MATERIAL
Forest Plants and “WILD SWEETS”
SICITONI researches edible wild plants to Japan's forests and creates sweets that make the most of their aromas and flavors, which we named “WILD SWEETS”.The fresh edible shoots of coniferous trees, the sweetness of nectar from flowers, the spicy aroma of peeled bark, and fruits with nourishing sweet and sour flavors.Sweets that value forest resources as refined foods and bring out their full aroma and flavor are like “eating forest bathing,” a new kind of culinary experience.
Forest plants are procured in cooperation with partners in various regions. Proper collection of plants has the effect of enriching the biodiversity of the land by allowing light and air to pass through.
We aim to create sustainable sweets so that eating them will lead to the enrichment of the forest.
Mountain Dairy Farming
For our homemade cheese, we use milk from “Kaoruno Pasture” , which is a mountain dairy farm, located on top of Mt. Ono in the western part of Kanagawa Prefecture.
This gentle milk has a sweet, clean taste. It changes depending on what the cows eat in the seasons and even the day.
Most of the mountain forests, which account for about 70% of Japan's land area, have been devastated by disasters and animal damage due to the loss of soil conservation function while artificial forests are left unattended.
The cows eat the grass, which replaces mowing, and wild grass grows where the cows have defecated, eventually covering the mountain with a sturdy carpet of wild grass that prevents landslides.
Cows roam freely, eat wild grass, and produce delicious milk.we merely share a mother cow's milk, which is for raising her calf.
This is a new option for dairy farming and mountain development, cooperating with cows and utilizing native Japanese wildflowers to manage the mountains.
Synecoculture
Synecoculture is a Japanese agricultural practice that is getting worldwide attention as a practical agricultural method that aims at environmentally regenerative agriculture.
It utilizes the characteristics of the earth's ecosystem to produce vegetables and fruits by mixing and densely growing a variety of plants. This allows diverse organisms to function together.
As it uses the ability of plants to establish their own optimum conditions, no artificial pesticides, fertilizers, or tillage are used. Only seeds and seedlings are brought into the field. This is an ecological method that comprehensively considers the impact on the environment and health.
Vegetables are fresh from stem to peel, herbs are filled with fragrance, and fruits are bright, sour, and sweet. Every time I eat the harvest, which is full of vital energy, I am reminded of what food really is and what we should aim for in food and agriculture.
Since SICITONI supports Synecoculture, a sustainable food production, we use its products in our confections.