On a foggy night, I was craving for a light-tasting shrimp wonton noodle soup. I got shrimp wontons, noodles, and bamboo shoots from Meijiya. The brand is "又一順" by Men Tsu Co., Ltd. Both the wontons and noodles had firm skin and were easy to eat. The soup that came with the noodles had 7g of salt, so I diluted it to about half (meaning 3.5g of salt per serving) and added some grated ginger and black pepper for extra flavor. It takes a bit of effort, but you can create a ramen that's close to your own liking, which I found to be a good point about this set.

Recently, I have been using Inoue's traditional soy sauce from Okuizumo Town, Shimane Prefecture. This soy sauce is brewed using traditional methods with soybeans, wheat, and salt, resulting in an outstanding umami flavor and aroma. It tastes delicious when used in dishes like simmered taro from Kamisho, Fukui. However, it can be difficult to find this soy sauce in stores. I first discovered it at a select shop in Roppongi Hills, but lately, I have been purchasing it from Meiji-ya on the basement floor of Nihonbashi Takashimaya. I recently ran out of this soy sauce and couldn't find it anywhere, so I ended up buying a 720ml bottle for 918 yen from Meiji-ya. While I was there, I also bought a can of Wiener sausages for 343 yen, which is my favorite among Meiji-ya's canned products. These sausages are easy to eat straight from the can, with a crispy texture and a perfect amount of saltiness, making them a great snack with alcohol. This time, I decided to put in a little effort and use my favorite cooking appliance, the "senbero maker," to grill the sausages before eating. I read somewhere, possibly by author Shota Ikeda, that literary figures used to grill sausages over a brazier, so I tried it out. After grilling the sausages on a skewer for a few minutes, they tasted even better. The skin became crispier, and the inside became juicier, bringing out the enhanced umami flavor of the meat. Grilling the sausages before eating is definitely the way to go. It was worth the trip to buy the soy sauce.

It was good, but I didn't feel the need to eat it again.

Revisited on 2016/07/13. The next butter is Yotsuba Butter (salted) 100g for 290 yen, which is 2.90 yen per gram. ①: Teikoku Hotel Special Fermented Butter (salted) 113g for 918 yen, which is 8.1 yen per gram. ②: Echire Butter (salted) 50g for 624 yen, which is 12.48 yen per gram. ③: Grand Fermage Sel de Mer (salted) 250g for 1944 yen, which is 7.78 yen per gram. ④: Calpis Special Select Butter (salted) 450g for 1555 yen, which is 3.45 yen per gram. Bonus: Snow Brand Hokkaido Butter (available at convenience stores) 200g for 430 yen, which is 2.15 yen per gram. Online exclusive: Butter de Rodolphe Munier (salted) 250g for 3200 yen, which is 12.8 yen per gram. Yotsuba Butter is widely available in supermarkets but didn't have a great impression initially. However, it is produced in regions like Tokachi, Nemuro, Okhotsk Kitami, and Soya in Hokkaido, with a quarter of the nationwide market share for commercial products. It is a good butter for bread, with a smooth texture and no strong fermented taste. Considering the price, Calpis Butter seems to be the best choice for me. Unfortunately, due to high cholesterol levels, I need to avoid butter from now on. Thank you for the meal.

I stopped by a shop near Tokyo Station that was featured on Mezamashi TV for their handmade natto, as mentioned on their website. The interior of the store in Nakano had a slight department store feel to it. I looked around for the natto but couldn't find it, so I asked a staff member who coldly informed me that they no longer carried it. As I was about to leave, I noticed some unique Japanese sake on display and decided to take a look. Among them, I was drawn to the labels of "Shizenkyo" and "Yukiotoko." - Shizenkyo was easy to drink, and you could tell they put a lot of effort into the flavor from the label. It had a fruity taste with a refreshing flavor. - Yukiotoko was drier than it looked, more of a drink-and-enjoy type. It had a refreshing taste that paired well with fish. While I was happy with the option to order sake and other alcohol online, I couldn't help but feel that the shop was a bit different from what was advertised on their website.

Toast the Meiji-ya private brand (PB) Coppepan lightly, and lightly sear the PB fresh sausages boiled for 10 minutes in the oven. Place the sliced celery in the sliced Coppepan, drizzle with horseradish and mustard sauce as desired. Sandwich the hot fresh sausages and it's ready! Despite its appearance, the Coppepan has a crispy texture. The fresh sausages have a firm texture but are not greasy. I guarantee it will make a delicious homemade hot dog.

I used to love the finely ground, salty wieners in Meijiya's canned goods that my father often got for me as prizes from pachinko. When I saw them in department store basements as an adult, I was surprised by their high price. I knew that Meijiya had turned this store into a high-end store, but I had never visited it. Today, I heard on the news that it has become the most expensive piece of land in Japan, surpassing Hatoindo, surrounded by COREDO and Mitsukoshi, and specializing as a store, it's inevitable that foot traffic will increase and the public price will go up. However, I can't help but feel sorry for them as the high taxes will make management difficult. Recently, I received a can of sand lance from Meijiya, which was delicious and cute! I even used the oil as a marinade for pasta. I will definitely go buy some on my own next time! The neighboring Koya shop is also a favorite of mine, especially their nail clippers are excellent!