This is a very special miso reflecting a pure expression of the land here in the mountains.

We grew short-season, short-stature maize on no-till mounds made with our sanctuary compost, and grew naked-seeded pumpkins on aging compost windrows, all surrounded by pollinator habitat, wild edible plants, and a vital ecosystem filled with snakes, toads, redworms, voles and the occasional visiting deer and bear.

Siberian peashrub (caragana arborense) is a perennial legume that grows within our fruit and nut orchard. She is a rich source of nectar for pollinators. The mature ‘peas’ contain a similar protein-fat profile to soybeans, which makes them good candidates for cultures like miso and shoyu. For more information on culinary uses of caragana, you can read our blog post here.

This miso is salty, with deep notes of pumpkin seed, and a sweet caramel-y flavor from the nixtamalized and koji-cultured maize. The caragana, inoculated with A. sojae, is a stronger, earthy flavor and gives deep umami to this paste. Use it to enrich a sauce for squash or pumpkin ravioli, use it to flavor any stew or soup with a depth of flavor, use it combined with your favorite nut or seed butter as a spread, or use is anywhere you would season with soy sauce or miso.

From our loving hands and all of the creatures on this land…to you. Thank you for supporting our work.

Ingredients: All beyond-organically grown at SHO: Nixtamalized Atomic Orange maize from Baker Creek Seeds, Lady Godiva Naked-Seeded Pumpkin seed from Baker Creek Seeds, Siberian peashrub (caragana arborescens), koji culture, salt.