It's very delicious.
As I eat the pudding, I recall an incident that happened about seven years ago.
The first time she came to Bokumo was for an interview for a part-time job.
I was surprised to see her in her high school uniform.
Although there had been young part-time staff up until now, there were no high school students.
I was a little skeptical about asking a high school senior to pour wine, but after talking to her I changed my mind.
"I want to become a registered dietitian in the future. That's why I applied because I wanted to gain experience working in a restaurant."
How direct. It was as if her gaze was piercing through me and staring far into the future.
After joining Bokumo, she was efficient at her work. She was very quick-witted. She was also good at reading other people's feelings, and was well-liked by the regulars.
She was an active member of Bokumo for four whole years, from the end of her third year of high school through her university life.
Sometimes I hear people say, "There are so many career options for registered dietitians, I'm not sure which path to take."
I've heard stories like that too.
However, when she went to do her teaching internship in her fourth year, she suddenly realized, "This is what I want to do." Although it is a job that does not require a license as a registered dietitian, she found teaching children about nutrition to be interesting.
However, I did manage to achieve my original goal of becoming a registered dietitian (apparently passing the triple test of a teaching license, the employment exam, and the registered dietitian exam is quite an accomplishment), and now I am working hard as a home economics teacher at a high school.
Thankfully, even after they enter the workforce, they continue to come to Bokumo. When they sit next to regular teachers at the counter, they have lively conversations with teachers who share the same concerns, rather than the employee and customer that they had when they were part-timers.
That's her.
The other day, he came to me with some good news.
"My students and I brainstormed ideas and decided to do a project to create a collaborative product with a local company."
I heard that a project they created as part of their class won the top prize in a contest held by the local government.
That's the pudding I'm eating now, made with Nishio's famous products. It was on sale for a limited time at Matsuzakaya's Gourmet Paradise, so I bought one straight away.
She was a high school student, but now she is teaching high school students. The gaze of the day she wore a sailor uniform passes through Bokumo and looks at her students. And now she has the eyes of a reliable leader who directs the project.
When I bring the spoon to my mouth with that thought in mind, I feel a tremendous sense of honor.
This pudding, named "Aiba Pudding," is made using nigari (salt salt) produced in the salt fields of Aiba, Nishio. The nigari is used to solidify soy milk, and Nishio matcha is added to it.
However, it has a rich milky flavor that makes it hard to tell it is made from soy milk. It is thick and smooth on the tongue.
The dishes are made using local ingredients, creating a unique balance that is hard to find anywhere else. This is the work of someone who knows cooking.
Well, you're still making good use of the cooking knowledge you picked up while you were aiming to become a registered dietitian. That's great.
After I finished eating, I thought, "Oh no, it's all gone. I want to eat a bit more." But I also think it's better to have a little extra left over, as it adds a bit of class.
The blank spaces contain expectations for what comes next. I look forward to seeing what she will do next.
