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Welcome to the sixteenth installment of America's sake-centric
newsletter. As we say goodbye to 2005 – The Year Of Sake – I would
like to thank all of you readers for your loyal and vocal support. It
has been a good year and I look forward to 2006, but first let's just
make it through the damn Holidays! Whether you're lighting candles or
digging into stockings remember that sake makes special occasions more
special. When you see snow or rain, think rice and water, and may all
of your wishes come TRUE!
In this issue:
The Find – A 50 Year-Old Bottle of Sake
Last Month I flew back to the Midwest to attend a 40th Birthday
celebration for a cousin of mine. He was my best friend growing up and
was my roommate freshmen year in college. Of course I came loaded with
some excellent sake for the party. I brought an "ishobin" (1.8L
bottle) of Koshino Kanbai "Muku" Junmai from Niigata and another
ishobin of Wakatake Junmai Dai Ginjo from Shizouka. That was for the
masses, but for my cousin I brought a bottle of Kakunko (from the
makers of Sato no Homare in Ibaraki Prefecture – established in 1147),
which is a Junmai Dai Ginjo that has been milled to 27%. These are all
excellent sakes, but would pale in comparison (from a sake savant's
perspective) to a bottle that presented itself in the most unusual of
ways.
The party was held in the house that my cousin had grown up in –
filled with so many memories – that had recently been sold and was
standing empty. Well almost empty! As the party rang out upstairs, I
decided to venture through the basement to remember some of those
great moments of being a young dumb kid. Four empty compressions in
the carpet where a pool table had once stood, a hole in the wood
paneling where an errant dart had made its mark, and other beautiful
reminders filled my thoughts. On a whim I decided to open a door that
led to a room that always freaked me out. It was a puny little room,
where a gym set-up has once lived. One of those great 70's-style all
in one units that looked more like a maze than a piece of fitness
equipment. When the light went on the gym was gone. Nothing was in the
room except for some boxes, the kind that look on first impression
like the kind of boxes filled with junk that didn't make the move. The
"Island of Misfit Boxes."
As I turned to leave the room, my hand swiping down on the light
switch, I thought that I noticed a bottle with a cap bearing kanji
sticking up out of the pile of misfit boxes. "Not a chance!" I thought
to myself as I let the door close behind me. But something drew me
back. I had had several glasses of sake, but I was not yet close to
hallucinating, or was I? The scant image of a sake bottle got the best
of me and I went back into the room and waded through the swamp of
boxes left for dead. And there it was. A brown bottle with a gold
sided-cap with a black top. And yes it was kanji and yes it was a
bottle of sake.
I pulled the bottle out of the box and noticed immediately that it was
a bottle of Ozeki sake, which is of course one of the major brewers of
sake from Hyogo Prefecture. "Drat" I thought to myself hoping that it
would be some exotic small brewery's efforts that I was holding. But
my "drat" quickly turned into a low and pronounced "DAMN!" Once in my
hands I started going over inch of the label and that's when I spotted
it. The date, which was typed on the label as if it had been done so
by using an old fashioned typewriter, read 56.8.4. And thank god the
bottle was full!
Not many people have ever held a fifty-year-old bottle of sake in
their hands, and I darn near dropped it upon closer inspection. The
Ozeki label itself looks almost identical to today's labels except for
a long drawn single horizontal line at the bottom. What is unusual is
the fact that everything is in English and French. "Refined Japanese
Sake" "Sake Japonais Raffine" "Since – Dupuis 1711" "Produit Du Japon"
The funny thing were the words "Dry Sec."
The bottle is clear light brown in color and the cap does not have the
twist off metal ring that separates from the cap when opening one of
today's bottles. Also there is an uncommon thickening of the neck
right under the cap, which almost resembles a Belgian beer bottle. The
alcohol percentage is 16.5%, which is arguably a little more
pronounced than the similarly made sake of today.
I am certain that you must be asking, "What in the hell does the sake
look like?" Well the answer is that there is some serious "snot in the
pool" lumps of "stuff" on the bottom and suspended chunks in the
middle. Could these be piles of floating amino acids that have "come
together" over the years? Is it the impurities such as the remaining
fats, minerals, and proteins that have gone south? In all likelihood
it is a combination of both. The alcohol content was not high enough
for the fluid to remain "fixed." Essentially the sake has rotted in
certain parts of its make-up. It has not all gone to pot, just certain
elements, and that leaves the door wide open to taste this baby!
Sake is indeed perishable. It should be consumed within 12-18 months
to get the brewers exact feeling and flavor. What happens next is both
a consequence of nature and luck. Some sakes die harder and faster.
They say Dai Ginjos live longer on account of the fact that more of
the impurities have been removed and are less likely to rot than a
Junmai for example. That said I was staring a 50 year-old Junmai in
the face and it didn't look like it had gone that bad. (Spoken with
rose-colored glasses)
People have asked me, what's a bottle of sake like that worth? The
answer is about as much as the change in your pocket. This is no
exotic French Bordeaux with sulfites for preservation. This is rice
and watered pasteurized fifty years ago. The value comes in the form
of a glimmer of history in the sake world. And I will try to hunt down
more info about the how and what's to expect if and when this sucker
ever gets opened. (I'll keep you posted or I'll see ya in the
emergency room!)
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New Year's Day – The Historical Use of Sake
What if I told you that all of your ills and bad lucks to come would
go away if you offered somebody a cup of sake? What if I told you that
you could make amends for all of your "transgressions" if you offered
a cup of sake to a stranger? And what if I told you that you could
become as rich and famous as you so desire if you offered a cup of
sake to somebody other than yourself? Hmmmmm I am saying that most of
you would say show me the bottle!
The history of sake is not as crude as this, but it has always been a
mainstay when praying to the gods. Sake has always and will always be
an offering of sorts to those greater than ourselves for anything from
producing a banner crop this year to having that boy that you always
wanted. Most every religion in Japan incorporated the use of sake to
make offerings and to bless things, lands, people etc. Sake was and
will continue to be the elixir that defines a country's morays and
traditions, and it has both an ancient and modern usage.
No other day sees the "need" for sake like New Year's Day. This was
the day that fathers would welcome gods into their houses for a sip of
sake and humble words. I have not witnessed this act in person, but I
have both been told in great detail and have read the typical process
to make an effective offering. Essentially the head of the house would
put on his best clothes, have a small food offering of high quality,
and of course would have an o'choko of sake poured for the arrival of
the god. They would first walk around the house speaking about its
contents and any stories that the year had provided. Then they would
sit for a bit of sake and food. And lastly the cup – sill filled –
would be placed in a shrine if the household had one. Sound weird? I
don't think so. Don't we all have that imaginary friend that we talk
to?
Typically sake is opened the night before on New Year's Eve to
celebrate, and what is left over is steeped in herbs for the evening
and then served warm on New Year's Day. And yes kids get to have some.
(How cool is that?) They celebrate well-being and life appreciation.
It is an opportunity to be thankful and to ask for a special favor if
needed. All in all it represents another way that sake is meshed into
the fabric of Japanese culture and tradition, and it bears trying here
in the US.
I say grab a bottle of sake for New Year's eve – if you like the
bubbly we have 6 different sparkling sakes – ring in the New Year and
then save a little bit for the next day. And whilst watching college
football bowl games warm a cup of sake and be thankful!
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Recapping Kani-Sake Night
Many readers who cannot make certain True Sake tasting events always
ask if I could offer a summary of the occasion. It would be my honor
to do so for the most amazing crab pairing that I have ever been
involved with. On November 16, fifteen lucky folks went to Toraya
Restaurant in Japan Town (not the Fillmore location) and were witness
to crab served 9 different ways paired with sake. Chef Scott Kudo and
his wife Motomi and daughter Mina produced flavors that I have never
tasted before. It was truly an amazing pairing and Scott has committed
to doing it again next year when Kani season opens.
Herewith is the menu with the pairings in brief:
Welcome Sake – Hoyo Manamusume "Farmer's Daughter" From Miyagi. (I
selected this sake to start rather than a Dai Ginjo because I wanted
people to have a solid base with a nice acidity balance)
First Course – Crab Sunomono "crab and seaweed in a sweet vinegar."
Paired with Otokoyama Fukkoshu "Man's Mountain" From Hokkaido. (I
selected this sake because it is a genshu with a very high acidity
level. It is also quite deep and richly sweet. This was voted one of
the top pairings of the evening as the sweetness and acidity popped
with the vinegar)
Second Course – Fresh boiled crab from Japan and the US with a
ginger ponzu. Paired with Mukune "Root of Innocence" from Osaka
Prefecture. (I selected this sake because I wanted the gentle
sweetness of Mukune to dance with the natural sweetness of the crab,
and the higher acidity level worked well with the ginger ponzu.)
Third Course – Kani miso "fresh crab guts." Paired with Juyundai
"14th Generation" from Yamagata Prefecture. (I selected this Koshu –
aged – Junmai to meet the large flavor of the guts, and I wanted the
higher acidity to pair well with the richness of the crab essence.
This was my favorite pairing of the night)
Fourth Course – Crab sushi and sashimi. Paired with Mineno Hakubai
"White Plum Blossom" from Niigata. (I selected this sake to pair
with the sushi because I like the flavor created by this single
pasteurized Ginjo with rice. There is a flintiness that really cooks
with richness of the crab and the rice.)
Fifth Course – Crab Croquettes "Fried crab and potato balls with a
sweet miso sauce." Paired with Gokyo "Five Bridges" from Yamaguchi
Prefecture. (I selected this Junmai as it has "that" Junmai flavor
that goes so well with fried foods and also has a deep a rich
sweetness that worked really well with the miso sauce.)
Sixth Course – Kani Chowamushi "fresh crab custard served in the
crab shell" Paired with Meibo Yowano Tsuki "Midnight Moon" From
Aichi Prefecture. (I selected this sake because "MM" has a hidden
layer of sweetness in a pretty dry sake that worked extremely well
with natural sweetness of the eggs and crab and yet was dry to play
with the savoriness.)
Seventh Course – Kani Sawagari "tempura min crabs" Paired with
Kikusakari Asamurasaki "Red Rice" from Ibaraki Prefecture. (I picked
this sake because it is weird just like eating small crabs whole,
and for other reasons such as a meaty/earthy sweetness that went
very well with the tempura crunch.)
Eighth Course – Kani Zosui "Crab in a rice porridge" Paired with
Narutotai Hiyaoroshi "Autumn Draft" from Tokushima Prefecture. (I
paired this sake with the porridge because I served it Nuru-kan
(lightly warmed) and the deep "hammerhead" flavors came out swinging
against the largely rice based concoction. This was my second
favorite pairing of the evening.)
Ninth Course – Kani-zake "hot sake served in a crab shell." Paired
with Otokoyama "Man's Mountain" from Hokkaido. (This was the dish
that Scott spoke to me about several months back that gave me the
idea for kani-sake night. We paired this dish with the dryness of
the sake in hopes that the crab remains would dance with the hot
dryness of the Tokubetsu Junmai. And it did!)
My mouth was watering as I wrote this remembering all those killer
flavors, and how each one had a purpose that was paired to highlight
that purpose. If we offer this event next year, a word to the wise,
book it immediately. And if you are looking for a quite little sushi
shack with a great family who really look after you then pop by Toraya
in Japan Town and tell Scott that True Sake sent you!
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Holiday 2005 Gift Giving Guide – The Perfect Gift!
Okay relax. Take a deep breath and do not succumb to the pressure.
Don't get your mango in a tango and just relax in your slacks! True
Sake has you covered. From books on sake (sadly mine will not be
released until March) to sake sets, and from amazingly packaged sakes
to plain old reliable gift certificates for sake we have whatever you
need to make you look like the star gift giver this holiday season.
Herewith are some slam dunk gifts that just rock!
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The most amazingly packaged bottle of Kinpaku (gold leaf) sake
that comes in a killer box with two sake glasses (not cups). The
sake just so happens to be Beau's father's favorite sake. Wakaebisu
Junmai Ginjo Kinpaku 720ml set $65.
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A replica "jug" of tremendous honjozo sake from the brewery
Takenotsuyu that comes with it's own o'choko (cup) on the top of the
traditional bottle. The sake is incredibly smooth, but not as smooth
as the stylish jug that comes in a beautiful box. Takenotsuyu
Honjozo 720ml $40.
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Sara Wind is a perfectly packaged quick hit gift that makes for a
great drinking experience. This gift perfect sake is featured on the
home page of the
True Sake website. It is a great
Junmai that comes in a bandana-like cloth covering that conceals a
glass o'choko (cup). At $25 this 500ml is perfect as a stocking
stuffer.
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For all of those who love Himezen from Ichinokura – and that is
pretty much everybody as this has become one of the best selling
unique sakes in the store – we have an extremely limited number of
gift packages that would make you drool! An amazing paper-parting
box reveals Himezen with a beautiful paper cap that is tied with
leather! Great sake and tremendous packaging. Ichinokura Himezen
Junmai $35/500ml.
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One of the tried and true gift giving sakes is the superb Dai
Ginjo from Umenishiki that comes in the massive red velvet box.
Known as the "Red Box" in Japan this sake is pure pleasure in the
most confident packaging in the store. Umenishiki Junmai Dai Ginjo
"Red Box" $65/720ml
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For those who love stylish packaging and are looking for the "cut-
above" feeling of supreme sakes please inquire about Sudo Honke's
"Kakunko" $150/720ml and Kotsuzumi's Rojohanaari $150/720ml. Two of
the most divine and expensive sakes in the store. Hell buy a case!
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And for those who have it all, but have never tried the most
exclusive sake every made, True Sake is in possession of 9 more
bottles of the most sought after sake in Japan. Few Westerners have
ever even heard about this sake that has been polished to 17%.
Herewith is what the description at the store reads, and let me say
that the box that this baby comes in is both massive and amazing. It
is hand painted, but what else would you expect from an $850 bottle
of sake? This represents the most expensive sake ever made available
in the US.
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Kamenokou 17 Hyogo Prefecture.
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Ultra Junmai Dai Ginjo
SMV: +4 Acidity: 1.3
This is the most sought after sake in Japan. Only 300 bottles
are released each year, and these are the first and only in the
US. Each grain of rice is polished to an astounding 17%, which
cannot be achieved by regular milling methods. The "extinct"
rice (Kameno O) that they use must be milled on a traditional
water wheel for 4 days. If one were to speak about perfection
look no further as this genshu is the pinnacle of the sake
brewing world. Without a doubt this is the first time that
Kamenokou 17 has been made available to Westerners. Descriptions
do not do justice.
WORD: Pinnacle
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New Store Arrivals – Foxes and Shadows (Don't Forget The Harvest Moon)
True Sake would like to welcome two new unusual sakes that are swell
enough to make the grade. The first is an Usu-nigori (lightly
unfiltered) from the brilliant makers of Mukune in Osaka, and the
second is a plump Ginjo called Bride of the Fox from Niigata.
And here again – as it is only released in November – is the return of
the ultra Dai Ginjo from the makers of Manju called Tokugetsu. This
sake is polished to 28% and is a must try beast that represents the
best that Niigata has to offer.
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Mukune "Shadows of Katano"
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Osaka Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo Nigori
SMV: +5 Acidity: 1.5
What a splendid aroma profile splashed with powdered sugar, cream,
lemon marange and hint of banana hues. From a soulful brewery
comes a soulful unfiltered sake that is lighter than most "in your
face sweet fluffy" brews. This sedate and elegant nigori has hints
of richness that speaks to the Ginjo flavors such as apple pear,
young banana, and green grapes. The bigger the glass the deeper
the richness, and the better the view. Such a soft nigori that is
quite a reprieve from dumbed-down sweet-n-cheap bar nigori.
WORD: Elegant
WINE: Merlot/Chardonnay
BEER: Creamy ales
FOODS: Mac and Cheese, dry cheeses, picnic fare.
$15/300ml
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Kanbara "Bride of the Fox"
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Niigata Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo
SMV: +3 Acidity: 1.6
Behold a brilliant nose filled with green grapes, minerals, wheat,
and steamed rice. This Ginjo is a Totem Pole of personalities and
each flavor has a face. Look high for deep and rich chocolate
tones and peer low for a creaminess that screams "empty cup." The
richness is the real play with this sake, as the depth and feel
come forth when you use a larger drinking vessel. A cold weather
Ginjo that has a warmth that red wine lovers could sink their
teeth into.
WORD: Layered
WINE: Cabs-Zins/White Burgundy
BEER: Belgian Ales
FOODS: Pasta, soups, cooked fish, and your favorite hamburger.
$16/300ml
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Tokugetsu "Harvest Moon"
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Niigata Prefecture. Ultra Junmai Dai Ginjo
SMV: +2 Acidity: 1.3
This sake is the "step above" from the makers of Manju and Hekiju
(Kubota). Each grain of rice has been milled to 28% and the nose
is filled with hints of apricot, flower blossoms, salt water and
koji rice. Perhaps one of the "cleanest" like water sakes on the
planet. A phantom sake where you do not remember swallowing. The
watery feeling and taste is amazing, and deep within there is a
layer of fruit tones. It is a seasonal sake in that they only
release this sake in the Fall, when it's gone you will kick
yourself for another year.
WORD: Crystal Clean
WINE: Soft reds/most whites
BEER: Ales
FOODS: Oysters, sashimi, shellfish.
$85/720ml
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You can review many of our sakes on our web site:
www.truesake.com
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Sake Spotlight – "Gassan"
This month I want to take a look at a Junmai Ginjo that recently made
its way into my sake realm. On average distributors and brewers
present me with 10-15 new sakes per month, and I must determine if
they would make my customers stand up and take notice. I will speak
more about this process in a future Newsletter, but for now I would
like to "Spotlight" a sake that made the cut for a number of reasons.
To help me present this sake I have asked a fellow sake sommelier
named Eric Swanson, who until last month, was the head sake director
for the MGM Grand and more importantly for the restaurant Shibuya in
Las Vegas. Eric lived in Japan for quite some time and is married to a
gal (Yuno) who is also a sake sommelier. He now resides in NYC and is
a sake consultant to restaurants on the East coast.
Herewith are Eric's thoughts on the sake called Gassan:
Gassan "Moon Mountain" Junmai Ginjo, Shimane Prefecture
Tired of floral, fruity sakes? Are you longing for something more
traditional? Gassan is just that sake. When the aromas of this ginjo
hit your nose there is no banana, no cherry, no violet, perhaps a
hint of almond, but more than anything a very pleasant porridge like
quality. On the palate you can feel this incredibly, soft water
give your tongue a hug. Gassan is not too sweet not too dry.
Umami, that elusive quality that accentuates the flavors of the sake
but also the foods you pair with it, is ever-present. A nice
acidity and a slightly meaty backbone make this sake very food
friendly. Serve slightly chilled or room temperature.
Shimane is famous for its soba and beef, both of these dishes would
come alive with Gassan. With such a classic sake it is only natural
to pair it with local cuisine.
At my last job we had a dish with truffle oil. The meaty back bone
and the acidity stood up to the truffle oil and was a great pairing
for the dish. I think it would be fun to pair this sake with a
pasta dish or tar tare with truffle oil.
Yoshida Brewery was established in 1826, nestled in the mountainside
in eastern Shimane. The water from this brewery comes from a spring
that has been in use since 1666. The local castle would use this
water for their tea ceremony. The mountain on which the castle sat
is named Gassan, "Moon Mountain", the namesake of this great sake.
Thanks Eric! I will have to agree that this sake has a certain
characteristic that sets it apart from the usual crowd of light and
floral Ginjos. It has a meatiness and one of my favorite features in a
sake a "fat" profile that envelops the mouth with pounds of flavor.
Hidden amongst some deep grains and as Eric said "porridge" qualities
I find a very delicate vein of pineapple, which is also present in the
aroma in a white wine glass. Herewith is my review of Gassan:
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Gassan "Moon Mountain"
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Shimane Prefecture. Junmai Ginjo
SMV: +4 Acidity:1.4
The nose on this sake is filled with blackberries, minerals,
steamed rice and hint of pineapple. This is a deep Ginjo that
drinks really easy but has loads of amazing flavors. Be on the
look out for hints of oats, cotton, and a vein of pineapple. It is
viscous and chewy, and the plumpness is all the more enjoyable as
there is a vast wave of flavor in each sip. And behold an overall
umami quality that is hard to describe but easy to sense. Plump
and soft it is definitely a mouth feel-good brew.
WORD: Pineapple
WINE: Pinot Noir/plump whites
BEER: Full-bodied ales
FOODS: Pairs really well with garlic and oils, and fear not
anything off of the grill.
Gassan sells for $14/300ml bottle. It is a perfect gift for the
"foodies" in your family!
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Special Events
December 7 – Winter Sake Tasting/Food Pairing
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When: Wednesday, December 7th 6:00-8:30
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Where: Medicine New-Shojin Eatstation 161 Sutter Street at the
Crocker Galleria (Public parking garage nearby)
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What: Blind tasting, family-style sit-down with 5 courses of
seasonal winter dishes.
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Cost: $40 ($10 to reserve and $30 when you show up please.) Tickets
will be on sale through Tuesday only! 415.355.9555
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January ? – The Funky Sake Tasting
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We have yet to pick a date or a venue, but when we do get ready to
get "FUNKY" as this tasting will explore the weird and exotic side
of the sake world. From the driest to the sweetest and ever weird
thing between, this tasting will stretch the boundaries of sake and
will make for great exploration.
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"Ask Beau" "What's a good recipe for sake cuisine?"
I get about 20 emails per month from people who are looking to take
sake deep into their cooking and eating experiences. As such they are
constantly on the lookout for recipes that either use sake in the
production or better yet go excellently with sake. The good news is
that my book – to be released in March (I think that you may preorder
through B&N and Amazon) – has several outstanding dishes that are easy
to prepare and even easier to consume. But alas the bad news is that I
cannot release those to you yet! So to Mary D. from Spokane
Washington, who wrote "please help me look like I know what I am doing
with a recipe that will impress my husband's Japanese boss" I say
relax because Miwa from True Sake has provided the following ditty
that will make us all look good.
"Kakuni"
Braised tender pork
'Kakuni', translated as braised cubes, has sweet and savory flavors
that go well with full-body Junmai sake, served either 'jo-on' (room
temperature) or 'nuru-kan' (slightly warm). Served along with a side
dish of green would make this dish perfect winter 'tumami' (sake
snack).
INGREDIENTS
Serving: 6-8
3lb pork shoulder or ribs, cut into 2-inch squares
Cooking oil
4 cups of liquid, combination of sake and/or water
1 large ginger chunk, yielding 6 1/8"-thick slices
2 leeks or 'negi' (Japanese leeks)
- Green part, washed well and several pieces saved
- White part, cut into 1"-long pieces
2 tablespoon Chinese dark soy sauce* (When using Japanese soy sauce,
skip the salt)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon course salt
3 to 4 tablespoon brown sugar, not packed
Optional:
6-8 cooked baby bamboo shoots, cut into quarters--available at
Japanese supermarkets
6-8 Shitake mushrooms, cut into halves
TOOLS
1 large knife
1 cutting board
1 flying pan
1 pot with a lid, large enough to lay the meat in one to two layers
1 plate
1 ladle or large spoon
1 wooden or heat-resistance spatula
STEPS
Time: 20 minutes to prepare and 1-1/2 to 2 hours to cook
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Sear the meat.
Heat the pan over high heat and pore the oil just enough to coat
the surface. When the oil heated brown each piece of meat but not
over crowding the pan. Once browned, transfer the pieces to a
plate.
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Deglaze the pan.
Once the meat is removed pour out the fat. Place the pan over
medium- high heat and add º to ‡ cup of liquid, either sake or
water. Using the spatula, scrape browned meat juice coating the
pan. Once the liquid starts to boil, turn off the heat.
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Add the ingredients.
In the pot, add seared meat, deglazing liquid from the pan,
ginger slices, leek green, and the rest of liquid enough to cover
‡" over the meat--if not enough liquid, add more. Bring the
liquid close to boiling over high heat.
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Remove 'aku' (impurity).
When the liquid starts to boil, turn down to heat to medium.
Using the ladle, skim off impurity that floats on the surface.
This is important.
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Add seasoning.
Add soy sauce, sugar and salt to the meat. Since most of the
liquid evaporates after few hours of braising, it tasting too
light at this stage is fine. The taste can be adjusted at the
very end. (*Chinese dark soy sauce gives nice color and less
salty. When using Japanese soy sauce, skip the salt, also to give
more dark color to the dish, sugar can be caramelized then
added.)
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Slow cook
Turn the heat to low and partially cover the pot with a lid,
being to cook. Occasionally turn the meat gently and skim any
impurity that floats. About 45 minutes into cooking, remove the
leek green and the ginger but add the bamboo shoots.
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After an hour or so of cooking, check the tenderness of the meat.
If fibers of the meat separate easily with a touch of chopstick,
it is almost done. At this point, add pieces of leek white and
cook them until tender for about 10-15 minutes.
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Finishing
After 1-1/2 to 2 hours of cooking, about 1/4" liquid remains in
the pan. Try the sauce with a little of meat and adjust the
tastes if needed.
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Serving
Plate the meat and pour the sauce over. If needed reduce the
sauce or add a little bit of cornstarch to thicken.
Copyright © 2005 Miwa Wang
Thank you Miwa for this dish, which is superb! And for readers who
would like to share their own recipes please send them to me
specifically at askbeau2 @ truesake.com and I may consider starting a new
section within this Newsletter.
Please send your sake specific questions to
askbeau2 @ truesake.com. (This
address is not for general questions and I only review the questions
once per month. All correspondence should use
info @ truesake.com.)
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Secret Word
Ah, at last we have reached the end of this Newsletter and that of
course means that we have come to the now-famous SECRET WORD. For
those that are new the SECRET WORD is a chance for you to try a sake
of note for half of that sake's original price. Just for reading this
Newsletter. It is our way of saying thank you for trying to understand
the wonders of sake. And in this regard we typically select a sake
with a story, and this month's story is "The Champion of the West." We
have selected a very popular Junmai from Oita Prefecture. This silky
as-all-get-out Junmai is from Nishinoseki and represents a brew that
has a very soft texture . Please remember the rules: only one bottle
per reader, and don't tell your buddy at the moment if he/she isn't a
Newsletter subscriber, always use a hushed or secret agent voice when
saying the SECRET WORD, and lastly for those who have their sakes
shipped I can only include the SECRET WORD sake in a four-pack
purchase – meaning you must buy three other sakes. Nishinoseki usually
sells for $24/720ml but for you glorious sake-jockeys your cost is
$12. And the SECRET WORD is Yokozuna (The name for a grand champion in
the sumo wrestling world.)
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Thank you for reading!
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