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[World-Acclaimed, Japanese Tamago Sando]

Heading to a convenience store immediately upon arrival in Japan to purchase "it"—Japanese convenience store egg sandwiches have become so popular lately that they make foreign visitors say, "I want to return to Japan just for this." In fact, they are widely recognized as "tamago sando," using the Japanese pronunciation as it is. Symbolizing this boom, an unexpected combination called "oyako sando" (parent-and-child sandwich), in which FamilyMart's "Famichiki" fried chicken is sandwiched inside their egg sandwich, recently appeared and garnered significant attention. The fact that such a high-quality flavor can be obtained in Japan at a very affordable price of only around 290 JPY (approx. 1.80 USD) is also a major reason for capturing the hearts of tourists.

This high praise from overseas for "tamago sando" is not something that just started yesterday. In the past, the late famous chef Anthony Bourdain praised Lawson's egg sandwich as "pillowy soft, ridiculously addictive," which triggered wide recognition of its existence in the United States. Today, many influencers still post about it all at once, saying it is "life-changingly delicious" or "melts on your tongue." Following this popularity, 7-Eleven in the US also released a "Japanese-Style Egg Salad Sandwich" inspired by Japanese egg sandwiches. However, partly due to local inflation, the price is as high as 5.99 USD (approx. 950 JPY)!! It is a price that requires a bit of courage to buy. Overseas, Japanese egg sandwiches might indeed be a premium product.

Looking at social media, an increasing number of people are attempting to recreate "Japanese-style egg sandwiches" overseas. The biggest characteristics of egg sandwiches from major Japanese convenience stores are that the white bread is fluffy, the egg filling is smooth, and there is a tiny hint of sweetness. There are a few tips to recreate this at home. First, boil the eggs tightly from cold water for 12 minutes 20 seconds. Then, to leave an exquisite texture, chop the egg whites into 5 to 6mm cubes with a knife, and mash the egg yolks with a fork. Seasoning uses mayonnaise, sugar, and salt, but adding vinegar and a small amount of milk here as a secret ingredient is an important point to achieve a smooth texture and mellow sweetness. Also, using "Kewpie Mayonnaise" brings it much closer to the Japanese flavor.

Furthermore, by combining "authentic tools" crafted by artisans' handiwork, you can enjoy a high-quality egg sandwich at home. Yamasaki Design Works' "Sandwich Guide" is indispensable for evenly and beautifully spreading a generous amount of prepared egg filling to the four corners of soft bread. An egg sandwich made with 3 eggs is so luxurious that the filling almost spills out from the bread. You can taste ultimate happiness while staying at home.

And for the final cut, Tadafusa's "Bread Knife" shows its true capability. Its unique sharpness—where the wavy teeth at the tip create a starting point on the slippery surface of the bread, and the flat blade in the center pulls smoothly—never crushes the fluffy softness characteristic of Japanese white bread. It can cleanly slice through the egg filling together with the bread into a beautiful cross-section. Try placing the completed sandwich on Moyai Kogei's "Zelkova Bread Plate." The beautiful grain of domestic zelkova enhances the deliciousness of the bread, allowing you to experience even Japan's careful food culture with all five senses.

An exceptional "tamago sando" to enjoy together with artisans' tools. Please try it at home.

Tamago Sando (2 servings)

Ingredients:
2 slices of white bread (10-slice thickness)
3 eggs
○ 3 tbsp mayonnaise
○ 1/2 tsp sugar
○ A pinch of salt
1/2 tsp vinegar
1/2 to 1 tsp milk (optional)

Instructions:
1. Put water and eggs in a pot, place on heat, and boil for 12 minutes 20 seconds. Once boiling, turn the heat to low.
2. As soon as they are boiled, transfer to ice water to cool thoroughly, then peel the shells.
3. Separate the eggs into whites and yolks, and coarsely chop the whites into 5 to 6mm cubes with a knife. Put the yolks in a bowl and mash them using a fork.
4. Add the ingredients marked with ○ to the bowl with the yolks, and mix for about 1 minute until well combined.
5. Add the vinegar and milk (optional), and mix uniformly. Finally, add the chopped egg whites and toss the whole mixture gently together.
6. Spread the completed egg filling evenly on a slice of white bread, and sandwich it with another slice of white bread. Cut diagonally to complete.

Yamasaki Design Works's Sandwich Guide
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamasaki/sandwich.html
Yoshita Handi-Design Studio's Renge Spoon
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yoshita/cutlery.html
Azmaya's Cheeseboard S
https://www.shokunin.com/en/azmaya/cheeseboard.html
Tadafusa's Bread Knife
https://www.shokunin.com/en/tadafusa/houchou.html
Moyai Kogei Zelkova Bread Plate
https://www.shokunin.com/en/moyai/

References
https://diamond.jp/articles/-/382093
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/a3f7c858c1a67346172e1f6300a0ebdd5bdddd1c
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/bfd74ee8eb4049116be3becca93f6d796bfedc40
https://www.nichireifoods.co.jp/media/10421/ (Reference recipe)
https://news.yahoo.co.jp/expert/articles/42e61ccaa03d9b2be5451e396e58c0a79fb3f53b (Reference recipe)

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[Katsumeshi and Renge Fork]

"Katsumeshi" is a local dish loved in many restaurants and households in Kakogawa City, Hyogo Prefecture, and its surrounding areas. Katsumeshi consists of a bed of rice served on a Western-style plate, topped with a beef cutlet that has been pounded flat, and drizzled with a demi-glace-based sauce. The standard style is accompanied by boiled cabbage. While it is rarely seen outside the city, it is a casual, locally renowned gourmet dish that everyone in Kakogawa knows.

A key aspect that defines the unique character of this dish is that it is "eaten with chopsticks." The history of katsumeshi dates back to the immediate post-war era, originating at a diner in front of Kakogawa Station. At a time when beef cutlets were still a rarity, the dish was conceived as a "Western-style meal that can be enjoyed casually with chopsticks, without the need for a knife and fork." This convenience captured people's hearts. Today, it is deeply rooted in the region, with more than 100 restaurants serving it, and it has even been adopted into school lunch menus and sold as dedicated sauces in supermarkets for home cooking.

Eating with chopsticks is both the origin and the appeal of katsumeshi. However, when you actually try it, the sauce mixes with the thin layer of rice spread across the plate, which can sometimes make it tricky to scoop up every last grain using only the tips of chopsticks. A piece of cutlery that elegantly resolves this minor dining challenge is the "Renge Fork" by Yoshita Handi-Design Studio.

With a hollow similar to a Chinese soup spoon (renge), it allows you to firmly scoop up the sauce-laden rice from the bottom of the plate, leaving nothing behind, just like a spoon. Furthermore, because part of the tip functions as a fork, you can securely pierce bite-sized pieces of the cutlet and bring them to your mouth effortlessly. It can be used unpretentiously just like chopsticks, and its functionality—combining a spoon and a fork into one—makes it exceptionally convenient for eating katsumeshi. Of course, it is perfect not only for katsumeshi but also for dishes like cutlet curry, so please give it a try.

Seiryugama's Plate
https://www.shokunin.com/en/seiryu/hirazara.html
Yoshita Handi-Design Studio's Renge Fork
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yoshita/cutlery.html

References
https://www.maff.go.jp/j/keikaku/syokubunka/k_ryouri/search_menu/menu/40_4_hyogo.html
https://kako-navi.jp/katsumeshi.html