KOKORO Monthly Nourishing Essentials CARES PACKAGE (MAY 2019) REVIEW

I really miss the authentic flavor of Japan! This is why I am very excited to try out Kokoro's Nourishing Essentials Cares Package, which comes with 5 different types of essentials: snack, seasoning, beverage, sauce, and noodle! It's almost the end of the Spring season, so I take this chance to take photographs at my garden under the warm sun. *\ ^0^ /*

PRODUCT REVIEW

KESENNUMA BAY MILK OYSTER SAUCE

I realized this Milk Oyster Sauce is really something else when a sweet umami aroma rushed out from the bottle cap while first opening it. To be honest, I was thinking this sauce will be very similar to Chinese oyster sauce, which is very common in Asian cooking. However, this is very different! It is extremely delicious! It's like a freshly made condensed oyster broth. The flavor is so rich with sweetness of seafood. I can't wait to try making more stir-fried dishes with vegetable and meat.

SOY COFFEE 大豆コーヒー (CAFFEINE-FREE)

The producers of this “Soy Coffee," http://minonomura.com/, wondered if it could be possible to recreate the high-quality taste of coffee using soybeans instead of coffee beans. With the help of veteran roaster Katsunori Ide, they created this mild yet sweet tasting "coffee" made from only local soybeans. They work with local soybean farmers who grow traditional varieties of Japanese soybeans and work to preserve the soybean culture in Japan. 

This is definitely the only type of coffee I am excited to try. (I am not a coffee person!)

FIVE GRAIN NOODLE


As you can see through the package, the noodle is mixed with five different kinds of grains: Black rice flour, Glutinous barley flour, Rice bran, Red rice flour, and Brown rice flour. Similar to mixed grained rice, now noodle lover like me can eat healthy too. 

TRAVELING SEAWEED SNACK

Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, is famous for its seaweed. This mineral-rich, umami seaweed snack is handmade and combines two different types of kelp ("real" kelp and gagome kelp). It’s high in fucoidan, a bioactive compound found in brown seaweeds that is said to have anti-inflammatory and immune-enhancing benefits.

The seaweed snack actually is a bit too salty for me. I use them as a seasoning for my udon though :P

YUZU MISO

At first, I thought it is a jello-drink and I almost drink it as it is! Luckily, I do read Japanese and realize it is Yuzu Miso.

This award-winning product is pesticide-free. According to Kokoro Cares, the Yuzu (a type of Japanese citrus 🍋) comes from Tokushima Prefecture, a region famous for its Yuzu production and Yuzu related products. It’s combined with local miso to create a paste that can be used as a sauce, dressing, seasoning, or marinates! I have so many ideas on how to use this delicious sauce. On the package, they highly recommend season it on simmered daikon radish, grilled eggplant, or straight onto your rice bowl. *0* 

The flavor of Yuzu is actually a lot stronger than I thought. Savory taste of miso is extremely subtle though.

10% OFF FOR MY FANS! 

If you plan to try out Kokoro Cares Package, don't forget to use this 10% off discount code JFOODIE_10 when you make your next purchase at https://kokorocares.com/. It expires on June 30th, 2019!

FINAL THOUGHT

I am so glad to see that everything is locally sourced from Japanese producers and farmers. And then each item is all-natural, organically grown sans any chemicals or additives. The older I get, the more I treasure quality products over quantity. I definitely put health as my priority now and pay extra attention to the food I eat.

---

Official Website: https://kokorocares.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/kokorocares
Facebook: https://facebook.com/kokorocares
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kokorocares/