Gourtto STORY (Summer 2023)

City of Yokohama, Transportation Bureau's newsletter, Gourtto, focuses on locally grown and consumed's efforts along municipal subways and buses, entitled "My Town locally grown and consumed STORY." We will deliver interviews that did not fit in the magazine as a web-only article!　This time, we interviewed Makiko Nakao (Masaramore), who made retort curry with plenty of Yokohama vegetables and opened stores in marche in various parts of the city.

Retort curry with plenty of Yokohama vegetables blend in
Family health is the starting point

Makiko Nakao, who has qualifications such as vegetable sommelier and dietary advisor, and has studied abroad in India to learn curry. In addition to the retort curry "Yokohama Vegetable Spice Curry" sold in marche in various parts of the city, including Yokohama City Hall, the company produces "Continued Curry" made from Tsuzuki Ward   vegetables offered at cafes.
Originally, he worked in programming, but he was a full-time housewife for about 10 years after retirement. I realized the importance of food from my experience of raising children.
"It was the beginning that I wanted my family to study vegetables and food properly and to have a nutritionally balanced meal. I felt responsible for raising my child with what I gave, and I grew up with my parents saying, "Eat vegetables." As I was conscious of eating vegetables, I realized that local vegetables were the best, and I learned the idea of locally grown and consumed."
It was in 2015 that Nakao started developing spices curry using Yokohama vegetables. It was adopted in Yokohama City's locally grown and consumed Business Creation Support Project. After about two years of research, in 2018, a retort curry "Pakistan-style Spice Curry" using Yokohama vegetables was born.
"I want to do locally grown and consumed's business!" When I thought, there were many couples working together and families who did not have time to cook rice. When I came home late at work, I was worried about how to make a meal that didn't run out of vegetables. Under such circumstances, I wanted to have something that can be easily made in a short time and eat vegetables with peace of mind, so I developed a retort product. I made curry because I can blend a lot of vegetables."
At first, it was intended for curry lovers, but most people from Yokohama buy this retort curry. Therefore, we focused on making Yokohama vegetables more widely known, and in 2020 we renewed our product name and package design. The current "Yokohama Vegetable Spice Curry" was born.

I was attracted to the spice and went to the curry path
There was another reason why Mr. Nakao chose curry. That's because I've been making curry with spices for more than 20 years now, I like spices.
"I've always been in my own way, so I went to school to study in earnest. First of all, I attended all kinds of lectures, such as practical training and classroom lectures, for half a year at "Curry University" and "Curry Graduate School", where Professor Takehisa Inoue, who is said to be the leader of curry, serves as president."
Nakao also experienced studying in India to learn more about curry. I talk about life in India like this.
"I wanted to eat curry every meal, but I didn't get tired of it because of various variations. When I went abroad, I was often anxious, but my stomach was very good in India. Originally, gas was likely to accumulate in the stomach, but it disappeared due to the effect of the spice winding, and blood flow improved."
Product development through trial and error

"The most difficult thing in developing retort curry products was finding a factory," says Nakao. At that time, there were still a few factories to undertake small lots.
"Even though it was adopted for the locally grown and consumed Business Creation Support Project in Yokohama City, it was difficult to find a factory because of its small size and individual. There was a place where the story progressed halfway, but it did not go as expected. When I had some time since I started searching, I found a factory that just started making retort curry. A factory in Abiko City, Chiba Prefecture, which is still being requested. At that time, I had experience in prototyping, so I was able to talk immediately."
It seems that it was difficult to find local vegetables at first. Start from a place where you don't know the farm information in Yokohama at all. He spoke to a famous farmer, but was often refused. At that time, I participated in a farm tour event held by Yokohama City. This is a bus tour around farmers around the city with a booklet containing various farm information. At a later date, he called the farmer in the booklet and said that the request was finally completed.
"From the first interaction with the farmers, the number of acquaintances gradually increased. I started doing marche myself and doing activities for the Hamafudo Concierge*1. The number of farmers who do business has increased, and thanks to this, I have no trouble now."
Currently, they mainly deal with Marui Farm in Tsuzuki Ward   and Kaneko Farm in Kanagawa Ward.
Mr. Nakao talks about Yokohama vegetables like this.
"Yokohama has many farms, and you can get rare vegetables with a small variety of varieties. There are many farmers who make it to have local people eat it, so I have a lot of thoughts. In addition, because farmland and residential areas are close, pesticides are kept as low as possible. When I open a store in marche, in addition to my own products, I also buy products related to Yokohama vegetables and locally grown and consumed, because I have a feeling of supporting local farmers and locally grown and consumed."

Five kinds of Yokohama vegetables are used for retort curry. Among them, Nakao says, "I definitely wanted to put Komatsuna and cabbage, the representative of Yokohama vegetables." These are vegetables that are not often used in curry, but by putting them in the base, they have a dry aftertaste and are finished into curry that does not lean on the stomach.
It has a mild taste that can be eaten by those who are not good at spicy foods, but it is also attractive that you can adjust the spiciness with a separate spice.
New attempt to excite the Tsuzuki Ward  
In addition to the development and sale of retort curry, Nakao also produces "continue curry".
Tsuzuki Ward  's curry is based on the definition of "using Tsuzuki Ward   vegetables and two or more spices," which was created by Nakao.
"There are countless types of curry, so we decided on a definition instead of a recipe. I have just left, but I would like to speak to various restaurants in Tsuzuki Ward   and have them put them on the menu in the future."
"Continued curry" that anyone can make if the definition is cleared. "Moyakira CAFE" near Center-Kita Station can eat "continue curry" made by the inventor Nakao.
This is a cafe in the shared office, which is involved in the operation of Miyazakikira. It opened in February this year with the aim of creating a place where everyone can easily drop in and share a little trouble.
"Moyakira is an organization that creates a place where you can take a small step. I also wanted to support someone, so I belonged," says Nakao. He serves as the manager of the cafe's Kagahi every other Thursday and serves curry for lunch. Curry and side dishes full of seasonal vegetables are colorfully served on one plate.

"I want to spread locally grown and consumed in Yokohama more. I want our customers to support farmers and local agricultural products! ", And Nakao says with a lively expression.
"Gurutto" has introduced various initiatives related to locally grown and consumed, but there are many farms and locally grown and consumed restaurants in Yokohama that are still unknown.
I would like you to experience local production for local consumption in Yokohama through curry made by Mr. Nakao.

*1 In Yokohama City, we conduct activities to connect food and agriculture to spread the locally grown and consumed.
Those who have completed the seat are certified as "Hamafudo Concierge".
"Continuing curry,"
Location: Moyakira CAFE (1-21-3 Nakagawa Chuo, Tsuzuki-ku, Doue Center North 201)
Date and time of delivery: 1st, 3rd and 5th Thursday from 11:00 to 16:00　
＊It is subject to change. Please contact us by phone
Access About a 3-minute walk from Exit 1 of Center-Kita Station on the Blue Line Green Line
Contact ☎045-482-4003
"Yokohama Vegetable Spice Curry"
Stores: TSUBAKI Shokudo (2nd floor, Yokohama City Hall, 6-50-10 Honcho, Naka-ku)
Business hours From 11:00 to 15:00/17:00 to 22:00 (excluding New Year holidays)
Access About a 5-minute walk from Exit 1 of Sakuragicho Station on the Blue Line
＊They are also sold at JA direct sales outlets, marche and Kanagawaya Sogo Dept. Store (Shin-Toshi Hall) Yokohama stores in various parts of the city.