"Ryu no Namida - Tears of the Dragon", Yuko Ponzu, Kappoutoshi, Japan, 150 ml

Ryu no Namida - Tears of the Dragon - is the name of this fantastic product from Nagasaki, the birthplace of ponzu, the unique Japanese seasoning sauce made from shoyu and citrus fruits. There are hundreds, perhaps thousands, of varieties of ponzu made with a wide variety of citrus fruits (of which Japan has over 150 varieties!), but this white shoyu-based ponzu is made with the very, very rare yuko fruit. So special that Slow Food recognized this fruit as a culinary heritage back in 2008. This citrus fruit has been known in Nagasaki since the Edo period, but currently there are only about 100 trees left, growing more or less wild. Similar in flavor to yuzu, but slightly sweeter, this fruit was very popular with the Dutch, who lived in Nagasaki from 1641 to 1854. This ponzu was created by Kappoutoshi, a specialty restaurant with fine kappou cuisine in Nagasaki. It's perfect for white-fleshed fish sashimi, carpaccio, dressings, grilled fish and seafood, and oysters. Tip: Season raw carrots with this ponzu!