Wasabi
As Japanese cuisine grows in popularity in the west and diners' palates gain sophistication, quality wasabi is increasingly in demand. A generous pinch of nose-tingling genuine wasabi enhances the flavors of fresh fish in sashimi and sushi meals. Foodies who have had a taste of the real deal accept no imitations.

Oblate
Water-soluble, oil-resistant oblate is a transparent paper made from starch and agar that is most often used to wrap powdered medicines to ease ingestion. Creative chefs are also finding ways to take advantage of oblate's unique qualities in the kitchen. They use oblate when shaping delicate desserts and other dishes to make them easier to manage and more appealing to the eye.