Osechi
御節
おせち
Osechi was originally an offering. The origin of New Year dishes is the food offered to deities at the turn of the season. The turn of seasons is set five times a year, and New Turns' dishes were offered at that time. After that, osechi came to refer to the most important New Year’s dishes.
On New Year’s Day, it is customary to avoid cooking with fire to welcome the deities, and in order to reduce the household chores of women, most osechi dishes are long-lasting foods.
Osechi dishes are originally set in five-tiered lacquer boxes, "jubako". The jubako has the meaning of stacking happiness.Every dish has special meaning. Having each dishes, people pray for good health and great harvest for a year.
Miyuki started her career in a Japanese Kaiseki restaurant in Nagano. Also, her mother is a good cook in her family. She has cooked Osechi for her family since she got married. Now, Miyuki set all the dishes in the jubako beautifully. Most of the family nowadays rarely make all of the osechi dishes but buy them at a supermarket. But Tsuganes' tradition is to make most of all the dishes at home.
