２月１６日（金曜日）２０２４
米国の大学で仕事をしている時から、職場を離れて１０数年経つ今も変わらずお付き合いいただいているモンゴル文学を専門とする研究者の先生ご夫妻が今回もご馳走してくださいました。ちょうど中国のお正月の時期でもあり珍しい広東風の鍋料理とロブスターのお料理という贅沢なメニューでした。
まず、鍋と一緒にテーブルに並んだのはココナッツの実が２つ。上をくり抜いて中のジュースとココナッツの果肉も削ぎ取ってお鍋に。熟していないココナッツのジュースは透明で、熟してくるとこれがココナッツオイルやミルクになるらしい。鍋の中にはすでにナツメが切って入っており、クコの実も。鶏のぶつ切りを入れてしばらく煮込んだ後に里芋ときのこも入れて、またしばらくグツグツ。調味料は何も入れていないのに日本食には絶対にないコクのあるいい味のスープでした。中国野菜の付け合わせと、ロブスターの生姜をタップリいれた少し甘辛い料理も贅沢この上なし。美味しかったのはいうまでもありません。
いつもご馳走になるばかりで何もお返しできていませんが、日本でカフェをしている私を温かく見守ってくださるご夫妻のサポートに感謝するばかりです。
Ever since I left my work teaching Japanese at the college in the US, a professor and her husband whose research is Mongolian literature have been keeping in touch with me and supporting my current work of running a cafe in Japan, and they always treat me when I come back to Boston. This time they invited me to a Chinese restaurant. Since it is around the time of Chinese New Year, they served a special hot pot and lobster meal which I never have a chance to eat.
First, I saw two coconuts by the pot on the table which were cut on top. Waiter of the restaurant came to our table and poured the coconut juice and sarcocarp into the pan. I learned that if the coconut is young, the juice is clear but if it is ripe, the juice becomes opaque like coconut milk or oil. Some Jujube and wolfberries were already in the pan. Then, chunks of chicken were put in and we waited for several minutes. Then, taro and a kind of mushroom were put in after. It became a very good soup which I have never tasted in Japan. We also enjoyed Chinese green vegetables and lobster which were cut in pieces and seasoned with ginger and scallions. They were also so good!!
Everytime I come back to Boston, they take care of me like this and I haven't returned anything to them. I feel so bad about it but I really appreciate their warm support to me while I am running a cafe in an old Japanese house in the countryside.
