We hear that gibier has become increasingly popular in recent years, and the wave seems to have reached ekiben as well. The “Komatsu Shishi-Meat Bento” introduced here is, as the name suggests, an ekiben using wild boar meat.
In Komatsu City, Ishikawa Prefecture, there is the “Jibier Atelier Kaga no Kuni,” the only facility in the Hokuriku region certified as a domestic gibier processing facility, and they use wild boar meat processed there. The main sales station seems to be Komatsu Station, but this time I saw it at a kiosk in Kagaonsen Station and picked it up, thinking that a gibier ekiben was a rare treat.
When you remove the lid, you will see slices of wild boar meat piled high on top of the rice. The color is different from that of beef or pork, and it is very gibier-like.
This wild boar meat is cooked sweet and spicy. When you try just the boar meat, you can feel the wildness from its unique chewy texture. The taste is not entirely free of peculiarities, but the smell is quite suppressed, and I found it easier to eat than I had expected. The sweet and spicy soy-sauce based flavor, with a distinctive aroma of wild boar meat that lingers in the nose, is sure to be a hit with gibier lovers.
And under the meat is a layer of rice mixed with barley. The texture is similar to that of okowa, giving the impression that it is perfect for eating with the chewy meat.
Next to it is a serving of wild boar meat with a little bit of minced pork. This one is a little more peculiar than the sliced meat and has a much wilder flavor. It may be a bit tough for those who do not like smelly meat, but for those who like gibier, this one is more wild boar meat and gives a strong impression that you are eating gibier.
Incidentally, the seasoned boiled egg, carrots, and komatsuna greens are served next to the soboro, and eating the soboro with them reduces the peculiarity of the dish and makes it much easier to eat. Personally, I found it easier to eat with seasoned boiled eggs, as the mildness of the dish is increased.
The package depicts Benkei, a character from the Kabuki play “Kanjincho,” one of the eighteen plays in the Kabuki repertoire. Komatsu City is known as the hometown of “Kanjincho” and the city of Kabuki because of Ataka-no-Seki, the stage of “Kanjincho”. It is said that people ate wild boar and deer during the period when the Kanjincho was set. Based on this fact, they adopted Benkei from the Kanjincho play for the package. If you have a chance to visit the Komatsu area, why not pick up this ekiben and enjoy it while thinking about the era of the Kanjincho?
© Source travel watch
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.