867) following the introduction of sugar during the Muromachi period (1336-1573).
.
https://japannews.yomiuri.co.jp/features/delicious/20230910-134601/
.