三重の方が時々カフェにお越しになります。三重県は滋賀県と山を境にお隣同士。それに三重の伊勢神宮と多賀大社は御祭神が親子とご縁が深いことも人々の行き来が多い理由かもしれません。先日、三重の四日市のお客様がお見えになってあれこれお話しているうちに、四日市の特産品の話題になり、四日市はハマグリですと教えてくださいました。海のない滋賀の私にはハマグリは高級食材で滅多に口に入らないことを申し上げたら、何と昨日クール便でハマグリが届きました。何だかおねだりしたみたいでお客様のご親切には恐縮するばかりです。ハマグリの調理法も教えてくださっていたので早速実行。お鍋に水とハマグリを入れて熱くしていくと突然パカッと貝が開くところが愉快です。少し塩と醤油を足して家にあった菜花を添えて出来上がり。ハマグリの食感が抜群でとても美味しく、お出しも上品で味わい深いお吸い物でした。ネットには調理法も様々あり春の味覚を堪能させていただきます。お世話になっている方たちにもお裾分けしました。We sometimes have guests from Mie prefecture. There are several reasons for them to come to Taga. First, Mie adjoins Shiga in between the mountains. Second, the deity of those two shrines, Ise-Jinguh and Taga Taisha are connected by child and parent relationship. The other day, we had a guest from Yokkaichi in Mie. Among several topics we were talking about, the local products in Yokkaichi were raised. He told me it is an orient clam. I told him that since Shiga prefecture is not facing the sea, we usually don't eat clam very much because it is expensive. A couple days later, I received a box filled with clams by cool shipping from him. I was so grateful for his kind gift. As soon as I unpacked it, I started making clam soup as he directed last time. While I was boiling water and clams, suddenly clams opened their shells and it made me so excited. After adding a little salt and soy sauce in the pan, and putting a few boiled greens in the soup bowl, a very nice clam clear soup was ready. Both the texture and taste of the clam were excellent, and the soup was very good as well. I can see many recipes of the clam on the internet, so I will try some and enjoy them. I also share these clams with my friends.
