I’ve discovered Taruzake like no other! I’m pairing my Hungarian Mushroom soup with Yoshinosugi no Taruzake, Omachi Yamahai Junmai from Choryo Shuyzo in Nara, Japan. The sake is fermented in the Brewery’s handmade cedar barrels, and the scent of cedar is beautifully balanced with earthy, mushroom-like flavors. The nose has aromas of rice, forest after […]
I’m studying for another sake certification, and what better dinner for a student than a pizza from my favorite Curry Pizza House. I’m pairing my dinner with Kuroushi Omachi sake. Its earthy, rich, and ricey profile with a touch of funky cheese flavor is a perfect accompaniment for my Indian-themed pizza!
It’s a chilly evening, and I’m having my favorite Curry pizza for dinner. I’m pairing it with Nene Sparkling saké from Sakai Shuzo. A decadent scent of whipped cream and steamed white rice on the nose. There are hints of stone fruits and white flowers wrapped in fine bubbles on the palate. It tastes like […]
Midweek treat: Hou Hou Shu Sparkling Rosé Sake Ice Cream Float with Raspberries. This sparkling sake is made like Champagne and fermented in the bottle. Its beautiful pink shade comes from the infusion of rosehip and hibiscus, and a fresh raspberry on the nose, and tart red fruits on the palate. With tiny delicate bubbles, […]
My go-to winter meal is a bowl of Hungarian Mushroom Soup with crusty French bread smothered with black truffle butter. I’m pairing it with Cowboy Yamahai sake from Niigata. The prefecture is known for masculine-style sake, and this one is big and bold! If you enjoy French Bordeaux that is earthy and complex, then this […]
I made a Japanese dessert called “Fruit Sando” (fruits sandwiched between milk bread slices with tons of Mascarpone whipped cream). I’m pairing it with Hou Hou Shu Rosé Sparkling Sake. With the sake’s added infusion of rosehip and hibiscus, it elevated my dessert to another level of deliciousness!
History and modern science join to give birth to this fascinating sake called Kinokuniya Bunzaemon Junmai Ginjo. The sake name comes from a famous businessman who made his fortune in the Edo Period by transporting Kishu Mikan (Mandarin Oranges) by ship to the capital of Japan, Edo. From its namesake, one might imagine that the […]
Takacho Bodaimoto, Junmai Muroka Genshu sake, is brewed by Yucho Shuzo in Nara, Japan, where a famous flagship brand, Kaze no Mori is also brewed. Takacho Bodaimoto is a sort of time machine. It is made with a traditional method employed by the Buddhist monks that date back to the 1400s. The technique utilizes natural […]
At the end of another politically rough day here in the U.S., it’s time to unplug from it all with a glass of tasty Sake from Kiku-Masamune Kimoto Junmai. I have always gravitated to aromatic and sometimes funky tasting cheese as compared to its bland countertypes. So naturally, my taste for Sake tends to lean […]
I met ‘95 Shafer Hillside Select for the first time in April, 2013. It was at a tasting with John Shafer and Karen MacNeil (author of the Wine Bible) at Shafer Vineyards in Stags Leap district, Napa Valley, while I was taking a Wine Immersion course at the Culinary Institute of America in Saint Helena, […]
