restructuring progressesJADirect sales store

Producers bring in fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as hand-made processed products, and sell them at reasonable prices.

JAThe direct sales store operated by30are scattered about.There is also a direct sales store with a full local sake corner, so it is a perfect spot to purchase sake and snacks as a set.

The merger is progressing by the spring of 2024JAamong,2023Years4Month1was born on the dayJA NiigataKagayaki.Minami Kitakaba, Sasakami, Satsuki Niitsu, Mirai Niigata, and Central Echigo.JAmerged, and the number of regular union members was about29,000people, and the number of associate members is approx.30,000people.

There are direct sales shops in Nishi Ward, Nishikan Ward, Konan Ward, Akiha Ward, Gosen City, and Tsubame City in Niigata City.

The one in Nishi Ward, Niigata City, is one of the largest direct sales shops and has a wide variety of local sake.Farmers Market IppekotoIt is.

morning even on weekdays9时30As soon as the store opens, many people visit, and the store is bustling with people, buying fresh ingredients and flowers carefully cultivated by the producers.

Along with the sake sold at Ippeko, let's take a look at the season's recommended ingredients and processed products that you'll want to pair with sake.

Standard sake, seasonal sake, and shochu

The sake corner located near the rice corner has a wide selection of famous sake from all over the prefecture.

Kensuke Saito of the Niigata Prefecture Liquor Sales Niigata Higashi Branch, who selects the local sake to be sold here, says, "We select and propose popular and recommended products in the prefecture.3"Niigata Sake no Jin" held in May and seasonal limited sake are also available, so please take a look and choose your favorite.1I want you to choose a book," he explains.

There are also sake that look cute enough to be given as gifts.

There are set items, planned items, small bottles and cups of sake, so you can choose according to your purpose and taste.

They also have sake lees shochu and rice shochu made in sake breweries in the prefecture, so if you like shochu, be sure to try them.

 

In addition to daily evening drinks and gifts for loved ones, there is also a way to purchase sake with ingredients to enjoy in the outdoor scene in the coming season.

From the beginning of Golden Week, summer sake that can be chilled and enjoyed on the rocks will begin to line up, so be sure to check out the sake corner for each season.

Full of original side dishes

 Ippekoto has a directly managed tofu factory and a side dish factory.

At the tofu workshop, we use soybeans from Minami Ward to make cotton, soft cotton, and tofu.3We sell different types of tofu.In addition, there are deep-fried bites, deep-fried triangles, and snack sets that are fried in the workshop.

 

“We sell handmade main dishes, side dishes, salads, etc. that make full use of local ingredients at the side dish workshop. We use not only vegetables, but also those produced by the producers who sell them in the store,” says Asa Yoshida, the store manager. Mr. Miss.

 4From the moon5Turnips that are in season in the month and "marinated grilled turnips" using the turnips.

The [Tofu Menchi Katsu], which uses minced Shirane pork and tofu from Tofu Kobo and is fried in rice oil, is also a popular dish.It's a perfect snack for the outdoors, and it's a perfect match for the capital of Japan.

 When it comes to sake, wild vegetables come to mind!

 We asked Mr. Yoshida, the store manager, what ingredients he recommends for this early summer.

"The turnip5You can enjoy it until the middle of the month, but the one in this season is the softest.And no matter what you say, wild vegetables.Various types of wild vegetables harvested and cultivated mainly by producers in Gosen City and Aga Town are lined up.”

Wild vegetables, which used to be expensive in early spring, are also very reasonably priced when they are in season.

*Calendar is for the previous year.We are shipping 1-2 weeks early this year.

3From the clouds of the moon6Up to moon water, about20A variety of wild vegetables are sold.

What's even nicer is that each wild vegetable comes with a pop and a card that describes the cooking method.Even if you are a beginner of mountain vegetable cuisine, you can rest assured if you have this. “Kogomi no cream cheese” is a dish that you definitely want to pair with sake.

 

4"Tara buds" that can be enjoyed until around the middle of the month.

 

You can enjoy tempura of "cod buds" and "koshiabura", urui with vinegared miso, and kogomi with sesame to accompany your evening drink.If you prepare soba, sake will be more and more popular.

 ※The photograph is an image.

 

Ippekoto no Ice Factory also sells gelato made with local ingredients that you want to enjoy after drinking.It is a popular corner where there is always a line.

In addition to the standard types, there are also items using seasonal fruits and vegetables, so you can encounter new flavors every time you visit.In summer, chamame gelato also appears.

 

In one corner of the flower shop, there is also a book corner.RAnd 'CushuIt also sells notebooks.While enjoying the story of Niigata sake, we want you to enjoy spring sake with local seasonal ingredients.

 

Ippeko holds various events every month, so please check the officialInstagram OfEvent CalendarCheck the schedule on the bulletin board in the store and go out according to the event.

Photo courtesy of Farmer's Market Ippekoto

 

"CushuNotebook''From NiigataR"Editor-in-chief

"Honma Bunko Niigata Food Library"operation

Mariko Takahashi