Chinmi 珍味

[Kiem Hwa]

Browsing the internet, I found an article describing the term "Chinmi" 珍味, which according to my online Japanese dictionary means "delicacy", although this page defined it as "odd taste", and refers to "local cuisines that have fallen out of popularity or those cuisines that are peculiar to a certain area."

This is the page, and it lists various regional "chinmi" dishes:

http://chinmi.biography.ms/

Most of these dishes are not defined here, so I wonder what they are.

I also found this page, but its in Japanese, so I cant figure out if these are "chinmi" products?

http://www.chinmi.net/

I wonder what it takes to be considered "chinmi", and which of definitions above is correct?

[Hiroyuki]

although this page defined it as "odd taste", and refers to "local cuisines that have fallen out of popularity or those cuisines that are peculiar to a certain area."

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I don't think the definition is correct.

Chinmi literally means rare taste and is usually translated into delicacy.

世界（の）三大珍味 Sekai (no) sandai chinmi = world's three delicacies = foie gras, truffle, caviar

日本（の）三大珍味 Nihon (no) sandai chinmi = Japan's three delicacies = uni, karasumi, konowata

http://www.gfc-c.co.jp/gfc/jigyou/chinmi_j.html

Sorry, I'm kind of busy right now. Details later.

[Hiroyuki]

Sorry for my belated reply, but the translation has been tediously difficult.

There is no clear definition of chinmi. Here is the definition of it by 全国珍味商工業協同組合連合会 (National Commercial and Industrial Cooperative Association for Chinmi?).

http://www.chinmi.org/chinmi.htm

Definition of chinmi:

珍味とは主として水産物を原料とし、特殊加工により独特の風味を生かし、貯蔵性を与え、再加工を要することなく食用に供せられる食品（陸産物に類似の加工をほどこしたものを含む）で、一般の嗜好に適合する文化生活の必需食品である。

A food whose main raw material is a marine product, whose distinctive flavor is brought out through special processing, with its shelf life increased, which is served for human consumption without the need for re-processing, and which is a food necessary for cultural life that is suitable for the taste of the general public (or a land product that has undergone similar processing)

The webpage above also contains a classification of chinmi according to manufacturing method:

1. kunsei (smoked)

2. shiokara (salted)

3. aemono (marinated)

4. tsukemono (pickled)

5. baisho (roasted)

6. simmered and fried (or deep fried)

7. splited

8. Companded (rolled?)

9. Miscellaneous

In my next post, I will attempt to translate the details of the classification, which are as follows:

１　燻製品類

　　　　　　鮭、鱈、いか、鰊、鮹、鮪などの原料に調味し、いぶし、乾燥させたもの。

　　　　　　コンビニでもおなじみのいわゆるお父さんのビールのおつまみの定番。

　　　２　塩辛類

　　　　　　うに、いか、えび、魚卵、内臓などの原料を調味、混合し熟成させたもの。

　　　　　　いかの塩辛は古くから食卓にのぼり有名だが最近では原料も味付けもさまざまで

　　　　　　楽しめる一品です。

　　　３　あえもの類

　　　　　　うにあえ類、酢漬類などがあり、調味し混合したもので、ものによっては熟成させる

　　　　　　ものもある。

　　　　　　旅館や小料理屋などでおとおしとしてよくお目にかかるが、これがまたおいしい！

　　　４　漬物類

　　　　　　魚類のかす漬、ぬか漬、みそ漬とあり、調味しそれぞれに漬け込み熟成させたもの。

　　　　　　日本人なら欠かせない食卓の華。

　　　５　焙焼品類

　　　　　　儀助煮、姿焼（いか類 ）、焼松茸いか等があり、調味し焼いたもの。

　　　　　　焼き物のこおばしさをそのままに・・・・・

　　　６　煮揚物類

　　　　　　小魚（アユ、若サギ、白魚の照焼）、海老満月（油で揚げた物）等があり、調味し

　　　　　　焼（揚げ）たもの。

　　　　　　カルシウム補強ならおまかせ。お子様のおやつとして好まれているものも沢山

　　　　　　あります。

　　　７　裂刻品類

　　　　　　するめ裂いか、生裂きいか、吹雪鱈、春雨いか等があり、基本的に調味・焼く・裂く

　　　　　　といった製法でできるもの。

　　　　　　おつまみの代表選手だが、大人から子供まで幅広く愛されるこの珍味は種類も豊

　　　　　　富でますます楽しい一品です。

　　　８　圧伸品類

　　　　　　小魚の鉄板焼、のしいか、エビ鉄板焼、のしふぐ等があり、調味し焼き、圧伸した

　　　　　　もの。旨みのかたまり、やっぱりビールの友かな。

　　　９　その他

　　　　　　木の実、くわいせんべい、チーズせんべい等などがあり、原料を焙煎したもの。

　　　　　　酒の友、お茶の友。

[Hiroyuki]

Sorry for another belated reply:

The first two types of chinmi:

1 燻製品 Kunsei hin (smoked products)

Products resulting from seasoning, smoking, and drying raw materials such as salmon, cod, squid, herring, octopuses, and tuna.

Familiar items at convenience stores; popular appetizers for Dad's beer

2 塩辛類 Shiokara rui (salted and fermented products)

Products resulting from seasoning, blending, and aging raw materials such as uni, squid, shrimp, fish roe, and innards.

Ika no shiokara (squid salted and fermented in its guts) has been served at the table through the ages and is well-known, but recently, there are products from various raw materials, seasoned in various ways, for you to enjoy.

***

I'll post some picture of these types when I take them.

Translations of types 3 to 9 will be much later.

[Hiroyuki]

3 あえもの類 Aemono rui (marinated products)

Marinated uni products, products pickled in vinegar, etc. Products resulting from seasoning and blending ingredients, some of which are aged.

We often see them as otooshi at inns and ko-ryoriya (type of Japanese restaurant). They are yummy!

4 漬物類 Tsukemono rui (pickled products)

Fish pickled in sake lees, rice bran, and miso; products seasoned, pickled in any of them (sake lees, rice bran, and miso), and aged.

Main attraction on the table, indispensable for Japanese.

Sorry for a belated post, but the Japanese is so clumsy to translate.

[Hiroyuki]

3  あえもの類 Aemono rui (marinated products)

Marinated uni products, products pickled in vinegar, etc.  Products resulting from seasoning and blending ingredients, some of which are aged.

We often see them as otooshi at inns and ko-ryoriya (type of Japanese restaurant).  They are yummy!

4  漬物類 Tsukemono rui (pickled products)

Fish pickled in sake lees, rice bran, and miso; products seasoned, pickled in any of them (sake lees, rice bran, and miso), and aged.

Main attraction on the table, indispensable for Japanese.

Sorry for a belated post, but the Japanese is so clumsy to translate.

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I gave up translating the text long ago. For one thing, translating it can never convey the real meaning of the word chinmi. For another, translating that silly Japanese text is quite a chore. After all, there can be as many definitions of the word as there are Japanese, so I think I should provide my definition of the word.

For me, the word is closely related to "otsumami" おつまみ (something to nibble while drinking alcohol) and "sake no sakana" 酒の肴 (or simply "sakana" 肴). I mean, chinmi is almost synonymous with the other two, but its usage is different. I usually don't say things like "This is a chinmi; please help yourselves." to my guests. I use the word otsumami or sake no sakana instead. And my guests may say as a compliment, "This is a chinmi!"

I also feel that a chinmi is something that is rather expensive and is supposed to be consumed in small quantities, but then again, otsumami and sake no sakana can also be expensive.