Souvenir Updates — New Items This Week
A new batch of Japanese souvenir items is now available at the storefront. Each week I make a small selection available while supplies last — these are items I source directly from Japan and offer at close to cost as a thank-you to customers.
This week's additions:
- Shio-Koji Making Kit — 60g of rice Koji, a jar, and step-by-step instructions. Add salt and water, wait a week, and you have your own Shio-Koji. A remarkably versatile fermented seasoning — use it as a meat tenderizer, a marinade base, or a finishing salt. It also makes a wonderful project for kids to understand fermentation firsthand.
- Shottsuru fish sauce — a traditional Akita-prefecture fish sauce made from hatahata (sailfin sandfish). More delicate than Southeast Asian fish sauces, with a cleaner, rounder umami. Use it anywhere you'd use soy sauce for an added depth of flavor.
- Aged Yuzu Kosho — fermented yuzu peel, chili, and salt. The aged version has a deeper, rounder heat than fresh Yuzu Kosho. Excellent with sashimi, grilled fish, and anything fatty.
A full list of available souvenir items is maintained on the online shop. Not all items are available online — some are storefront only.
Sashimi DC Fish at a Michelin-Starred Kitchen
A note of genuine excitement this week: Chef Matt at Gravitas, Washington DC's Michelin-starred restaurant in Logan Circle, has been using our Hamachi (yellowtail). His preparation — charred Hamachi with Yuzu-Kosho aioli, daikon, and scallion — is a beautiful example of how Japanese fish handles French and American technique. The Yuzu-Kosho from our souvenir selection, as it happens, fits naturally into his kitchen vocabulary.
Getting our fish onto a Michelin-starred menu is something we're working toward as a regular arrangement. If you've been curious about how professional kitchens approach the same fish you take home, this is a glimpse. When it appears on Gravitas's menu, it's worth a visit.
This Week's Fish
The standard weekly lineup is available for pickup and delivery. Uni remains limited — reserve online before coming in. Nagasaki Bluefin Tuna is available as always in all cuts.
Shio-Koji tip: Once made, use it to marinate fish for 2–3 hours before grilling or searing. The enzymes break down surface proteins and produce exceptional browning. Works particularly well with white fish and salmon.