Plums, Rain, Father, and Sake

The season of plums and rain
On a quiet, rainy holiday
Picking at the plum stems
Just picking away
Pick, pick, pick, pick...

Silently and calmly
Doing plum work all alone in the quiet
I find that kind of time very enjoyable


*


I do have a little bit of alcohol.
I can't drink very strong liquor, but when I soak strawberries in whiskey or plums in brandy, they become very mellow, so when the season comes, I make fruit wine to enjoy.

For homemade fruit wine, always use alcohol with an ABV of 20% or higher. (Liquor Tax Act)
As time passes, it matures into a mellow and delicious fruit wine.
The alcohol used for fruit wine can be inexpensive.


If it is plum wine, as long as the storage environment is good, it can be enjoyed without any problems even after 10 or 20 years.
Is this also a feeling of 'nurturing'?
Taking time to carefully and slowly nurture it.
We also have plum wine that is currently undergoing long-term aging.

For those who are not fond of alcohol, try plum juice, plum syrup, or plum sour with added vinegar.
This is enjoyed during the same season once it is finished.
It is delicious on the rocks, or mixed with water or soda.


When drinking at home with friends, it is very well received to bring plum wine or plum juice as a gift.
Among my friends, it is called CHIYA's Plum Wine.
Hmm? Have I heard that somewhere before...?
Rip-off... No, please call it an homage.

***


It's Father's Day, isn't it.

My father passed away 10 years ago at the age of 75, but he loved alcohol since he was young.
He was visually impaired but ran a liquor store and spent his whole life in his own shop.

He also loved making fruit wine, and he and my mother would try soaking all sorts of things together.
However, that was neither a business nor for sale; it was just my father's little extra pleasure.

After I left my parents' home and started making my own plum wine, I came to understand that pleasure and joy.
The real thrill of 'making it yourself' is being able to slowly savor the process as it finishes.
I was moved when my first batch of plum wine was finished and I took a sip.



After washing the green plums with water and removing the harshness, I wipe them one by one. I do it carefully because any remaining moisture can cause mold or spoilage. I remove the stems with a bamboo skewer and pack the plums and materials like rock sugar into a jar. After that, I just shake the jar every day while wishing, 'Become delicious,' and wait.
There is nothing difficult about it.

Plum work is very simple and plain, but it is a very quiet and gentle task.


*


The rainy season has arrived in Tokyo as well.
My heart is already discouraged by the heat forecast ahead.

Plums also have a fatigue-recovery effect, so if you like them, how about some plum juice or plum wine for the coming season?
It also has appetite-stimulating and digestion-promoting effects, so it might be good as an aperitif.
However, please be careful not to drink too much.


Please take care of yourself.
Have a good day and a good week.




#207. 'Plum Wine'

⭐︎The touch of my blind father's plums as he packs them while checking each one

⭐︎The corners of the rock sugar melt away, just like the day I made up my mind to start from here

- Chiru -