Hello.
This is Tomita from FarmMart & Friends .
It's already been a little over four months since I came to this store.
I'm relieved that we were able to get through spring safely.
Although I still feel like I have a long way to go, I feel like I'm finally starting to get used to it.
I'm really excited to see what kind of summer I'll be having!
We want everyone, not just first-time visitors, but also regulars, neighbors, and everyone at Monosus who works at the same place, to enjoy Farm Mart even more.
Of course I'm happy to be able to see you all, but I'd also be happy if you could find small joys in the place you come to work, like "I'm feeling blue after a good night's sleep, so maybe I'll have a donut" or "I worked hard, so I'll have a beer before going home."
To that end, I think it would be good to come up with menus and plans and plan events, but first I would like to be able to convey "what kind of restaurant we are and what we do."
So, I'm going to start a "Friends Diary".
Take a look inside the store and see what they do.
"Seasonal Handicraft Event"
The first commemorative event is "Ume Shigoto"
"Ume-shigoto" is a term you often hear around June.
This time, we will be using plums from Satoyama no Kai in Kamiyama Town, Tokushima Prefecture.
This year, due to the warm winter, there has been a poor plum harvest.
Despite the circumstances, they sent us many beautiful plums.
When it first arrived it was still blue, but over the days it turned yellow and then orange.
As you wait for this day, the sweet scent of peach spreads more and more.
Every time I entered the store, I was soothed by the sweet aroma.
It was the members of Monosus, the company we work for and which works on the same premises, who invited us to do some "plum work" using these plums.
" CIMI restaurant " opened at the same time I came to this restaurant, and I have been helping (and being helped by!) Chef Tomo-san every day.
Both Tomo and I felt that since we were all in the same place, we wanted to interact more with the Monosas people and get them interested in us.
We called out participants for a "seasonal craft meet-up," and 14 people showed up, including someone who normally works in web design, a back office staff member, and someone trying their hand at brewing their own original beer!
First, clean the plums
Wash the plums thoroughly and wipe them thoroughly.
After that, remove any dirt from the hollow of the plum and the stem (navel) at the end.
It may seem like a mundane task, but this is what makes you feel like you're doing something by hand.
Everyone is serious.
Weigh out ingredients
The team members making umeboshi add salt to the plums in a ratio of 20%.
The members making plum syrup use a 1:1 ratio of plums and sugar.
I used two types of sugar for the plum syrup: rock sugar and cane sugar.
Personally, I like the rich sweetness of cane sugar, but using rock sugar makes the finished product look beautiful and refreshing.
Finally, bottling
Once you're ready, pack the ingredients together, alternating layers.
Plum syrup can be mixed with water or soda, or poured over ice.
It's actually delicious mixed with milk.
Finished!
It turned out like this.
This is slowly grown at home by stirring it.
I think you grow attached to the food by taking care of it every day, and more than anything, it tastes even better because it's filled with memories of everyone making it together.
I look forward to hearing about your progress and the finished product!
Let's all eat!
After the work was done, we had dinner.
Tomo-san cooked a hearty meal for us using ingredients from the Farm Mart.
Since we had been busy preparing the food right after the restaurant had closed, the feeling of it seeping into our bodies the moment we ate it was amazing!
We even found ourselves mumbling to each other, "I guess I was really hungry..."
They were all really delicious, but the one that stood out to me was the chive and egg dish.
When I asked later how it was seasoned, I was told, "Maybe it's just salt?"
It was so delicious that I was speechless, and later secretly asked for a second helping of rice.
I want to enjoy the season with everyone
When you hear the phrase "seasonal handicrafts," some might get a complicated impression, like "careful living."
But I would like to continue this gathering with the image of "farming grandmothers."
My parents' family was a farming family, so I often helped out with farm work while playing.
We worked in a circle picking edamame beans and plucking konjac sprouts.
Occasionally I would eat rice balls in a corner of a field or rice paddy (although I think this was the main purpose...).
I remember this being a lot of fun, and I think that's exactly what it felt like.
Rather than a "workshop", it is a gathering where everyone gathers around a round table and works together.
When Tomo started this group, he said, "When you do it alone it's just a chore, but when you do it with everyone it becomes fun." It would be great if we could all enjoy that kind of fun while feeling the change of seasons.
It's not something I'd do alone at home, but I do feel like giving it a try.
I hope that people like that will come together.
notice
On Friday, July 5th, FarmMart & Friends will be holding its first event since its renovation.
Monosus, FarmMart & Friends, CIMI restorant.
We all gather at this place, 3-9-5 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, but we usually have different roles.
This is a one-day event where people like this connect with each other through eating.
CIMI restorant offers sandwiches made with country bread from Shiomi Pan , located next door.
From Monosus we have Monosus beer and Hiker's Gin .
FarmMart & Friends will also be serving three types of homemade syrup, including plum syrup made at the Handicraft Association.
In addition, the FarmMart & Friends kitchen members who normally make the donuts and lunches will be unveiling some baked goods that they have been trial-and-error testing on this day!
We've made some sweets that are uniquely our style, so please check them out too.
Enjoy a beer and a sandwich.
It's good to munch on donuts and sweets.
You can also just come and chat.
This is an event that anyone can participate in. It can be enjoyed without alcohol, so please feel free to drop by.
We look forward to seeing you!
Every day continues with "making" and every day continues with "eating"
yoyogi 395 Day
Date and time: July 5th (Friday) 16:00-20:00 (last orders at 19:00)
Location: FarmMart & Friends ( 3-9-5 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo )
4 minutes walk from Minami-Shinjuku Station on the Odakyu Line. Event details and more can be found on Instagram .
