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you're looking to purchase Saké
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What
is Saké and how do you serve it? Read on....
What is saké? Is it a beer,
wine, or spirit? Saké is a beverage fermented from rice, which is a grain. This
would make it more of a beer than a wine. Yet, saké is not carbonated, and its
flavor is closer to wine than beer, although it is indeed uniquely different
from wine. Saké is not a distilled beverage, and is not even remotely related to
gin, vodka or other spirits. The alcohol content of saké is generally between
15% and 17%.
What is the ideal temperature
for serving saké? Higher grades of saké taste best slightly chilled. A lot of
good saké goes well warmed, but not too hot - 118 degrees F (48 C) is a good
temperature. I know of two ways to heat saké at home: There is the double-boiler
method: Pour saké into the tokkuri, then place it in a pan of water on the
stove on medium heat. And the Microwave: Heat, then check every 20 seconds or
so until the desired temperature is reached. Different temperatures will
enhance the flavor of different saké, so you might want to experiment. Piping
hot saké is from decades ago when saké was not at the level it is now and
heating it was how to get the best flavor. Times have changed, but in Japan as
well as in the US, a lot of cheap saké is still served very
hot.
Since saké
is a delicate alcoholic beverage that is sensitive to heat and light, it should
be stored in a cool, dark place. Refrigeration is recommended. Exposing saké to
sunlight can change its taste and color, and exposure to air can reduce the
quality quickly. This means once you have opened a bottle, it's best
to finish it soon.
Cold saké is becoming very popular. I have tried a few and added my
comments on each one (hot and cold).
I still personally prefer a good quality
saké warmed, even if it is intended to be
served cold. That's just me. But don't be
afraid to experiment
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Plum
Wine - (umeshu) |
Hot
and Cold
Saké
*I
have tried some of the "cold" sakes
warm and they are very smooth!
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UME
NISHIKI
- Sake with plum wine.
If
you have a chance to taste this
excellent cold sake, do it!
Currently priced at $100 per
bottle -
if you can find it.
|
 Haiku
Saké / Origin:
USA/ Smooth
light taste
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The
JIZUKE brand
Plum Wine -
Excellent clean
taste, and like
Choya, has marinated
plums inside
the bottle.
Hard to find
and costly,
but worth it.
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 Sho
Chiku Bai / Origin: USA
/ Recommended
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 Choya
- My
personal favorite
- Drink
Recipes
|
 Asian
Pear/Momokawa/ Origin:
Japan
Recommended
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 Takara
- Recommended
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 Napa
Saki
/ Origin: USA
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 Kobai
- Recommended
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 Ozeki
Ginjo Premier/Origin:Japan/USA
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 Kikkoman
Plum Wine - Very Sweet
|
 Hakutsuru
Draft Saké/Origin:
Japan Recommended
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Kinsen
- Haven't
tasted yet
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 Tentaka
Kuni Saké/Origin:Japan
Recommended
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 Black
and Gold Saké/Origin:
Japan/WoW!
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 Gekkeikan
Saké / Origin:
Japan & USA
Recommended
- Always great
to have onhand.
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 Diamond
Junmai Ginjo/Momokawa
/Origin:
Japan Recommended
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Saké Recipes
A little hidden secret here at Sushi
Secrets is Plum Wine or Ume
Shu. Plum wine is
made from fermented plums and shochu
(Japanese white wine) over approximately a year's time. A small amount of it
added to saké makes a delicious cocktail. My personal favorite is Choya because
it is fine enough to drink alone, and for my taste, it blends well with saké. It
is not too sweet like some others.
Saké and Plum Wine - Add one
small cup of plum wine to saké. The exact measurements are one small cup
(ochoko) of plum wine added to an almost full small sized flask (tokkuri) of saké. US measurements are 1/4 cup of plum wine to 1 cup of saké. Heat as
described above. Makes 2 servings for 2 people.
Sakétini - Ingredients: 4 oz
of Vodka, 1 oz of Sake, pickled ginger (gari). Put two slices of pickled ginger
into a shaker, add vodka and sake, then shake. Strain into a frosted martini
glass. Garnish with pickled ginger threaded on a toothpick. Makes one
drink.
Gekkeikan
Banzai Cocktail - 2 oz Gekkeikan Plum Wine, 1 ˝ oz Gekkeikan Sake, Pour over
rocks, add slice of lime or lemon. Makes one drink.
Electric
Lemonade
- Mix 1 ˝ oz. Momokawa Silver saké with lemonade, add a splash of 7-up and
pour over ice. Garnish with a slice of lemon.
String
of Pearls - Mix 2/3 Momokawa Pearl Saké, 1/3 Vodka, add a pearl onion.
Saké Sunrise
- Mix 1 ˝ oz. Momokawa Ruby sake with orange juice, add a splash of 7-up and
pour over ice. Slowly pour grenadine over the top.
Pearl Colada -
Equal amounts of Coco Lopez, pineapple juice, and Momokawa Pearl Saké.
Banzai Tea
- Mix 5 oz. Momokawa Ruby Saké with a splash of Grand Marnier, a splash of
sweet and sour, and a splash of Coke.
Saké Latté -
Mix 2 oz. Momokawa Pearl saké with 2 oz Coffee liqueur. Serve on the
rocks.
Cherry Blossom
- Mix 2 oz. Momokawa Ruby saké with a splash of grenadine. Garnish with a
lime wedge. Serve in a wine glass with the rim salted.
Scarlet Begonia -
Mix 2 oz. Momokawa Diamond saké with 1 oz. Apple cranberry and some lime
juice Serve on the rocks with a slice of lime.
Saké Screwdriver
- Fill glass with ice and add 2 oz. Momokawa Diamond saké.
Top with orange juice.
Proud Mary
- Mix 3 oz. Momokawa Silver saké with 4 oz. Tomato juice, 2 drops Tabasco
sauce, 3 drops Worcestershire sauce, squeeze of lime, salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with Spanish olives and celery stalk.
Purple Haze
- Mix 2 oz. Moonstone Raspberry saké with 4 oz. cranberry juice and a splash
of Chambord.
Silver
Sunset
- Mix 5 oz of Momokawa Silver with 1/2 oz of Mandarin Syrup.
Shake with ice and pour into martini glass. Garnish with a
strawberry.
Ruby Sunrise
- Mix 1.5 oz of Momokawa Ruby saké with 3 oz. of Orange Juice and a splash of
7-up. Pour over ice. Top with grenadine. Garnish with orange slice and
maraschino cherry.
Chocolate Dream -
Mix 5oz of Momokawa Pearl saké with .5 oz. of chocolate syrup. Shake with
ice and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with chocolate stick. Optional:
Moisten rim of martini glass and dip into cocoa powder.
Mellow Melon
- Mix 3 oz of Moonstone Asian Pear saké with 1 oz. Melon syrup, 1 oz of
orange juice. Shake with ice and pour into martini glass. Garnish with melon
or kiwi.
Orange Creamsicle
- Mix two sugar cubes with fresh orange juice. Mix with 3 oz. Momokawa
Pearl saké, 1 oz cream. Shake with ice and pour into a martini glass. Garnish
with orange slice.
Plum Soda -
Pour Moonstone Plum saké over ice in high ball glass. Add Club soda. Garnish with maraschino cherry.
Fuzzy Peach
- Mix 3 oz of Moonstone Peach saké with 4 oz of fresh squeezed orange juice. Garnish with orange or peach slice.
Pineapple Pearl
- Mix 4 oz. of Momokawa Pearl saké with 2 oz. pineapple juice, 1/2 oz. vanilla
syrup. Shake with ice, and pour into a martini glass. Garnish with pineapple
slice.
Submitted
by
BANDIT - Blue Bush
Warm 1 oz Sake together
with 1 oz Blue Curacao
in cordial glass
placed in warm water. Place unstemmed
cherry in bottom of
glass. On the side in a
shot glass, place 1/2
oz Frangelico. After drinking
Blue Bush, shoot
the Frangelico then
eat the cherry.
If
you have a recipe you want added here, just send it to me
:-)
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