August 24, 2012

Very Early Harvest Miyazaki Koshihikari Rice/超早場米宮崎コシヒカリ


I only recently learned that there is such a thing called cho-hayaba mai (very early harvest rice).  In Miyazaki in Kyushu, rice is planted in February and March, and is harvested in late July, before the typhoon season.  I was so intrigued by the very early harvest Miyazaki Koshihikari rice I ended up buying three 5-kg bags (plus one 1-kg bag of mochi awa, mentioned earlier).
つい最近、超早場米（ちょうはやばまい）というものがあることを知りました。九州の宮崎では、田植えが２月、３月に行われ、台風シーズン前の７月下旬には収穫をするそうです。超早場米宮崎コシヒカリがとても興味深かったので、5 kgの袋を３つ（それから、先に述べた1 kgの「もちあわ」）を買いました。







Incredible that I can have shinmai (new crop rice) in August!  Here in Niigata, rice is harvested in late September.
８月に新米が食べれるなんて信じられません！新潟では稲刈りは９月下旬です。
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8 comments:

  1. SissiAugust 25, 2012 at 4:54 AM

    I hope I will be able to taste one day early harvest rice... I wish there were more varieties available here. I wonder what is the difference in taste... or maybe texture?

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  2. HiroyukiAugust 25, 2012 at 6:37 AM

    Sissi: Not much difference in taste or texture. It's only that the Japanese LOVE shinmai (new crop rice) because it's fresh and tasty.

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  3. SissiAugust 25, 2012 at 4:55 PM

    Thank you. I have always thought there was a big difference in taste.

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  4. HiroyukiAugust 25, 2012 at 9:26 PM

    Sissi: Well, shinmai is as different from komai (lit. old rice, that is, rice harvested last year) as you think it is. I mean, that's the question of whether or not to appreciate the subtle difference in flavor between the two.

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  5. Ruminating RoyAugust 26, 2012 at 12:42 AM

    Those are some lovely looking grains. I think I might have had something of that quality last year, but it's hard to say.

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  6. HiroyukiAugust 26, 2012 at 6:47 AM

    Ruminating Roy: And, it's hard for me to say something about the quality of rice produced in the United States and elsewhere because I have never had short-grain rice produced there.

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  7. SissiAugust 27, 2012 at 6:33 AM

    Hiroyuki, I'm sure I wouldn't appreciate the difference... (I only know one kind of good Japanese rice... produced in Italy). This is why I'm always saying that my first (an maybe also the following ones) trip to Japan will cost me nothing: even eating in cheapest bars and izakayas will feel like sophisticated, high quality food compared to what we are served here ;-)

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  8. HiroyukiAugust 27, 2012 at 9:01 AM

    Sissi: I really hope that Japan will live up to your expectations, but I also hope you keep this in mind: The grass is always greener on the other side!

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