Yakami Orchard Tomato Ponzu
This is not your everyday ponzu. When one thinks of the Japanese condiment, a dark, heavily soy-based sauce likely comes to mind. But true ponzu is all about the vinegar. This one is made in the Kyoto tradition and uses the sweetness of ripe tomato to ground its vinegar acidity. The blush-colored liquid hits the palate first with the brightness of the rice vinegar, then gives way to the layered, sweet earthiness of tomato and the sour, grapefruit-like flavor of the citrus fruit known as sudachi. A mellow brine of bonito and kombu lies at the base, as well as a hint of malty soy from white shoyu (a variety of soy sauce that uses wheat as its primary ingredient).
Sukoyaka Brown Genmai Rice
If you are tired of tasteless white rice, let me introduce you to Genmai Rice. When I first tasted genmai two years ago, my first thought was that this rice was a miracle—it cooks quickly, just like white rice, but has the rich, earthy flavor and satisfying chewiness of great brown rice. Once you taste Sukoyaka Genmai, you will never go back. How is this possible? It is an American-grown short-grain brown rice that has had a portion of the outer bran layer is scrubbed away, allowing the grains to hydrate faster while retaining most of their nutritional properties. The nutty, earthy-tasting grains are distinct and just a touch sticky, making the rice perfect for accompanying stir-fries, curries, soups and stews, although I make it two or three times a week as a starter, for any sort of topping from steamed vegetables to quickly grilled chicken or steak. Matt, Card, our food editor, also swears by it for fried rice. He keeps a batch frozen in the freezer for a quick batch: Just defrost on the countertop, and it's ready to go for a virtually instant meal. Buy as much as you can afford, since genmai will become your go-to rice after the first bite.
Yamashin Jyouzou Co., Ltd. Kawami White Soy Sauce
White soy sauce—a staple in Japanese cooking with a light color and higher sugar content than normal soy sauce—is a great way to season a dish without changing the color. Unlike other overly salty and cloyingly sweet versions on the market, Kawami White Soy Sauce has a complex range of flavors, full of rich umami and subtle sweetness. Its 9:1 ratio of wheat to soy compared to a 1:1 ratio in traditional soy sauce contributes to its distinct color. Made by Yamashin Jyouzou Co., Ltd. located in Hekinan, Aichi Prefecture, this unique soy is heat-treated at a high temperature for a short time and contains a lower salt content than most other white soy sauces. The delicate flavors pair well with mild fish, brothy soups and egg dishes, or when combined in dipping sauces and marinades. Chefs also recommend trying it in Western dishes like pepperoncino and white stew.
Suncraft Wood Cooking Chopsticks
Streamline your cooking with cooking chopsticks—replace your spatula, tongs, whisk and spoon as you turn, flip, mix and stir with one sleek tool. Longer than chopsticks designed for dining, cooking chopsticks keep your hands far from heat and flames, which makes them safer for risky jobs like deep-frying. And they’re more precise than tongs or spatulas: Gripping food with the pointed ends means you can target even pieces or parts of a single ingredient with extra dexterity, for specific control and even cooking. Suncraft’s are simultaneously fine enough to pick up a single noodle to test doneness or an herb sprig while plating, while also being sturdy enough to toss a whole stir-fry with speed and confidence.
What sets these apart from other cooking chopsticks is a small scoop for seasoning at the thicker end, perfectly sized to add a pinch of salt, pepper or spice while cooking, and a textured point on the narrow end, which provides traction and helps grip food better. Made from handsome dark wood, which won’t scratch up your pans, these chopsticks are resistant to high temperatures.
Shibanuma Yakiniku BBQ Sauce
Translating to “grilled meat” in Japanese, yakiniku is a social style of cooking and eating around a communal grill. Popular throughout Japan, family and friends gather around a tabletop grill to cook meat, vegetables and fish together before dipping them into a several kinds of yakiniku sauces. Shibanuma’s Yakiniku BBQ Sauce is inspired by this concept. Crafted by a 330-year-old esteemed Japanese soy sauce maker, it is no surprise that the first ingredient in this sauce is an umami-rich soy sauce, which is brewed and aged in wooden barrels. The soy is then combined with onion, fruity apple and zingy sansho pepper—a fragrant and floral Japanese peppercorn—to cut through the richness and balance out the flavors. The result? A complex grilling sauce that works just as well as a marinade as it does drizzled over rice.
Aux Co. Ltd: Japan Sukueru Knife
This unique serving spoon-knife combo tool is a must-have for serving. Right at the table (or the picnic blanket or the potluck), you can use the serrated edge to cut out your perfect portion of food and then use the dipped bowl of the spoon to easily scoop it into your plate. The concave shape and wider width actually lifts up the food and holds it there—it won’t go tumbling back onto the platter like it would with a classic narrow, triangular server. The blade is sharp enough to cut through pizza crust and it’s ideal for slicing through gooey lasagna without lopping off that top layer of chewy cheese trying to slice and serve. Plus, it’s made from durable, dishwasher safe stainless steel with a satin finish, which is great for camouflaging scratches after frequent use. (And we promise you’ll be using this tool quite a bit.)
Suncraft Silicone Cooking Chopsticks
Streamline your cooking with cooking chopsticks—replace your spatula, tongs, whisk and spoon as you turn, flip, mix and stir with one sleek tool. Longer than chopsticks designed for dining, cooking chopsticks keep your hands far from heat and flames, which makes them safer for risky jobs like deep-frying. And they’re more precise than tongs or spatulas: Gripping food with the pointed ends means you can target even pieces or parts of a single ingredient with extra dexterity, for specific control and even cooking. Suncraft’s are simultaneously fine enough to pick up a single noodle to test doneness or an herb sprig while plating, while also being sturdy enough to toss a whole stir-fry with speed and confidence.
What sets these apart from other cooking chopsticks is a small scoop for seasoning at the thicker end, perfectly sized to add a pinch of salt, pepper or spice while cooking, and a textured point on the narrow end, which provides traction and helps grip food better. Made from durable silicone—which won’t scratch up your pans—these chopsticks are heat resistant up to 446°F and dishwasher-safe.
Suncraft Silicone Slim Spatula
Our very own Matthew Card (our creative director of recipes and products) loves this stylish and functional mini spatula: “This the best tool I've ever used for getting the last little bits out of a jar. It's really perfectly designed to get into every nook and cranny. With its wood core, it's solid enough to use some force, too; many other brands bend, so they aren't really that useful.” It helps cut down on food waste by squeezing into the corners of jars and packages, and its slender shape is great for swiping the sides of blenders and food processors.
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