1.
aromatic garnish added to clear soup
A small fragrant garnish, such as 木の芽 (young sansho leaves), 柚子 peel, or 三つ葉, floated on top of 吸い物 (clear soup) just before serving to add aroma.
吸い口 is the small fragrant garnish floated on 吸い物 (clear soup) right before serving, distinct from the 椀種 (main ingredient).
Common collocations
- 木の芽: young sansho leaves
- 柚子の皮: yuzu peel
- 三つ葉: mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley)
- 粉山椒: ground sansho pepper
Usage
Outside cooking, 吸い口 can also mean the mouthpiece of a pipe or cigarette, or a drain outlet — the shared idea being a small opening or point of contact where something is drawn in.