When we hear the word "steak," we conjure up images of a big, beefy cut of meat—a slab, if you will—thick, massive, and marked with a branding iron tattoo. Yet in common verbiage, a steak can be many things, or at least many different cuts, and to a vegetarian, a steak might be a mushroom.

For me it's a favorite part of life. As far as I am concerned, when the word steak is uttered, it means a flavory treat is coming. (Not to be confused with "stake" which, along with sunlight and garlic, is the opposite). Interestingly, the origins of steak (steik) are from Scandinavia in the 15th century.

A favorite "cheap" cut of beef from the lower chest of the cow just a few years back is now a cut of popular proportions. Popularity brings a higher price and makes it even harder to get. Even so Flank Steak, along with its more beefy brethren the Skirt Steak, are totally worth it!

In the summer, and sometimes in the darkness of winter, a marinated Flank steak is perfect. Incredibly simple, mix the marinade, place the steak in a zip lock bag, pour in the marinade, wait a few hours or more, grill or oven bake until barely done, rest and slice across the grain!

This recipe started a long time ago and it has grown and matured over the last 18 years. First, with changing the brown sugar to either a dark maple syrup or a muscovado sugar, and then the adding of Ketjap Manis has made it a fool proof dish. And don't skimp or forget the fresh ginger.

Now, with the new addition of Moma Nyonya Sauce we get a twist of chili and garlic. Also, I found using my favorite Soy Sauce from Taiwan makes a diff too. You can taste the personality of your choices!

This marinade is so good you could eat it alone with a spoon!

NOTES:

The new website is almost ready! We delayed launch so we can get partly through cherry season!



The cherries so far have been beautiful! The new cherry, The Black Pearl was gorgeously delicious! So special we will be offering it next year! The Rainiers were perfect in color and shape and, as always, a favorite of many.

Click Here To See the Marinated Flank Steak Recipe!

This colorful, small, six-sided jar will catch your eye. You immediately assume that it's a hot sauce.

You're wrong and you're right. This mild or spicy sauce is a garlic-based treat. It is smooth and pureed. Like a liquidy ketchup....

Open the jar and the aroma of garlic rises immediately filling your nostrils with a wonderful, sweet, freshest garlic aroma.

Dip your spoon in, swirl it around, shake it off. And then use your tongue on the back of the spoon to get your first taste of its wicked good flavor. Don't be fooled. It's not just garlic. It's got some spice. It's got some heat. And it jumps up at you.

Boy, is it fun!!

Once you've tasted it, the smell digresses and it's all about the flavor and taste now.

There's a sweetness, there's a bite of spicy, and there's a garlic filling feeling in your mouth. What fun is encapsulated in such a tiny amount.

Just a dab will make a good impression on any dish or any plate. Add to your favorite baked beans, soup or do some dipping. Fantastic!!

If you like garlic and you like things to be spicy or even mild, this is for you.

The beauty is, it's not so spicy that taking a tongue of it is out of the question! It is full of fun flavors that bring out the best with this very special sauce.

If you start with the spicy, the mild will seem mellow. The mild has got some spicy personality to it, too, just not in the same way. The mild is like a friend who has something to say, just doesn't yell at you....

Yi Shan and Ewe are a Taiwanese-Malaysian couple whose company, Mama Nyonya, creates these two sauces based on Ewe's great-grandmother's family recipe.

It all starts with the garlic. Specifically the He Mei, a hardneck garlic with relatively small bulbs and cloves, that is spicier than other garlic varieties and melds perfectly in this recipe.

Garlic in Taiwan, including the He Mei variety, is primarily grown in Yunlin County, which accounts for 92% of the garlic production in Taiwan. Yunlin County has over 5,000 hectares of land dedicated to garlic cultivation, representing about 85% of the total land growing garlic in Taiwan.

The Nyonya sauce recipe has the He Mei garlic, which is grown just to the north in Changhua County on the family farm. It is the garlic that makes it great! Along with a special chili mix....

Imagine a clean Sriracha and this is it. Use it everywhere! From classic dishes to topping pho, pizza and fries! What a wonderful sauce!

Shop now for Spicy Nyonya Sauce here!

Shop now for the Mild version of Nyonya Sauce here!

The first thing you notice is the very delicate shape of the bottle and it is indeed a reflection of the treat inside.

To the nose, the flavor of the smell is distinctly different than the shoyu's of Japan. This soy sauce is gentler, not as round or filling in the nostril, it feels thinner or perhaps the descriptor is, lighter than a Shoyu.

To my nose and olfactory memory, when smelling the Japanese Tamari shoyu to this Soy Sauce from Taiwan, they are distinctly different!

The Amber River Soy is clear, complex, where the flavor rolls through the mouth and then rises in the back and then leaves a salty tongue. More pointy in its presentation. It lingers longer in a nice way. When it leaves, it leaves with almost no trace. And that is nice.

Nestled in the heart of Xiluo Township, Yunlin County, Taiwan, Yu Ding Xing has been a renowned producer of traditional Taiwanese soy sauce for three generations. Founded in 1958, this family-owned brewery maintains its artisanal approach to soy sauce making.

Their commitment to traditional techniques, including long fermentation and wood-firing, creates a distinct flavor profile and preserves Taiwan's culinary heritage.

The creation of this Amber River Soy Sauce is made from black soybeans, unlike the yellow soybeans used in many other parts of Asia.

The black soybeans grown in the south of Taiwan are known for their rich black color, sweet and nutty flavor. They have a mellower taste compared to the yellow variety, are rich in protein content and have a richer concentration of certain antioxidants and phytonutrients due to their dark outer shell, compared to other soybean varieties. This protein gives the Amber River Soy Sauce its exemplary savory feel.

The process of making this traditional Taiwanese soy sauce is an intricate one. At its core, it consists of just a few ingredients: local black soybeans, sea salt, water, and sugar. But the magic lies in the meticulous methods of fermentation (8 days instead of 2) and aging in earthenware pots in the sun, which can take up to a year or more.

The now fermented beans are heated over wood fires to halt the fermentation process. The use of wood over more modern fuels, such as gas, takes more time, and keeps the traditional handmade brewing technique unique.

This results in a soy sauce that is complex in flavor, with a depth not found in the mass-produced soy sauces.

This commitment to tradition, process and control to sourcing all the ingredients in Taiwan makes for a very special ingredient.

The family is located near the Zhuoshui River between Yunlin and Changhua Counties, about 214 kilometres south from The Grand Hotel in Tapei. You might know of the brilliant-red Xiluo Bridge. This bridge was started under Japanese rule and completed with American funding in the early 1950s. At the time of its opening in 1953 this 1.9-kilometer Warren truss bridge was the world's second-longest bridge, ranking only behind San Francisco's Golden Gate Bridge.

Shop now for Amber River Soy Sauce!

200 years of tradition in a bottle. Situated on the southern-most point of Japan's mainland, Sakamoto Kurozu Vinegar is made the old-fashioned way: using only carefully selected Japanese rice and pure spring water, and produced in open-air ceramic jars. Harnessing the power of solar energy and micro-organisms to facilitate the aging process, Sakamoto uses a time-honored technique and artisanry. Aged more than a year, the vinegar turns dark amber and the taste becomes smooth and mild.

Sakamoto Kurozu is a traditionally produced product and registered under the Geographical Indication protection system of Japan as "Kagoshima no Tsubozukuri Kurozu".

Shop now for Sakamoto Kurozu Artisan Amber Rice Vinegar!

This golden brown toasted sesame oil adds a rich, nutty flavor to your vinaigrettes, stir-fry and BBQ marinades. Not overpowering, this oil adds just the right amount of toasty sesame punch.

Sesame oil, also known as Gingelly Oil and Til Oil, is an ancient ingredient. The Assyrians used it as a cooking oil more than 2500 years ago. It was an expensive delicacy back then, and a hundred years later in Persia, it was still an oil only the rich could afford.

Today, it's still used as a medicine in India, and oil pressed from raw sesame seeds is commonly used as a massage oil in Ayurvedic medicine.

La Tourangelle has partnered with one of the oldest Japanese oil mills to bring you this toasted sesame oil, crafted in central Japan following traditional methods that are over 270 years old.

The quality of Sesame Oil varies depending on the quality of the seeds, and the length and temperature of the toasting process. These sesame seeds are slowly roasted at low temperatures.

La Tourangelle's Japanese partner uses only the freshest, highest quality seeds that they then painstakingly clean and slow toast to produce the best quality product, all the while maintaining the integrity of the oil and creating a unique and wonderful flavor.

The result is a lighter-colored, more richly flavored oil with a subtle, toasted taste.

Sesame seed oil is low in saturated fatty acid content and high in polyunsaturated fatty acid (about 40% omega 6 and 40% omega 9) content making it a very healthy oil - although best to keep it refrigerated once opened, as the high concentration of unsaturated fatty acids makes sesame oil somewhat delicate, with a medium smoke point of 275 degrees.

Raw sesame oil has a much higher smoke point due to the high concentration of anti-oxidants, and is suitable for high-temperature cooking, where toasted sesame oil is used primarily as a flavor-adding ingredient to Asian and Indian dishes.

Shop now for La Tourangelle Toasted Sesame Oil!

This is simple and easy. Adjust the ingredients to match your flavor profile preference.

See the Three Continents Marinade Recipe here!

Though there is not a lick of meat in here, the instant memories evoked are of every great smoked, grilled or BBQ protein you have ever had! What a masterpiece of delicious flavor!

And as your flavor mind comes up with a zillion ideas of what to do, your confidence soars and you feel perfectly in control of your next masterpiece!

To the nose, Moroccan chermoula reminds one of an olive tapenade with a twitch of tomato and a myriad of spices including cumin.

And to the mouth, wow, this Moroccan chermoula sauce is not what you expect. The spices mix together, and to your palate, the cumin and the paprika stand up. On the outside of the inner walls of your mouth is the garlic. With a smoothness of a delicious sauce there is the preserved lemon that is just right, providing a little chew. Complexity revolves in your mouth, but the finish is complete & simple!

Think tomato as the carrier or support, then the olive oil washes through with the olive flavor bringing with it the cumin & paprika. And topping it all, like any good herb, parsley and cilantro open up and bring the garden. The preserved lemon is identifiable, yet not overpowering at all! What a mix! As the flavor finishes, you feel like you are eating all of Morocco in one spoonful! This red chermoula sauce is easy to use and spoon-ready!

What is Chermoula (cher moo lah)? So many things and its uses vary from a marinade, to a sauce, to a dip. And from the many unlimited uses it evokes, it has exponentially more recipe variations!

Chermoula is a marinade, sauce or dip that originated from North Africa, particularly Morocco. It is usually made with a blend of herbs (such as cilantro and parsley), spices (like cumin and paprika), garlic, lemon juice, and olive oil.

Every cook, chef, home, and region has its own version in North Africa.

With Moroccan roots, it is full of a flavorful fun, not spicy and not offensive at all! One taste and it will remind you of some dish you've had before. Chermoula evokes the best from your fish dish, pimp up you Pil-Pil shrimp recipe, or simply join hands with your favorite tuna fish sandwich! Add it to your favorite vegetable tangine or dip your cold veggies! It is so easy to use!

Shop now for Villa Jerada Chermoula!

This is one of my favorite mustards especially when combined with other mustards. It also has a great look. Try spreading Triple Crunch Mustard out across a nice slab of protein!

The smell is like mustard. What you notice is that there, packed inside the jar, are whole mustard seeds.

I love the crunch. If you like seeds in your mustard, this is the one for you.

If it's not the crunch or the look of the seeds, it just might be the Canadian Whiskey that makes this a favorite.

Shop now for Kozlik's Canadian Triple Crunch Mustard here!

Col Pabst All Malt Amber-Lager Worcestershire made in Milwaukee, Wisconsin is better. Way better!

Starting with fresh Milwaukee Amber-Lager and then blending in 21 all-natural ingredients along with Tamarind and Anchovies, Col Pabst adds Grenadine, Ginger and Madras Curry. Aged in small batches this Worcestershire sauce is more like a fine balsamic than an ingredient.

To the nose, it has a sweet hint of anchovy fish sauce, with twists and turns that are hard to identify. It twinkles in the nostrils and is very enticing.

To the mouth, the sauce has a saltiness, a sweetness and this wonderful complex flavor that rolls around, begging you to taste a little more. You can sip this and sip some more. It is pretty gosh darn good! Try sipping those other sauces and feel the burn - not in a good way.

Of course you can use Col Pabst anywhere Worcestershire sauce is called for...and more. Pretty much where you think it will work, it will!

Shop Now for Col Pabst Malt Amber-Lager Worcestershire Sauce!

Somehow they are the perfect combination of roasting and salt. If I could I would eat them by the bagful!

The nose tells you wonderful things. Toasted black sesame has a distinct—and to me, a distinctly different—aroma from white sesame.

I love both!

This is just right, perfect really; salted and toasted sesame seeds are the bomb (that is so 80s).

To the mouth, the tongue first gets this wonderful, pleasant salty hit, and then the toasted sesame comes thru in the bite. It's good!

Shop now for Wadaman Salty Roasted Black Sesame Seeds!

This simple-to-make Asian chicken wings marinade recipe shows you how a little premium fish sauce adds, enhances and makes life sparkle just a little bit more!

See the Grilled Chicken Wings Marinade Recipe here!

Vinagre de Jerez, by Sanchez Romate, is a genuine sherry vinegar, made in the traditional way in Jerez de la Frontera, Spain. It is sweet and delicately acidic with distinct almond notes. Spanish sherry vinegar is notoriously delicious with tomatoes: tomato salad, tomato gazpacho, and more.

Sanchez Romate sherry vinegar, or more properly "Vinagre de Jerez," is considered by some to be the finest vinegar in the world. It's wine vinegar made from sherry, the famous Spanish fortified wine. "Fortified" means that when the grapes ferment into wine, neutral spirits are added, contributing flavor and character (and alcohol content).

Real Spanish sherry vinegar is produced in the province of Cadiz on the Atlantic coast, inside an area known as the "sherry triangle."

Vinagre de Jerez owes its pedigree to the unique viticultural region where it's made - the area's location near the ocean, the chalky soil - as well as to its maturing process, called the solera system. As it matures over years, the sherry passes through a series of many oak barrels, all the while being mixed with wines of various ages.

Unlike wine, vinegar does not have an exact vintage due to this mixing, which imparts unique character. The result is vinegar that strikes the perfect balance between acid and sweet, delivering layered flavors reminiscent of wood, leather, and earth.

This particular Sanchez Romate sherry vinegar is made from 100% palomino grapes, and since it is a "reserva", it is aged in oak for at least three years.

Suggestions for Use:

Sanchez Romate sherry vinegar can stand with the best balsamic and presents a wonderful all-around resource for your kitchen. Think outside of the box! Use this vinegar for added depth, richness and flavor in salads, in marinades, drizzled to bring out the flavor of soups and stews. Sherry vinegar is delicious on roasted peppers, and sensational in a braised chicken recipe.

The production and quality of Spanish sherry vinegar is monitored and controlled by the Consejo Regulador and has its own Denominacion de Origen, which is protected by Spanish and EU law. Sanchez Romate is one of our favorite producers of sherry vinegar; the firm was founded in 1781 and has been going strong ever since.

Shop now for Sherry Vinegar - Sanchez Romate Reserva!

The story of Son Fish Sauce is really a love story: boy meets girl, boy wants to give girl the world, boy gives girl anchovies...and the rest is history.

Now in its fourth generation, Son Fish Sauce, the dream of one young man in love, has grown to be the largest employer on the Vietnamese Island of Son Rai.

First, let's get past the name...yes it is sauce and yes it comes from fish. Anchovies, actually, little tiny fish.

Did you know that Worcestershire sauce is a fish-based sauce?

And did you know that ketchup started as a fermented pile of fish, long before tomatoes were added?

Some of you probably have a jar of fish sauce tucked away in your refrigerator somewhere, bought for a recipe and rarely used since.

We want to convince you that fish sauce should be a pantry staple—not to be used in big glugs, but by the teaspoon or so. And, more often than not, you're not adding the flavor of fish. Fish sauce is the ultimate liquid Umami, a magical elixir, that makes the rest of your ingredients open up and shine in an expressive, explosive, harmonious unison of love.

And not just any fish sauce will do. Not all fish sauce is created the same way.

Son Rai Fish Sauce, winner of many Vietnamese gold medals, has arrived. It is Brady Williams' (James Beard Foundation Awards Winner) choice for Fish Sauce in his new restaurant Tomo. And it is now our favorite, too!

Shop now for Son Premium Fish Sauce Aged 1-Year and All Natural!

This crushed black molasses sugar is perhaps the most lovely sugar in the world available today.

This sugar is from the southern most island in the chain of over 150 islands in Okinawa Prefecture, south of the mainland of Japan. Hateruma Island is, as a crow flies, 2,006 kilometers (1,246 miles) south of Tokyo and 247 kilometers (153 miles) to the east of Taipei.

This small island is just 1,270 hectares (3,138 acres), or 4.9 square miles. In comparison, Orcas Island is 11.69 times larger. The only way to get to the island is via a 60-minute fast boat. If the seas are too rough you can take the cargo ferry, leaving at 9, taking 2.5 hours.

The island is a destination for holiday makers and is known for its relaxing island life.

It is also here that this very special molasses brown sugar is from. Unlike many brown sugars (made with white sugar mixed with molasses), Kokuto (rich black sugar) is made by slowly cooking and reducing the sugarcane juice.

Sugarcane is one of the healthiest foods you can eat. Antioxidant rich, it is a fighter of infections and helps strengthen your immune system. It is rich in calcium, iron, potassium, vitamins B1 & B2 and essential amino acids.

Potassium helps excrete excess sodium and keeps the blood pressure balanced. Calcium is known for preventing high blood pressure, arterial sclerosis, and keeping you calm.

Kokuto molasses brown sugar can help with dehydration, infections, and can even fight a fever. Keep in mind that processed white sugar cane is not the same and can have the opposite health benefits.

Kokuto dates back to the 17th century and now is a protected process by the Okinawa Prefecture Brown Sugar Industry Council ensuring the quality and traditional production methods are used. Just seven of the islands grow sugar cane.

To taste Kokuto is nothing like a spoonful of sugar or a cube of table sugar. To taste Kokuto is like an awakening! It is not sweet like you expect sugar to be. It is almost savory, with hints of molasses, earthy tones, and even a rich subtle touch of tobacco on the top of the edge of the back of the tongue. It is full of complexities with many flavor hits and hints.

It is most often used for savory dishes like noodle soups, stir-fry, hot pots and sushi rice. And of course straight up, like a health pill of sugar.

How great is this? Pop some sugar and get healthy!

Shop now for Kokuto Murakami Syouten Crushed Brown Sugar from Hateruma Island here!

Picked-at-their-Peak Sweet Washington Bing Cherries!

Best Bing Cherries!
"Every cherry was perfect, fat, sweet and crispy. Year after year they arrive at the peak of perfection."
-- Sally

Fabulous cherries!!
"The cherries were absolutely wonderful! They were shipped incredibly well, and freshened up with a quick ice bath. Crunchy, fresh and sweet. My family and friends enjoyed them for days!"
-- Rachel

Preorder Sweet Bing Cherries here!