"Fukuoka souvenirs" that make a difference! 3 recommended items from a food professional and vegetable sommelier [mail order also available]

Hello. I am Yurika Kubo, a "vegetable sommelier advanced professional."

Here we will introduce you to some dietary information about vegetables and fruits.

When visiting relatives or friends, you may want to prepare a little something for them, and wonder what they will appreciate.

So this time, I'd like to introduce three "souvenirs born in Fukuoka" that I can confidently recommend!

Image: Yurika Kubo

1: The refreshing taste is appealing! A luxurious tomato fruit liqueur "WAKAMATSU no SOHO" (Shinpu Shokuken)

"WAKAMATSU no SOHO" (720ml/2,970 yen) by "Shinpu Shokken" is made in Wakamatsu Ward, Kitakyushu City.

This is actually a fruit liqueur made from tomatoes! It has also attracted attention as a product developed by students from Kitakyushu City University.

Image: Yurika Kubo

The only ingredient is tomatoes, a local specialty of Wakamatsu Ward.

It is made using non-standard tomatoes that are not available on the market, using the same red wine technique that uses the fruit with the skin on.

Image: Yurika Kubo

Although it is a tomato liquor, it is not red, but a clear golden color.

When poured into a glass, it exudes a sense of luxury and creates a special atmosphere.

Image: Yurika Kubo

Before drinking it, I thought it might have a bit of a strange flavor, but it had no strange flavor at all and was easy to drink.

The faint aroma of tomato lingers in your nose, and the taste is refreshing. It has a white wine-like aroma and a slightly sweet flavor.

Even if you don't like tomatoes, I think you can enjoy this as a dessert wine.

Image: Yurika Kubo

It also goes well with a variety of dishes.

It has a strong flavor, so it goes well with strong dishes.

This is a unique product that is not available anywhere else, so it is recommended for those who want to discover new flavors.

2: Maximize the deliciousness of the ingredients! The corn is especially delicious in the "Vegetable Jam 3-Piece Gift Set" (Kuboyama Farm)

Next up is the "Kuboyama Farm's 3-piece Vegetable Jam Gift Set" (3,300 yen * 3,500 yen if gift wrapping is included). The set includes three types of jam: "Whole Tomato Jam," "Whole Corn Jam," and "Whole Carrot x Sweet Spring Jam."

Image: Yurika Kubo

The ingredients of "Whole Tomato Jam" are tomatoes, oligosaccharide syrup, and lemon.

The ingredients of "Whole Corn Jam" are corn and oligosaccharide syrup.

The ingredients of "Whole Carrot x Sweet Spring Jam" are oligosaccharide syrup, carrots, sweet spring, and lemon.

None of the products contain any preservatives, flavorings, or thickeners, so you can enjoy the flavor of the ingredients themselves.

Image: Yurika Kubo

My favorite is the colorful "Whole Corn Jam."

They use corn that they grow themselves in Chikuzen Town, Fukuoka Prefecture.

It is made using a generous amount of corn, which is as sweet as ripe melon, to bring out the maximum sweetness and flavor.

Image: Yurika Kubo

A coarse paste that allows you to enjoy the texture of corn kernels.

You can really taste the ingredients themselves, and the moderate sweetness is addictive.

It's great on bread or crackers, but it's also great on sandwiches and cakes!

On this day, I paired it with English muffins.

Image: Yurika Kubo

A lightly toasted English muffin is topped with a thin layer of whole grain mustard, butter-sautéed spinach, roast ham, tomato, and a generous amount of whole corn jam instead of sauce, all spread together.

Image: Yurika Kubo

Although it is a jam, its moderate sweetness makes it a great match for meal dishes!

You won't feel guilty if you use a lot of it.

3: It can be used in a variety of ways depending on your ideas! Crunchy and delicious "Rice flour couscous" (Yonetaka)

Lastly, there is rice furikake "Kome Flour Couscous" (70g/648 yen, 150g/1,100 yen), which can be eaten as is without cooking the rice. There is also "Brown Rice Flour Couscous" (70g/648 yen, 150g/1,100 yen), made from brown rice.

It's written as "warawara" and pronounced "kuskus".

While regular "couscous" (the world's smallest pasta, eaten in many parts of the world, including Morocco) is made from wheat, this product is made only from rice. Because it is made from rice, it is gluten-free.

It's fun to use rice as furikake!

Image: Yurika Kubo

The raw material is carefully selected rice with zero residual pesticides, grown using organic fertilizer at the foot of Hiraodai in Yukuhashi City, Fukuoka Prefecture.

In addition to being used as a topping, you can also make instant porridge by pouring hot water over it. On this day, I used "Brown Rice Flour Wara Wara" as a topping for chicken and turnip soup. It was a completely new way to eat it, and it turned out to be a very satisfying and filling soup.

It's great to be able to easily replenish the nutrients contained in brown rice germ, such as dietary fiber, iron, zinc, magnesium, and vitamins B1, B6, and E! (※1)

Image: Yurika Kubo

When used as a topping, it gives a crunchy texture. When sprinkled on soup, it absorbs the moisture and gives it a chewy, gooey texture. It can also be used to thicken soups.

I also tried using it in a colorful salad made with Itoshima vegetables (I used vegetables from "vege Labo" on this day). The dish uses red and yellow beets, radishes, green radishes, baby leaves, and steamed chicken.

Image: Yurika Kubo

I sprinkled some "Shosho" on the salad as a topping. The crunchy texture of the "Shosho" added a nice accent to the dish.

The rice itself has a rich flavor and aroma, so you can taste the sweetness and umami of the rice even in granular form.

Image: Yurika Kubo

In addition, it is a unique item that can be used in various dishes depending on your ideas, such as adding it to yogurt or using it as a substitute for breadcrumbs. It is also convenient because it is an easy way to get nutrition and can be stored.

What did you think? You can order any of these products online (just search by product name).

It's also recommended as a souvenir or a treat for yourself. Be sure to check it out. (Text: Yurika Kubo)

*This article is based on information at the time of publication. (*1) Food Composition Database (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology)
* Any secondary use of the content of this site (images, text, etc.) such as duplication, reproduction, conversion, modification, etc. without permission is strictly prohibited. If found to be in violation, legal action may be taken.

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