Hoba miso
朴葉味噌Dish
Hoba miso is miso grilled on a dried magnolia leaf over a little stove at your table, and it is the dish of a Hida winter.
The agriculture ministry's regional food page traces hoba miso to the woodcutters of Hida, who used the big leaves of the hoba magnolia as plates and grilled miso on them in the mountains. The leaves are gathered brown in autumn and kept for the winter. In Takayama's hard winters families set a leaf over the irori fire to warm miso and pickles, and shops began selling it as a souvenir between 1965 and 1974.
The classic version is home-made koji miso with leeks and shiitake, and today many restaurants add Hida beef. Takayama's city guide describes it cooking on a Hida konro, a small earthenware stove, so the smell of grilling miso reaches you before the first bite. Suzuya in Takayama sweetens its miso with sesame oil, sake and sugar, and Hisadaya serves it with a house koji blend in a late-Edo townhouse.
Quick answers about Hoba misoよくある質問
What is hoba miso?
Hoba miso is miso grilled on a dried hoba magnolia leaf over a small stove at the table, often with leeks, mushrooms and Hida beef. It comes from the Hida and Takayama area of Gifu.
How do you order Hoba miso?
Order a hoba miso set and stir the leeks and mushrooms through the miso as it bubbles, then eat it with rice. For the beef version, ask for Hida beef hoba miso or hoba miso steak.
When is Hoba miso in season?
Hoba miso: All year; it began as a winter dish.
Where can you eat Hoba miso in Japan?
Places we list for Hoba miso include Ajidokoro Furukawa, Hisadaya, Kitanosho, Kyoya, Suzuya.