To raise funds for the festival, a special sake tasting will be held at Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden on Saturday, June 1st, 2013 from 7-10pm. More info can be found here.

If you purchase tickets before May 11th, you’ll be given an early bird discount–$35 for 4 sakes and nibbles. A small fee will be charged for additional tastes beyond the initial 4 sakes. After the 11th, the price goes up to $45.

Sounds like a pretty skookum deal and all the large sake distributors in town will be present, promoting their wares. Not a bad opportunity to check out what’s new and exciting in the local sake market, and heck, for a great cause too!

Hope to see you there!

Kanpai!

Sought-after among sake geeks, Tengumai, the revered brand by Shata Shuzo from Ishikawa prefecture, is finally available in Canada.

Tengumai is famous because the majority of this line’s sake utilizes the Yamahai method of yeast starter (or moto/shubo, as it’s called in Japan).

The Yamahai method (discovered in 1909) is based on the original principles of creating a moto–yeasts and lactic acid are formed naturally in a starter batch. The modern day, Sokujo method, does away with the guesswork of rogue yeasts. Nowadays these are added along with a small amount of lactic acid to allow said yeasts to happily do their work without other microbes getting in the way.

The Tengumai line follows tradition, which produces a full bodied, nicely rounded sake with umami umph! Yamahai sake generally has an interesting depth, good acidity and pairs nicely with heavier foods such as meats and even cheese.

To commemorate the launch of Tengumai in Vancouver, there will be a dinner with 6 courses each paired with Tengumai sakes at Zest Restaurant on April 24th. Kazunari Shata, Director of Operations at Shata Shuzo, will be in attendance.

Exciting times here in Canada as we’re seeing more interesting sake come into our market.

Kanpai!

 sake rice from tsuki no katsura brewery

Note: I’ve been transferring some stories from my old Blogger site. This is something from a few years ago.

Recent articles in health sciences revealing the multi-faceted usage of rice as a drug have piqued my sake interest. The origins of rice date back well over 5000 years in Asia and today is considered a staple for nearly half of the world’s population.

Rice with its high starch, but low protein content has already been viewed with massive potential as a construction material in parts of Asia, in its powder form as a polishing agent, its general lack of allergenic properties for baby food and skin creams, and it’s various food permutations as a gluten-free alternative. With such diversity of usage, rice can be considered a superfood—adaptable, easily digested, and healthy.

Scientists in Japan have taken rice to a new sphere of superdom in utilizing it for medicinal purposes. According to a recent article in the Financial Times, MucoRice, is being developed as an edible vaccine more efficient than immunization. When the vaccine rice is consumed, the body produces antibodies, which will combat the viral properties of the pathogen.

The University of Tokyo study, led by researcher, Hiroshi Kiyono, attempts to inoculate small amounts of a cholera toxin (which in such minute form is non-toxic for humans) on an intracellular level into the rice. The ability for the rice drug to digest and spread its antibodies beyond what a regular shot could defend against is proving to be far superior in cell uptake.

Tests on mice revealed the rice drug inoculated the rodents for over six months and an additional four with a single dose booster. Furthermore, the rice vaccine does not have to be refrigerated with a longer shelf life compared to a regular vaccine. The efficacy of such an oral vaccine would benefit developing countries where refrigeration is difficult to maintain and viral outbreak is high. It also does away with requiring needles or syringes.

Altering rice to build allergy tolerance is also being studied. Kameda Seika, one of Japan’s largest rice snack manufacturers, is researching the concept of germinating rice with lactic acid to produce better intestinal health and anti-allergenic properties upon consumption.

This lactic acid rice had me thinking about sake and how this new science may affect how sake will be made in the near future. If a rice laced with lactic acid can be produced, how about a rice with aspergillus oryzae already embedded within?  Perhaps once day omitting the need for the painstaking 48-hour koji process? This could be an extremely huge breakthrough in sake-making. Or maybe a sake that had greater measurable health benefits beyond its pleasant buzz. Of course there are many factors requiring ample questioning and reflection before we go too crazy with such assumptions, but the possibility is there with this new research. 

As sake lovers, we know the benefits of the drink as it stands, but with the advent of such medical rices, sake’s future could diverge into the realm of a new biotechnological niche.

I’m looking forward to 2013, there’s lots of great events planned in the new year and I’m ready to see them to their fruition!

Upcoming in February, I will be joining forces with Hayato Okamitsu, award-winning chef and culinary instructor at SAIT, to conduct a sushi & sake class. Okamitsu-san will be creating various Japanese dishes which will include sushi and I will provide the 101 on sake! It should be a fun evening!

Here’s a link to class schedule and details:

http://culinarycampus.ca/classes-from-the-bar.php

Also please check out this Sunday’s Province newspaper in the Travel section.
I have a piece on my travels to Akita’s sake breweries. It’s also up on the web now along with photos. Please take a look:

http://www.theprovince.com/Akita/7721953/story.html

Thank you for checking out VancouverSake! I wish you a wonderful time during the holiday festivities! Best wishes to you in the coming year!

Kanpai!
elise

Another great evening with sake was had recently at Shuraku Sake Bar & Bistro, featuring Fukumitsuya Brewery from Ishikawa.

Junichi Yageta of Fukumitsuya was in attendance, providing us with important sake insights and some never-been-had sake delights direct from Japan–always a treat. Fukumitsuya is a “junmai-gura” – meaning they only make junmai sake. Many breweries will have sake that are aruten, short for arukoru tenka.

This means a tiny bit of brewers alcohol or distilled alcohol has been added to the sake. Brewers will do this to attain a certain desired flavor profile. Aruten sake is generally lighter, smoother tasting. Junmai, or pure rice sake, will have a fuller flavor and oftentimes, you can taste the rice or riceyness (nouveau sake vocabulary) in the sake. It’s all about preference, and either is fine in my books, but there are some who are very particular and will only drink junmai sake. There are groups (importers) who promote junmai-only breweries, and one of them even has an office in Vancouver. Obviously there are breweries who heed the philosophy that enhancing a sake with alcohol no matter how little, is not pure sake–Fukumitsuya being one of them.

Junmai-ness aside, I’ve always loved this brewery’s design sense. They produce quite a few different lines–Kagatobi, Kuroobi, Fukumasamune, Kazeyo Mizuyo Hitoyo to name but a few. Each has their own distinct design aura about them and there is obviously great thought into not only the taste of the individual lines, but in their appearance also.

Yageta-san explained to me they have three designers who work on the sake marketing materials, along with bottle and label aesthetics. He claims no other brewery has three dedicated art directors, and judging from the care of the labels, the website and promo materials I’ve seen, I wholeheartedly believe him.

Classy inside and out, I’m a big fan of this brewery. Check out the great pairings of sake with food created by Shuraku’s awesome chefs, here.

The highlight of the night was the house made tofu with x.o. sauce. The tofu was pillowy delicate, like chawan mushi. The x.o. sauce gave it that needed umph–a nice contrast of texture and flavour. Paired with the Kagatobi Ai Junmai Daiginjo, the softness of the tofu went in tandem with the elegance of the sake. This junmai daiginjo has a mild sweetness, lending a subtle counterpoint to the tofu’s x.o. sauce.

Shuraku’s presentation of dishes was phenomenal. We were also treated to a too brief sake 101 with Shuraku’s owner, Iori Kataoka, who provided guests with a great overview of sake from photos of her sake trips to Japan.

Lots of great sake events of late. I am well sated, but eager for the next sake excursion.

Kanpai!
elise

What a great night at Ki Restaurant, where the Canadian contingent of the Sake Education Council (SEC) met up in the same room for the first time ever. There is actually one more person on the list who was not present, although he doesn’t live in Canada full-time, but Paul Tanguay, I did not forget you are a true red/white maple-leafed Canadian!

The sakes, paired with Ki’s amazing food, were outstanding. Great educational component too, with Patrick Ellis, president of Blue Note Wine & Spirits, importer of great sake, and Koji Kawakami, 19th generation president of Yoshi no Gawa Brewery, making a jovial, entertaining sake duo.

Check out my photos of each course with pairing here.

Kanpai!
elise

The multitude of sake events going on this October is unprecedented in my entire sake-loving life here in Vancouver! Not that I’m complaining.

To me, this means a turning point in sake awareness in the city, perhaps the country. Japanese food has come to the forefront internationally and globally, chefs are utilizing Japanese techniques, foods and incorporating them into their local cuisines.

It’s exciting times indeed and certainly sake should have its time to shine, at the zenith of Japanese cuisine worldwide.

Sake has been popular in the U.S. for some time, and we are finally ‘getting it’ here in Canada. I’m ecstatic to see the change and willingness of people to give sake a try—to find out they love it!

The upcoming dinner at Shuraku Sake Bar & Bistro should be another stellar evening. Fukumitsuya Brewery, makers of Fukumitsuya and Kagatobi lines, will be in Vancouver for the first time. Shuraku will be hosting a dinner with the sake maker, pairing five of Fukumitsuya’s sake with exceptional izakaya fare.

The price is a reasonable, $75, which includes tip and taxes. So be sure to check out what is sure to be a highly enjoyable event.

I have always loved Fukumitsuya’s sake. Above is a photo of their Fukumitsuya junmai called ‘Kazeyo Mizuyo Hotoyo’ or ‘Wind Water Man’. It is a great beginner’s sake: light, refreshing, lower in alcohol and acidity, quite smooth for a junmai.

Located in Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, which is NW of Tokyo, bordering the Sea of Japan. I have always been impressed by not only their lines of sake, but with their marketing savvy as well. There is a distinct emphasis on design that is evident in Fukumitsuya’s bottles and labelling. In Tokyo, the brewery has two mini-shops and a tasting bar that look like high-end fashion boutiques–homages to their dedication for producing elegant sake, inside and out.

Click here for details on the event.
Hope to see you there!
Kanpai!
e

masu are the wooden square boxes that were traditionally used as a measurement tool in japan.

a full masu is equal to 180ml or what is called a ‘go’.

masu were used to measure important commodities at markets, such as rice, soy sauce, or sake. since people were familiar using the measuring box, it became popular at restaurants to serve sake in masu, so patrons would have no doubt of the amount of sake they were receiving from the proprietor.

four ‘go’ is equivalent to 720ml which is still a standard bottle size in sake production. also known as ‘yongo-bin’

ten ‘go’ is equal to 1.8 L, which are the gigantic sake bottles you might’ve seen at some izakayas. these are also commonly known as ‘issho-bin’.

For Calgary Food & Drink Lovers:

Come join me on November 2 at SAIT’s new downtown culinary campus for Sake 101.

Learn about the history of Japanese sake, how we determine a grade of a sake, how it is produced. Sample an array of grades and styles of sake, and how these can be paired with food.

My passion for sake is equaled only by my love for Japan. The first sake pilgrimage I made in 2006 began an almost yearly visit to the Land of the Rising Sun, to continuing my studies of the so-called, Drink of the Gods, and marvel at the anachronistic spectacle that is Japan.

Back then, ten students and our sake sensei, John Gauntner, began an intensive week of sake knowledge training in Kamakura, with jaunts to breweries in Osaka, Kobe and Kyoto. Nowadays, John’s courses commands far larger spaces and is conducted at the Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association headquarters in Tokyo, as well as holding satellite courses in the U.S. Our ‘graduation’ photo is above.

In 2008, John held his inaugural second level course in sake which I attended, along with several of my Level I alumni. There were about 25 of us, and 18 passed the written and blind tasting exams.

Being the first Canadian female to pass the exam was a privilege that I am proud and thrilled to have achieved. I try my best to continue sharing my love for sake with my fellow North Americans.

I have taught classes in Canada and the U.S., having also brewed sake commercially for moto-i, the first sake brewery restaurant outside of Japan.

Making sake is incredibly difficult work, but also deeply satisfying. Knowing that the brews were destined to be served to curious imbibers who were mostly new to the drink, made us want to do it right–as close to what we witnessed, felt, and drank in Japan.

Sharing our deep appreciation for sake and Japan was of the utmost importance and the impetus for starting moto-i. The brewing experience continues to inspire me and has made me a better sake educator.

Please come and discover why premium sake is so awesome! It’s sure to be a fun evening, I promise.

Here’s the link to the class details:
http://culinarycampus.ca/cd-sake-and-sushi.php

There will be over 7 sake to sample, lots of cool factoids and a deeper appreciation for Japan and sake will indeed be the guaranteed result of this fun and educational evening.

Feel free to contact me for more info.
Kanpai!

Hello Sake Fans,

A note on something coming up very soon, in fact it’s this Thursday.

Minami Restaurant in Yaletown is having another sake dinner featuring Nakashima Shuzo, makers of Kozaemon brand sake. Nakashima Shuzo is based in Mizunami, (Gifu Prefecture) in the Chubu region of Japan.Established over 300 years ago, this small family-run sake brewery has a deeply reverential reputation amongst sake lovers.

Here’s your chance to try what’s available in BC, paired with Minami’s exceptional food. The twist is Nakashima Shuzo will be providing Minami with their sake kasu which will be incorporated into each dish.

What is sake kasu? It is the lees that remain after a sake has been pressed–the solids that did not break down during fermentation. Kasu contains an abundance of amino acids, proteins, minerals, and B vitamins. It is even reputed to help lower cholesterol. The fermented aspect of the rice solids is highly effective for using as a fish/meat marinade as it softens protein extremely well. In Japan, kasu is mainly used as a fish marinade, in soups (kasu jiru) and as a pickling agent for vegetables, but the permutations are endless and kasu is getting more recognition for its versatility in the culinary world. And I have to add, some women even use kasu in their beauty regimen as a masque to soften and whiten the skin.

Doesn’t this make you curious to find out what Minami’s chefs will do with Kozaemon’s kasu? I sure am! And paired with Kozaemon sake too? It’s going to be a treat.

Kozaemon Nakashima, 14th Generation President of Nakashima Shuzo, will be in attendance.

Price is $145 (tax and tip included). Reception at 6:45pm and dinner starts at 7:00pm. You must call Minami directly to reserve a spot or go to this link if you would like to register online:

http://kozaemonxkasusakedinner.eventbrite.ca/

Hope to see you there!

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My photo above illustrates how sake mash is separated using an assakuki, a mechanical press with hydraulic bladders that expand and push the moromi (mash) into the stainless steel plates. The solids form on the sides of the plates which are then easily removed from the assakuki (or more famously referred to as the Yabuba, which is a well-known brand of mechanical sake press). You can see the kasu is being extracted from the assakuki by the kurabito (brewery worker) and some of the not-so-perfect remains in the nearby container. This was taken at one of the very first breweries I had ever visited: Tama no Hikari Sake Brewery, located in Fushimi, Kyoto. Fushimi is a historically renowned district for sake making due to its pristine, soft water. Today, it is still the second largest producer of sake in the country.