The Difference Between Tamari and Soy Sauce (Image credit: Kelli Foster) Tamari first popped onto my radar a handful of years ago. I noticed many recipes that called for soy sauce often included a note to substitute tamari in its place to make the recipe gluten-free. So, I was quick to assume that tamari was simply gluten-free soy sauce, with a more interesting name. Even though both sauces are similar in color and flavor, there are actually a number of differences between the two. While both soy sauce and tamari are byproducts of fermented soybeans, the main difference between the two is the presence of wheat. Great rice makes every meal better. Watch the video —-> Gluten and Tamari and Soy Sauce Tamari is a wider class of soy sauces, and is made with no (or very little) wheat, while traditional soy sauce does contain wheat. Tamari: Little to no wheat (always double-check if avoiding gluten) Soy Sauce: Includes wheat (not gluten-free)

Soy sauce and its many forms are found widely throughout Asia, but tamari is specifically a Japanese form of soy sauce, traditionally made as a byproduct of miso paste. The differences in production give each sauce its own unique flavor. Tamari has a darker color and richer flavor than the common Chinese soy sauce you may be more familiar with. It also tastes more balanced and less salty than the sometimes harsh bite of soy sauce, which makes it great for dipping. Instead of keeping one or the other in your cupboard, consider stocking up on both sauces and experimenting with them in dishes that call for soy. Try Tamari in One of These Recipes Seaweed Salad with Popped Amaranth & Sesame Chinese No Clay-Pot Chicken with Soy & Ginger From Lobster to Sweet & Sour: How to Make 6 Stir-Fry Sauces Updated from a post originally published in July 2012. Where to Buy Food in OsloThat´s all it took for me to become totally hooked on all food Japanese, one glorious week in Tokyo.

The problem is that Norway is not the easiest place to find authentic Japanese food or ingredients. So imagine my joy of joys when a quick Google search alerted me to Japantorget (update: now sadly closed), a Japanese food store in Oslo that was mere yards from my office. sushi san francisco brown riceCould it be true?how to eat sushi joke The shop itself is not that large but contained a large variety of Japanese ingredients as well as kitchen utensils, crockery and yukatas. sushi rice to cookOK, so most of the products are of the long shelf-life variety (dried, canned, or frozen) as I can´t imagine turnover of stock is very high here but there were certainly enough things to do justice to Japanese cooking in Norway. sushi los angeles chowhound

I´m a very happy bunny. Here´s a picture of my stash: Left to right from the back row: Ramune, curry sauce, dashi, soy sauce, wasabi, mirin, Oishi green tea , Strawberry Pocky (my daughter loves this), Beni shoga (shredded pickled ginger), instant miso soup, Nishiki sushi rice, panko breadcrumbs, white miso paste, dried wakame, Iri goma (black sesame seeds), Udon noodles, rice crackers.where to buy live eels Now I´m going to have to think of some things to make with the stuff. where to buy sushi matStay tuned for some of my attempts at creating authentic Japanese food in Norway...buy sushi go card gameThis post is about my latest visit to Kyoto, and is by no means a comprehensive list of things to do or places to visit.

For more information about this magnificent city, visit the WikiTravel page on Kyoto here. We were recommended to stay at the Hiiragi-Ya. This is a luxurious traditional Kyoto ryokan which is the crème de la crème as far as Kyoto accommodation goes. But with my investment banking job well behind me and rates starting at £250 per person per night, we decided to go elsewhere. Giro Giro was highly recommended to us and happened to be a 3-minute walk from our ryokan on the Takase River. The 8-course menu devised by head chef Edakuni Eiichi features some kaiseki classics in his kuzushi-kappo, or “break the rules” casual cuisine. Price is a steal at only 3,600 yen or £30 per person. These are the fantastic dishes that we had at Giro Giro:From the bike shop we headed straight to Nishiki Market, Kyoto's main food hub in the centre of town. Nishiki Market is 390 meters long and runs from Teramachi Street to Takakura Street. There are around 130 shops and stalls, selling traditional Japanese food and ingredients. 

Unlike department stores, almost everything at Nishiki is locally produced. Nishiki Market has a long history, the first store opening as early as 1311. It is a great place to spend a few hours learning about Japanese ingredients, sampling and buying. I returned to Nishiki Market everyday during my stay in Kyoto.Dining with geisha is difficult to arrange, and expensive, but it is possible. Kyoto resident Peter MacIntosh of Kyoto Sights and Nights is able to arrange private engagements and VIP dinners.For a printable PDF of Kyoto WalksJapan National Tourism Information (JNTO) - click here. For information on where and what to eat in Kyoto, visit the Kyoto Foodie blog here.For fantastic food at very reasonable prices head to Giro Giro Hitoshina, 420-7 Nanba-cho, Nishikiyamachi-sagaru, Shimogyo-ku, +81 75 343 7070, open 5.30pm-11pm daily, or visit their website here.For information on places to visit in Kyoto, go to the fantastic site Kyoto Kyoto here.For information on Nishiki Market and directions, visit the Nishiki Market website here.