🍱 Sugukizuke (suguki pickles (turnip greens))

"Suguki" is a type of turnip greens, a traditional vegetable in Kyoto, known for its distinctive acidity. It is rarely consumed outside of pickles, and "Suguki Pickles" is as famous as "Senmaizuke" and "Shibazuke," making it part of the trio of famous pickles in Kyoto. There are various theories about the origin of Suguki, including one that dates back to the Azuchi-Momoyama period when the prominent family of Kamigamo Shrine (a family serving the shrine) began cultivating it from the wild plants growing along the Kamo River, and another theory that involves receiving seeds from the Kyoto Imperial Palace. "Suguki Pickles," which involves pickling Suguki simply with salt, is said to have originated in the early Edo period. Initially, it was a high-class pickle made exclusively by the shrine family and presented as an offering to the Imperial Palace. By the late Edo period, it started to be made by farmers around Kamigamo Shrine as well. However, due to a prohibition outlined in the "Okakizuke-koujougaki" that restricted taking Suguki out of the village, production was limited. After the Meiji Restoration, the popularity of Suguki increased, and it became widely available in the city. The making of "Suguki Pickles" involves three main steps: pre-pickling, primary pickling, and maturing in a warming chamber called "muro." The muro is an artificially heated chamber maintained at around 40 C, promoting lactic acid fermentation. This method is now common, allowing Suguki to be ready to eat in about two weeks. In the past, instead of the muro, a natural fermentation method called "Jikounare" was used, allowing fermentation to occur naturally based on ambient temperatures. In this case, Suguki would be ready from spring to summer, and in the Edo period, it was cherished as a delicacy during the summer.