Pink color is said to have a calming effect and makes you feel relaxed and happy. Flowers can also help to increase your feelings of happiness.
What comes to mind when you think of pink flowers? Roses ,tulips, or cosmos? Sakura (Japanese cherry blossom) comes to many Japanese people's minds. People look forward to seeing sakura blooming every year ,having products with sakura. People also enjoy eating sakura.
How can we eat sakura?
Pickled blossoms and leaves are often used for food. Mochi (餅,rice cake) covered with pickled a sakura leaf called Sakura mochi is a special spring dessert. Pickled blossoms are used for many foods.
Here are salt-pickled sakura blossoms. Blossoms are pickled with salt, or sometimes pickled with salt and plum vinegar (梅酢, umezu).
If plum vinegar is added , these blossoms can usually keep their pink color well, compared to those only pickled with just salt. You can buy it here.
The blossom is used for making tea called Sakura cha (Cherry Blossom Tea) , and used for an ingredient in wagashi (traditional Japanese confectionery), sushi , also cakes and bread. You will see many products with these blossoms in stores in spring.
A new way of enjoying pickled sakura blossom
In this article, I will show you how to enjoy it in a modern way. You can "bloom" it again with a microwave . It has been popular these years as you can use many ways.
How to make blossoms blooming
Soak blossoms in water for 10-20 minutes. Don't hesitate to take less or more time to soak them ,to your preference.
Remove some water with a paper napkin and trim the stems. Place them on a microwave-safe plate.
Microwave them at 500W for 20-60 seconds until they dry. In the photo below, blossoms have been microwaved for 50 seconds.
You can turn them over and microwave again if they're not dry enough.
How to enjoy them
You'll enjoy just looking at them if you put them into a glass jar and put them onto your table. You can decorate your cooking and baking, and can eat them, but one thing you have to remember is they are not sugar coated blossoms, salt-pickled blossoms.
I think you can make use of it if you imagine flavored salt.
Good matches
・vanilla ice cream. It is like sea salt vanilla ice cream or salted caramel ice cream.
・popcorn, chips, deep-fried chicken
You can put the whole blossoms or crush them with your hand and sprinkle on top.
Enjoy your spring with sakura blossoms!
Today's Recommendation
Salt pickled sakura blossoms in this article
Iijima Seitarou Shoten KN003: Salt-Pickled Sakura Blossoms (Japanese-grown) 桜花の塩漬
This family-run factory, located in Odawara, Kanagawa, grow sakura and ume trees, and use the techniques inherited over the generations to make these salt-pickled sakura, umeboshi (dried Japanese plums), and yukari (ume-pickled purple shiso leaves).
Recipes with salted sakura blossoms
What is Sakura cha (Cherry Blossom Tea)?
Sakura Daifuku Mochi (さくら大福) Recipe
