Americans love fall food. Around autumn, many food items such as pumpkin, squash, sweet potatoes, pecans, and apples get cooked up and served as comfort food. Some are made into pies topped with whipped cream (pecan, pumpkin, apple), others are baked and served with warm butter (squash, sweet potatoes), and others covered in gooey caramel (apples).
The Japanese also share this food phenomena with us. They have an umbrella term for popular fall foods: Aki No Mikaku or “autumn taste”.
It’s interesting to note that many autumn seasonal foods in Japan are also available in the US. Some aki no mikaku are accessible to the majority of US readers, some only to a few, and some may only be available if you live in Japan. I’ve listed background info, tips on how aki no mikaku are prepared and some Western alternatives so everyone can partake in this season’s offerings!
Kaki
Persimmons. Asian persimmons are fist-sized, burnt orange colored fruits. Unripe persimmons are vile, mouth puckering things. The Japanese air-dry persimmons and enjoy them as a preserved fruit. Fresh persimmons are soft and sweet and the dried persimmons taste like fruity sugar.
A popular rice cracker, kaki no tane, is named after the persimmon seeds they resemble.
Where you can find ‘em: Grocery stores and maybe some farmers markets will have persimmons. Asian and International markets should carry fresh and dried persimmons. Believe it or not, you can gather persimmons in the wild right here in the US.
If you live in the south eastern parts of the US, look for persimmon trees at the edge of forests. Make sure you pick only ripe persimmons- trust me, you don’t want to try an unripe persimmon! While the Asian persimmons are fairly large, our native persimmons are only about the size of a golf ball. But they’re still tasty!
To Prepare: You can eat persimmons fresh, dry them in a dehydrator, or air dry them.
Availability: Moderate
Kuri
Chestnuts. These are small to medium-sized, dark brown nuts with a tough outer skin. Kuri must be boiled or roasted to easily remove skin. They’re used as a sweet filling in desserts like daifuku and yokan and in recipes such as marron (marron is French for chestnut) cakes and kuri-kinton (chestnut paste candy). Kuri is also used in savory cooking, the best known dish being the popular fall recipe, kuri gohan (chestnut rice).
Where you can find ‘em: Grocery stores and some farmer’s markets should be selling fresh chestnuts by now. If you can’t get chestnuts fresh, some grocery or baking supply stores will sell pre-cooked chestnuts in syrup. Also, many Asian and International grocery stores will sell pre-cooked chestnuts in a bag. You can use any of these when cooking but keep in mind: fresh is best!
To Cook: Whether you’re boiling or roasting chestnuts, always notch the bottom with an “x”, otherwise, ‘splode! After they’re cooked, peel the skin off and use as directed in a recipe or eat as is. They’re a delicious snack.
Availability: Easy
Matsutake
Pine Mushroom. Matsutake are tasty, fragrant wild mushrooms which grow primarily at the base of red pine trees. They’re a highly prized mushroom and are very expensive. Good specimens are difficult to find in the wild in Japan in large amounts and are often imported from other countries. These aromatic ’shrooms are grilled or used in rice dishes and soups.
Where you can get ‘em: Specialty and gourmet shops may have matsutake. Just for grins, check your local Asian or International grocery stores in the fall. They’re very pricey so even if you do find em, sticker shock may send you packing.
However, other tasty mushrooms are also in season this time of year. Shitake are ready for picking in the autumn and though they aren’t nearly as exciting as matsutake, they’re still an excellent mushroom.
If you’re feeling adventurous and you live near a hardwood forest, go hunt for maitake in the woods. These forest-floor giants can grow up to two feet in diameter and weigh up to forty pounds (I’ve seen this first hand!) and are absolutely divine. The Japanese seem to think so too and also consider maitake a tasty delicacy.
To Prepare: Cook according to recipe. I would lightly steam something this precious in order to retain and enjoy its flavor. Shitake and maitake can be cooked like most other mushrooms.
Availability: Moderate- Difficult
Sanma
Pacific saury, aka, mackerel pike, aka “autumn knife”. Sanma are 14-16 inch long, steely colored, migratory fish plentiful in Japan during the autumn months. They’re inexpensive and easy to prepare. The Japanese consider sanma “food of the people” since it’s accessible to almost any income. Sanma are salted, roasted whole on a stick and served with fresh grated diakon, a lime wedge, and soy sauce.
Where you can get ‘em: Pacific saury may be hard to come by at your local grocery store if you don’t live by a coast. Even if you do live by a coast, I doubt saury will be easy to find in a common grocery market. Next step would be to call your local fish market and ask for either Pacific saury or mackerel pike. If that’s a bust, try an Asian grocery store in the frozen fish section. It’s called kongchi in Korean and qiu dao yu in Chinese.
To Cook: Rinse the fish with cold water and pat dry. Traditionally, the intestines are left in the sanma to add to the overall experience. That’s your call, though. Rub the outer skin down with some coarse salt. Broil in a broiling pan in the oven for 7-10 minutes till the flesh is firm and the eyes are opaque. Grate and strain some fresh daikon radish. Serve sanma with a mound of daikon, a wedge of lime, and a dash of soy sauce.
Availability: Moderate
Satsumaimo
Japanese sweet potato. These sweet taters are pinkish-purple on the outside, and a medium yellow on the inside. Satsumaimo have a milder flavor than American sweet potatoes but are sweeter and have a smoother, less fibrous texture than their American cousins. Sweet potatoes are a popular treat in Japan; roasted and eaten during the fall, and can be bought fresh cooked from roadside vendors. They’re also baked into cakes, used as a dessert filling, fried as tempura, boiled with other vegetables (nimono), served with rice (imo-gohan), and candied in a manner similar to their American counterparts (Daigaku-imo).
Where you can find ‘em: You can get satsumaimo at most Asian and some International grocery stores. You can also substitute American sweet potatoes if you can’t get your hands on satsumaimo.
To Cook: Prepare as per recipe; treat them as you would any sweet potato.
Availability: Easy
Even though sometimes it seems like Japan and its culture are light years away, we still have the common bond of fall comfort food! Which aki no mikaki have you tried or will try this season?
