Bubbles of Brine by R.T. Eady, Foot Whisperado

Creating the soft chewiness and very thick, succulent, savoury taste that is the hallmark of goodumeboshi...

Acquired tastes abound in Japan. Umeboshi (pronounced oo­may­BOH­shee) is atop nearlyeveryone's list. Intensely sour and salty, these traditional tsukemono (pickles) are prepared overnumerous weeks, starting in June when the fruits of the ume tree are ripe, and finishing up inJuly under the hot midsummer sun. Ume are related to plums and apricots.

The first written records of umeboshi appears several thousand years ago. Initially it wasume­su (ume vinegar), the sour­salty liquid byproduct of the umeboshi­making process, thatwas prized. The liquid was used as an antiseptic on wounds, as well as to clean and chelatemetal items such as bronze mirrors and temple bells. (Ume­su was widely used as an antisepticwell into the 20th century, until more modern antiseptics became available.) In later times, boththe pickled fruit and the vinegar were used to treat various ailments, especially of the stomach.

Almost 200 years ago, theJapanese began experimenting with ways to concentrate the healing powers of umeboshi.Finally, a dark liquid called bainiku ekisu (plum extract) was developed. To make the extract,sour green ume plums (known as blue diamonds) are slowly cooked down to obtain theirmost active ingredients in a highly concentrated form. The resulting dark, sticky, thick liquid is

usually mixed with hot water and honey and is drunk as a tonic. Each plum is a blue­green colorwhen raw and is known as a “blue diamond." The 24 hour cooking process converts this unripeplum into a form of natural medicine. It takes 2.2 Ib. or 1 kilogram of plums to produce 0.71 oz.of extract. The extract is the pure essence of ume as no salt or alcohol is added. This extract isalso formed into pills, called meitan. In both plum extract and meitan, the plums' citric acidcontent is concentrated tenfold, which is equivalent to about twenty­five times the content foundin lemon juice.

Umeboshi VinegarTraditionally, the best umeboshi come from Wakayama Prefecture, which was called the KishuDomain during the Edo Period (1603­1867). The town of Minabe, Wakayama, in particular,grows more ume and produces more umeboshi than any other town in all of Japan. It wasmainly in this region, and during this time, that umeboshi pickled with red shiso (perilla) leavescame into being. These reddish­brown to bright purple­red delights are what most peopleconsider to be the quintessential umeboshi. In recent years, though, umeboshi that are are lesssalty and marinated in dashi stock (which adds lots of umami) have gained popularity. There arealso very low­salt umeboshi that still retain the sweetness of the fruit.

The pickling process is technically known as "lactic acid fermentation," one of nature's oldestand safest ways of preserving food. The key to good pickling is the early establishment of lacticacid­forming bacteria before other bacteria have a chance to multiply. The latter, which can spoilpickling vegetables, cannot tolerate the high acidity produced by lactic acid bacteria or the highsalt concentration used in most pickling methods. To help establish beneficial bacteria,traditional makers use enough salt and mix it well, and store developing pickles in a cool place(4­18° C. is ideal).

When the ume pickling process is complete, the wrinkled and shriveled plums do not have thedramatic red color and aromatic flavor of Ryujin organic pickled plums for example. To makethese, arguably considered the finest umeboshi, the plums are soaked in plum vinegar alongwith leaves of the aromatic red shiso (perilla) plant.

An herb that is related to mint, shiso has a slight lemony taste yet a unique flavor of its own. Itsheart­shaped leaves are reminiscent of red meat, hence comes one of its English names,"beefsteak plant." Besides adding color and flavor to umeboshi, shiso has strong antibacterialand preservative qualities both in the pickling process and on the person who eats them. It isthis that makes shiso such a perfect garnish in the sushi shop.

In addition to their astounding flavor, Japanese pickled plums haveremarkable medicinal qualities. Their powerful acidity has a paradoxical alkalinizing effect on thebody, neutralizing fatigue, stimulating the digestion, and promoting the elimination of toxins.Although particularly effective for all sorts of stomach disorders from hyper­acidity andindigestion to ulcers, umeboshi also increases endurance and facilitates the work of the feet tostimulate liver and kidney function of dissolving and expelling toxins, thus purifying the blood.

Ume Flower & Acidic Fruit: GABA Bolsters and Anti­anxiety InhibitorsMetaphorically speaking in Japanese culture "having a beautiful appearance & substance" iscompared to "bearing flower and fruit." In ancient times, beautiful ume flowers were used inJapanese haiku poems & the nutritious fruit ~ for medicinal purposes. Wishing for sound health,ume remains a part of a nutritious diet and is often mistaken for a plum, (even called JapanesePlum) which is in the same group of Rosaceae Purunus. However, they have very differentcharacteristics. Ume contains 4­5% acidity compared to 1­2% acidity in plums. As ume fruitripens, citrus acid occupies a higher ratio than other organic acids. The fruit & skin of umecontains polyphenol and the fruit contains amino­acids. Studies indicate GABA might beproduced from glutamine acid.

KAVA KAVA ~ GABA GABAGABA is widely found in animals and plants (such as germ cell of the seeds; sprouted brownrice, blades of grass such as leaves of tea and Japanese radish). It's a natural part of thehuman daily diet. GABA is one of the neurotransmitters located in the central nerve system inthe brain, spinal cord, and in the peripheral nerves in the intestine. GABA is the most abundant

inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain. GABA appears to improve the blood circulation,increasing oxygen utilization, thus increasing brain metabolism, GABA is also put to practical useas a medicine in the treatment for cerebral stroke, after head injury, chronic headaches and fortreatment of depression after treatment of cerebral retinopathy.

Although its exact mechanism is unknown, researchers believe that another plant: kava kava,like ume, promotes relaxation by affecting either GABA receptors or the limbic system.Kava kava may slightly increase the activity of gamma­aminobutyric acid (GABA). DecreasedGABA activity promotes anxiety & evokes amygdala gland activation. Kavalactones mayinfluence GABA receptors, promoting increased relaxation, relieving headache tension andenhancing pineal gland function.

This, then becomes the the Far Eastern and Pacific Rim equivalents to both aspirin andapple; not only is it an effective relaxant; more than that, an umeboshi a day with a kavakava chaser may be regarded as some of the best preventive medicines available.

Odawara UmeboshiAlthough there are several natural producers of pickled plums in Japan, only a few use theyear­long traditional process and fewer still use organically grown plums and high­quality seasalt. In fact, the umeboshi found in many Oriental food stores are made in just a few weeksusing red dye, organic acids, and commercial salt.

In the Endo period, one of the fifty three stations of the Tokaido Road, Odawara­juku, becamewell known to travelers nationwide for using time­honored techniques and traditional methods.The Bainiku extract of this region is particularly prized (and widely consumed in localhouseholds) as one of Odawara’s most popular health foods.

Umeboshi Tea

Makes 1 cupUmeboshi tea, taken warm, helps combat fatigue,improve circulation, and aid digestion.

1 cup kukicha tea1 large or 1 small umeboshi, pitted and shreddedA few drops shoyu (to taste)A few drops fresh ginger juiceBring kukicha tea to a boil. Remove from heat,add umeboshi, shoyu, and ginger juice. Let steep1 ­ 2 minutes before drinking.

Ume­dashi dressing or dipping sauceYou can make the sauce without any oil, and add a little oil before using it as a dressing. The oilhelps the sauce to cling to the ingredients in a salad. If you don't want to make dashi stock fromscratch, use 1½ teaspoons of dashi granules dissolved into 400 ml of water instead.Makes about 400 ml

Ume­dashi dressing or dipping sauce

Water — 400 mlDry konbu seaweed — 1 10­cm pieceRed shiso­type umeboshi — 4 largeKatsuobushi (bonito flakes) — ½ cup (1 small handful)Sake — 1 tspMirin — 1 tspLight soy sauce — 1 tspUme­su — 2 tbsp

Prepare the dashi stock by steeping the konbu seaweed in the water for 20 minutes, thenbringing to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer.

While the konbu seaweed is steeping, pit the umeboshi and chop the flesh finely until it becomesa paste. Put the stones into the dashi stock and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the mirin and sake,and simmer an additional 5 minutes. Add the bonito flakes. Turn off the heat, and leave untilcooled down to lukewarm. Strain through a fine­mesh sieve.Add the soy sauce, chopped umeboshi and ume­su. Mix well. Let cool, and store in a glass jarwith a tight­fitting lid in the refrigerator until ready to use. It will keep for a couple of weeks.

To use as a salad dressing, mix 2 tablespoons of the sauce with ½ tablespoon of a light­flavored

vegetable or olive oil. The best method is to put both in a small glass jar with a lid (not the oneyou store the sauce in) and shake vigorously.

You can also use the sauce straight up as a dipping sauce for cold udon or hiyamugi noodles; itmakes an interesting change from regular noodle dipping sauce. If the sauce is too salty as­is,dilute it with a little water. Add thinly sliced myōga ginger, finely chopped green onion andtoasted sesame seeds as garnish.~~

Randy Eady is the Co­Creator (and provides services @) the Encinitas Chrysalis Oasis (939Avenida de San Clemente, Encinitas, CA 92024) and the Hollywood Healing Center (1601Harrison St. Hollywood Florida, 33020). He’s worked in residential assisted living treatmentfacilities and speaks on a variety of Inter­generational Mind/Body/Spirit, animal­assisted therapypractices and Attachment/Trauma topics. He readily enjoys and recommends Umeboshi.