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.
Yakami Orchard Yuzu Marmalade
Juicy, flavorful and wonderfully textured Yakami Orchards Yuzu Marmalade is made with fresh, local yuzu from a collective of family farms in Japan’s Miyazaki prefecture. Balanced out with honey and sugar, this yuzu marmalade is bright, tart and warmly sweet with every bite. Just by opening a jar of Yakami Orchards’ product, you’ll be able to smell the bright and subtly floral aroma of yuzu. We love the plentiful chunks of yuzu rind, which are thinly sliced and add texture without making the marmalade clumpy. The yuzu pieces contribute a pop of piney bitterness that is a pleasant counterbalance for the overall sweet spread.
Namikura Sesame Miso
Namikura's Sesame Miso is a mellow miso paste that balances the intense saltiness of fermented soybeans with the nutty, bittersweet flavor of sesame. Black and white sesame seeds, both whole and pureed, are blended into the miso and traditionally fermented for three months, resulting in a mild product that tastes like a perfect balance of miso and tahini.
Yokofuku Japanese Black Garlic Paste
Soft and mildly sweet with savory, rich undertones, black garlic is an umami-packed ingredient that sets itself apart from normal garlic, which can be sharper and pungent. Still not found in most grocery stores, black garlic has grown in popularity in recent years as a simple way to add a complex, earthy-sweet boost to dishes. This Japanese Black Garlic Paste from Yokofuku is made from garlic planted in mid-September in Kagoshima Prefecture, an area with active volcanoes that makes for the most fertile soil. It’s harvested in early June, then steamed in a pot to create a constant temperature and humidity, which helps turn its enzymes from white to black—no additives or coloring required. Reminiscent of roasted garlic but a bit sweeter, the flavor is subtle yet deeply rich with tart hints of prunes and molasses. Ready to use right out of the jar without making a sticky, pungent mess of your hands or cutting board, add to sauces, aiolis, eggs, noodles, rice, marinades, meats and more.
Miya Company Terra Green Mug
Sip tea and other hot beverages from this beautifully sculpted and glazed mug made in Japan. Each mug is made from Japanese stoneware, a popular material for functional yet elegant tabletop items—as it falls somewhere between the utility of clay and the delicacy of porcelain. They also feature some hand-done glaze work and come in a lovely, earthy green hue with accents of the material’s natural brown peeking through.
Sonoko Sakai Japanese Curry Powder
A deep marigold yellow, this mild, Sonoko Sakai’s Japanese-style curry powder lingers on the palate with notes of warm spices such as cardamom, black pepper and cayenne. Each small batch is made by hand—blending 16 different sustainably-sourced spices (and no artificial additives) to achieve the perfect harmony of tastes. If you stop and savor its deeply-layered aroma, you can nearly identify every ingredient due to the freshness of each spice and seasoning. The sweetness of clove and cinnamon are given a grounded base by the mustard, black pepper and cumin, with earthy and herbal notes shining through with tumeric and coriander. What truly sets this curry powder apart from others, though, is the hint of rich umami brought by infusing the powder with kombu and mushrooms.
Acclaimed cook and food writer Sonoko Sakai developed and fine-tuned this balanced blend over the course of many months, keeping in mind versatility and concentrated flavor. This curry powder is perfect for making traditional curry bricks—the Japanese curry equivalent to bouillon cubes—or adding an aromatic kick to any recipe. Incorporate into a rub for meat, bloom with other aromatics when sauteeing, or perhaps stir into a soup such as our Black Eyed Pea and Tomato Stew. Combine with butter or ketchup to craft a condiment with a kick, or add to entrees like Ed Lee’s Coconut Curry Braised Fish or our Japanese-Style Beef Curry—substituting the curry powder in place of the garam masala.
Yakami Orchard Ginger Marmalade