> wrote:

> With all of the above suggestions, heed the ones that say a few drops.
> A little goes a long way, it is so concentrated. And if you ever
> priced it on the shelves, you would caarefully only use it drops at a
> time. that's why it was a nice gift. Something extravagant, but a
> delicious treat with several uses.


It's not expensive at all if you buy it at Asian markets...IIRC I paid $2.59
for an 11 oz bottle (Kadoya, a Japanese brand) at an Asian market here on
Argyle Street in Chicawgo. I use one bottle per year, mine is just about
out...

*Never* buy ethnic vittles at general soopermarkets or foney - baloney
joints like Whole Foods if you can help it, buy at real ethnic places and
you'll generally pay a third of the price or even less...

Folx even think sesame seeds are a real expensive treat, I can find them at
my local health food store (Sherwyn's on Diversey) for about $2.00 per pound
(untoasted)...and that includes the "exotic" black sesame seeds. Hint:
folx, don't buy the Spice Islands sesame seeds at yer local soopermart, try
an ethnic or even a health food store for spices, seasonings, and such...

This morning I picked up an 11.5 oz bottle of Silver Palate "Organic"
Shitake Mushroom & Sesame salad dressing, it was in my local Treasure Island
close - out bin for $1.99, I figured "what the hell". I just now peeled
back the sale label, it had originally been $3.99. Looking at the label I
see I could duplicate the ingredients for *pennies* with what I have already
at my pantry here at home...so even at $1.99 it's pretty poor value. Groovy
bottle though :-)

I'm also amazed at the prices for some of these Round Eye brands of Thai
fixin's at Treasure Island, I can get the same exact stuff better and MUCH
cheaper by hopping a bus and travelling north 20 blocks to Argyle St.
Sheesh, Thai food is "poor" food (as is all Asian food), most of these dumb
yuppies don't realise that and thus think they have to pay outrageous prices
for the ingredients at a white - boy soopermarket...WHAT a racket, it'd make
Al Capone blush.

--
Best
Greg