Tosazu Smoked Bonito Vinegar

This tosazu sauce is one of the star products of the Marusho company, which has been making vinegar using an ancestral method that has remained the same since its creation nearly 150 years ago. And as is often the case in Japan, the secret lies in fermentation.

Tosazu is actually a condiment made from high-quality fermented rice vinegar, seasoned with natural ingredients, specifically soy sauce and sweet sake infused with dried bonito flakes (this family of fish is appreciated for their umami flavor and is widely used in Japan in dried form, an essential component of dashi).

Nothing is left to chance in the composition of this exceptional sauce, starting with the water, which plays an important role in vinegar production; it comes specifically from the underground spring of Nachi Reizan, which springs from the sacred mountains of Kumano (located in the heart of the Kii Peninsula, itself south of Osaka in the Kansai). A place crossed by ancient pilgrimage paths, classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site and considered by the Japanese as a gateway into the world of kami, these Shinto deities that are said to have shaped Japanese civilization…

But let's return to the tosazu, which derives its unique flavor from its passage in a traditional cellar, in cypress barrels sourced from the forests of Kumano. Particular care is appreciated in the selection of raw materials, whether it is the rice grown on the family estate or the soy sauce, which is itself fermented according to the rules of the art.

Combined with sesame oil, tosazu sauce works wonderfully for fish marinades or as a seasoning for salads, fried foods, and tempuras, adding a delicate smoky/iodine touch. It also works as a jelly, diluted (or not) in water with the right amount of agar-agar, heated, and then chilled. A drop on shellfish (oysters, scallops, or clams) guarantees ecstasy.

Conservation: Bottle in glass to be kept away from light and heat, and in the refrigerator after opening.

Ingredients: Pure rice vinegar, honjozo shoyu (soy sauce, including soy and wheat), amazake, dried bonito flakes (fish), kombu seaweed, brown sugar, hon mirin

Shelf life : 12 months

Discover the history of the tosazu condiment...