has anyone heard of this stuff?

Conte's secret, if temperamental, ingredient is sake kasu, or the lees that
remain after sake fermentation. A popular umami booster in Japan, kasu is
still mostly unknown in the United States. Sold in blocks, the soft,
crumbly sake looks like a cross between tofu and puff pastry dough and has
an enticing, yeasty, fruity aroma. Mixed into marinades, it adds an
indescribable oomph to meat and fish. "There are no good words for it. It's
not like anything you've tasted before," says Conte.

more at:

<http://voices.washingtonpost.com/all-we-can-eat/chefs/kasu-the-next-it-ingredient.html?wpisrc=nl_buzz>

cshenk? steve?

your pal,
blake