We are very excited to introduce organic Shoyu (SHOW-yu) from Yamaki Jozo.

Soy sauce is like great wine or olive oil, with many, many complex flavor profiles. And not all soy sauce is created equally.

Yamaki Jozo Shoyu was founded in 1902 in Saitama Prefecture, about 2-1/2 hours by train from Ueno station in Tokyo. They have three main rules they live by: living and working in the natural environment; using only traceable ingredients grown in Japan; and using traditional manufacturing methods.

Yamaki Jozo is situated in the countryside, surrounded by mountains which provide an ample supply of clear mountain spring water for the production of their Shoyu.

The quality is exceptional, and it starts with ingredients they or their neighbors grow to make miso, tofu, pickles and shoyu.

Yamaki Jozo have organic certifications from Japan, the EU and the US and are Kosher-certified.

These are the many reasons why their Shoyu has become our new favorite for everyday all-around use.

Shop Now for Yamaki Jozo Organic Shoyu - Soy Sauce!

This traditional Japanese Black Vinegar is made by placing organic brown rice, organic yeast and water in earthenware pots and then placing the pots outside, on the shores of Kogoshima Bay, where the vinegar ferments and ages, exposed to the local sun, wind and rain. This particular black vinegar is aged for five years. The end result is a full, well-rounded taste, deep amber color and smooth acidity.

Because it starts with rice, like Sake, this black vinegar's fermentation process is different. Wine vinegars start the process where the sugars of the grape juice are converted to alcohol. To ferment rice you must first convert the starch to sugar.

Then yeast and a mold, known as koji (Aspergillus oryzae), is added. Several enzymes are produced and break down the starches in the rice to make simple sugars which are then fermented by the yeast. Making a fermented rice mash (moromi) of the highest quality creates the best black vinegar. This process takes weeks.

Black vinegar has some acetic acid like other vinegars and it also is rich in citric acid. The citric acid cycle, the TCA cycle, the Krebs cycle, are a central driver of cellular respiration.

Cellular respiration is a process that takes place in the cells of organisms to convert biochemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate. Or energy.

It is this energy created from the citric acid cycle that is good for our brains and immune systems. In one study, moromi has been shown to have anti-tumor action.

When black vinegar is aged it takes on a rich, almost smoky exterior. To the nose, it is tingly vinegar acid without the linger or a wrinkling of the nose effect. Though many say Balsamic Vinegar and Black Vinegar are similar, I do not find, in the flavor profile, any similarities at all.

To the sip, the vinegar flavor is familiar, yet to describe it, it is indescribable. It changes each time you take a small taste. It is a smoky feel, and it is more than a smoky flavor, is has hints of grapefruit and some earthiness as well.

The acetic acid keeps you from taking big swills as the back of your throat will tell you with a big ping and some eye scrunching that it is a vinegar.

Though many sip this vinegar for their health (in small quantities), when this 5-year-old aged black vinegar is added to dishes it seems to add the fifth element of interesting twists to your palate. Together with soy sauce it can add a familiar taste to stir-fry, as a dipping sauce for dumplings or added to a bowl of noodles.

But, it is not just for Asian dishes. You can experiment with this wonderful flavor in marinades, grilled summer vegetables and with proteins like fish, shrimp and pork.

Black Vinegar of this quality is rare indeed. The complexity of the flavor is remarkable, and though the first taste may not be what you would expect, it is a taste that grows on you.

Shop now for Kakuida Organic Black Rice Vinegar Aged 5 years!

We love our peaches here in the Northwest. Peach-o-Rama at the local grocer is a big deal, and a great peach is a real treat.

The number of varieties has grown over the years (nothing like Georgia with 40+ plus varieties) and we look forward to different peaches, debating which one is best, defined by crunch, juiciness, flavor or by how easily the flesh comes away from the pit.

This jelly-like Oregon Growers Peach Jam is soft and sticky, with a bit of texture (not big chunks of fruit), and decidedly peachy in color. It is sweet for sure with a clear peach flavor. It tastes peachier in use than straight off the spoon – delicious with toast and butter!

If you love peach but don’t enjoy the chunky marmalade style, this could be your jam.

Peach Jam!
"I got this because it from Oregan Growers. It was as good as any jam!"
-- thomas

Shop Here for Oregon Growers Northwest Peach Jam!

This pasta is sometimes referred to as “gnocchi” in Italian and “cigiones” in Sassari.

If you think about olive oil, bacon, peas, Parmigiano-Reggiano, fennel, sausage, tomatoes, garlic, basil, saffron, etc., all of these ingredients can make a wonderful dish with this traditional Malloreddus Pasta!

Malloreddus is a small pasta shape from Sardinia, made with water and semolina flour in plain or saffron dough. The name has Latin origins from “malleoulus”, meaning small morsel.

It is also believed the origin of the name comes from the word malloru, meaning bull, and that malloreddus means calves, and the shape is like the calf of a leg.

With a little bounce in the bite, a space to hold flavor and an exterior that grabs the sauce, what more could you want in a pasta shape? This is the Malloreddus without the Saffron....

Shop now for Casa Del Grano Traditional Malloreddus Pasta here!

That hot mustard you use at a restaurant for your BBQ pork is most likely. Dry mustards can be, and usually are, super hot to the mouth, and can give you a nice nostril flare!

Store in your essential pantry to pull out when you need it. Keeps a good long time, actually almost forever, though it will lose its punch eventually.

This is a great mustard to take camping!

Shop now for S&B Oriental Hot Mustard Powder!

Gli Aironi took some of their best carnaroli rice and smoked it with cherry wood for 14 hours. The result is a rice with soft woody notes, intense smoky smell, and pleasantly delicate palate. Perfect for a risotto with a litte something extra, or as a side to meat, fish or game.

Delicious!!
"We took a chance on this rice and we’re glad we did. To try it out I cooked it first like normal rice. We had it with chicken breast sautéed with balsamic vinegar and mushrooms. It was like taking a trip to a woodsman’s camp, with the earthy mushrooms playing so well with the lightly smoky rice. Wonderful. I’m excited to discover more uses for this rice."
-- cat

Shop now for Gli Aironi Cherry Wood Smoked Carnaroli Rice!

Koji is one of the key ingredients used to make miso. Koji is made from steamed rice inoculated with "koji starter", consisting of spores of the mold ASPERGILLUS ORYZAE, then incubated for about 45 hours until each kernel of rice is covered with a bloom of fragrant white mold. The rice is then dried, preserving the mold on the outside of the rice kernels.

The function of mold is to produce enzymes that will later break down the soy (or whatever base is used) proteins, carbohydrates and oil into their amino acids, sugars and lipids - to make them more readily digestible or then use them in another process -- such as fermenting simple sugars into alcohol, such as when you make sake.

Note that Koji is never consumed raw. It is a common tool used in Japanese and high-end restaurants, but whether used in making miso, tofu or soy sauce, koji is always part of a process and is always eventually cooked (miso when used as an ingredient) or fermented further (sake or rice wine vinegar or miso).

Easy to use with incredible results!

"After hearing about Shio Koji, a lot, it was time to give it a try. With Cold Mountain Koji it was as simple as adding the Koji rice, some water and salt. After 10 days +1 it was ready. Since then I have tried it on and in just about everything. Fish, meats, vegetables, anywhere I would normally add a dash of salt, including on my eggs. The effect has ranged from subtle to profound. This is my new secret ingredient. Combine it with a good soy sauce for even more effect in stir fry or fried rice. Marinate meats before grinding them into sausage or even in burgers. The possibilities are many. If you are into fermenting then definitely give this a try. You will be back for seconds..."
-- alan

Shop now for Cold Mountain Dry Rice Koji!

This "service pack" of ChefShop cocoa powder, essentially a thick zip-lock type bag, is meant for commercial users like baristas and gelato makers, which is why the packaging is Plain Jane with a label. Like much of the foods and ingredients that go to the back of the house, the contents are more important than being pretty.

And price relative to quantity is also a crucial part of the commercial kitchen. So that is why we adopted this bag of cocoa, for quality of product and for value.

And that's what we have here in this bag of gourmet cocoa powder. The resealable bag keeps the cocoa powder fresh and it can last a good long time. Now I am not proud of this, but I have found bags of this cocoa powder hidden away in the cupboard, years later (I can tell by the label), and though nowhere near as good as fresh, it still works and does its job. Store in a dark cool place (just remember it is there) and you are all set.

Best Cocoa on the Planet!!
" I have been using this exclusively for years now. I have a 'secret' brownie recipe that I make with this cocoa, syrup made from the cocoa and only the best ingredients. Everyone goes ga-ga over them. Syrup - so easy to make - anything that calls for cocoa I use this. Sometimes I mix just a touch into my coffee for a treat. If you have not tried this yet you need to. You WILL NOT be disappointed!!! "
-- ellie

Shop now for ChefShop Cocoa Powder!

Give the Gift of Love through Food

Gift Certificates available for any amount you choose.

Choose the amount in $25 increments by changing the quantity number and we will take care of the rest.

Share ChefShop with a Gift Certificates

Carrot Soup Recipe

This is an easy recipe and amazingly delicious. And one of the dishes I am making for Easter.

Honey Harissa Chicken Thighs with Worcestershire Recipe

Honey Harissa Chicken Thighs with Worcestershire.

Cold Israeli Couscous Salad with Walnut Oil Recipe

This is a great cold pasta salad for the summer and very easy to make. It takes advantage of summer bounty, and with the addition of toasted walnut oil it has a nice toasted aroma. You can use any vegetables that are in season - use your imagination.