We picked up this Yuzu Koshō Mayonnaise from Yufuin Shoyuya — a shop specialising in soy sauce — during our day trip through Yufuin in 2019. It’s a mayonnaise flavoured with yuzukoshō — a type of fermented paste made from green chilli peppers, yuzu peel and salt. It is a local specialty in Kyūshū, from where it originated and Yufuin is located, although it’s available throughout Japan.

The mayonnaise is an off-white colour with a lumpy texture speckled with green and a fragrant zesty acidity. Upon tasting, yuzu came through with an invigorating brightness at the head of each bite that developed in the body with a warm heat from the green chillis and refreshing acidity in the finish. The addition of the yuzukoshō elevates traditional mayonnaise with an elegant complexity that cuts through fried food remarkably well and refreshes the palate between bites in contrast to the comparative heaviness that comes from the addition of garlic for aioli.

This Yufuin Shoyuya Yuzu Koshō Mayonnaise contained 120 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Yufuin, Ōita Prefecture, Japan.