There are a lot of delicious seasonal foods at this time of year. To make your home dining more enjoyable, I would use a "bespo," an innovative pot that cooks efficiently with heat stored internally.
The bespo, also called "best pot," is produced by Molatura Co. in Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture, by combining the strengths of the local industries in the prefecture.
The pot's body is called a donabe (a type of earthenware cooking pot known for effectively heating foods) of Bankoyaki ware, a traditional craft of Yokkaichi. The glaze inside contains 90,000-year-old volcanic ash from Mt. Aso, which is believed to ensure stable, high far-infrared emissions to slowly and thoroughly heat foods.
The lid is made with cast iron. The gap between the lid rim and the body is just 0.001 millimeters, which creates an extremely close seal that allows for the bespo's waterless cooking.
This precision is made possible by the carving techniques of Nakamura Seisakusho Corp. in the city. The company proudly presents itself as "carving anything but air" and processes aerospace parts as part of its business. I think these techniques form the foundation for Molatura and the pot, too.
To cook nikujaga simmered meat and potatoes, put ingredients into the pot, heat only for 10 minutes and then leave. By retaining the heat, the pot locks in the good flavors of the ingredients and spreads them around to create a dish rich in the ingredients' natural taste.
I guarantee this pot will enable anyone to cook tasty dishes easily.
"This donabe is a special variation on hagama [a traditional cooker with a protruding exterior brim] in terms of its shape, and can cook delicious rice," said Molatura spokesman Takuma Ishida. "This pot stores heat to keep the inside temperature high, at nearly 50 C even after three hours. It can cook so easily with the residual heat."
The pot's stylish design, offered in various colors, will certainly brighten your kitchen. I recommend you cook a variety of seasonal foods in this pot and enjoy them to your heart's content.
-- Kimino is a writer.
The price varies based on the diameter of the pot: 23,100 yen (16 cm), 30,800 yen (20 cm), 41,800 yen (25 cm) and 36,300 yen (25 cm, shallow).
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