Help Me Find My Nuts

February 10, 2006 1:15 PM

Please help me find more of this yummy food.

A friend went to Disneyworld a while ago and one of the things she brought me back was a really good peanuty thing. It was a bag of dried nuts that had the same kind of mouth feel as the dried wasabi peas that are so popular, and they had some kind of insanely delicious, slightly sweet, super crispy coating on them, and I'd love to find them either online or at a store so I can buy lots and lots and lots of them. Here's a scan of the package. The back side is actual size. There is a website printed towards the bottom of the back - http://kasugai.co.jp, which leads to an online shop, but I can't really make heads or tails of anything, and don't really want to order that way. Does anyone know where I can find these exact nuts in this exact packaging? Is there a place online (in English) where I can order them?

Does anyone know what they're called? On the Kasugai site they're called Kasugai Peanut & You (hee), but all of their nuts are called Kasugai Peanut & You, so that doesn't help me find this one particular thing.

posted by iconomy to food & drink (20 comments total)

The package says "otsumami"

and below Peanut Collection: "usupii"
posted by reverendX at 1:29 PM on February 10, 2006

Did you try Froogle?
posted by camworld at 1:29 PM on February 10, 2006

I bet you could find them in an Asian grocery store, which are pretty common. They might even be in the "international" aisle of your regular grocery store. Your profile says you're in Pennsylvania, so there are Hmarts
in Philadelphia, Upper Darby and Levittown. There are also some in Maryland.
posted by Airhen at 1:35 PM on February 10, 2006

How about trying a Japanese grocery store. Here's one that's in Philadelphia, which seems reasonably close to your long/lat location...
posted by jasper411 at 1:36 PM on February 10, 2006

We've got GrandMarts here in the VA/DC area, are they not also in PA?
posted by phearlez at 1:36 PM on February 10, 2006

I've seen them at the Japanese grocery chain Mitsuwa in California before. This item includes what you are looking for.
posted by shoos at 1:39 PM on February 10, 2006

Yep, I checked the HMart in Philadelphia. Froogle doesn't have them...not that exact same thing (at least that I can see...). I want the exact same thing. I can find lots of sites that have all kinds of kasugai peanuts. I want the exact same peanuts.

On preview, yes, shoos, that's it exactly! It was in a 5 pack, that's why there's a 5 on the front of the package. So where can I get them...that's all I want to know ;)
posted by iconomy at 1:44 PM on February 10, 2006

It looks like this place used to carry them but no longer. The term appears to be "rice cracker coated peanuts."

BTW otsumami roughly means "bar snack" similar to the "beer nuts" we're accustomed to. The "Peanut & You" thing refers to their whole line of peanut-based snacks and snack mixes.

I'm low on groceries so I'll check out the local Chinese and Japanese supermarkets this weekend if nothing turns up online.
posted by junesix at 1:56 PM on February 10, 2006

Try Korean groceries. That's where I would always find them in New York. My favorite "Peanut and You" are the cuttlefish with the little squid on the package, so if you see those, give them a try. Good luck!
posted by MsMolly at 2:33 PM on February 10, 2006

In addition to Asian grocery stores, Mexican stores often have them (at least around Sacramento). I've even found them in several convenience stores recently.
posted by Acetylene at 2:40 PM on February 10, 2006

Not the exact ones, but they are available in most of the convenience stores i've been in in Los Angeles. The label usually says "cacahuetes - estilo japonés" - or, "peanuts - japanese style". When I briefly worked a slow retail job upon moving here, and had to sit for hours waiting for customers, they were my favorite thing upon which to nosh--I even liked them better than the Japanese version (and I'm pretty into Japanese snacks.) I think I'll buy some on the way home. Yum.
posted by thedaniel at 3:37 PM on February 10, 2006

I know this isn't very helpful, but I looked at the online shop you linked to, and it says that they don't ship overseas (out of Japan)...
posted by misozaki at 3:38 PM on February 10, 2006

Some good leads here...thanks for the help, everyone! I'm going Peanut & You hunting! I will definitely be on the lookout for the squid ones too...haha...I have to see that packaging if nothing else. junesix, I will love you forever if you spot these when you go shopping. Please don't make me fly to Florida to get these ;)

I did just find out that my friend might be going back to Disneyworld in March. She said she got them at the Japan pavillion at Epcot Center, so I guess I'll have to beg her to get me some peanuts.
posted by iconomy at 4:06 PM on February 10, 2006

Those are outrageously delicious, and usually contain a ridiculous amount of fat. Quite often they are cooked in Palm oil, which is one of the very finest sources of saturated fat. Mmm!
posted by tomble at 5:21 PM on February 10, 2006

I'll have a look the next time I go into a Japanese grocery here in New York, if I see some I'll grab them and drop you a line, iconomy!
posted by lia at 11:34 PM on February 10, 2006

P.S. I really really really miss your weblog.
posted by lia at 11:35 PM on February 10, 2006

You may also really enjoy Nagaraya nuts, which are Filipino treats, and are pretty easy to find.
posted by NYCnosh at 2:44 AM on February 11, 2006

iconomy, there's a great Japanese supermarket in soho, here in NYC. I'll try to get you some next time I'm downtown.
posted by CunningLinguist at 8:51 AM on February 11, 2006

Thank you to everyone who is hunting for me...awesome. I might be swimming in these peanuts pretty soon ;)

lia, I'm redoing it right this very minute! It won't be as chatty or large, and updated more sporadically, but it'll be a weblog. I guess it'll be online sometime next week. Thank you!
posted by iconomy at 12:53 PM on February 11, 2006

Kasugai's nut mixes are awesome. I usually end up with a few packages when I go to South Florida on breaks, and I seem to remember the local Asian mart carrying them. If nobody closer to you can find them, drop me a line (email in profile) and I can get you some.
posted by casarkos at 9:30 PM on February 11, 2006