Natto

[IfIOnly]

I'd like to try it but am a bit scared! It's the highest food source of K2 though, which is great. Since I don't much if any get K2 through my diet, I have to take an expensive supplement for this vitamin that just meets the minimum needed rather than the optimal dose.

 

Have you tried natto? What was your experience? Thanks!

[retiredHSmom]

I have tried it.  My MIL was Japanese and it was one of her favorite foods.  

 

I am not at all picky, I will try most things. I loved my MIL and worked so hard to earn her respect at all times.  My parents raised me with very good manners.

 

I took a bite and horror spread across my face, I could not swallow and I could not hold it in my mouth.  I ended up spitting it into a napkin. That is the only time in my life that I have ever done that.  I was so embarrassed about my poor manners.

 

My MIL, laughed and laughed.

[Wabi Sabi]

My son went to a Japanese immersion camp this summer and tried it there. He's normally a very adventurous, non-picky eater, but he said he only tried two beans and it was so disgusting that he could barely swallow, and he had to force himself not to gag or vomit. 

[Miss Tick]

My experience mirrors the pp's. It was my last day in Japan and it was a cafeteria situation so I was able to taste it, be amazed at how viscerally I disliked it, and then avoid the dish on my tray.

 

I've eaten so many other things that I wouldn't eat again but wanted to try. This was a whole different level!

 

On the plus side, it probably lasts forever in the freezer, so you could try it at intervals over the next decade and see if anything changes.

[Rosie_0801]

Maybe it's one of those things that is delicious if it is home made by someone's great grandma, but vile when made in a factory?

 

I've never even seen natto and I do so want to. 

[happi duck]

This is my 'learned something new' for the day! Interesting!

[Miss Tick]

Maybe it's one of those things that is delicious if it is home made by someone's great grandma, but vile when made in a factory?

 

I've never even seen natto and I do so want to.

I have clear memory of picking up two little drab, brown beans and being surprised at the long, stretchy thread of fermented coating that continued to connect them to the remainder in the bowl and that thread stretched and stretched. I'm trying hard to avoid negative connotations in my description, don't want to prejudice the next set of curious tasters.

 

I think you are totally right about it being better if made by grandma as you are growing up. That has to be it.

[mellifera33]

I have a friend whose family was living in Japan when all of her children were born, and her kids love natto. She posts pics on facebook of her children gleefully slurping down huge platefuls. Maybe you have to grow up with it? 

[Jean in Newcastle]

Natto is one of those things that half of Japanese people love and half of them detest.  There appears to be no middle ground.  You can get it in pill form - called nattokinese. 

[IfIOnly]

LOL Thank you!

 

You have all confirmed my fears. Upon further research, I would have to eat a cup of it to get the minimum recommended and what's equivalent to my supplement. I think I'll stick with my vitamin. :P

[Rosie_0801]

I have clear memory of picking up two little drab, brown beans and being surprised at the long, stretchy thread of fermented coating that continued to connect them to the remainder in the bowl and that thread stretched and stretched. I'm trying hard to avoid negative connotations in my description, don't want to prejudice the next set of curious tasters.

 

I think you are totally right about it being better if made by grandma as you are growing up. That has to be it.

 

It must be the grandma factor, because if mozzarella was behaving the way you've just described, we'd all be drooling and thinking of pizza. :lol:

 

Does it smell as awful as it tastes?

[myfunnybunch]

I tried it twice.

 

Smell, blech! Taste, not so bad. Texture, snot. Gag.

 

So, not a fan.

[IfIOnly]

I still would like to at least like try it once (you never know? It would be an adventure either way), but I've called both the local health food stores and the World MArket with no luck. The only one I see on Amazon is $45 or something. I saw some recipes online but am not feeling that dedicated. ;) Where would someone find Natto?

[Jean in Newcastle]

I still would like to at least like try it once (you never know? It would be an adventure either way), but I've called both the local health food stores and the World MArket with no luck. The only one I see on Amazon is $45 or something. I saw some recipes online but am not feeling that dedicated. ;) Where would someone find Natto?

 

Any Asian grocery stores in your area?  It is usually refrigerated or frozen.

[Wabi Sabi]

I still would like to at least like try it once (you never know? It would be an adventure either way), but I've called both the local health food stores and the World MArket with no luck. The only one I see on Amazon is $45 or something. I saw some recipes online but am not feeling that dedicated. ;) Where would someone find Natto?

Any international/Asian foods store that has a decent selection of Japanese foods. I've seen it in the refrigerated section in single serving cups. 

[maize]

I like it with fried eggs for breakfast.

[maize]

It took me a few tries to develop a taste for natto, first couple of times I didn't like it.

[Guest]

Natto is an acquired taste, especially to someone sensitive about texture. I love and eat plenty of miso, but natto isn't my thing. That it's hard to find around here is just fine by me ;)

[Rosie_0801]

Any Asian grocery stores in your area?  It is usually refrigerated or frozen.

 

Ah! I will look next time I'm in the city.

 

This has become a bucket list item for me. :lol:

[IfIOnly]

We don't habe an Asian store here. I would love it if we did though. Quite a bit of our diet is Asian food, and some authentic ingredients would jazz things up a bit, I think. It would be fun to peruse the aisles and pick some new things to try!

 

One of the reasons I'm willing to try the natto is that my diet is sooo restrictive, so I'm willing to try things for the sake of some variety! Plus, with my GI issues, fermented foods are important.

 

I like it with fried eggs for breakfast.

Thanks! Is it more of a condiment or actually a substantial part of a mdel?

[flyingaway]

Shudder all over! The one thing I've ever tried that I had to spit out, and I'm not the least bit picky, so was surprised by my reaction. The smell is vile, too. If you do want to try it, I was told it's less horrifying if you wash it with hot water first and that that's how the Japanese introduce it to their kids.

[ktgrok]

Can't you get K2 from grass fed butter and milk products? Because butter sounds way better than this stuff. 

[IfIOnly]

Can't you get K2 from grass fed butter and milk products? Because butter sounds way better than this stuff.

Haha! I wish. I have dairy allergies. Eggs can be a good source too if they're from grass fed, but I can't have eggs either.

[IfIOnly]

Ah! I will look next time I'm in the city.

 

This has become a bucket list item for me. :lol:

Please let me know if you try it!

[Rosie_0801]

I was thinking "interesting!" until I got to the mayo and white bread. :ack2:

 

https://www.storehouse.co/stories/t6s1s-how-to-enjoy-eating-natto

[Catalytic]

you could try it at intervals over the next decade and see if anything changes.

 

Darn near laughed 'til I cried at this suggestion.

[maize]

 

 

Thanks! Is it more of a condiment or actually a substantial part of a mdel?

 

Approximately equal portions with the fried egg, so substantial part of the meal.

[happi duck]

Ah! I will look next time I'm in the city.

 

This has become a bucket list item for me. :lol:

I don't think I'll like it but I really want to try it too!

 

PS: I miss your "like" button!

[Tiramisu]

I lived in Japan for years and never liked natto until after the birth of my first child. I started to have natto cravings while still in the hospital. Strangest thing.

[ondreeuh]

This post is well-timed. We have a Japanese exchange student staying with us for a month, and he normally eats natto at breakfast. I told him I wanted to try it, so we looked at one Asian market but they didn't have. Next time we go into the city we will try another place. I love stinky cheese, miso, and Vegemite, so I'm hoping I will like it. I plan to try it with lots of rice. ;)

[IfIOnly]

This is hilarious.

 

 

[IfIOnly]

Still haven't been able to locate natto locally, BUT I did find a grocery store locally which will sell me fish bones and heads to make yummy, nutritous fish broth for delicous miso soup! It took some calling around and employees discussing with managers to purchase the things that are usually thrown away in the meat dept. Just wanted to share my happy, somewhat related find!