Sunday, October 24, 2010

Saké News: Food Pairings

Saké and cheese.  It is an excellent pairing, yet many people are unaware if that fact.  At my recent Saké class at the Boston Wine School, the attendees were quite surprised by how well the Saké paired with various cheeses.  In general, Saké pairs well with many diverse foods, and not only Japanese cuisine.

In a recent article of the Japan Times, "Pairing Tips From the Saké Experts" by Melinda Joe, she talked about food pairing with Hiroko Furukawa and Rick Smith, the owners of Sakaya, an all-Saké store in the East Village of New York City.  As one example, Hiroko and Rick mentioned that turkey will pair will tart, flavorful yamahai and kimoto Saké.  Consider that for Thankgiving.

Melinda also spoke with Satoshi Kimijima, a Saké and wine expert, who suggests adding other flavorings to the Saké to make a more intriguing pairing.  For example, if pairing a light dish with a citrus sauce, then add a twist of lemon peel into your Saké.

Kazuo Yamasaki, who teaches a Saké course at the Academy du Vin, believes it will take time for Saké to catch on as a companion to other cuisines. But some producers, like the Katsuyama Shuzo in Miyagi prefecture, are embracing pairings of Saké with non-Japanese cuisine.

Please check out the article for much more information on Saké and food pairings.

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