Son Premium Fish Sauce Aged 1 Year All Natural
500 ml bottle - Vietnam
The story of Son Fish Sauce is really a love story: boy meets girl, boy wants to give girl the world, boy gives girl anchovies – and the rest is history.
Now in its fourth generation, Son Fish Sauce, the dream of one young man in love, has grown to be the largest employer on the Vietnamese Island of Son Rai.
First, let’s get past the name … yes it is sauce and yes it comes from fish. Anchovies, actually, little tiny fish.
Did you know that Worcestershire sauce is a fish-based sauce?
And did you know that ketchup started as a fermented pile of fish, long before tomatoes were added?
Some of you probably have a jar of fish sauce tucked away in your refrigerator somewhere, bought for a recipe and rarely used since.
We want to convince you that fish sauce should be a pantry staple –– not to be used in big glugs, but by the teaspoon or so. And, more often than not, you’re not adding the flavor of fish – fish sauce is the ultimate liquid Umami, a magical elixir, that makes the rest of your ingredients open up and shine in an expressive, explosive, harmonious unison of love.
And not just any fish sauce will do. Not all fish sauce is created the same way.
Son Rai Fish Sauce, winner of many Vietnamese gold medals, has arrived. It is Brady Williams' - James Beard Foundation Awards Winner - choice for Fish Sauce in his new restaurant Tomo. And it is now our favorite too!
Several things make Son Fish Sauce special.
The anchovies around the Son Rai Island have very small stomachs, which yield fish sauce with more protein and a nuanced fragrance.
Once the anchovies are caught, they’re salted on the boats, with local sea salt, and the fermentation process begins immediately.
A unique microclimate – “prevailing winds from the sea, fresh morning dews from the mountain peaks, tropical storms, intense humidity, and equatorial heat” - contributes to the fermentation process.
Son Fish Sauce anchovies are fermented for a full year, using no engineered bacteria to speed up the process, no chemical salt, no sugar or fructose, no preservatives and no other types of fish. Many other commercial brands, including other ones from Vietnam, are full of artificial ingredients and chemicals.
Unlike other producers, Son thoroughly washes their barrels clean to begin the process anew with every batch. This cleanliness creates a fresh environment for the next batch. Many companies use the unwashed barrels to get the most fishiness they can, because they don't age the sauce like Son does.
And Son bottles only the first 3 presses – compared to the typical 6th or 7th press as almost all the other producers do. Clarity of product is obvious when you taste and use it!
Their artisanal, time-honored production methods are unique and reflect four generations of family pride and expertise, as well as a healthy respect for their culture and heritage.
As the Son family says: “there is no secret to high-quality fish sauce, all you need is the right environment, the right anchovies and sea salt, and most importantly . . . time”.
100% natural Vietnamese fish sauce made from wild anchovies caught off the coast of southwest Vietnam. Anchovies are cured for one year in sea salt before processing into sauce. gluten free. No shellfish. No MSG added.
ingredients: anchovy, sea salt.