Mariko Grady, Aedan Fermented Foods
Saturday, May 13, 2023, 11:00 am - 11:45 am
Stop by the Foodwise Classroom for a cooking demo featuring the seasonal bounty of the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market.
Mariko Grady creates small-batch fermented products using the knowledge passed down from her grandfather’s miso-making business and mother’s home miso recipes in Japan. Using this traditional knowledge, she has adjusted and perfected her recipes to match the unique flora and environment of San Francisco where she lives.
At the age of 20, Mariko founded what has become one of Japan’s pre-eminent modern theatrical dance groups. For 30 years she traveled the world performing and would start each day drinking a cup of miso soup to help maintain her body and spirit’s condition. In 2011 after the devastating Tsunami struck Japan, Mariko — having moved to San Francisco — began selling her own miso to friends to fundraise for Japanese victims. The popularity of her delicious miso spread quickly, and a small, informal business was born.
In April 2012, Mariko joined the incubator kitchen program at La Cocina in San Francisco and since then has worked to develop her fermented food product line named Aedan, after her son. Mariko caters traditional Japanese meals and hosts Japanese fermented food cooking classes and workshops. Her Aedan products can be found in specialty groceries and in recipes at fine restaurants throughout San Francisco. You can also find Aedan Fermented Foods at the Ferry Plaza Farmers on Saturdays.
All demos take place in the Foodwise Classroom (under the tents in front of the Ferry Building) and are free to the public, with recipes and samples for all.