This and That from the Food Cultures of the World
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mountains, that sometimes require ThisThis andand thatthat fromfrom thethe special ordering. Some ekiben are self-heating, and others come with FoodFood CulturesCultures ofof thethe WorldWorld wine or the local sake, all helping to make traveling more enjoyable. Part 9: The Station Box Lunch— The makuno-uchi bento, or box The Traveler’s Friend throughout Japan lunches consisting of rice and a variety of side dishes, enjoys a deep-rooted Ekiben, the box lunches sold at train stations throughout popularity at all stations. It offers Japan, are one of the delights of traveling. They have become rice formed into rectangular shapes and topped with sesame seeds, side so popular that they can even be seen at the dinner table dishes such as broiled fish, Japanese- from time to time. From the ekiben available at Japan style fried egg, steamed fish paste, a Railways (JR) and private railway stations to the soraben deep-fried food, a boiled food, and available at airports, these prepared box lunches exhibit pickles. The origin of the makuno- uchi bento lies in theatergoing. During tremendous variety. the intermission between acts, or makuno-uchi, the well-to-do ate at the theater’s tearoom. For those who It All Began with Two Rice Balls today’s private JR, to operate within could not afford the tearoom, box Department store ekiben fairs always station premises. These vendors lunches similar to today’s makuno-uchi attract a good number of customers. formed an organization that survived bento were sold during intermission. Some supermarkets and department stores regularly carry popular ekiben. The first ekiben fair at a department store was titled Famous Ekiben and Souvenirs and was held at Matsuzaka- ya in Ueno, Tokyo, in March 1959. As this fair was so well received, the Takashimaya department store in Osaka followed suit with the Nationwide Tourism and Delicacy Fair in 1960. Both of these events seem to have Soraben (sold at airports) corresponded with the promotion of tourism. Japan’s first ekiben (reproduction) Typical sukeroku bento The first ekiben was sold at Utsuno- miya station on July 16, 1885. the privatization of the national rail The sukeroku bento also originated Commemorating a new line between service, and in 1988, they began fix- with the theater. A Kabuki play titled, Ueno and Utsunomiya (currently the ing the ekiben logo on the packaging “Sukeroku Yukarino Edo Sakura” in Utsunoymiya line), the train compa- of prepared box lunches sold by its which the lead character’s name is ny asked a traditional Japanese inn members, thus distinguishing the Sukeroku, is the source of this type in Utsunomiya to provide takeout true ekiben from box lunches sold by of box lunch. The sukeroku bento lunches to help improve passenger non-members. consists of inari-zushi (pockets of services. The lunch, packed in bam- Ekiben are also sold in parts of deep-fried tofu filled with sushi rice) boo, consisted of two rice balls, each Taiwan and Korea, but they are not and sushi rolls. containing a pickled plum and sprin- nearly as popular as in Japan. Europe kled with sesame seeds, as well as and the U.S. haven’t adopted a simi- some slices of pickled daikon radish. lar sort of tradition as their trains are While the word ekiben originates frequently equipped with dining cars. from eki, meaning “(train) station” and bento, meaning “box lunch,” Box Lunches Reminiscent ekiben cannot be accurately defined of Edo Culture References as merely box lunches sold at train The ekiben that once consisted of • Tabemono Zatsugaku Jiten; stations. Originally, they were sold two rice balls and some pickles have edited by The Mainichi Newspapers. • Ekiben Shiryo-kan only by vendors approved by the evolved to full meals packed with (http://eki-ben.web.infoseek.co.jp) national rail service, predecessor to local foods, whether from the sea or 7 This and that from the Food Cultures of the World inexpensive wine is less expensive than mineral water in that country, Part 10: Wine Born in the Orient and Matured though some say that wine consump- in Europe tion in France is decreasing. On October 15, 1815, the French When wine was born in western Asia, it was consumed as a emperor Napoleon I was exiled to the tonic rather than for the pleasant drunkenness it induced. It was also used to keep the blood healthy, maintaining balance for a people whose diet consisted mainly of fatty mutton, and to ease the pain of illnesses with its numbing effects. Later in Persia, wine was even described as “the royal medicine.” God’s Blessing from the Trees of Life more. Wine was poured into earthen- Grape vines existed on the Eurasian ware pots for storage through a small continent before humans made their opening at the top. Once filled, the appearance. The history of wine dates pots were sealed with wet clay back to time immemorial when pressed into the opening using the Napoleon I Bonaparte; died in exile on St. Helena in 1821 humans lived as gatherers. With the round seal. After drying, the clay Copyright © SuperStock/PPS shift to an agricultural lifestyle, they acted as a cork, preventing foreign substances from con- island of Saint Helena, 2,800 km off taminating the wine. the Bight of Guinea. His primary The seal used to press comfort on the island was wine sent the clay into the pot’s from the Constantia Valley in present- opening is thought to day South Africa, where quality wines have been the signature were produced. The sweet Constantia of the wine maker. An white wine was much favored by earthenware cask from European aristocrats during the 18th before 2850 BC and and 19th centuries. slightly newer than On a side note, the corks for the wine relics left by the that Napoleon drank were most likely Sumerians, with the made from Portuguese cork oak. Tasting young wine word “wine” inscribed Corks are a traditional product of on it, has also been Portugal, which receives orders from began domesticating grapes. Wine uncovered. The Sumerians and Egyp- around the world. All work in the has played a significant role in the tians both referred to grape vines as production of corks is done manually. cultural history of humanity ever the “Trees of Life” and believe of that During the 1980s worldwide wine since. Our ancestors squeezed grapes wine was a drink bestowed by the gods. production reached an all-time peak. for their juice and sometimes added From Mesopotamia and Egypt, wine However, completely dependent upon honey. Sometimes stored in leather was introduced to western Asia and manual labor and recovering from the bags (also known as wineskins), the Europe. The European wine culture effects of two oil crises, cork produc- grape juice and honey combination that has continued to this day was tion was unable to keep up and thus, would soon ferment and become developed by the Greeks and refined wine production was curtailed. wine. This natural process was by the Romans. The history of wine has advanced in humans’ first introduction to wine. tandem with human history. It is Mesopotamia, between the Tigris Napoleon’s Sunset Years marked with our intelligence and even and Euphrates rivers, is believed to with White Wine suggests the fragrance of our cultures be the birthplace of wine. It is said Until wine became common among and the stench of our politics. that wine production began with the the Romans, it was diluted with Sumerians, who then passed it on to water. Initially, the Romans drank References the Egyptians roughly 8,000–10,000 their wine diluted, as the Greeks did, • Wain no Sekai-shi; Mamoru Koga, years ago. This theory was confirmed but as their diet improved less and Chuokoron-Shinsha, Inc. when a wine maker’s seal (a round less water was added to the wine. • Sekai Rojiura Shoku Kiko; Hiroshi Zaizen, stone rod with a low relief of grapes) In modern France, it is said that the Maruzen Co., Ltd. was unearthed from Mesopotamian people drink wine like water. This • Yoshu Unchiku Hyakka; Eizo Fukunishi, Kawade Shobo Shinsha, Publishers ruins dating back 6,000 years or may be due in part to the fact that 8.