Eating Natto

[Yudan Taiteki]

It was a coincidence that I read this just after having a wonderful package of natto with my dinner tonight:
http://www.thejapanesepage.com/natto.htm

I don't know how tongue-in-cheek that page was, but I think that Clay violated the cardinal rule of natto eating -- do not eat natto alone. I recommend mixing it with rice. The rice not only absorbs the stickiness of the natto but it complements the flavor very well. Natto-maki sushi is a good way to eat it.

Also, it doesn't taste as bad as it smells -- the taste is kind of nutty.

Who cares?

Do not bump a several month old thread just to add a useless response. If you don't care about the topic, don't respond at all.

[Mr.Paper]

It was a coincidence that I read this just after having a wonderful package of natto with my dinner tonight:
http://www.thejapanesepage.com/natto.htm

I don't know how tongue-in-cheek that page was, but I think that Clay violated the cardinal rule of natto eating -- do not eat natto alone. I recommend mixing it with rice. The rice not only absorbs the stickiness of the natto but it complements the flavor very well. Natto-maki sushi is a good way to eat it.

Also, it doesn't taste as bad as it smells -- the taste is kind of nutty.

Who cares?

Do not bump a several month old thread just to add a useless response. If you don't care about the topic, don't respond at all.

Oi, I was just commenting my opinion on natto.

[Yudan Taiteki]

No, you weren't. You were trolling. Once again, do not bump an old thread to add a useless post. I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pretending that you think "Who cares?" is your opinion of natto.

[phreadom]

No, you weren't. You were trolling. Once again, do not bump an old thread to add a useless post. I'm not going to insult your intelligence by pretending that you think "Who cares?" is your opinion of natto.

He has posted several of these short, belligerent responses so far today in a short span of time, and basically all of them on really old posts. Trolling in a word.

[two_heads_talking]

Yudan Taiteki wrote:
Cheese is probably the US/UK closest equivalent; it does have a lot of protein and a strong smell. Obviously foods that taste good when left to ferment or age would be very valuable in a pre-refrigeration society.

Don't forget, we are cheese heretics; because we pasteurize our milk before letting the bacteria grow.

I hear you have to go to France to get real cheese. I also heard, real cheese smells like dirty wet socks.

That's not completely true.. you can go to Wisconson and get some great cheeses that aren't pasteurized.

[Infidel]

really? That's interesting. I thought pasteurization was required across the US. I've never had non-pasteurized cheeze, so I can't comment whether it is better or worse, although it wouldn't surprise me that it tasted worse, at least initially, strange tastes do that sometimes.

Still can't do natto, although I did buy some barley tea. Had to hit 4 different asian food stores to find it though.

[two_heads_talking]

really? That's interesting. I thought pasteurization was required across the US. I've never had non-pasteurized cheeze, so I can't comment whether it is better or worse, although it wouldn't surprise me that it tasted worse, at least initially, strange tastes do that sometimes.

Still can't do natto, although I did buy some barley tea. Had to hit 4 different asian food stores to find it though.

In order to be sold in a supermarket, I think pasteurization, but it isn't required for private selling.. In otherwords bought direct from the producer.. At least that's how it was a few years back..

Barley tea-- (Ban Cha) or are you speaking of Mugi-cha? I thought that was translated as Wheat tea.. I like that stuff, especially ice cold on a super hot/humid summer day (we get alot of those in Virginia).

[becki_kanou]

Mugi is barley and komugi is wheat. Mugi-cha is barley tea, I don't think I've ever hear of wheat tea, although it sounds yummy. Bancha is just coarse green tea.

At our house these days we're into Kuromame-cha, black bean tea.

[Infidel]

This is definitely mugi cha, but it's a chinese brand, so the only reason I'm sure it's barley is because the English label says so. And the smell of course. I've been trying to find another brand to see how different the brands taste, but haven't found anything else.

[Harisenbon]

At our house these days we're into Kuromame-cha, black bean tea.

I used to love the commercials they had a few years ago (maybe they still do) when it becomes fall and they start advertising the kuromame.

The guy singing "kuromame, mame ma me-----"
That stayed stuck in my head FOREVER.

[two_heads_talking]

Mugi is barley and komugi is wheat. Mugi-cha is barley tea, I don't think I've ever hear of wheat tea, although it sounds yummy. Bancha is just coarse green tea.

I thought komugi was cracked wheat and mugi was raw wheat, but still thought that Mugicha was wheat tea.. I still like the stuff, even if it smells of burnt popcorn.. Mugicha was the only tea that for religious reasons we were allowed to drink (no green or black teas) and so it became my favorite. But I always carried fresh lemons, some honey and well, hot water was always easy to find.. so I could always make a honey/lemon tea if there was a need for it.

[Endo]

All I have to say about natto (and I always say this to everybody who is thinking about trying the stuff), when you eat it and forcefully swallow it allowing it to crawl down your throat, it'll crawl right back out by itself!
Throw in a raw egg and and those threads stretch (without breaking) from your bowl all the way down to your stomac.
Do those sticky threads even break?!

foreigner dude: 「Hey Tanaka-san, I think there's line of spiderweb stretching from your mouth.」
Japanese guy: 「Nah, I had natto for lunch 2 days ago but the thread just won't snap」

[Infidel]

raw egg is more gross than natto.

[Endo]

raw egg is more gross than natto.

Yeah mix it together and what do you get? Food that crawls by itself!

[jcdietz03]

Ask your Japanese teacher where you can try Natto.
Google search natto + your zipcode. I chose zipcodes where I work because it is a more populated area and has more Japanese restaurants than where I live.

There is a Japanese restaurant Shabu Shabu Toki near where I work. I should try their "Natto Maki" sometime.
There is a store Mirim Oriental Groceries near where I work and they carry natto. How can I prepare natto? Is it ready to eat? You just mix it with rice and eat, right? I should ask the clerk if they know anything about it.