Wow, we're so lucky in Portland to have access to locally-made natto! The soybeans are a little bigger than the Japanese brands you get in the frozen styrofoam packs. (Wanpaku's natto is never frozen and not packed in styrofoam!) This natto is not fermented as long as typical Japanese natto so it's milder and probably easier on the American palate ;) (I usually keep my Wanpaku Natto in the fridge for a couple of months to get that full funky flavor I like, but I'm a big fan of funky natto.)

Natto in Japan is almost always eaten with rice. Season the natto with soy sauce, green onion, and Chinese mustard. Give it all a good mix until the natto gets stringy and then pour it over your rice and mix it all together. (Hint: don't skimp on the soy sauce. After you mix it all in with the rice, the rice should be light brown, but there shouldn't be any liquid pooling at the bottom of the rice bowl). Heidi (the maker of Wanpaku Natto) suggests mixing in chopped kimchi, which I sometimes sub for the mustard. She's right, it's delicious! IMHO, if you think you don't like natto but want to give it another try, make sure you try our suggestions on how to eat it. You just might not be seasoning it or eating it quite right. ;)

Natto is a superfood, a probiotic protein-packed food. It's fermented soybeans, and it's definitely an acquired taste. It's pretty pungent and funky, and slimy like okra. I call it 'advanced Japanese food'. For those of you who know and love it, there's no substitute for natto. 

4 oz (about 3 servings worth) *Keep refrigerated

Vegan, gluten-free, and chock-full of pro-biotics :)