My Hubbie brought home a gallon of soy sauce from Costco the other day. “WHERE am I going to put this?” I wondered, since my refrigerator is small and there’s next to no space for big stuff or extras of anything.

But here’s another question: does soy sauce HAVE to be stored in the refrigerator? I went to what I thought might be a reputable source for the answer to my question—the Kikoman Soy Sauce® company.

I learned that because soy sauce is a product sensitive to light and temperature (like olive oil or vinegar), a cool dark place is preferred for storing it when unopened. And, an open bottle of soy sauce has a better chance of maintaining its flavor and quality if it goes in the fridge.

OK, I get the maintaining flavor and quality issue; but space is the bigger issue for me. Just as I was about to lose hope, here came the rest of the answer I was hoping for from the Kikoman company spokesperson: “BUT, if you don't want cold soy sauce for your stir fry or your refrigerator door is full to bursting, a spot away from heat and light works too.” Oh what a relief!

He explained that there are two reasons why we don’t need to refrigerate soy sauce. First, no water or other ingredients have been added to it. Second, soy sauce has a high concentration of salt which makes it an inhospitable breeding ground for bacteria that can cause serious illness. Thus, it's fine to keep it in a cupboard or pantry. “It won’t spoil if left unrefrigerated.” Yay!

However, there was an important caveat to this news. As the Kikoman company rep pointed out: "You should know though, that for the freshest tasting sauce, we also recommend using that unrefrigerated bottle within one month of opening."

Hmmm, sounds like the best thing to do is to share this soy sauce with some of our friends and family. There’s no way we’ll use a GALLON in a month (or even six months). I’ll figure it out. Meanwhile, it’s good news that the stuff doesn’t absolutely require refrigeration, right?

I’ll conclude this whiney essay with a unique recipe that comes from www.okonomikitchen.com. Take salted caramel to the next level by spiking it with soy sauce! This savory-sweet Soy Sauce Caramel is umami-rich and delicious swirled into cookies or cheesecakes, and drizzled over ice cream, pies and more! (My final thought: HOLD ON! This recipe might be my answer to quickly using a whole lot of soy sauce! Hahaha)