Sanko Trading Co.
730 Queen Street West
416-703-4550
Last weekend, my husband invited me to Sanko's groceries store. It was a first time for me! Sanko owners William and Kayoko, and their son Steve, have a vast knowledge of Japanese food and culture accumulated from working in the store since 1968.
I loved the experience! The food and packaging were intricately bound together creating a world of art. The wonder I feel towards Japanese food is total and genuine. I was so thrilled to see what Sanko had to offer that Mr Mizuno himself came up to me and started to show me around, pointing at everything that he thought could be of interest to me... I eventually gave him some guidelines: what are the best tea cakes in the store? Thanks to his suggestions, I chose a selection of tea cakes, a delicious green tea version, some chewy sesame and red bean ones,
I loved the experience! The food and packaging were intricately bound together creating a world of art. The wonder I feel towards Japanese food is total and genuine. I was so thrilled to see what Sanko had to offer that Mr Mizuno himself came up to me and started to show me around, pointing at everything that he thought could be of interest to me... I eventually gave him some guidelines: what are the best tea cakes in the store? Thanks to his suggestions, I chose a selection of tea cakes, a delicious green tea version, some chewy sesame and red bean ones,
...and some others filled with a cherry blossom paste.
I cannot resist the beauty and taste of Wagashi (和菓子), the traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits. Miam-miam!
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A Chaya or traditional Japanese teahouse, offers tea and wagashi. This example is in Nara Park
Japan is really a culture of gifts, these impeccably wrapped-up cakes, teas or chocolates are all ready to offer. As we were planning to visit some friends that very night, we decided to bring them some tea cakes as an exotic gift. Rob and Trelawnie, our friends, loved them!
Now, before we left his store, Mr. Mizuno also wanted to introduce us to his favourite ice-cream, made with Jersey cows' milk. The specificity of this milk, he explained, is that it is tastier but less fattening than any other traditional milk. Jersey cows can be found on The British Channel Island of Jersey and ... in Japan. Ah bon! Marco and I regretted we did not have any cooler to bring this unique ice-cream back home with us, but that will be for another day!
In a nutshell, if in the neighbourhood, don't miss the experience. Go and pay a visit to Sanko, it will spice up your day with a zingy taste of Japan!
P.S: If you are curious about Japanese, you can learn a few words thanks to the shop's website.
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