As you get older, you start to figure out what you like.
For example, if you read a novel, you can easily tell by flicking through it whether it's the type of book you like.
At a soba restaurant, I look at the menu and am unsure what to order, but I always end up settling on wild vegetables or herring (←old man's sense).
When it comes to TV dramas, even if I already know the content because it's a rebroadcast, I still find myself watching "Aibou" (←old man's sense).
People tend to prioritize the peace of mind that comes from knowing that something will fit their body over the excitement of getting something new.
After all, you have a long history of controlling this body. And what made you happy in the past is firmly input into your body. Based on that experience, you will choose the option that gives you a sense of security. Because it's easy.
But when we continue to choose the easy option, we tend to exclude other options, our values become rigid, and, worst of all, we become intolerant of the preferences of others.
...No good.
I am steadily progressing towards becoming the cranky old man I never wanted to be.
This needs to be corrected somehow.
I know that. When I go to a conveyor-belt sushi restaurant and I always order salmon, I know that I'm not doing a good job. But I can't bring myself to change.
If someone were to recommend a different path to me, telling me that it would be fun, maybe I could choose the adventurous path once in a while.
Just as this old man was thinking this, someone appeared to give him a lift.
She is a resident of New Zealand.
When she was a customer at Bokumo in the past, she would always say at the counter, "I want to move to New Zealand!"
You've realized your dream and are now living in Auckland. That's amazing. That's impressive.
The other day, when he returned to Japan for a short visit, he stopped by Bokumo, and this was the souvenir he gave us.
Sparkling wine made from feijoa fruit.
Feijoa is a very popular fruit in New Zealand, but I have never tried it.
I had heard rumors that "it's a bit addictive, but people who like it can get addicted," so when I went to New Zealand, I passed up the feijoas in the fruit section of the supermarket and only bought and ate plums. After all, NZ plums are so delicious.
"I love feijoa, and this liquor tastes just like feijoa," she says.
Here comes the road of adventure!
You can discover new things in things you don't actively choose. You can encounter new values.
"Thank you! I'm happy that I can still have this experience for the first time, even at my age."
And I had some feijoa wine.
The result is...
Well, how should I put it, I'm very careful with my words...
I don't like the scent (I didn't choose it).
When he saw me making a bitter face every time I smelled the aroma rising from the glass, he burst out laughing.
It's really special. It's a scent I've never smelled before.
If I were a sommelier, I'd be asked to describe it in terms of something, but that's a bit difficult for me, since it's a scent that doesn't exist in my life.
If I had to try to find something similar to describe it, it would be the smell of the hospital I was taken to as a child and had to wait in the hallway feeling anxious.
There are elements of citrus peel, tropical fruits like pineapple, and nuances of honey and syrup.
Apparently feijoa is a relative of guava, and it did indeed taste a bit like guava, but my only experience with guava is from a canned Oriental guava juice I once had (a Nagoya local!), so my guess is a bit unreliable.
I guess the first thing that comes to mind is a hospital... Sorry, that's a strange expression.
But when you drink it, it's not like that. It's delicious. It's unique but has a strong umami flavor, and it's interesting in its own way. The chef and staff member Yuri-chan honestly said it was delicious.
And after drinking this feijoa wine, I thought to myself, "I want to try a real feijoa." Is it really this taste? Is it possible that the fruit has a scent that I don't like? Or is it that you don't notice it so much in fruit? They say that some people get hooked on it, so maybe I have the potential to do just that. I really wanted to know.
This is the fun of new encounters. New stimuli lead to new actions. I think I'll try to find some feijoa fruit, as it seems to be cultivated in Japan as well.
Adventure Grandpa, step forward.
