Dried Shiitake, Secret Ingredient for Umami
Are you looking for a new subtle seasoning ?
Nature Made
Shiitake is the best Umami enhancer
"Shiitake"and "Umami"are Japanese word. But, today, most of the shiitake is made in China, or cultivated by artificial substrate.
Almost Japanese Dried Shiitake is Forest-grown natural log cultivation.
You might not have eaten yet nature made Shiitake. Over 95% of the Shiitake available in supermarkets is artificial substrate cultivation.
Nature made Shiitake contains rich "Guanylate (GMP)."
Guanylate makes glutamate taste more intensely Umami.
How about using the Forest-grown Shiitake, instead of MSG (artificial glutamic acid)?
The Umami in Shiitake Powder boosts the Natural Umami of food ingredients to create a brilliant taste harmony, with or without adding a Shiitake flavor. Lab-produced MSG generally adds a simple, flat, sometimes harsh Umami taste to foods, while our Forest-grown Shiitake brings out an elegant Natural Umami in each food ingredient.
The natural Umami of food ingredients, such as tomatoes, carrots, dairy products, meat, seafood, etc., is further enhanced. Each food element becomes rich in Umami, creating an elegant symphony of flavor.
Shiitake powder produces a unique Umami boosting ingredient called Guanylate, which interacts with the natural Umami or Glutimates contained in almost all foods. Our tongues have receptors that detect the 5th Taste of Umami, causing us to taste the natural Umami of Glutamate with an even deeper flavor with the presence of the Guanlyates of Dried Shiitake.
More info
https://sugimoto.co/en/how-to/why-does-dried-shiitake-make-food-taste-better/
Umami Booster
Mechanism
All food has Glu.
Almost, every food contains Natural Glutamic acid. We feel yummy by glutamate taste.
This list shows common food content Natural Glutamic Acid per 200 cal.
Perhaps the list is ordered of delicious foods. More info
GMP is made from Wood
In Japan, we use "sawtooth oak" for cultivate shiitake.
Sawtooth oak is famous as it's sweet Sap. More info
How to Use
Like a Bay leaf
If you have the sliced shiitake and cooking stew cuisine, throw it into the pot like Bay leaves. More info
Rehydrate
To be most delicious, please sink cold water until 24 hours in fridge. More info
For professional
Let's make Shiitake soup stock.
This makes every dish more yummy as a secret ingredient. More info
Recipe
Shiitake Story
Forest-grown Shiitake in Miyazaki, Japan
Documents
Company Profile
SUGIMOTO Co., Ltd.
Established: 1955 by Masami Sugimoto (Grandfather of current owners).
Incorporated: 1970
Address: 458-28, Mitai, Takachiho, Nishiusuki, Miyazaki 882-1101 JAPAN
Tel: +81-982-72-3456 (Japanese) +81- 90-2714-7654 (English). Email: tony@sugimoto.co
Products: 100% naturally grown, Dried Shiitake Mushroom (whole & cut Koshin, Donko, Hana Donko) More info
Executive Management.
Owner & CMO: Tatsunori "Tony" Sugimoto Bio: Tony took over the company from his father in 2000, before Kaz. Tony has maintained and strengthened a 1,000-year-old Japanese agriculture tradition by increasing sales in Japan and now globally using modern digital marketing techniques. His initiatives include using Amazon in multiple global regions and pushing the benefits of a sustainable environment and local community to grow Shiitake. He personally writes and tests all Sugimoto Shiitake recipes, including building their video cooking site in English and Chinese. Moreover, Tony communicates daily with their customers using Facebook and Instagram.
President & CEO: Kazuhide "Kaz" Sugimoto
Bio: The 4th generation of the SUGIMOTO's to take charge of the company from 2020. Brother to Tony and is in charge of day-to-day operations, sales, and community collaboration. Apart from his day-to-day factory management, Kaz is actively involved in the local community.
Kaz started providing tree logs to grow Shiitake for local growers aiming for the sustainable use of forests. He collaborates closely with disabled workers working at Welfare Facilities to provide work and support.
Kaz initiated and currently implementing the Organic Certification process for their growers.
Our Shiitake mushroom
Product Description
Our Forest-Grown dried Shiitake mushroom is cultivated locally by 600+ traceability managed growers. The growers use a 1,000-year-old Japanese approach to grow sustainable Sweet Sap Oak (sawtooth oak) Tree logs that are recognized in Japan as producing the best-tasting and textured Shiitake.
Delicious
Japanese famous chef, Dr. Yukio Hattori, chose our Shiitake for his traditional Japanese New Year foods "Osechi." He is known as an expert commentator on the Japanese television show "Iron Chef." And his cooking school recommends our Shiitake and allow us to use his face on our products.
Tradition + Innovation
Our Shiitake is perhaps the only Kosher certified Shiitake that are 100% Forest-Grown. The forest undergoes a 15-years life cycle. In the spring, seedlings will grow from sawtooth oak stumps. Thus, the oak trees on the mountain will regrow after a period of time. Very Sustainable. We use a far-infrared drying approach, which minimizes moisture to less than 9% (others are 12%+) to preserve a premium taste and quality. Our Shiitake has the most natural Vitamin D, 9680 IU/100g, by UVB exposure.
Very Vegan-Friendly: why?
1) Nature's Umami Bomb
Forest-grown Shiitake contains large amounts of Guanylate, which enhances the Umami of Glutamate a much more intense Umami taste. The most abundant amino acids in the natural world are Glutamate. And Umami, produced by Glutamate, has a characteristic of becoming seven to eight times stronger through Guanylate of Shiitake. The drying process breaks the Shiitake's cell membrane, and the rehydrating produces Guanylate. Shiitake is the natural Umami booster for home cooking.
2) The most abundant Vitamin D of plant-based foods,
Shiitake mushroom is a rare vegan food that has rich vitamin D content. Furthermore, we expose all of our Shiitake under ultraviolet rays, to produce the most vitamin D of all-natural foods. Vitamin D boosts our immune system and helps fight Cold, Flu, and Other Viruses.
3) Meaty!
Forest-grown Shiitake is a rare natural food that has a meaty texture. The texture is a critical taste factor, bringing us satisfaction and happiness. Forest-grown Shiitake's flavor and texture are maximized by nature.
Why is Chinese Shiitake beautiful?
How Japanese Shiitake grows?
You can see Flower Shiitake mushroom (花菇), which had grown in China in many cities in Asia. Chinese people grow Shiitake on mixed wood shavings in a plastic bag,
which is placed in the greenhouse. When there is little rain, the surface of the Shiitake's umbrella cracks according to the growth. The crack of the Shiitake remains white if rain does not appear until crop time. By greenhouse cultivation, we can harvest Flower Shiitake mushroom in large quantities cheaply.
On the other hand, the Japanese Shiitake grew naturally in a forest. In Japan, we cultivate Shiitake on a natural sweet sap oak log in the woods. There is no shield on the top or around of Shiitake. The growers use a 1,000-year-old Japanese approach to grow sustainable Sweet Sap Oak (sawtooth oak) Tree logs that are recognized in Japan as producing the best-tasting and textured Shiitake. In the spring, seedlings will grow from sawtooth oak stumps. Thus, the oak trees on the mountain will regrow after a period of time. Very Sustainable.
No chemicals/insecticides used in cultivation and production. Japanese Sweet Sap Oak gives Shiitake a distinctive sweet and deep flavor. Shiitake grown slowly in low temperatures, nurtured by rain and fog, produces an outstanding firm texture. Forest-grown Shiitake's taste and texture are maximized by nature.