Understanding Sake
During the Lenten season, our family doesn't eat meat on Friday. This is a great excuse to indulge in one of our favorite foods: sushi. As I dreamed of little bites of unagi and toro, my mouth watered and mind wondered to that amazing nectar that is commonly associated with sushi. That nectar is sake. However, for most people, navigating the delicious world of sake can be a daunting task. By definition, "sake" means alcoholic beverage and there are so many different varieties and styles that shopping for the perfect bottle can be overwhelming. Although most people refer to sake as rice wine, it is actually brewed like beer and the process for making this nectar is often more complicated and complex than wine.
Here are some helpful hints regarding sake:
- Forget the hot stuff. Sake that is served hot is often boiled to hide impurities. Premium sakes are served chilled.
- It's all about the rice. The quality of rice is crucial for good sake. As more and more of the outer rice shell is milled away, the better quality of the sake. Honjozo is the bottom of the premium market with 30% of the outer shell of the rice removed. Ginjo sake removes 40% and Daiginjo removes the most with at least 50-65% of the outer shell removed.
- Smell the sake. Just like wine, you should appreciate the aromatics of sake. The scents tend to be more earthy than wine and vary from lemon zest, cedar, pepper to spring flowers.
- Pairing sake with food. This may be a little tough to navigate as a novice, but as you drink more and more sake, it will become second nature. Pair your light, clean and citrus sakes with sushi, shellfish and seafood. Earthier sakes go great with noodle bowls, vegetable, mushroom and beef dishes. The sweeter sakes pair nicely with poultry dishes, especially duck.
- Drink the bottle the day it is opened. Some people say you can store the sake for a week in the refrigerator, but it loses its qualities pretty fast. Drink it the same day for maximum flavor.
Sake has a slightly more "alcohol" taste on the tongue than wine with a fabulous sweet-sour aftertaste. It is typically served in small wooden or ceramic cups, but serving sake in white wine glasses is perfectly acceptable. Japanese tradition suggests that you pour sake for others and the gesture will be returned to you. Want to know more about sake? I have listed some great resources on the web for you below. Happy Drinking!
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