It’s the season when shirasu (baby sardines) is delicious. Especially during this time, shirasu is called “spring shirasu,” which has a firm and fresh texture if it’s raw. Shirasu is produced all over Japan, but each region has its own season. In the Kansai region, Awaji Island is the main production area of shirasu. Fishing for shirasu is prohibited from December to March, and the fishing season runs from late April to the end of November. Among them, there are two seasons for Awaji Island’s shirasu that are said to be the best. It is between April and May in spring, and from mid-September to November in autumn. There are various ways to eat shirasu, such as “raw shirasu,” “boiled shirasu,” “half dried shirasu,” and “chirimenjako (dried small sardines).” “Raw shirasu” and “boiled shirasu” are the taste of the season that can only be tasted on the day they were caught during the shirasu fishing season and only at the local area. “Half dried shirasu” is dried boiled shirasu with about 70% moisture content, and “chirimenjako” is the one with less than 50% moisture content. In any case, spring shirasu has an excellent saltiness without the use of additives, and its fluffy and soft texture stimulates appetite. It goes well not only with warm rice but also with grated radish.

しらすが美味しい季節になりました。特にこの時期のしらすは「春しらす」と言って、生しらすならばぷりぷりとした食感があります。しらすの産地は全国にありますが、産地ごとに旬があります。関西では淡路島がしらすの主な産地です。毎年12～3月は禁漁期間で、しらす漁が行われるのは4月下旬から11月末までです。その内、淡路島のしらすの旬といわれているのは年に2回あります。春の4～5月の間と秋の9月中旬～11月です。しらすには、「生しらす」「釜揚げしらす」「しらす干し」「ちりめんじゃこ」などさまざまな食べ方があります。「生しらす」や「釜揚げしらす」は、しらす漁の時期に獲れた、その日のうちにしか、しかも現地でしか味わえない旬ならではの味覚です。都会生活者が口にできるのは、「しらす干し」か「ちりめんじゃこ」です。「しらす干し」は釜揚げしらすを干して7割程度の水分量にしたものを、５割以下になったものを「ちりめんじゃこ」と呼んでいます。いずれにしろ、春しらすは、添加物を使用せずとも塩加減も抜群で、ふんわりとした柔らかな食感が食欲をそそり、暖かいご飯と一緒に食べてもいいですし、大根おろしとの相性もいいですよね。