Challenge of "Oyster hut"! The only one taste is February 19 at 18:59

"Kaki Hut" is popular in western Japan such as Hiroshima and northern Kyushu. Recently, the number of shops has increased nationwide, but in Kumamoto Prefecture, it is a quiet boom to eat with unusual sauces that make use of local ingredients. I followed the challenge of the oyster hut, which developed a popular menu with two days waiting. (Mai Honjo, reporter at Kumamoto Broadcasting Station)

What's a popular secret? !

Winter taste "Kaki". There are various flavors such as fried, steamed, or eaten raw. During this time, there are many shaved huts, mainly in western Japan, where you can enjoy freshly picked oysters on the spot.

Tsunagi is a southern part of Kumamoto prefecture with a population of about 4,000.

Here, too, the oyster hut, which utilizes a closed elementary school, opens at this time. While enjoying the superb view surrounded by the sea and mountains, you can enjoy the rich seafood of the local area.

Another feature of this oyster hut is its various ways of eating.

There are seasonings such as garlic butter and yuzu soup as well as common soy sauce and ponzu.

We are particularly focused on the basil sauce, which can only be tasted here.

What flavors can only be served here?

Developed by Toru Miyayama of a local fishery cooperative.

Kyushu has many shaved huts around Fukuoka, Saga and Nagasaki. Six years ago, when opening the oyster hut, I thought it was necessary to prepare a unique flavor to differentiate it.

Mr. Toru Miyayama: "There are many shaved huts nearby, so I thought that if there was nothing noticeable, customers would not be able to visit me."

Is there a taste that can only be served here? As I continued my search, I noticed the basil sauce. It is often used together with seafood in Italian cuisine, etc., so I thought it was not a bad match.

In this way, when we started offering oysters seasoned with basil sauce two years ago, we were surprised at the unexpectedness, and we quickly became popular, and many customers wanted to take them home.

Miyayama, who saw the opportunity to increase sales of oysters, decided to start commercializing basil sauce.

"Commitment" of sauce

Fortunately, there is a facility in the neighboring city of Minamata that grows basil using hydroponic cultivation equipment, which can be obtained all year round regardless of the season.

However, development did not go easily. This is because it was difficult to get the body that was the decisive factor of the taste. When I consulted a factory in the prefecture that produces seasonings, it was suggested that local miso be used as a secret ingredient.

After a lot of trial and error, the convincing source was finally completed in six months. In order to make local oysters taste better, some oysters in paste form were also included.

Immediately letting the basil producers taste it ...

Takeshi Kitano "It was delicious. I was amazed to see what my basil would look like. I wonder if I could contribute in a place with less aroma and bitterness."

A new specialty!

When you start selling basil sauce in conjunction with the opening of the oyster hut this season, people who buy souvenirs one after another are selling more than expected.

In addition, basil sauce has been established as one of the flavors of oysters. Some people come from afar for this purpose, and this season it has become so popular that there are days waiting for two hours.

Despite more than a month remaining this season, sales have already surpassed last season.

Miyayama: "I hope more people will know about it as a souvenir when coming to Tsunagi, and I hope it will be a chance to visit the town."

The commercialized basil sauce is already expanding its sales channels to hotels in Fukuoka and antenna shops in Tokyo.

Tsunagi-cho, as it is, is facing the problem of aging and declining population. And it seems.

We will watch how the basil sauce filled with local specialties will spread in the future while supporting us.

Worked for Minamata bureau as of Kumamoto Broadcasting Station reporter Mai Honjo 2016