🐟 Summery 📍 Kyoto, Japan Today's lunch featured one of Kyoto's signature flavors: Saikyo-zuke. Rather than simply grilling fresh fish, the fish is first marinated in Kyoto's famous Saikyo miso, allowing its gentle sweetness and rich umami to slowly infuse the flesh before being carefully grilled. Served as a traditional Japanese set meal, it was a delicious introduction to Kyoto's centuries-old fermentation culture. 🍽 Today's Menu ⭐ Featured Dish Grilled Saikyo-zuke Fish Saikyo-zuke is made by marinating fish in Saikyo miso, Kyoto's famous white miso, before grilling. Unlike stronger varieties of miso, Saikyo miso is mild, slightly sweet, and creamy. During the marinating process, it enhances the fish's natural flavor while helping it stay moist and tender. When grilled, the miso gently caramelizes, creating a beautiful balance of sweetness and umami without overpowering the fish itself. 🇯🇵 Cultural Discovery Saikyo miso originated in Kyoto and has been an important part of the city's food culture for generations. Compared with many other types of Japanese miso, it contains less salt and more rice koji, giving it a sweeter and smoother flavor. Because of these qualities, it's commonly used to marinate fish and other ingredients before grilling. The meal was served as a traditional teishoku (Japanese set meal), complete with rice, miso soup, pickles, and several small obanzai dishes. Obanzai are simple Kyoto-style side dishes made with seasonal ingredients, reflecting the city's philosophy of enjoying natural flavors while minimizing waste. 🇯🇵 Useful Japanese 🐟 西京漬 (Saikyo-zuke) Fish or other ingredients marinated in Kyoto-style white miso before cooking. ...
