Each region has its own delicious ingredients.
For example, strawberries from the Kasaoka reclamation area, mulberries from Shiraishi-jima Island, and apricots from Tajiri-cho, Fukuyama City.
Ingredients created to match the local climate are very delicious.
One place that makes and sells baked goods while bringing out the original flavors of such local ingredients is pasión.
The sales area is lined with pound cakes and scones made from ingredients from the Ikasa and Bingo regions, resembling a museum.
Pasión does not have a store. You can find it at markets and through consignment sales.
Colorful baked goods from pasión that can be enjoyed with the eyes, tongue, and heart.
I will introduce its charm and the creator, Yamawaki Yoshifumi.
The information provided is based on the article published in July 2021. Please note that it may differ from current information.
Baked goods shop "pasión" that conveys the story of ingredients
Every Saturday, a market called "Kurashiki Roji Market" is held in Achi, Kurashiki City.
On June 26, 2021 (Saturday), pasión also had a booth. In front of the store, there were 11 types of pound cakes, 11 types of scones, and colorful syrups.
What catches the eye besides the products are the pops and packages introducing local ingredients.
The fully ripe lemons from Rokushima in the Kasaoka Islands,
Also, the fully ripe Benihoppe strawberries from the Kasaoka reclamation area,
In the Kasaoka reclamation area, the warm climate and long hours of sunlight nurture very sweet and flavorful strawberries.
Each ingredient has its own story attached.
When customers pass by and look with interest, Yamawaki says, "We make pound cakes with unique ingredients. Please take a look."
All products are handmade by Yamawaki at his workshop in Fukuyama City.
Pasión, which does not have a store, mainly sells at markets. It is said that Yamawaki makes all the baked goods alone on Fridays for the markets that are often held on weekends.
Moreover, Yamawaki often goes to harvest the ingredients himself.
"I went to harvest mulberries last month on Shiraishi-jima Island. Every year, the islanders carefully wash and sort them by hand. It’s difficult to do it quickly without crushing the fruit so that the flavor doesn’t escape."
In this way, Yamawaki connects producers and customers while conveying the stories related to the ingredients.
Handmade using local ingredients - colorful delicious items
Let’s introduce the main products of pasión: pound cakes, scones, and syrups and syrup soda.
The products may vary depending on the season and harvest conditions. What is being introduced is from the Kurashiki Alley Market held on June 26, 2021 (Saturday).
Pasión's pound cake
Pasión's pound cakes included the following varieties:
- Yakage Yamanoue dried persimmons
- Kasaoka Islands Shiraishi-jima mulberries
- Kasaoka Islands Takashima fully ripe kumquats
- Kasaoka Islands Rokushima fully ripe lemons
- Kasaoka Islands Hishima fully ripe sweet oranges
- Kasaoka reclamation area fully ripe Benihoppe strawberries
- Ikawa Oe spicy turmeric
- Takahashi Matsubara & Ikawa Oe first tea & Bichu Darumasasage
- Ikawa Yoshii Meiji chocolate gobo
- Asakuchi Kamogata Megumi no Yume eggs
- Fukuyama Tajiri fully ripe apricots
The price of pound cakes at the market is 200 yen (tax included) each. If you buy five, you get a 100 yen discount, making it 900 yen (tax included).
Outside of the market, the price is 220 yen (tax included) each. There is no discount for buying five.
Additionally, if you buy ten, you can have them placed in a special gift box.
Pasión's sweets do not use artificial sweeteners, fragrances, preservatives, or colorings, allowing you to enjoy the taste and appearance of the ingredients as they are.
The ingredients for the pound cakes include the following in addition to the main ingredients.
- Asakuchi eggs
- Yotsuba butter
- Domestic wheat flour
- Domestic cane sugar
- Beet granulated sugar
I compared the "Kasaoka Islands Rokushima fully ripe lemons" and "Kasaoka Islands Hishima fully ripe sweet oranges."
When I hear lemon, I imagine it to be sour with a bit of bitterness, but the "Kasaoka Islands Rokushima fully ripe lemons" are sweet with almost no bitterness. The flavor is rich, and you can fully enjoy the aroma while eating.
The "Kasaoka Islands Hishima fully ripe sweet oranges" have a refreshing sweetness. When comparing them, even though they are both citrus pound cakes, the aromas are completely different, which was interesting.
Both ingredients pair excellently with the moist pound cake.
▼ The "Kasaoka Islands Shiraishi-jima mulberries" are characterized by their deep purple color.
The berry aroma is gentle. It’s a pound cake with a fun texture from the crunchy seeds.
I imagined mulberries to be sweeter and sourer, but they are not very sour and have a refined sweetness.
I was surprised to discover, "So this is what mulberries taste like!"
▼ The "Kasaoka reclamation area fully ripe Benihoppe" has chunks of bright red strawberry flesh. It looks delicious.
When I tried it, it was sweet and sour with a rich flavor, and it was indeed delicious.
Pasión is particular about bringing out the beautiful red color of strawberries.
Strawberries preferred for eating fresh tend to have high moisture content, but for processing, those with less moisture and those that have become misshapen due to poor pollination by bees are suitable. Strawberries with too much moisture tend to turn black when processed.
Yamawaki intentionally chooses strawberries that are less moist and misshapen during harvesting.
Pasión's scones
Pasión's scones included the following varieties:
- Kasaoka Islands Shiraishi-jima Island mulberries
- Kasaoka Islands Tobishima Island ripe sweet summer oranges
- Kasaoka reclaimed land ripe red Hoppé strawberries
- Fukuyama City Kumano sudachi
- Fukuyama City Yamano yamano flour
- Fukuyama City Yamano whole grain flour
- Fukuyama City Ginger Diamond spicy ginger
- Igara Yoshii Meiji chocolate burdock
- Takahashi Matsubara aburi ZERO bancha
- Takahashi Matsubara & Igara Oe first tea & Bichu daruma green beans
- Yakage Mikawa butternut squash
The price of scones at the market is 150 yen (tax included) each. If you buy five, you get a 50 yen discount, making it 700 yen (tax included).
The scones are square. The dough itself is not too sweet, and the focus is on bringing out the flavor of the ingredients.
Many of them look similar, but the aromas and flavors differ.
The Fukuyama Kumano sudachi has a refreshing aroma. The slight acidity matches the subtly sweet dough.
The Fukuyama Ginger Diamond spicy ginger features a refreshing bitterness and spiciness.
This is a collaboration product using ginger that has been boiled down by Ginger Diamond, which manufactures and sells ginger syrup and other products.
The "Kasaoka Islands Shiraishi-jima mulberries" were also enjoyable in the scones for their color and crunchy texture.
For the baked goods at pasión, Kyushu-produced flour is used to achieve a moist texture, but for the plain version, "Fukuyama Yamano Flour" made from wheat produced in Yamano, Fukuyama City is used.
This flour was cultivated in the community with the hope of addressing abandoned farmland and enjoying gatherings in the region.
The aroma of the wheat can be felt directly, and a crumbly texture can be enjoyed, which is different from other scones.
Perfect for summer! Syrup and Shiroppu Cider
There are also syrups that are perfect for homemade shaved ice, cider, and warm drinks.
- Fully ripe Benihoppe (Okada Farm, Kasaoka Land Reclamation)
- Citrus Mix (a blend of sweet summer oranges, lemons, and oranges from the Kasaoka Islands)
- Mulberry (mulberries from Shiraishi-jima Island, Kasaoka Islands)
- Hayward Kiwi (Shimomin Farm, Fukuyama)
- Muscat Berry A (Aono Komorebi Farm, Ihara)
Prices start at 1,000 yen (including tax) per bottle. The syrup is made only with local ingredients and beet sugar.
At the summer market, there is also "Shiroppu Cider" made by mixing syrup with carbonated water (400 yen including tax).
During the interview, there was a Shiroppu Cider made with fully ripe apricots from Tajiri-cho, Fukuyama City. It is likely to be a limited-time offering available only in summer.
When I tried it, the sweet and sour taste was irresistible, making it perfect for summer.
In this way, the limited-time products that arise from new encounters between Mr. Yamawaki and the ingredients are also a charm of pasión.
A colorful array of products that convey the story of the ingredients.
I am surprised by the variety and feel happy to realize that I live in a region filled with such delightful ingredients.
How did the baked goods at pasión come to be? I spoke with Yamawaki Yoshifumi.
pasión (Pasión) Information
| Name | pasión (Pasión) |
|---|---|
| Parking | Available According to the market where it will be set up |
| Business Hours | Participating in markets in Okayama Prefecture and the Bingo region |
| Payment Method |
|
| Homepage | pasión (Pasión) Website |
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On Rokushima, there is a carefully nurtured lemon tree. Because they are fully ripe, they are deliciously sweet and sour even when bitten into!