Nihon Chomiryo Tabi
Marunaka Shoyu Yuzu Ponzu (丸中醤油 柚子ぽんず)
The story behind it
Marunaka Shoyu in Aisho, Shiga, has been making shoyu (soy sauce) for about 220 years since its founding in the Kansei era, working with koji mold that has lived in the brewery since the Edo period. The buildings are designated Registered Tangible Cultural Properties. Its shoyu, aged over three years, is used by Michelin-starred restaurants around the world.
This yuzu ponzu takes that shoyu as its base and brings yuzu to it. In ponzu the citrus acidity tends to take the lead, but when the shoyu underneath is this concentrated, the sharp edge comes off the acidity and the flavor gains a spine.
Taste it beside the same brewery's shoyu and the shared foundation is easy to hear.
How to use it
Use it as a dipping sauce for hot pot. Also poured over grilled fish, chilled tofu or steamed vegetables. As a gyoza sauce it replaces both the vinegar and the shoyu on its own.