Umami

This is an important word for talking about the taste of sake. We use this word many times in our tasting notes. So we should explain about "Umami" today.

Kikunae Ikeda,
who uncovered the chemical root
behind a taste he named umami.

Umami (旨味 or 旨み) is one of the five basic tastes (bitterness, saltiness, sourness, sweetness and umami).

"Umami: freed at last from having to explain that this is untranslatable, as it gains currency as an English loan word. Umami has been recognized as a basic flavor (like sweet, sour, bitter, etc.). Originally pinned down as the key flavor element in Japanese 'dashi' fish stock, tomatoes and parmesan cheese have also been found to be rich in 'umami' flavor. For sake drinkers, it is the rich, full, statisfying flavor (almost texture) deriving from rice, and deepening with time."
refer from THE BOOK OF SAKE, A Connoisseur's Guide: Phillip Harper.

So "Umami" is an element of deliciousness. Sake (especially Junmai) has four of the five tastes (I believe the saltiness is not in sake) and the balance of them makes its character. Umami is a very key word of Junmaishu and this is one of the differences from Honjozo and Regular Sake.

Samples from my collection of Kottou (Antiques)

From a young age I have always been interested in Japanese antiques. 40 years ago in Kyoto, before moving to Australia to get married, I bought an old Guinomi (sort of sake cup), said to be 400 years old. After that, from when I was 30 until I was about 50, raising a family of 4 children, I had no spare cash and could not to add my collection.  More recently, however, on trips to Japan, visiting small country towns where the sake breweries are situated, I again started buying some antique pieces.

I would like to show my collection to you sake lovers.  I hope you will be interested too.

From time to time, I will put up some photos and if you are interested in buying anything, just let me know, so I can give you the best price.

Here is the first one.  The collection of small chests of drawers or Kakesuzuri (Suzuri-bako, inkstone case).
They are made of Keyaki (zelkova—elm family), Sugi (Japanese cedar), Kiri (paulownia) etc. Some have keys.

All of them are quite old, late 1800 or even older.  The price is $180 ~ $650.

Our Melbourne Branch is open

Sakenet Australia - Melbourne is available now !
http://sakenet.com.au/melbourne/

Our Melbourne branch has limited stock at a moment. However if your shipping address is in Victoria, the delivery fee will be cheaper than when you order them through our Sydney website.

New Stock Arrived!

We received the new stock of sake yesterday. They are available now on our online shop.

The reviews of the new items including the new brand "Andosuigun" will be up soon.

Only a week left for the special price!

Thanks for all the current bookings to our sake tasting event "Sake wa Junmai 2012". Our special price expires on the 31st May. After this date the price will be back to $110.

Please don't miss this great opportunity!
This year's meal will be buffet style, sake will be paired with Australian/Mediterranean style dishes.

List of  the buffet dishe

Freshly baked bread rolls, Roasted vegetables with fetta and sun dried tomatoes, Salad of Moroccan cous cous with pumpkin and chickpeas, Dressed tabouleh salad of parsley, tomato and burgal in olive oil and lemon juice, Nicoise salad of potato, tomato and black lives in lemon dressing, Rocket with apples, walnuts and parmesan cheese salad, Lamb tagine infused Meddle Eastern spices with spinach, Coq au vin with bacon and mushrooms in red wine, Penne arrabiatta, spicy tomato sauce with olives and sun dried tomato, Turkish pide of spinach & fetta and Turkish pide lamb & pinenuts, Tiramisu, Vanilla panna cotta, Canoli filled with chocolate and vanilla custard, Seasonal fruit, Coffee, tea and soft drinks

*some items from this list are subject to change.

Sake Tasting Event "Sake wa Junmai" 2012 (Tickets on sale now)

[[ CLICK HERE for your booking! ]]
Tickets are sold on a first-come basis, so please order before you miss out.

UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO TASTE PREMIUM SAKE AS ACCOMPANIMENT TO AUSTRALIAN CUISINE

Brewers from Shinkame, Izumibashi, Hiokizakura, Bentenmusume, Umetsu, Taketsuru, Taka and Morinokura will be presenting their finest Sakes married to dishes common to Australian cuisine.

Sake is designed to complement and enhance the enjoyment of food. In Japanese restaurants you can always drink sake together with Japanese food, but sake is more versatile than that and a sake can always be found to enhance any Western dish. At this event you will have the opportunity to taste a variety of premium Sakes as accompaniments to Australian dishes.

You will also be able to discuss all aspects of Sake brewing, serving and drinking (and anything else in between or beyond) with the brewers.

We look forward to seeing you at the event and sharing this beautiful experience with you on Sunday 8 July.

Event Name :	Sake Tasting Event "Sake wa Junmai" 2012
Date & Time :	8 July 2012, 16:00 - 19:00
Venue :	The Grace Hotel Sydney Corner of York & King Streets, 77 York Street, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Price :	$110 per person
Ticket :	http://sakenet.com.au Tickets will not be sold at the venue.

Here is last year's tasting featured on reviewed by Rebbeca Varidel.

 This Year's Guest Breweries

Shinkame (Saitama)	In 1987 this brewery became the first brewery to produce only junmaishu. Apart from the unpasteurised sake all other sakes produced are aged from 3~5 years at a temperature below 0C.
Izumibashi (Kanagawa)	Established 1857. This brewery grows 90% of the rice they use, the rest being grown under contract by other farmers in the area. 80% of the sake produced is junmaishu.
Hiokizakura (Tottori)	TBA
Bentenmusume (Tottori)	Established 1909. At this brewery all sake is hand made—a labour intensive procedure.
Umetsu (Tottori)	Established 1865. Since 1984 this brewery has also produced Shochu(Japanese spirit) in addition to sake. From 2002 Umeshu (plum wine) has also been produced.
Taketsuru (Hiroshima)	Established 1733. The sake from Taketsuru strikes a good balance between “umami” and acidity. It is delicious warmed, delicious with food and delicious when aged.
Taka (Yamaguchi)	TBA
Morinokura (Fukuoka)	Established 1898. All the rice used by this brewery comes from the brewery’s own farm or contracted farmers. This sake complements good food.

*this guest list may change

Tsukimi-zake

Tsukimi (月見) means "watching the moon". Normally it should be the full moon. During autumn in Japan, the air becomes cool and clear. It is good season for having a drink outside at night, and the moon is very beautiful. So "Tsukimi-zake" is drinking sake while watching the full moon.

Today is the 6th May. There is a full moon. It is a bit cold outside in Melbourne.

I caught the moon in my ochoko. This is the standard tsukimi-zake style (for me!).

 However the moon had gone somewhere when I tried to drink it. I think I need to develop some skills to drink it?

So I ate "Tsukimi noodle". This moon (egg) didn't escape from my bowl!