I have unknown Japanese food products, in my kitchen. When they are purchased in the US, they'll usually have an Eigo label, but currently I can't tell what all I have. When new Japanese friends visit, I ask them what these products are, and the response is usually "ehhhhhhhh, mmmm, can't explain." Here are three items I know:

Urashima Furikake -f- My two current favorites are Shredded Shrimp and Egg Bits. OK, it's not an exciting, secret ingredient, but for a simpleton, like me, it makes plain rice a treat.

House Vermont Curry -v-(but contains dried milk) A Japanese friend poked fun at me, saying this brand was for children...however...after she left, I noticed she had been secretly using curry roux, and, well...all her food was delicious. I've started shaving down roux chunks, mixing it with SPAM and rice and letting the Zojirushi rice cooker do it's magic. (OK, SPAM isn't Japanese food, though you'll certainly find Japanese-Hawai'ian-Americans using it.)

Botan Rice -v- I can't really tell if this is the best Japanese rice, but it is the one I've been using regularly. My Japanese sister-in-law recommends it. Of course, I've only seen Botan rice (in the US) that has been grown in the US. I'm not even certain that the yummy treat of mochi gome is imported from Japan. Tonight, a Filipina friend served me some long grain rice...it's just not the same.



Not such an exciting list, I know, but I'm just a single guy living only with his faithful dog. I've resigned myself to a few things, recently, and one of them is that I'm not such a great cook and I'm not likely to become one. For example, after reading a Banana Yoshimoto book (can't recall the title), I just had to make katsudon. My two attempts were just plain disappointing, even Japanese 7-11 katsudon was better.

Las Vegas doesn't have any Japanese supermarkets, like Marukai or Mitsuwa, but still most products, including fresh natto, are available.