仔牛近道

天気予報を見て、空を見て、明日は大雪と確信。学校も休校か、早帰りか。
よし、子どもらの手を借りて、味噌仕込みの日に決めた！

煮た大豆をミンサーで挽いて、塩きり麹と混ぜてこねこねこねて・・・手が多ければ多いだけ、温かいうちに作業が進んでいくだけでなく、同時に洗いものも済んでいくのでとても助かります。

ミンサーぐるぐるは、（さ）の出番です。パワフルに回してくれますが、そのうち飽きるとお椀とスプーンを持ってきて、ほかほか大豆をすくっては食べ始めました。騒がないだけ良しとするか、と気持ちを入れ替えて続けます。
こね作業では、（ま）と（す）が競って手を入れてくれました。・・・と思ったら、気づけば（ま）が一人で楽しそうにずっとこねこねしています。何やら大きな粘土遊びをしているよう。そうでした、（ま）はずっと陶芸に憧れてもいるし、土遊びが大好きなのです。おかげでしっかりこね上がった模様。



（う）は、ここぞとばかりに部屋にこもって満足の勉強づくし。今は勉強やら読書やらをしていたいんですって。たまに台所の近くを通っては、「う～ん、大豆のいい匂い！」なんて暢気なこと。これまではずっと主力だったですから、良しとしましょう・・・。

何日かに分けて仕込んできた味噌も、皆のおかげでこの日で終了できました。さぁ、雪が止めば思いっきり雪遊びをしてください！

（わ）



Miso making on a snowy day

Having watched the weather forecast I looked up to the sky. I was sure that it was going to snow, which meant that school will be closed or at least kids would come back home earlier.
Okay, then, shall we make Miso together at home?

Grinding boiled soybeans with a mincer, and then mixing very well with Koji (malted rice) and salt until the dough becomes smooth and soft to touch. Of course, the more hands we have the better, because then we can finish all the processes before the boiled soybeans become cold, and even finish washing/cleaning the utensils used for miso making at the same time.
Saede was curious about the mincer. She was strong enough to grind soybeans for some time. When she was tired of it, she brought her own bowl and spoon to scoop bowlful of soybeans to eat! Well, maybe this is better than her capering around and becoming noisy!
As for mixing, Makasa and Sukla joined. They started competing with each other, but when I saw them after a while, only Makasa was doing it – with such a joy! She seemed to be playing with a huge piece of clay. Oh, yes, she has been wanting, for some time, to try pottery (or ceramic art) and always loves playing with clay. Thanks to her, the Miso dough was well prepared.



Where is Umeo? She has been in her room happily studying since morning. That’s what she wishes to concentrate now, so it’s fine. When she happened to pass by the kitchen, she said “Oh, what a nice smell of soybeans!” Come on and join us, Umeo.. well, but it’s fine. She had been the main assistant for a long time when her siblings were too small.

I had already made many jars of Miso at convenient times, and today the entire Miso preparation was complete! Thanks, kids, now please go out and play as much as you want in the snow, once it stops snowing.

Wakana