We are lucky to go to Japan every year to visit makers, artisans, breweries, and factories to see where our products are made. On our last trip in April, Yoko and I visited one of Kimura Glass Company's factories, right in the middle of Tokyo. Here's what we saw! Kimura Glass...
I'd like to start with a little background on the small town of Tsubame-Sanjo. This manufacturing town in Niigata Prefecture produces most of Japan's stainless steel items. If you are enjoying a little cake with a tiny fork in Tokyo or stirring a cocktail...
When we voiced our wish to visit a few factories in Japan earlier this year, we didn't realize that so many of them would be in the same town. Not just that, but only a short drive from one another. Tsubame City in Niigata is...
When Kayoko and I started choosing glassware for the shop, we wanted simple and functional glasses that would also look beautiful in any kitchen. With that in mind, we knew one of our mainstays would be the Hard Strong Stacking glasses manufactured by Japan's...
Our main objective for our trip to Japan (besides noodles and ekiben) was to visit the many factories where they make the bar and glassware we select for Umami Mart. We wanted to go straight to the source, and meet the people behind the products....
Photos by Travis LoDolce. The history of chocolate-making in the Bay Area runs deep. Ghiradelli, Scharffen Berger, and Guittard are some of the big names in chocolate that started here, and the community of smaller, more artisinal chocolatiers continues to grow. Clearly, San Francisco...
