Portable foodie gift from Japan?
May 7, 2015 5:07 AM Subscribe
I live in Japan, and will soon be meeting up with some French friends who are visiting the region (we're not meeting in Japan). They are real foodies and I want to take them some food-related gifts, but they can't be too heavy/bulky/perishable/breakable - they'll need to get them home. Any suggestions? I am already planning to get them some good quality matcha as one of them bakes and has made some lovely matcha pastries before.
Best answer: I've gotten a lot of mileage out of bringing home fancy salt from Japan. If you can keep the packages from leaking, miso is another good option.
posted by fifthrider at 5:30 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by fifthrider at 5:30 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
Exotic wacky candies are always good, and often adorably packaged. Oh! Pickles! Nobody does pickles like the Japanese. Or those dried-fish beer snacks. Dried seaweed! Senbei! And if your friends are foodies and adventurous cooks, they might appreciate dashi granules and other ingredients that are hard to come by if you don't live near a Japanese supermarket.
posted by Grunyon at 5:33 AM on May 7, 2015 [3 favorites]
posted by Grunyon at 5:33 AM on May 7, 2015 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Something with kinako powder (or even just kinako powder).
If you can wrap it carefully, that black sesame spreadable paste. (I think I used to get Aohata brand).
Maybe a bamboo whisk and bowl to go with the matcha?
Not high-end, but those instant ochazuke packets are like "instant Japan" for me.
posted by chocotaco at 5:59 AM on May 7, 2015
If you can wrap it carefully, that black sesame spreadable paste. (I think I used to get Aohata brand).
Maybe a bamboo whisk and bowl to go with the matcha?
Not high-end, but those instant ochazuke packets are like "instant Japan" for me.
posted by chocotaco at 5:59 AM on May 7, 2015
Do they own a Benriner? I don't know about in Europe, but they're not really available here in the U.S. (probably because they're dangerously sharp). And yes, I'm aware that the French have plenty of mandolins, but honestly, the Benriner is far better and easier to use than those enormous French lean-to's.
posted by Gilbert at 6:30 AM on May 7, 2015
posted by Gilbert at 6:30 AM on May 7, 2015
Best answer: Green tea KitKats are actually surprisingly nice, if not perhaps as foodie as you had in mind!
Shichimi togarashi? Okinawan black sugar, if you can find any?
If you're interested in things that are food-related but not actually edible:
Are they comfortable reading recipes in English, and do you have access to a bookshop with an English-language section? A bilingual Japanese cookery book - this sort of thing - might be welcome, and they come as smallish paperbacks, so wouldn't be too burdensome.
It's hard to find nice chopsticks - and I'm setting the bar low here, think 100¥ shop, even - for sensible money in Europe, and they're small and light. Similarly, chopstick rests. Cooking chopsticks are handy and hard-to-find too.
If you're in Tokyo, you could also head over to Kappabashi-dori and see if anything there catches your eye. Sakura-shaped biscuit cutters for the baker, maybe?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 7:29 AM on May 7, 2015
Shichimi togarashi? Okinawan black sugar, if you can find any?
If you're interested in things that are food-related but not actually edible:
Are they comfortable reading recipes in English, and do you have access to a bookshop with an English-language section? A bilingual Japanese cookery book - this sort of thing - might be welcome, and they come as smallish paperbacks, so wouldn't be too burdensome.
It's hard to find nice chopsticks - and I'm setting the bar low here, think 100¥ shop, even - for sensible money in Europe, and they're small and light. Similarly, chopstick rests. Cooking chopsticks are handy and hard-to-find too.
If you're in Tokyo, you could also head over to Kappabashi-dori and see if anything there catches your eye. Sakura-shaped biscuit cutters for the baker, maybe?
posted by ManyLeggedCreature at 7:29 AM on May 7, 2015
If you live in a large enough city, the basement of any large department store will be full of non-perishable food items intended as gifts. I'd go with that.
posted by Tanizaki at 8:05 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by Tanizaki at 8:05 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
This is a silly thing, but if you know a favorite food of theirs, perhaps a keychain.
posted by maryr at 9:21 AM on May 7, 2015
posted by maryr at 9:21 AM on May 7, 2015
Lovely temple tea? I've just finished my stash, and now I need to go to Japan
posted by mumimor at 10:51 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
posted by mumimor at 10:51 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]
If you do get them a benriner get them a proper finger guard because the one it comes with is crap.
How about some knives? You can get kyocera ceramic knives at pretty decent prices at home centres. Or if the budget permits you can get some fancy metal knives too. If they already have knives you could pick up some wetstones for them to sharpen them with.
A nice tea canister (with or without tea) such as something from Kaikado?
More low-brow options would be Cheeza crackers, instant ramen, interesting chocolate bars (such as the regional Kit Kat variations) or powdered Pokari Sweat.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 11:08 AM on May 7, 2015
How about some knives? You can get kyocera ceramic knives at pretty decent prices at home centres. Or if the budget permits you can get some fancy metal knives too. If they already have knives you could pick up some wetstones for them to sharpen them with.
A nice tea canister (with or without tea) such as something from Kaikado?
More low-brow options would be Cheeza crackers, instant ramen, interesting chocolate bars (such as the regional Kit Kat variations) or powdered Pokari Sweat.
posted by any portmanteau in a storm at 11:08 AM on May 7, 2015
Pickles, really good sembei, dried umeboshi, dried persimmons, yuzu kosho...
posted by exceptinsects at 7:33 PM on May 7, 2015
posted by exceptinsects at 7:33 PM on May 7, 2015
a) What's the *local* meibutsu? You usually find them as ready-made souvenirs for the local tourism in train stations, but can be bought in nicer versions at the appropriate shops. Limited edition candy like kit kat, if it's interesting enough. Instant versions of local food like ramen.
b) Some portable wagashi like higashi. Good quality tea. Go to a depachika and see what do they have.
posted by sukeban at 4:25 AM on May 8, 2015
b) Some portable wagashi like higashi. Good quality tea. Go to a depachika and see what do they have.
posted by sukeban at 4:25 AM on May 8, 2015
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posted by TWinbrook8 at 5:14 AM on May 7, 2015 [1 favorite]