Though I prefer Saké on its own, it is also a versatile drink that can be used in many different cocktails. As Martinis are currently very fashionable, you are starting to see Saké used in a number of different Martinis. At its easiest, Saké can be used as an interesting substitute in almost any cocktail that calls for vodka and gin.
For example, you could make a simple Saké Martini, substituting Saké for your vodka or gin. Or try a Saké Margarita, Saké Screwdriver, Saké Sunrise, Saké Sour or a Saké Bloody Mary. Such cocktails do not require any other changes except substituting Saké for either main liquor.
In general, if making such a cocktail with Saké, I would recommend that you use Junmai or Honjozo Saké. I would not recommend using a Ginjo or Daiginjo Saké as they are generally more subtle and in a cocktail you would lose many of those flavors. A Junmai or Honjozo are more likely to stand up to the other ingredients in a cocktail.
Nigori Saké is a special case as it tends to have a milky color and be sweeter. It would not be a good substitute for basic cocktails as mentioned above. But, a Nigori would go well in a cocktail that is intended to be sweeter and in which the milky color does not detract. A Nigori Pina Colada might work well or maybe mixing it with some Bailey's to make more of a dessert Martini.
Beside the basic cocktails, restaurants and bars are getting creative with Saké, concocting their own special creations. For example, Haru in Boston has their own version of the Saketini, which contains vodka, Saké, and plum wine. It also has a few thin strips of cucumber in it. This is quite delicious and was not overly sweet.
You can find plenty of other Saké cocktail recipes online. Just do a Google search for "Saké cocktail recipes." But I do want to mention two other intriguing Saké concoctions.
What appears to be an American creation is the infamous Saké bomb. This is not really a cocktail as such, but more just a specific way to drink Saké and beer. You start by filling a beer glass halfway with a Japanese beer like Kirin, Sapporo or Asahi. You could use other beers as well but it is more thematic to use a Japanese beer. Then fill a small Saké cup with warm Saké. Place two chopsticks in a "V" shape atop the beer glass. Carefully balance the Saké cup atop the chopsticks. You then slam your hand down on bar so that the Saké cup falls into beer and you immediately chug the beer and Saké mix. Just be careful not to get hit in the face by the Saké cup in your beer glass. To me, it is a waste of good Saké but it is popular with some.
Another interesting recipe is Saké Sangria. This makes more of a white Sangria. You mix 1 1/2 cup Saké, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup brandy and 4 teaspoons of sugar. Mix thoroughly until the sugar is dissolved. Then add some mixed fruit and top it off with a little soda water. Place it in the refrigerator and let it sit for 4-6 hours. It is then ready to drink. I have not tried this yet but it sounds interesting and I will probably try it soon.
If you enjoy Saké, then be adventurous and try creating your own cocktails with it. If you create something really good, feel free to post it here in the comments.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Sunday, January 27, 2008
WBW Logo Contest
Lenndevours, the founder of the popular Wine Blogging Wednesday, has decided to select a new logo for this event. To choose a new logo, he is holding a special contest, seeking suggestions from anyone interested.
You can submit entries at any time by emailing them to Lenndevours at winebloggingwednesday@gmail.com. The deadline for entries is March 31, 2008. Once all of the entries have been received, they will be posted to Flickr and everyone can vote for their favorite.
Though no prizes have been decided for the contest, it is very likely that people will donate prizes. Check out Lenndevours for more info on this contest and getting thinking about a new logo.
You can submit entries at any time by emailing them to Lenndevours at winebloggingwednesday@gmail.com. The deadline for entries is March 31, 2008. Once all of the entries have been received, they will be posted to Flickr and everyone can vote for their favorite.
Though no prizes have been decided for the contest, it is very likely that people will donate prizes. Check out Lenndevours for more info on this contest and getting thinking about a new logo.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Case Corino-Organic Barberas
This past Thursday, I went to the Lower Falls Wine Co. to attend another of their special tastings. This time, they had a couple special guests, Lorenzo Corino and his son Guido, there to showcase some of their Case Corini wines, all-organic Italian Barbera wines. These wines are imported by Adonna Imports.
I attended a previous wine tasting at Lower Falls for these Case Corini wines but Lorenzo had not been there. You can check out my prior review. I very much enjoyed their Barberas and wanted to taste some of their other wines. Eileen Wright, of Il Capriccio and Adonna Imports, accompanied Lorenzo and Guido.
Lorenzo Corino makes organic Barbera d'Asti in the town of Costigliole in Italy's Piedmont region. He is the fifth generation that has lived amongst the vineyards. Lorenzo is a soil scientist and is concerned about the health of the ecosystem in his vineyards. He believes that much of the wine is made in the vineyard so he does not subject his wines to lots of technical manipulation.
The wines at the tasting included:
2001 Barbera d'Asti "Bricco" ($55): This is 75% Barbera, with a few other rare, indigenous Italian grapes. This had a fragrant nose and lots of fruit on the palate as well as a bit of a tannic structure. It was an easy-drinking wine, lacking some complexity.
2003 Barbera d'Asti "Bricco" ($55): This vintage was a mild but hot summer. This wine was fruitier and less tannic than the 2001 vintage. It certainly would be very approachable now and would not need any cellaring.
2003 Barbera d'Asti "La Barla" ($85): This was my favorite wine of the previous tasting. It is 100% Barbera from old vines. This time, the wine pleased me as it did before. It had great structure, lots of complexity and was a silky pleasure. Nice concentration and a very lengthy finish.
1999 Barbera d'Asti "La Barla" ($85): I found this vintage to be even smoother and silkier than the 2003. The tannins were very mild and the fruit flavors were subtle and complex. There was a taste of cherries, strawberries and a bit of raspberry. There were hints of spice and a lingering finish that tantalized my senses. An exceptional wine that thoroughly impressed me. And I did have to buy a bottle, despite its price.
1996 Barbera d'Asti "La Barla" ($85): I heard several people at the tasting state that this was their favorite wine of the tasting. Yet it turned me off. It had a very funky nose, a barnyard smell that put me off. The taste contained elements of that funk as well as stewed tomatoes. I just did not like this wine though it certainly was popular with others.
Overall, these were excellent wines. They were Old World style, well balanced and had lengthy finishes. They would be fine on their own, or paired with food. They probably could be paired with many different foods as well, from Italian food to game like duck or even venison. Though I could also just sit and drink these wines on their own, savoring their flavors.
Another great tasting at Lower Falls and another worthy selection from Adonna Imports.
Lower Falls Wine Co.
2366 Washington Street (Rt. 16)
Newton Lower Falls, MA
Phone: (617) 332-3000
I attended a previous wine tasting at Lower Falls for these Case Corini wines but Lorenzo had not been there. You can check out my prior review. I very much enjoyed their Barberas and wanted to taste some of their other wines. Eileen Wright, of Il Capriccio and Adonna Imports, accompanied Lorenzo and Guido.
Lorenzo Corino makes organic Barbera d'Asti in the town of Costigliole in Italy's Piedmont region. He is the fifth generation that has lived amongst the vineyards. Lorenzo is a soil scientist and is concerned about the health of the ecosystem in his vineyards. He believes that much of the wine is made in the vineyard so he does not subject his wines to lots of technical manipulation.
The wines at the tasting included:
2001 Barbera d'Asti "Bricco" ($55): This is 75% Barbera, with a few other rare, indigenous Italian grapes. This had a fragrant nose and lots of fruit on the palate as well as a bit of a tannic structure. It was an easy-drinking wine, lacking some complexity.
2003 Barbera d'Asti "Bricco" ($55): This vintage was a mild but hot summer. This wine was fruitier and less tannic than the 2001 vintage. It certainly would be very approachable now and would not need any cellaring.
2003 Barbera d'Asti "La Barla" ($85): This was my favorite wine of the previous tasting. It is 100% Barbera from old vines. This time, the wine pleased me as it did before. It had great structure, lots of complexity and was a silky pleasure. Nice concentration and a very lengthy finish.
1999 Barbera d'Asti "La Barla" ($85): I found this vintage to be even smoother and silkier than the 2003. The tannins were very mild and the fruit flavors were subtle and complex. There was a taste of cherries, strawberries and a bit of raspberry. There were hints of spice and a lingering finish that tantalized my senses. An exceptional wine that thoroughly impressed me. And I did have to buy a bottle, despite its price.
1996 Barbera d'Asti "La Barla" ($85): I heard several people at the tasting state that this was their favorite wine of the tasting. Yet it turned me off. It had a very funky nose, a barnyard smell that put me off. The taste contained elements of that funk as well as stewed tomatoes. I just did not like this wine though it certainly was popular with others.
Overall, these were excellent wines. They were Old World style, well balanced and had lengthy finishes. They would be fine on their own, or paired with food. They probably could be paired with many different foods as well, from Italian food to game like duck or even venison. Though I could also just sit and drink these wines on their own, savoring their flavors.
Another great tasting at Lower Falls and another worthy selection from Adonna Imports.
Lower Falls Wine Co.
2366 Washington Street (Rt. 16)
Newton Lower Falls, MA
Phone: (617) 332-3000
2004 Pirosmani Kakkuri
I was fortunate enough to get to try a new grape today, the Saperavi, which I had not even heard of before. But then today was probably only the second time that I have ever had a wine from Georgia. Not the state, but Georgia the country.
Georgia is located on the west coast of the Black Sea, south of Russia and north of Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. It may be the oldest wine producing region in the world, having culitivated grapevines as long as 7000 years ago. Some even believe that the word "wine" is derived from the Georgian word "gvino" which means "wine."
It was traditional for Georgians to ferment their wines in clay vessels, called "kvevri," and bury them underground. They would also store fermented wines underground in these vessels as well.
The 2004 Kakheti Cellars Pirosmani Kakkuri is a semi-sweet red wine made from the Saperavi grape. The grape is grown in the Akhobi vineyards of the Alazani valley in Georgia. In a nod to the ancient traditions, this wine was fermented in clay jars buried in the ground. It has a listed alcohol content of 10-12.5%, which is a bit curious that they do not get more specific than that. It also has a listed sugar content of 15-25 gr/dm3.
Saperavi is a Georgian word which means literally "paint" or "dye," due to its intense dark-red color. It can produce red wines suitable for extended aging and is the most important varietal in Georgia. The grape is used to produce both sweet and dry red wines.
This was a very dark red wine in color with a nose of dark berries, maybe some blueberry. As this was a semi-sweet wine, I expected some prominent sweetness on the palate. But, I was pleasantly surprised to find only the barest hints of sweetness. If I had tasted this blind, I would not have called it semi-sweet. It was a very smooth wine, with rich fruit flavors and a rather long finish. It was not very complex but was a pleasant drink. It is a wine that would please many, including those who do not care for dry wines.
Georgia is located on the west coast of the Black Sea, south of Russia and north of Turkey, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. It may be the oldest wine producing region in the world, having culitivated grapevines as long as 7000 years ago. Some even believe that the word "wine" is derived from the Georgian word "gvino" which means "wine."
It was traditional for Georgians to ferment their wines in clay vessels, called "kvevri," and bury them underground. They would also store fermented wines underground in these vessels as well.
The 2004 Kakheti Cellars Pirosmani Kakkuri is a semi-sweet red wine made from the Saperavi grape. The grape is grown in the Akhobi vineyards of the Alazani valley in Georgia. In a nod to the ancient traditions, this wine was fermented in clay jars buried in the ground. It has a listed alcohol content of 10-12.5%, which is a bit curious that they do not get more specific than that. It also has a listed sugar content of 15-25 gr/dm3.
Saperavi is a Georgian word which means literally "paint" or "dye," due to its intense dark-red color. It can produce red wines suitable for extended aging and is the most important varietal in Georgia. The grape is used to produce both sweet and dry red wines.
This was a very dark red wine in color with a nose of dark berries, maybe some blueberry. As this was a semi-sweet wine, I expected some prominent sweetness on the palate. But, I was pleasantly surprised to find only the barest hints of sweetness. If I had tasted this blind, I would not have called it semi-sweet. It was a very smooth wine, with rich fruit flavors and a rather long finish. It was not very complex but was a pleasant drink. It is a wine that would please many, including those who do not care for dry wines.
Chocolee Chocolates
Custom-dipped chocolate beignets! Does it get any more decadent? I can just envision the hot, fried beignet (reminding me of New Orleans) slathered with a dark, creamy chocolate. When I was in New Orleans, I had to have one of their delicious beignets every day. So, when I heard that a new local store would be selling chocolate covered beignets, I almost started salivating.
Chocolee Chocolates is a new chocolate store opening on February 8 in Boston's South End. And during Valentine's Day week, the custom-dipped chocolate beignets will be available on a limited basis.
The Proprietress of this new store is Lee Napoli who has worked at or consulted for many local restaurants over the past 10 years including Icarus, Maison Robert, Grill 23, Anago, Metro, Bricco, The Buttery and Sandrine’s Bistro. She also established the region’s first and only association for pastry professionals in the 1990s, the Professional Pastry Guild of New England, and still acts as its head.
While winning cake awards, constructing gingerbread houses, and turning out thousands of perfect cookies, tarts, pies and pastries, Lee’s secretly been making truffles in her downtime – sold without fanfare at a select few hidden venues. She has now chosen to take the plunge into fulltime chocolate-making, and open Chocoleee, her jewel box of a truffle emporium.
Chocolee Chocolates specializes in handmade truffles, available by the piece ($2.25) or by the pound ($40). The chocolate truffles come in five signature flavors (espresso, hazelnut, chocolate mint, Grand Marnier and poblano chile). Lee will add more products depending upon demand. Currently, besides the truflles, she is filling chocolate candies with a honey-bourbon-cherry cream, enrobing salted caramel with dark chocolate and experimenting with exotic flavors for next season.
If you cannot make it to Chocolee, you can also find the truffles at some Whole Foods Markets in the Boston area. And remember that those chocolate covered beignets are only available for a limited time!
Chocolee Chocolates
83 Pembroke Street
Boston, MA
Phone: 617-236-0606
Hours of Operation: Tuesday through Sunday, 10 AM til 7 PM
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