2025 08 24 なつめ

　　棗(なつめ/ナツメ)は、クロウメモドキ科の落葉高木(らくようこうぼく)で。木の高さは5〜15メートルになり,熟れると赤くなる楕円形の果実は、生でも乾燥させても食べることが出来ます。生の実の大きさは、だいたい幅1〜3cm・長さ2〜４cmです。

地域の気候によって前後しますが棗(なつめ/ナツメ)は、だいたい5月～7月に開花、8月頃に実がなります。収穫できる旬の時期は8月中旬～11月初旬の頃です。棗(なつめ/ナツメ)と「なつめやし＝デーツ」（南国に多いヤシ科の常緑樹）は同じ名前で実も似ていますが、全く別物です

棗(なつめ/ナツメ)の語源は、初夏に芽吹き花を咲かせることから「夏芽（なつめ）」と呼ばれるようになったという説もあります。 

常用漢字では「棗」と書きますが、その由来は「棘（とげ）」という漢字です。棗(なつめ/ナツメ)は果実の両端に棘が2本生えており、大事な実と種子を害虫や鳥から守っているとのことで鋭いとげは刺さるととても痛いです。

また、抹茶を入れる茶器「棗」も同じ漢字を使いますが、果実の棗(なつめ/ナツメ)に形状が似ていることが由来だそうです。茶道が始まった昔から、日本に棗(なつめ/ナツメ)が伝わってきていたことを物語ります。その頃は、今より棗(なつめ/ナツメ)が身近な存在だったのでしょうね。岐阜県の飛騨地方には、収穫された実を砂糖と醤油で甘く煮た「なつめの甘露煮（うま煮）」が、保存食やおやつとして食べられているとのことでした。

棗(なつめ/ナツメ)には他にもいろんないわれがあります。中でも古くから生薬や菓子の材料として重用され“世界三大美女”として名高い楊貴妃（ようきひ）も欠かさずに食していた”東洋のスーパーフルーツ”とも言われています。

韓国料理でいたるところで登場する赤くて小さな実は、대추(テチュ)といい、なつめの事です。

代表的な韓国料理の参鶏湯(サムゲタン)にも入っていたり、一般の料理やお茶、韓方薬としても重宝されています。

また、冠婚葬祭のお祝いを飾る祭壇に並べられる縁起の良い果実の一つで、特になつめは、男の子を意味し、婚姻の日の朝に新郎新婦が両親に敬礼をした後、姑が新婦のスカートになつめを投げて、子孫繁栄を願うという風習があるそうです。

教会西側道路に面した壁沿いに、大きく育って今や毎年たくさんの実りがあります。熟れてそうな実を生で食べてみると、ほんのり甘い..？確かにリンゴのような？食感もするけど。ひとつの実が小さく、種も大きいので果実部分？いまいち味わいきれませ～ん😅

熱が加わるとどんなふうに変化するのかな？この夏の実りの時に1回くらいは試してみようかな！。。スーパーフルーツ入りの参鶏湯(サムゲタン）はぜひとも食べたい。。(笑）

夏の暑さに冷たいものばかりでは、体に疲れがたまるばかり。たまには優しい味の温かいスープもいいかも、ですよ～。🍲

Jujube (Natsume) is a deciduous tall tree belonging to the buckthorn family. The tree can grow to a height of 5 to 15 meters. Its oval-shaped fruit turns red when ripe and can be eaten either fresh or dried. The fresh fruit typically measures about 1–3 cm wide and 2–4 cm long.

Depending on the regional climate, jujube flowers bloom around May to July, and the fruit appears around August. The peak harvest season is from mid-August to early November. Though jujube and "date" (from date palms common in tropical areas) are called by similar names and may look alike, they are completely different fruits.

One theory about the origin of the Japanese name “natsume” is that it comes from the words “natsu” (summer) and “me” (bud), referring to how the tree buds and blooms in early summer.

In standard Japanese kanji, it is written as 「棗」. Interestingly, the origin of this kanji comes from the character for "thorn" (棘). Jujube trees bear two sharp thorns at the base of each fruit, which protect the fruit and seeds from pests and birds. These thorns can be quite painful if touched.

There's also a tea container used in Japanese tea ceremonies called a natsume (棗), which shares the same character. This container is named after the fruit due to its similar shape. This indicates that jujubes were already known in Japan when the tea ceremony was being established, suggesting that the fruit was once a familiar part of daily life. In the Hida region of Gifu Prefecture, jujubes are simmered in sugar and soy sauce to make natsume no kanroni (sweet simmered jujube), enjoyed as a preserved food or snack.

Jujubes also have many traditional associations. Long used as medicinal herbs and ingredients in sweets, they were said to be a favorite of the famous beauty Yang Guifei—one of the “Three Beauties of the World”—and are known in the East as a “superfruit.”

In Korean cuisine, the small red fruit frequently seen is called daechu (대추), which is also jujube. It is widely used in dishes such as samgyetang (ginseng chicken soup), as well as in teas and traditional Korean medicine (hanbang).

The fruit also plays an auspicious role in Korean ceremonial traditions. During weddings, jujubes are among the symbolic foods displayed. Specifically, they represent male children. On the morning of the wedding day, after the bride and groom bow to their parents, the mother-in-law throws jujubes into the bride’s skirt—a gesture to wish for prosperity and many children.

On the west side of the church, along the wall facing the road, there’s a large jujube tree that has grown beautifully and now bears plenty of fruit every year. I tried eating one of the ripe fruits raw—it had a faint sweetness... perhaps a bit like an apple? The texture was somewhat similar too, but the fruit is small, and the seed inside is quite large, so there’s not much flesh to enjoy. 😅

I wonder how it changes when heated? I’d like to try it at least once during this summer’s harvest! I'd especially love to taste samgyetang with this “superfruit.” 

When it's hot in summer, we tend to rely on cold drinks and foods, but that just wears our bodies out. Every once in a while, a gentle-tasting warm soup sounds like a good idea, doesn’t it? 🍲