Heshiko, a tasty and healthy fermented food
Heshiko, a well-known specialty of Mihama Town, is a type of pickled fish.
Fukui Prefecture is particularly suitable as a production center for heshiko because of its location on Wakasa Bay, where fresh fish are abundantly available.
Heshiko is made by marinating fillets of fish, mainly mackerel and herring, in salt, followed by seasoning with vinegar, soy sauce, miso, sugar, etc., and marinating for a long time.
The marinating process concentrates the flavor of the fish and gives it a unique flavor and texture.
Recently, heshiko is increasingly being used like anchovies for pasta and pizza, or arranged in a variety of dishes.
The production of heshiko in Mihama Town exceeded 200,000 in 2005, and since 40% of all heshiko in the prefecture was produced in the town, it was registered as a trademark as "Heshiko no Machi" (Heshiko Town).
In 2007, it was selected as one of the "100 Best Local Dishes of Japan," and it is a hot food that is gaining popularity and name recognition nationwide.
