Yoshida sauce? What is that?

Yesterday I went to Manazuru to enjoy a BBQ. Someone brought a big bottle of BBQ sauce which I have never seen before. He said he got it at Cosco Japan. It was Yoshida sauce. Do you know that? My American friend said it is well known in the U.S. However I can tell you most Japanese have never heard about it. I could find their web site in Japanese, but its weird that the TV ads are all in English. Hmm interesting.

Talking of a domestic market, many Tokyo people (including me) tend to think we can eat any local special food here in Tokyo. Actually they say most good expensive materials come to Tokyo market/restaurant because there is a demand and a pretty good price. However it is not true. Actually "sauce" is good sample. Okonomiyaki is Osaka soul food. (Here is Osaka Okonomi yaki recipe.) and Hiroshima has Hiroshima Okonomiyaki too. (Here is the recipe in both Osaka version and Hiroshima version). A difference to them is that in the Osaka way the flour and other ingredients are mixed first and the Hiroshima way is placing one top of the other. And another important difference is Osaka use "Doro sauce" and Hiroshima use "Otafuku sauce". As a Tokyo woman, I can't tell the difference of those sauces (both are very sweet) but I suppose Osaka people and Hiroshima people will say they can't use other sauce for their Okonomiyaki. In Tokyo some supermarkets have Otakufuku sauce, but I hardly see Doro sauce here.

And today I found another local sauce/dressing. It is Fundokin dressing. I have never heard of it or seen it before. Hmm Fundokin has an office in Kyushu. Maybe Kushu area people know and eat it. By the way their TV ads are so crazy. It is so meaningless but so funny. Please check this and this. Rabbit say "Kabosu-!!", kabosu is juicy green citrus fruit like Yuzu. And this Lion and Rabbit is cute too.

Comments

[maia]

hi mari,
I've been wanting to try making those yummy looking okonomiyakis... thanks for the links! Also tried your sesame sauce recipe for tofu-- loved it!
p.s. I have a good rice cooker cookbook -- no cake recipes but there are custards and desserts :)
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/1558322035/ref=sib_rdr_dp/102-8634948-7590531?%5Fencoding=UTF8&no=283155&me=ATVPDKIKX0DER&st=books

[Johan]

I never tried Yoshida sauce myself, but it seems very very popular in the the US!

Which sauce did you try? I would like to try the barbecue sauce at least

[Mari]

Hi there ha ha ha
Yes I confused Yoshida and Yamada. Thank you Johan. Anyway to be honest with you, my impression was it is so wately. Mizuppoi. Nobody think like that?

[abraxis]

Wah! Costco is in Japan too?

Do they have the Y150 foot long kosher polish/hot dog with a coke deal too? =)

[Brad]

I have met Mr. Junki Yoshida. He is the creator of the sauces. He lives in the same city as I do. Which is Troutdale, Oregon. He's a local celebrity and I waited on him in a restaurant. He's also on local tv in a small cooking segment. Basically he's just an expat who made a good business for himself. He's funny on TV but in person he's really not haha.

[huangsy]

Thx so much Mari for sharing the Okonomiyaki recipes. I just love crepes ! ^-^

[Johan]

Umm... It's "Yoshida" sauce, and not "Yamada" sauce.

There was an episode of "Bari Bari Value" a few months ago that portraid the founder of the company. It was quite interesting.

You can find Yoshida sauce at some of the import stores in Tokyo, like Nisshin, National Azabu, etc.

[クレア (Claire)]

I have seen this Yoshida sauce at Costco, but it comes in such big bottles that I will never use it all up. Here is the English site if anyone is interested.

I never see Doro sauce here in Mitsuwa, only Ikari, Bulldog, Otafuku. (And there are many Osakans in Chicago.) Now, if Otafuku is a Hiroshima brand, then why is it the only takoyaki sauce I can find? And why does Mitsuwa sell cheese flavored mayonnaise now instead of karashi mayo? 知りません・・・・

[AzianBrewer]

Yamada teriyaki sauce is awesome!!!