We are SOY excited to talk to you about soy sauce (see what we did there 😉)

What is soy sauce?

Soy sauce has been a staple of Japanese cuisine since the 7^th century. It was first introduced in Japan when Buddhism made its way over from China. With the idea of Buddhism came the introduction of vegetarianism. And with vegetarianism came all of the soy products, such as soy sauce. Since then, it has become an essential seasoning in Japanese cooking. It adds umami (a complex, salty and savory flavor) to any dish that uses it. Even now, soy sauce is just one of those things that everyone has in their cupboards. This mixture of fermented soybeans, salt, wheat, and water is used to season everything from ramen to rice crackers to sushi. In fact, you will be using soy sauce in all 3 dishes  in your cooking class with Chef Aya! 

Getting lost in the amount of sauce.

There are actually 5 main types of Japanese soy sauces:

1. Koikuchi Shoyu (Strong-flavored soy sauce)
2. Awaguchi Shoyu (Mild soy sauce)
3. Saishi Shikomi Shoyu (Twice the fermentation time soy sauce)
4. Tamari Shoyu (Concentrated soy sauce)
5. Shiro Shoyu (White soy sauce).

While all of these serve their own purpose in Japanese cooking, the first one, Koikuchi Shoyu, is the most popular all-purpose soy sauce. In fact, it accounts for about 80% of all soy sauce consumed in Japan. Most soy sauce found in American grocery stores are also Koikuchi Shoyu. However, if you’re into Japanese cooking, we highly recommend experimenting with these different types of sauce! You might just stumble upon a new favorite.

What is the difference between shoyu and soy sauce?

While the traditional soy sauce comes from China, the “shoyu” soy sauce originates in Japan. It’s slightly different than the Chinese soy sauce, mainly due to the fact that Shoyu is made in part with wheat, while soy sauce normally has none. This gives Japanese Shoyu a slightly sweeter and more nuanced flavor than its Chinese counterpart. Shoyu also tends to be used more as an all-purpose cooking soy sauce. And trust us, you’ll be drizzling the shoyu from your Fall TROVE box over all of your dishes. 

What kind of Shoyu will you find in your Fall Trove box?

We are so excited to bring this incredible Haku Smoked Shoyu straight from Kyoto, Japan to your doorstep. Haku brews their sauces using a 250-year-old mushiro koji method of layering soybeans applied with koji mold on bamboo and rice straw mats. The masters then age the bottle in a cold-smoking process. This unique smoked shoyu is produced directly in Kyoto and will be sure to delight even the finest chefs. The only thing that makes it better is the beautiful bottle that it comes in. So not only will it make your taste-buds happy, but it’ll be a great piece in your kitchen as well!

We can’t wait for you to try experience this instant-umami maker!  Order your Fall Box by November 14, 2020 to take part in our first weekend of LIVE online experiences.