Do you enjoy a good mystery? Do you like to try to solve puzzles? If so, maybe you will enjoy "The Passwords," a new short story that I have written.
I have now posted the The Passwords: Part 6-The Finale on my A Passionate Foodie: Fiction blog. This is the final chapter in that story.
Check it out and see what happens when the thugs confront Brian outside the hotel. Will he be killed? What will happen to the evidence? Can Brian outwit them?
I hope you enjoy!
Friday, January 18, 2008
Sake Review Contest
Just a reminder that I am holding a Sake Review contest this month. You can win two books on Sake and all you have to do to enter the contest is drink and review a bottle of Sake.
Check out my prior post for all the details.
This is your chance to try a chilled Sake, to taste what is like. Why not take that chance? You might find find a new drink that you enjoy.
Check out my prior post for all the details.
This is your chance to try a chilled Sake, to taste what is like. Why not take that chance? You might find find a new drink that you enjoy.
Saké in Australia?
Can you find Saké down under? Or is Shiraz all you will find?
As I mentioned before, Japan is not the only country to produce Sake, though it certainly is the largest and most important producer. The United States has several Saké breweries. But where else is Saké made? Well there is one Saké brewery in Australia.
In 1996, the Sun Masamune company, owned by Konishi Brewing Co. Ltd , constructed a Saké brewery at Penrith near Sydney. Konishi is a renowned brewery in Japan with over four hundred years of experience. The current Toji of Sun Masamune is Hirofumi Uchiyama, a well known specialist from Nada district of Japan. The brewery produces about 1 million liters of Saké each year. The vast majority of their Saké is exported to Japan, though some of their production is supposed to be exported to the U.S.
Their brand line is named "Go-Shu" and the two Japanese characters that make up that represent the words "Australian Saké" and phonetically translates as "Australia."
Go-Shu Saké is brewed using pure water from the Blue Mountains and high quality Japonica rice grown in Australia. Their general style of Saké is Tanrei Karakuchi (which means "light and dry"), a style I enjoy very much. But they may start creating some other styles as well.
Some of their products include: Go-Shu Premium Junmai Saké (semi-dry), Go-Shu Premium Nama Junmai Saké (semi-sweet), Go-Shu Blue Super Premium Junmai Ginjo Saké (medium-dry), Go-Rin Superior Australian Junmai Ginjo Saké (semi-sweet), and Go-Shu 40 Ultra Premium Junmai Dai Ginjo Saké (dry).
They also make Tsunami, a Sparkling Saké Cocktail with Lychee & Muscat Flavor. It is a ready-to-drink cocktail with only a 4.5% alcohol content.
I have not seen or tasted any of this Australian Saké yet but I am intrigued by it. The company obviously has much experience and skill in Saké brewing. But what would be the impact of Australian grown rice? I will keep an eye out for it.
As I mentioned before, Japan is not the only country to produce Sake, though it certainly is the largest and most important producer. The United States has several Saké breweries. But where else is Saké made? Well there is one Saké brewery in Australia.
In 1996, the Sun Masamune company, owned by Konishi Brewing Co. Ltd , constructed a Saké brewery at Penrith near Sydney. Konishi is a renowned brewery in Japan with over four hundred years of experience. The current Toji of Sun Masamune is Hirofumi Uchiyama, a well known specialist from Nada district of Japan. The brewery produces about 1 million liters of Saké each year. The vast majority of their Saké is exported to Japan, though some of their production is supposed to be exported to the U.S.
Their brand line is named "Go-Shu" and the two Japanese characters that make up that represent the words "Australian Saké" and phonetically translates as "Australia."
Go-Shu Saké is brewed using pure water from the Blue Mountains and high quality Japonica rice grown in Australia. Their general style of Saké is Tanrei Karakuchi (which means "light and dry"), a style I enjoy very much. But they may start creating some other styles as well.
Some of their products include: Go-Shu Premium Junmai Saké (semi-dry), Go-Shu Premium Nama Junmai Saké (semi-sweet), Go-Shu Blue Super Premium Junmai Ginjo Saké (medium-dry), Go-Rin Superior Australian Junmai Ginjo Saké (semi-sweet), and Go-Shu 40 Ultra Premium Junmai Dai Ginjo Saké (dry).
They also make Tsunami, a Sparkling Saké Cocktail with Lychee & Muscat Flavor. It is a ready-to-drink cocktail with only a 4.5% alcohol content.
I have not seen or tasted any of this Australian Saké yet but I am intrigued by it. The company obviously has much experience and skill in Saké brewing. But what would be the impact of Australian grown rice? I will keep an eye out for it.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Wokka Saki: Saké & Vodka
I love both Saké and Vodka so what would a blend of the two produce? Offhand, it seems like a winning combination. But what is the reality?
Recently, while dining at Haru I tasted their Sakétini, a combination of Vodka, Saké and Plum wine. I enjoyed the Sakétini, the Saké and Vodka blending well. So there was some proof that I was correct.
And now I have tested that combination once again. Would I find more support? Or would I find an unflattering mix?
Wokka Saki is a new liquor, a combination of Vodka, Saké and Asian fruits. Tim Day created Wokka (Japanese for "vodka") Saki in 2002. He was inspired by the legendary Juhyo, or "snow monsters" of Mount Zao in Japan.
Each year, between January and March, potent winds from the west, across the Siberian plains, blow across the Sea of Japan. The wind becomes heavy with frozen vapor before striking the coast and rising over the Asahi Mountains. Mount Zao is covered by many giant conifers and these winds bring much snow and ice which cover the trees. The shape of the trees is distorted by the snow and ice and they seem to resemble monsters. These are called Juhyo and there is even an annual "snow monster" festival. So for Wokka Saki, western wine (represented by the Vodka) thus meet the eastern environment (represented by the Saké).
Tim Day sought out a master blender to help him create Wokka Saki. After about 500 attempts, they created Wokka Saki. Wokka Saki is a blend of micro-distilled British wheat vodka (80%), premium Honjozo Saké (20%), and a subtle flavor of Asian fruit. It is 80 proof, like most Vodkas. Day won't say which specific Asian fruits are added to the blend.
Production takes place at the 200 year old Thames Distillery in London under the control of master distiller, Charles Maxwell. The Vodka is first microdistilled in a single, stainless steel pot still. This 400 liter pot still is known as "Tom Thumb." The Vodka is then blended with Saké and a bit of Asian fruit added.
I bought a bottle of Wokka Saki at Astor Wines & Spirits in New York City. I placed the bottle in the freezer and took it out the other night to try it. The Wokka was thick and almost looked syrupy from having been in the freezer. It was a very smooth drink without any bite. There was a prominent taste of nectarine and a slighter tinge of maybe peach. Unlike some other flavored Vodkas, the fruit flavors were not overly sweet or cloying. Instead, you got the fruit flavors without a sugar rush. I really do not think you taste the Saké but then the Wokka is predominantly Vodka. But the addition of the Saké may actually serve to mellow the Vodka.
This is probably one of the best flavored Vodkas I have had in sometime. It could be drank on the rocks, or combined into a cocktail. I am sure the flavor of the Wokka would complement many different cocktails. I enjoy the subdued fruit flavors, especially as they are not overly sweet. I recommend that you check out the Wokka Saki.
Recently, while dining at Haru I tasted their Sakétini, a combination of Vodka, Saké and Plum wine. I enjoyed the Sakétini, the Saké and Vodka blending well. So there was some proof that I was correct.
And now I have tested that combination once again. Would I find more support? Or would I find an unflattering mix?
Wokka Saki is a new liquor, a combination of Vodka, Saké and Asian fruits. Tim Day created Wokka (Japanese for "vodka") Saki in 2002. He was inspired by the legendary Juhyo, or "snow monsters" of Mount Zao in Japan.
Each year, between January and March, potent winds from the west, across the Siberian plains, blow across the Sea of Japan. The wind becomes heavy with frozen vapor before striking the coast and rising over the Asahi Mountains. Mount Zao is covered by many giant conifers and these winds bring much snow and ice which cover the trees. The shape of the trees is distorted by the snow and ice and they seem to resemble monsters. These are called Juhyo and there is even an annual "snow monster" festival. So for Wokka Saki, western wine (represented by the Vodka) thus meet the eastern environment (represented by the Saké).
Tim Day sought out a master blender to help him create Wokka Saki. After about 500 attempts, they created Wokka Saki. Wokka Saki is a blend of micro-distilled British wheat vodka (80%), premium Honjozo Saké (20%), and a subtle flavor of Asian fruit. It is 80 proof, like most Vodkas. Day won't say which specific Asian fruits are added to the blend.
Production takes place at the 200 year old Thames Distillery in London under the control of master distiller, Charles Maxwell. The Vodka is first microdistilled in a single, stainless steel pot still. This 400 liter pot still is known as "Tom Thumb." The Vodka is then blended with Saké and a bit of Asian fruit added.
I bought a bottle of Wokka Saki at Astor Wines & Spirits in New York City. I placed the bottle in the freezer and took it out the other night to try it. The Wokka was thick and almost looked syrupy from having been in the freezer. It was a very smooth drink without any bite. There was a prominent taste of nectarine and a slighter tinge of maybe peach. Unlike some other flavored Vodkas, the fruit flavors were not overly sweet or cloying. Instead, you got the fruit flavors without a sugar rush. I really do not think you taste the Saké but then the Wokka is predominantly Vodka. But the addition of the Saké may actually serve to mellow the Vodka.
This is probably one of the best flavored Vodkas I have had in sometime. It could be drank on the rocks, or combined into a cocktail. I am sure the flavor of the Wokka would complement many different cocktails. I enjoy the subdued fruit flavors, especially as they are not overly sweet. I recommend that you check out the Wokka Saki.
Carp Drinking Saké
You learn something new all the time.
Timely, as this is Saké month on my blog, I read a recent article in the Mainichi Daily News about an interesting Japanese ceremony involving Saké and carp. Yes, the fish. And unlike my previous post talking about using sea creatures as drinking vessels, these carp have a far more important function.
On January 7, in a tradition extending back to the Edo Period (1603-1868 A.D.), a ceremony was held in which carp were fed Saké to symbolically take on people's calamities. Once the carp have drank the Saké, they are released back into a river. It seems similar to something like a scapegoat. Those participating in the ceremony were of certain ages thought to be prone to calamities, of ages 25 and 42 for men and ages 19 and 33 for women.
Anyone care to feed a cod some Cabernet?
Timely, as this is Saké month on my blog, I read a recent article in the Mainichi Daily News about an interesting Japanese ceremony involving Saké and carp. Yes, the fish. And unlike my previous post talking about using sea creatures as drinking vessels, these carp have a far more important function.
On January 7, in a tradition extending back to the Edo Period (1603-1868 A.D.), a ceremony was held in which carp were fed Saké to symbolically take on people's calamities. Once the carp have drank the Saké, they are released back into a river. It seems similar to something like a scapegoat. Those participating in the ceremony were of certain ages thought to be prone to calamities, of ages 25 and 42 for men and ages 19 and 33 for women.
Anyone care to feed a cod some Cabernet?
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