Best Soy Sauce and favorite Furikake

[jsteinhauer]

I'm our of soy sauce. I'm sort of a snob, and I can't get good soy sauce or tamari locally, so I will have to order. I don't care for Eden brand tamari. The other common grocery store tamari (I can't recall the name) is okay, but overpriced. I do like extra fancy Kikkoman soy sauce, but that is not found here, since our Asian grocery closed a few months ago. The flavor enhanced (with MSG) is a bit weird. I prefer tamari, but also like soy sauces with little enough wheat so that they are not bitter (like regular Kikkoman). What do you aficionados recommend.

As an aside, what's your favorite furikake? I don't know the names, but I can only describe what's in them and what they look like. I like the brown granular variety made from sardines (hard to find) that has some nori flakes in it best, and the beefstake leaf mixed with salt (also hard to find) is great. Otherwise, the variety with sweet bonito (easy to find) is also good. I don't care for the tamago (egg) or salmon (pink granules) as much. Some less common varieties also have wasabi granules, which are good.

Years ago, when I lived in St. Louis, there was a small but outstanding Asian grocery on Grand Ave., south of SLU that had EVERYTHING. I tried everything I could, even coccoons. There was a good store in Birmingham, AL that had fresh Vietnamese french rolls and spring rolls and fish, but they got it from Atlanta. In Houston, you could find everything you needed, of course, but it took multiple stops. Even those huge Asian groceries did not have everything I wanted, as the little store in St. Louis did.

[mj79]

Originally Posted by jsteinhauer

I'm our of soy sauce. I'm sort of a snob, and I can't get good soy sauce or tamari locally, so I will have to order. I don't care for Eden brand tamari. The other common grocery store tamari (I can't recall the name) is okay, but overpriced. I do like extra fancy Kikkoman soy sauce, but that is not found here, since our Asian grocery closed a few months ago. The flavor enhanced (with MSG) is a bit weird. I prefer tamari, but also like soy sauces with little enough wheat so that they are not bitter (like regular Kikkoman). What do you aficionados recommend.

As an aside, what's your favorite furikake? I don't know the names, but I can only describe what's in them and what they look like. I like the brown granular variety made from sardines (hard to find) that has some nori flakes in it best, and the beefstake leaf mixed with salt (also hard to find) is great. Otherwise, the variety with sweet bonito (easy to find) is also good. I don't care for the tamago (egg) or salmon (pink granules) as much. Some less common varieties also have wasabi granules, which are good.

Years ago, when I lived in St. Louis, there was a small but outstanding Asian grocery on Grand Ave., south of SLU that had EVERYTHING. I tried everything I could, even coccoons. There was a good store in Birmingham, AL that had fresh Vietnamese french rolls and spring rolls and fish, but they got it from Atlanta. In Houston, you could find everything you needed, of course, but it took multiple stops. Even those huge Asian groceries did not have everything I wanted, as the little store in St. Louis did.

we have a few sushi restaurants where i lived ( san antonio ) and i loved Lee Kum Kee. Kikkoman, and san-J


Very good.. And doesnt taste like your drinking liquid salt

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by mj79

we have a few sushi restaurants where i lived ( san antonio ) and i loved Lee Kum Kee. Kikkoman, and san-J


Very good.. And doesnt taste like your drinking liquid salt

San-J. That may be the one I can't think of. It's expensive, no? I did some research into making my own, but complicated it is. Basically, it seems, tamari is the liquid left over from making miso. But without a good culture, there is no guarantee what you make will taste good. Much like sourdough and lambic.

[mewantyblu]

I can't stand Kikoman , never liked the flavor

[Teabaggins]

this is an interesting thread, I'm a total newb in this arena but interested in all things dealing with cuisine so I appreciate this thread and the knowledge I might gain from it

[Seablazer]

I am definitely partial to the Kikkoman Extra Fancy, although if I run out, I always have a bottle of standard imported Kikkoman on hand...

Where I live, we have one Oriental Market, and it's about 25 minutes away, and then the next is a good 50-60 minutes away. Fortunately, on my way home from work every Friday, I stop at the one closest to home and do some minor shopping... Recently, they have expanded their Soy Sauce collection, with about 6-7 different brands, although only 3 imports... Could not believe it when I saw they had Extra Fancy and picked up 4 bottles... Mildly expensive, but well worth it.

I really use Soy Sauce now for flavor and to enhance meals... Who needs added table salt when you can add a touch of SS for flavor and goodness??

[jsteinhauer]

Originally Posted by Seablazer

I really use Soy Sauce now for flavor and to enhance meals... Who needs added table salt when you can add a touch of SS for flavor and goodness??

True for many things, but not pizza or watermelon. If you like sauces popular in Asian cuisine, Maggi sauce is good to have around. It "improves the taste" of just about everything. Adding some Asian influence to a lot of common Western foods is well worth trying. Try salt mixed with a little curry to sprinkle on pizza, burgers, dogs, almost anything, and if you like to make you own pizza, I highly recommend grated ginger. A piece about the size of a pecan in the shell is really nice.

Another thing I like with rice is Ochazuke. A light soup mix that works well with hot water or green tea or just sprinkled on rice like furikake. I like Ochazuke on salads, too. I also have to order that from afar.