Strawberries are the national fruit of Denmark, and for good reason. Our northern latitude provides a unique, slow-growing climate that produces exceptionally sweet and flavorful berries.When combined with the tart balance of rhubarb, these summertime ingredients form the perfect base for a tamari for glazing vegetables or drizzling over salads.

If you’ve kept up with us over the years, you might have seen us use the forest for treasures like pine salt, candied pinecones, and even pine vinegar. But there’s more to the forest than just pine. We’ve included some other treats for the forest: chewy candied cep mushrooms (also called porcini) compressed with birch syrup until they become deeply concentrated, resinous and rich with umami. It wouldn’t be candy without a little more natural sweetness, so we’ve included two concentrated fruits brushed with koji oil: Danish strawberries and cherries.

No, thereisn’ta woody plant inside your box. A “shrub” is another word for a tart concentrate made with fresh fruit and vinegar. For our debut shrub shared with Taste Buds,we’vedeveloped a bright floral concentrate made to be diluted into multiple drinks. Inspired by a kombucha that debuted on a summer menu at Noma, this shrub brings together over-fermented kombucha,lacto-fermented blackberry leaf, local Danish honey, bee pollen, and —of course— our beloved sea buckthorn.

While most seasonings sit on the surface, Shio Koji takes its time by actively breaking down proteins and starches. In the process, it creates umami, tenderness, and sweetness along the way. In short, it transforms texture and deepens flavor from within. 

We’re sending along a batch made in our lab for you to ferment at home. The idea is for you to play, because the possibilities are endless. Just see what happens after you take, say, a good pork chop and marinate it in the stuff for a couple of hours—or, even better, overnight. You’ll notice an exponential improvement. All you had to do was… give it some time to do its work.

Shio Koji is more than a marinade, though. Fold it into sauces and dressings, blend it into compound butter, or mix it into dough and batter. It’s a living secret weapon if there ever was one.