Do you love tsukemono? Pickles in Japan are a vital yet often underrated aspect of Japanese cuisine – and the foodies here at Japan Centre can’t get enough of them. So our pickles are being thoroughly tickled by the arrival of some of Japan’s best tsukemono, straight from Kyoto. Let’s take a look at what makes this colourful selection so very special…
Exquisite quality, rich variety
Famed for the freshness of their produce, Mori begin the pickling process only when their crops reach optimum ripeness. They’re also prepared with minimal salt, so what you’re tasting is the natural flavour of the pickled ingredients. They offer a veritable rainbow of pickle choices – just take a look at the following:
Clockwise from the top left:
Mori Baika Pickled Radish
Mori Sato Gobo Pickled Burdock
Mori Pickled Shallots
Mori Shibazuke Pickled Vegetables
Clockwise from the top left:
Mori Sato no Aji Pickled Vegetables
Mori Sakura Pickled Turnip
Mori Shibazuke Pickled Aubergine
Mori Takenoko Sansho Boiled Bamboo Shoots
Adored in Japan
With 14 Mori stores operating throughout Kyoto, visitors to the city set time aside to get their hands on these perfect pickles. Kyoto pickles are the favourite souvenir to bring back home from the city.
Kyoto cuisine at its height
Risa Sekiguchi from Kyoto Visitors Guide highlights how tsukemono are a prime example of the Kyoto food scene:
Kyoto cuisine is known for using simple methods to highlight the best local produce of the season, using minimal flavourings to enjoy their true flavor. Kyoto-style tsukemono exemplify this ideal, using simple ingredients like salt, rice bran mash and vinegar in simple, yet precise methods that lock in the best flavor of the season and preserve it for a few days or months. When biting into a piece of Kyoto tsukemono, you’ll find the flavour and texture of the vegetable enhanced, and not overpowered, by the pickling. The bright colors are also natural, as no artificial colourings are used.
Prepared naturally by experts
Mori have been operating in Kyoto since 1962. The beautiful stores in this ancient city are an event in themselves, and the staff are passionate about pickling. Mori only grow their vegetables under the open sky and never in a green house, with no use of pesky pesticides, which results in organic pickle perfection.
Rich in flavour, texture and variety, quality tsukemono can make an exquisite addition to your bento box or even bring dishes to life. Whilst Japan Centre has an enormous range of tsukemono for you to choose from, this selection from Mori is really rather special. Shop the full range now in store or online.
Curious about tsukemono? Check out our blog post with more information.
Japan Centre – Japanese Food Hall Since 1976
