【Local cuisine trip】Aomori Prefecture's Tsugaru region "Shellfish grilled miso" and Shimokita region's "Miso shellfish" - At a restaurant with a reliable taste that feels the history

Aomori Prefecture's local dishes "shellfish grilled miso" and "miso oyster" are fisherman's dishes that were born in the Edo period, and their names vary depending on the region. In the Tsugaru region, it is called "shellfish grilled miso", and in the Shimokita region, it is called "miso shell yaki". (Photo courtesy of Aomori Prefecture)

In the beginning, it was a simple fisherman's dish that was grilled using large natural scallop shells as a pot and grilled with miso, green onions, and niboshi broth. Later, ingredients such as scallops, sardines, and mackerel fillets were added, and the style of using eggs as a home-cooked dish became widespread. At home, due to its high nutritional value, it was initially treated as a special dish served to the sick and pregnant women.

Nowadays, farmed scallops have become mainstream, making scallops easier to obtain, but large natural shells suitable for oyster miso are rare. For this reason, fishermen's households sometimes store natural shells specially and use them exclusively for shellfish grilled miso. The savory miso flavor and scallop flavor spread, and it goes well with local sake. Some stores also offer it to tourists, where you can enjoy the taste of history.

In 2023, this year's shipments were significantly reduced due to the extreme heat, which led to the rise in sea temperatures and the mass death of farmed scallop juveniles in Mutsu Bay. Over the next few years, the catch entered a period of decline. This season's catch will be landed after the temperature drops.

■ Eat "shellfish grilled miso" and "miso shell grilled"!

region : Aomori Prefecture (Aomori City, Mutsu City, etc.)
season :Year-round
Dining ：
< Aomori City>
・ Restaurant "Onai" (shellfish grilled miso XXX yen)

<Mutsu City>
・Izakaya "Takedaya" (Miso shellfish grill 900 yen)

* All of them are recommended by Aomori Prefecture officials.