この季節に毎年知人から届く新茶を楽しんでいる。
新茶と言えば柏餅、みたいなのが私の5月の歳時記だ。
冬の間、固く鎧のように庭の柏の木を覆っていた枯れ葉が落ちて、陽の光が透り抜けるほど明るい若葉が風にそよぐ。
そんな柏の新葉と白磁に映える新茶の浅緑が目に眩しい。
子供の頃、母が作ってくれた柏餅は、生地が厚くて餡子もいっぱいで、要するにデカくて、手をべとべとに汚しながら1つ食べるとお腹がいっぱいになったものだ。
今、買ってきた柏餅は、あっさり3口くらいで食べてしまう。
3つはいける。
あれは、私が小さかったからだろう。
けど、それだけじゃない。
湯気の立つ蒸し器の前で、でき上る前からはしゃいで、アツアツを頬張ると、それだけで胸がいっぱいになったような気がする。
新茶をいただく風情なんてもんじゃなかった。
風さんの幼少期を想像する。
At this time of year, I enjoy fresh tea that I receive from an acquaintance every year.
When I think of fresh tea, I think of Kashiwamochi, which is my seasonal calendar for May.
During the winter, the dead leaves that covered the oak tree in my garden like a stiff armor have fallen, leaving young leaves so bright that the sunlight shines through them, swaying in the breeze.
The pale green of the new oak leaves and of fresh tea inside the white porcelain are dazzling.
When I was a child, my mother used to make kashiwamochi with thick dough and a lot of bean paste.It was basically huge, and I would get my hands all sticky and eat one and get full.
I can easily eat the Kashiwamochi I just bought in about 3 bites.
I can have three.
That must be because I was small.
But that's not all.
I stood in front of the steaming steamer and looked forword them to be cooked up, and then I had the steaming hot food even , so I feel like my heart was full.
There was no such thing as enjoying fresh tea.
Imagine KAZE's childhood.
