Many have defined the particular flavor of extra virgin olive oil as ‘enchanted’.
The master of animated cinema Hayao Miyazaki has celebrated this golden elixir in some of his works. Cuisine takes a central role in Hayao Miyazaki’s anime world as a symbol of sharing, and an irresistible temptation.
How can we forget the mouthwatering ramen in "Ponyo on the Reef"? Or the typical "okayu" comfort food from "Princess Mononoke"? Not to mention the delicious onigiri from "Enchanted City" and the tempura from "Poppy Hill" or the herring and pumpkin flan from "Kiki - Home Deliveries".
The Herring and Pumpkin recipe has been written about by three writers who have celebrated the unique flavor of olive oil.
Silvia Casini, Raffaella Fenoglio e Francesco Pasqua are the three writers that were inspired by the recipes in Miyazaky’s films and wrote ‘The enchanted kitchen. Recipes inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s films’ (Trentaeditore),. It is not just a cookbook of recipes but - as the journalist Michela Becchi writes in her beautiful review for the Italian magazine ‘Gambero Rosso’ - it also investigates the role of cuisine in the works of the Japanese author: "food becomes the bearer of commitment, thanksgiving, and an emblem of affection and solidarity’.
Another book which celebrates these recipes and recognizes the excellence of olive oil, is the one written by the French Claire-France Thevenon (for the publisher Kappalab). In the book, gastronomy and cinema intertwine in a journey of taste and unique experiences.
The central role of food in these works has inspired an exhibition - held at the Mikata Museum in Tokyo and entirely dedicated to Studio Ghibli - with the evocative title: Delicious! Animating Memorable Meals.
The presentation reads, "Studio Ghibli's films are renowned for depicting everyday life in great detail. What often lingers in the memory of our viewers are scenes of food and meals. The foods that appear are not particularly special; they are part of our daily lives. But their appearance in movies always has a special meaning. Pazu and Sheeta’s hearts connect when sharing the same food. The courage to face her challenges blossoms in Chihiro as she eats her rice ball."
Similarly to the evocative power of these images, European olive oil also triggers flavorful and unique sensations. Find below, one of the recipes from the book written by the Italian authors aforementioned, inspired by Hayao Miyazaki’s films, which contains European olive oil:
Herring and pumpkin flan
Ingredients for 4 people
Preparation: Finely chop the onion and brown it in a pan with a little olive oil. Add the steamed pumpkin and mash the flesh with a fork. Heat the butter over medium-low heat and add 2 tablespoons of flour; separately heat the milk and pour it in, keep stirring. Add salt and pepper to taste and stir until the sauce thickens. Transfer the mixture to a lightly greased baking dish; then open the canned herring, drain and place on top of the kabocha mixture. Lay a thin sheet of puff pastry on top to cover the filling; using another sheet of puff pastry, cut out a fish design like Kiki's and lay it on top of the puff pastry covering. Brush the surface with beaten egg, decorate with black olives as desired and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for half an hour.
A "gift" by the Italian authors for all the fans of Miyazaki's great animation cinema. And for those who, like him, believe in the strong link between gastronomy, dreams, pleasure, memory and culture.
European olive oil, a source of pleasure and extraordinary sensations.
Sources:
Delicious! Animating Memorable Meals - Ghibli Museum, Mitaka (ghibli-museum.jp)
15 March 2022
