July 14, 2014
We’ve been event-crazy here at Umami Mart. We’ve put on one event every week in June and we are not slowing down! We’ve hosted sake events several times at Umami Mart HQ (in Oakland), but on June 10th we took the show on the road to 18 Reasons, a food education space, in San Francisco. […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
January 3, 2013
Complimentary amazake (sweet hot sake) at Anko-dou, a manju/ gift shop in Gunma prefecture.
September 28, 2012
Infusions are pretty common at PDT, since they’re a great way to add a particular flavor to a cocktail without having to add more volume to a drink, which is what would happen if you added the flavor by way of say, a flavored syrup. This is because the particular flavor that you’re trying to […]
August 27, 2012
That’s right, we’re hosting a FREE sake tasting at the shop this Thursday. If you’ve ever wanted to learn the differences between a nama, junmai, and ginjo, now is your chance! WHAT: We’ll be serving various types of sake at different temperatures to compare the differences in taste and structure of the sake. WHEN:Â Thursday 8/30 […]
June 19, 2012
Shio koji, or 塩麹 (salted koji) is a going through a major boom in Japan right now. What is it?  It is a mix of salt and koji mold. Wiki says, “Koji (Aspergillus oryzae) is a mold used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine to ferment soybeans. It is also used in the making of alcoholic beverages such as sake, and shochu.” Basically koji is used to make […]
June 13, 2012
Did you know sake officially became Japan’s national booze? It was announced in April I didn’t know there was such a thing as a “national liquor”, but I guess it’s similar to vodka for Russia, and whisky in the UK?, what’s for America? Budweiser? Anyhow, Japan Society’s annual sake tasting event is coming back next […]