Simple Crispy Summer Vegetable Pickles / 夏野菜のさっぱり漬け

日本語のレシピは　ビーガン、ベジタリアン情報満載の　Hachidory から　ご覧下さい。

It is the end of July.

But the summer seems to be hiding somewhere.

It has been wet, wet and wet without a single sunny day.

I am now wearing a sweater, a neck warmer and covering my legs with a blanket. 

 If my memory is correct, this is the coldest and wettest July in my life.  The house and the all the things get moldy quickly and the laundries are hung everywhere in the house.
(Japanese people do not like to dry the laundries with the machine and want to dry with the sun, therefore laundry machine is not widely used.)   

Persistent humidity is something unpleasant, so everyone is wishing for the quick ending of the rainy season as much as the ending of the covid 19, I presume.   

(Judging from the reports from around the world, the covid 19 situation is considered much better here and people are not so cautious for social distancing though most people are wearing masks outside.)

 

My favorite farmers market which is held in the open space in the mountain was carried out despite of drizzling last Sunday and many turned out as it was the first time since last November. (It is closed during winter.)

This farmers market is designed more for kids with handmade swings, climbing lopes, trampoline, play house kits with old pots, spatulas and so on.  I love this space surrounded by nature and often tell people that it is the place where the forest fairies reside.

 

This occasion became the debut of my newly made Kamishibai story. 

 

 I made this story to encourage people to be compassionate for the insects.

 

I have read that it is a Japanese unique culture that people show the interests in insects and enjoy the sounds they make. 

I think it is true.  Japanese people show more interests in insects compared with other nations, know the names of insects, the boys love to collect them and observe, people get the relaxation or feel the nostalgy from the sounds of insects.

 

However, there’s one thing I have been very uncomfortable about it.

Catching the insects with the net and putting them in the tiny cage, and then bringing them back home to keep them at their home in order to observe them are common sites during summer season.  It is often promoted by adults and is often assigned to kids as a summer holiday homework from the teachers.

 

One of my students offered to paint the pictures. 

 

My heart always goes to those innocent insects.

I can hear their voices saying wanna get out of there.

 

Is it important to know about insects like how many legs they have, how long their antennae are, what they like to eat, how fast they grow, all by sacrificing their lives ?

 

I have an intention to let people be aware that insects belong to the nature not to the cages.

 

I got the impression the children got something from the Kamishibai I read, which I titled “Wanna Go Back Home”.
I want to read it to more people during this summer season. 

 

 

 

Today’s recipe is just suitable for coming hot summer.

It is super easy to make, may be too simple to teach.

Sooo delicious that you’ll probably eat up all you made even though you meant for the next few days.

 

（続きを読む）

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