Mom's Greatest Hits

LAST TIME - Asian Supermarket Trip

I really wanted to blog about cooking to music, but people really wanted to know what my mom thought about sauces. She'll be happy to hear that people chose her over me.

SOY SAUCES - Golden Mountain and Maggi

Growing up, I only remember seeing these two brands and that's not just at my house but also at the homes of my mom's friends. I remember being told the Maggi was the "nice" soy sauce. Only recently after a google search did I realize that my mother wasn't alone in here devotion to Maggi. Maggi Soy Seasoning has a cult-ish following.

If you are paying attention both sauces don't have the term soy sauce on their labels. Big deal? It depends. My mother's brands don't have soy sauce on their labels because they aren't technically soy sauces. Soy sauces are fermented and brewed. These soy seasonings, while still being derived from soy are not. They are non-brewed and contains caramel color, corn syrup, salt and hydrolyzed soy.
Tastewise, it is pretty hard to tell the difference between brewed and nonbrewed ... and honestly if I can't tell the difference you've got no chance.

I have taken a moral stand. Mainly, I try to avoid things that have corn syrup in them. So, I'll look for soy sauces that have "naturally brewed" on them. I have yet to find a soy sauce that commands cult-like devotion so I tend to jump around a lot. I guess you could call me a soy sauce ho.

FISH SAUCE - Squid Brand

This is the fish sauce of my childhood. True story, my mother used to buy this shit by the case and keep them in our basement. If you've ever been around this pungent sauce you should be amazed that any family would need it by the caseload let alone go through cases, but we did. This stuff is legit.

HOISIN SAUCE - Koon Chun and Lee Kum Kee

Growing up, my family used Koon Chun Hoisin exclusively. Then one day my mom pulled the Lee Kum Kee bottle out of my refridgerator. I still think Koon Chun is far superior. It bothers me to this day. I remember Koon Chun's consistency was a bit thicker and the flavor had a rich sweetness. Lee Kum Kee seems muted. The only justification I can see as to why my mom made the switch is that Lee Kum Kee comes in a squeeze bottle, and technology is sweet

CHILI SAUCE - Sriracha

This hot sauce is apparently famous and really I wouldn't normally go any further but it has come to my attention that there are some imposters on the market. Look for the green cap and the rooster.


NEXT TIME - I actually talk about cooking something