It's November. Season for
sake and
shochu! Well, of course you can enjoy those
Japanese traditional alcoholic beverages all year round, but autumn is actually
one of the best seasons to taste them.
Sake is a kind of rice wine, made from fermented rice. To pair with Japanese
dish such as sushi, sake is a must. In autumn, newly brewed sake made from the
year's rice harvest is released. They are called sinshu,新酒, meaning new sake,
and you can expect fresh aroma and refreshing, clean taste.
If you prefer more matured type of sake, try Hiya-Oroshi, ひやおろし, wich is
available in autumn. Because Hiya-Oroshi is matured during summer and released
without a second pasteurization, it typically features richer flavour and
milder taste.
That means Hiya-Oroshi is also suited for heated sake. Japanese sake is one of
a few alcoholic beverages that can be served chilled or heated. Aroma or taste
of sake changes according to temperature, so it is fun to find out the perfect
temperature for each sake.
Other than sushi, some of Japanese typical home cuisines in autumn to pair with sake include
grilled saury with salt, rightly roasted bonito, or Japanese style stew called
oden. Oden is a dish made of various ingredients such as fish cakes, radish and
boiled egg simmered in soy sauce flavored broth. Hot oden and heated sake are a
perfect match for cold winter.
Don't forget Shochu
Also, don't forget the other traditional alcoholic beverage called Shochu, 焼酎.
November 1st is the Authentic Shochu Day!
Shochu is a distilled alcoholic beverage like vodka or tequila. They are made
from sweet potato, rice, buckwheat or other crops, mainly in Kyushu, the
western part of Japan.
Shochu is classified into two categories: Authentic Shochu, or 'Honkaku
Shochu', which is made in the traditional style, and 'Ko-rui Shochu', which is
made in a more modern style.
Honkaku Shochu is suited for drinking straight, with some ice cubes and / or
water. Many people in Kyushu like to drink Shochu with hot water. My favourite
combination is Honkaku Shochu, hot water and Japanese traditional plum pickles
called 'umeboshi'.
As for Ko-rui Shochu, try a popular cocktail called 'Chuhai' or 'Sour'. It is
made of Shochu, soda, fresh fruits like lemon and grapefruits. If you would
like more Japanese style experience, umeboshi sour is also a good choice.
At the moment in Japan, COVID-19 restrictions are eased and now we can eat and drink in bars and
restaurants again. At KEV, we are planning to offer our sake (and maybe Shochu?)
tasting tour when it's no longer a pandemic. Hope we will be able to see you
soon over some sake!
by Seiko
pictures of sake taken at 'Rokuden' in Monzen-nakacho, Koto-ku, Tokyo
