Our car speeds south past Sapporo. What's the next delicacy?!

We left Yonemura Farm in Ebetsu City. After bread and cheese, we definitely wanted to get some bacon & ham! The first shop that comes to mind when you think of bacon and ham is in Kitahiroshima City, adjacent to the south side of Sapporo. It's about 30km away, and we'll take the expressway from Dō-Ō Expressway Kitagō IC to Kitahiroshima IC (toll fee 670 yen). There it is! "Edelweiss Farm," a stylish shop with a white-walled, European-style exterior backed by a forest. Although we exited at Kitahiroshima IC this time, it's located very close to Wattsu Smart IC. Locals have probably heard through word-of-mouth how delicious this shop is. I myself had heard its name many times, but it strongly had the image of "gifts and souvenirs," so while I had bought it as a gift, I had never actually eaten it myself. This is my chance! I've been wanting to try this product. I'm going to have a taste first! A wide array of products lined up in the store. The rustic packaging design, inspired by rural landscapes, further highlights the quality of the ingredients. And the variety of items is truly extensive! It's hard to choose. Mr. Nozaki, the representative, selected a few recommendations for us to sample. Finally, I can taste the ham I've longed for! One bite. Wow... Two bites. What?! Is this really ham? What was I eating before? I couldn't help but think that. It has a firm yet tender texture, and even without any seasoning, you can taste the natural sweetness of the meat within a perfectly balanced saltiness. I'd describe it as moist. Apparently, grilling it melts its fat, enhancing its aroma and flavor. I immediately bought the ham recommended by Mr. Nozaki! This is a masterpiece I can confidently recommend to customers from outside Hokkaido. It's sure to be a hit whether for your own home or as a souvenir for loved ones or those you're indebted to! It is said to be made using a method that focuses on firewood and charcoal, adopted in Germany in the 1920s. Furthermore, it undergoes a month-long low-temperature aging process. They apparently maximize the umami through traditional methods from the good old days and their original aging technique. This is bound to be delicious! In addition to the direct sales store, "Edelweiss Farm" also has a "Farmers Cafe" where you can enjoy lunch plates made with their ham and bacon. If you want to taste it right away, give it a try. Lunchtime seating is limited, so reservations are recommended! Kitahiroshima City has the image of a "new residential area close to Sapporo," but Mr. Nozaki's words were very impressive: "With the theme of 'making agriculture interesting,' I want to re-examine the state of food and tourism and create new values that only Hokkaido can offer." I'm increasingly looking forward to the future of Kitahiroshima City and tourism in the Sapporo vicinity.

The last ingredient is tofu! Healthy side dishes for a Happy body!

For the last ingredient, I chose something body-friendly. We traveled about 13.5km further south from Kitahiroshima City, arriving in less than 30 minutes at "Tofu-ya Mameteppou" in Eniwa City. Tofu is a versatile ingredient that can be enjoyed in Japanese, Western, or even dessert dishes. This shop is a direct sales store for "Yamaguchi Foods," which manufactures tofu and other soy products. As a parent, I naturally want to feed my children healthy food, so this is a shop I'd want to visit every day! The store was lined with tofu, fried tofu, imperfect items, limited editions, and side dishes, and from evening until closing, customers kept coming without a break. This time, looking for side dishes that go well with bread, I purchased the particularly popular "Young Chicken Tofu Hamburg" and "Shrimp and Tofu Nuggets" from the deli section. They specially made them fresh-baked and fresh-fried for me, so they were still piping hot. I tried to resist eating them right away... but I surrendered to the "Okinawan-style Soy Milk Donut (70 yen)" by the register! Aren't we all weak to items by the register?! I immediately munched on this one in the car. Since I had the chance, I moved to the back seat and enjoyed the spacious area. The gentle sweetness of the soy milk was soothing. The kids are sure to love this! I even bought some for myself. Personally, this shop was the one that loosened my purse strings the most! "Yamaguchi Foods" is dedicated to making products using mellow subsoil water flowing from Mt. Eniwa and carefully selected Hokkaido-grown soybeans. Please try Hokkaido's delicious tofu.

Finally, time to eat at home! How does it taste!?

Alright, heading home! Time to eat! I bought plenty of souvenirs for the family, so we're heading straight for Sapporo. On the way back, we used the Doo Expressway from Eniwa IC to Sapporo Minami IC (toll fee 650 yen). We arrived in Sapporo just after 5:30 PM. It was already dark, but today's mission was successfully completed! After returning the rental car, we hurried home. Here are the purchased items. [Bakery Kimikage] (Clockwise from olive paste) ① Extra Olive Oil SPREAD Plain（140g）　1,296yen An olive oil paste that pairs well with baguette-style bread. It seemed to enhance the bread's own flavor. Lighter than margarine! ② Yama-shoku (Mountain Bread) 626 yen Bread made from 100% Hokkaido wheat. It's chewy and substantial, but with less sugar and fat, it had a light texture when eaten. My favorite way to eat it is toasted with butter. ③ Baguette 345 yen Rich flavor! The more you chew, the more you taste the umami and sweetness of the wheat. It was also incredibly delicious when topped with cheese purchased from Yonemura Farm and baked. ④ Blueberry and Cream Cheese Bread 324 yen The sweetness of cream cheese and the tartness of blueberries are exquisite. The substantial dough makes it satisfying. It was more voluminous than it looked. ⑤ Semi-Dried Tomato Bread 669 yen The concentrated tomato has strong acidity and sweetness, making it an excellent match for cheese. The rich flavor is so intense that it could become instant pizza with basil pesto. ⑥ Garlic Rusk 270 yen The crispy texture and garlic flavor are addictive. It had a slight bitterness, a taste preferred by adults. This also seems to pair well with wine. [Yonemura Farm Cheese Studio Platz] (Front) Vin du Fromage (Wine Cheese) 620 yen / 100g This cheese is meant to be heated and melted. When baked on a baguette, they seem to enhance each other's flavors, making you want to eat countless slices! (Left back) 12-month aged cheese 760 yen / 100g As moisture evaporates and it hardens, the crystallized milk proteins create a unique texture. The rich, concentrated umami flavor is irresistible for cheese lovers! (Right back) 6-month aged cheese 550 yen / 100g It feels quite a bit firmer than store-bought cheese, but compared to the 12-month aged one, it still has a young flavor. A taste comparison might be fun!? It's a mild flavor that everyone will enjoy. [Edelweiss Farm] Small Loin Ham 1,998 yen I tasted ham that could be the star of the dining table for the first time. It's delicious as is or lightly sautéed. No seasoning is needed. Savor the joy of every bite! [Yamaguchi Food Factory Direct Sales Store Tofu-ya Mameteppou] (Back) Shrimp and Tofu Nuggets 4 pieces for 210 yen Fluffy tofu nuggets with shrimp and bamboo shoots, offering a pleasant texture. They're light, so you could eat many. No dipping sauce needed. (Front) Young Chicken Tofu Hamburgers 2 pieces for 260 yen These healthy hamburgers have a light texture and are well-seasoned even without sauce! Their deliciousness makes it clear why they're the number one popular item in the deli section. Although only I am in the photo, as soon as the shoot ended, my family gathered and devoured everything in an instant! The children kept exclaiming, 'So good!' It was wonderful. We discovered delicious places, and it was a very enjoyable drive! Today's total mileage: 125.5km. Total purchase cost: 7,928 yen.