February 19, 2014
We made it! After a restless 16 hours of travel — I read this month’s New Yorker (excellent expose on Amazon and its monopoly on the publishing industry) and Vanity Fair (The Hollywood Issue! Rupert Murdoch’s marital betrayal!) cover to cover, whilst listening to Howard Stern — Yoko and I have touched down and are […]
November 18, 2013
UPDATED 11/19/13, 8:47pm We get a lot of phone calls about where to buy shochu in the Bay Area. I love talking to people about this — as you know, we are here to spread the shochu gospel here at Umami Mart. So here’s a definitive list of where to go for your shochu needs. […]
July 31, 2013
Guess what?? Umami Mart Oakland will celebrate its ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY in August!!! Both Yoko and I are so grateful for all the support we’ve received this past year from our community, the Bay Area, and beyond. It’s one thing to start a business, but another to actually be able to sustain it. THANK YOU […]
July 25, 2013
From the refreshing mugi (barley) varieties to musty imo (sweet potato) that demand your full attention, shochus are always the choice of drink for me. I fell in love with shochu while I lived in Tokyo. From oolong-hai‘s to oyuwari imo (sweet potato shochu with hot water), there are many ways to enjoy shochu. Kayoko and I […]
July 16, 2013
By Steven Sharafian I spend a fair amount of time making tsukemono (pickles). I focus mostly on quick-pickles that only take a couple of minutes to prep and have a short curing period. This seemed to flow into the idea of pairing carrots with carrot shochu. It’s a pretty simple quick-pickle: peel and section the […]
July 9, 2013
Shochu tends to be the drink of choice around here on Umami Mart, but we know that it’s still pretty unfamiliar terrain. Yoko and I firmly believe that there is a place for shochu in the States, but it may take a while to get there. But we’re here to help educate and slowly open […]
June 27, 2013
We’re going to LA! That’s right, we’ll be spending a few days in sunny Los Angeles, driving down Sunset Boulevard with the top down searching for the Walsh residence in Beverly Hills. Then, poolside sunbathing in our bikinis, sipping on Mai-Tais with little umbrellas. Cause that’s what you do in LA, right? Woohoo! Aside from all […]
May 9, 2013
Ebi Chili is the best example of a dish that has been Japanified. It was originally created in the 1950s by a Chinese immigrant in Japan, taking cues from Sichuan-style cooking. It’s a shrimp dish that has a little spice and a little sweetness, perfect for the Japanese palate that typically can’t handle serious heat. […]
March 12, 2013
When we were little we used to watch my oba-chan (grandmother) make this seasonal treat from Kagoshima prefecture in southern Japan. We were too little to enjoy it at first, but as we grew older the dish became more and more delicious. Oba-chan’s preparation differed from the original recipe in that she substituted shochu for […]
February 28, 2013
Amazake literally translates to “sweet sake” which is deceiving considering it’s non-alcoholic. It’s sweet, milky and easy to digest, making it perfect for kids or adults with an upset stomach. Amazake is made by combining koji with cooked rice, which allows the rice to break down into simple sugars. This is the first step to […]