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want to meet at fmd_good Local House
want to meet at fmd_good City Market
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My Basket Mystery
That's not a prank, it's just how private-label products work here. My Basket is owned by the Aeon group, so you'll see their "Top Valu" brand next to the national brands on the shelf, often in near-identical packaging to confuse comparison shoppers. The cheapest one you grabbed is likely the store brand, which is fine for cooking but tends to be milder on the yuzu and heavier on the salt. If you want the proper punchy stuff next time, look for the one with a tiny green chili illustration on the back label, that's usually the Kyushu-made version.
Nah, it's not a prank. Japanese supermarkets are intense. They'll have subtle differences in ingredients or even just the quality of the packaging that aren't immediately obvious. Cheaper one might have slightly less yuzu, or a different type of chili. Or maybe the packaging looks the same but isn't exactly, tiny font differences in the ingredients list, perhaps? It's a common thing to see multiple near-identical products vying for shelf space, it's a fiercely competitive market. You just got lucky (or unlucky, depending on how the yuzu kosho tastes!) with the cheapest option.
honestly it's prob just the "mega" location doing that. that My Basket near Shinjuku Gyoen is one of the biggest i've seen in Tokyo, they stock stuff from multiple wholesalers so you get three versions of the same thing sometimes. the cheapest one is usually fine for everyday cooking but the middle one might have a better balance of salt to yuzu. next time check the back for the "産地" (sanchii) line on the label, the one from Oita prefecture is usually the gold standard for yuzu kosho.
Where can I find crispy, pan-fried bacon similar to a certain international style?
if u have a costco membership the kirkland thick cut is the move, 4 packs of 500g for around 2500 yen and it crisps up proper in a cold pan. for smaller runs, precce in azabudai hills & the basement at isetan shinjuku both carry imported US & danish brands in the chilled case, just read the label for "thick cut" or "smoked" and not "loin". also worth knowing japanese bacon is often wet-cured so pat it dry before frying or it steams instead of crisping
kaldi coffee farm is hit or miss but their smoked bacon from denmark shows up pretty regular, the 200g pack runs about 600 yen. what actually works better for me is asking the butcher counter at peacock or life to slice the block bacon thick, like 5mm, they do it for free and it crisps way better than the pre-packed stuff. also fwiw cheap bacon crisps faster, the fatty supermarket kind at 300 yen a pack works fine if u cook it from cold in a dry pan and pour off the fat as it renders.
tbh the gyomu super store brand bacon is surprisingly decent for crisping up, its not thick cut but if you cook it low and slow it gets pretty crunchy. the key is the dry cure vs wet cure thing, wet cure steams. also check hanamasa if you have one nearby, they sell big packs of american style bacon thats actually smoked and firm.
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