I’m walking the streets
Caught in a pagoda dream
Don’t sneak up on me
Haiku 41
Touring Kanpai Sake Brewery: A Story Of Innovation, Passion And Resilience
Lockdown may have stopped hospitality venues from operating normally, but the resiliency shown across the sector should be applauded. Businesses have adapted through embracing eCommerce, offering takeaways and launching virtual events to strengthen their connection with customers.
It’s during this time that I toured my first sake brewery and was able to do so from the comfort of my own home. At a virtual tour of Kanpai Brewery in London, I was able to peek behind the curtain and see how nihonshu is produced and the passion of the people involved.
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Psycho Samurai
When you go into the city at night
Beware the psycho samurai
Dread hunter of the dark
Who stalks the backstreets and alleyways
Where righteous folk fear to tread
They say he was a good man once
As honourable as the day is long
Others whisper of the madness that always beat in his chest
Tempered by a woman
His geisha love
Her loss broke the chains of sanity
Now he roams
Wraith like
Waging war on the wicked
Sword singing for blood
An unquenchable thirst for vengeance
A Life Distilled
You were born on the day of a storm
The weather matching the thunder and lightning
Rattling inside my chest from the moment
You were due to come into the world
I’ll never forget the gentle heartbeat
Or the tiny hand you placed into mine
The spark of potential that flashed in your eyes
Was preserved inside the kame
Sealed with a handprint
Years of maturation
Cultivated with love and care
Until the boy became a man
And what a man you’ve become
Strong, brave, compassionate
Together we’ll drink the memories
That have aged in awamori
Nuanced flavours of a life
Still maturing
Becoming more complex
With every new experience
Set aside a fresh kame
Fill it with the hopes and dreams of your children
Teach them a life distilled
Is a life worth cherishing
A Love Letter To Japan’s National Drinks: Sake Future Summit 2020 Unites Experts From Across The World
Drink consumers are always looking for the next big thing, the next trend that will come along and transform the industry with new flavours and experiences. I believe the new frontier lies in sake and shochu. Both categories are becoming increasingly known in the western market through the tireless efforts of educators, ambassadors, retailers, restaurateurs and enthusiasts.
The world of sake and shochu is exciting and innovative, with many passionate people linked by a love for what they do. This passion was on full display at the Sake Future Summit 2020, which brought together sake professionals from across the globe for a dialogue on how sake can take over the world.
Haiku 40
Captured memories
fables told in a photo
stand the test of time
Guest Post: Mikkeller Japanese Rice Lager Review
Whilst its reputation as a renowned and celebrated craft beer brewery is undisputable, what exactly Mikkeller has to do with Japan or its culture that would warrant a spot in this magazine is somewhat less obvious… at least at first.
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Wafu Shochu Pasta Jumble With Tofu And Cannellini Beans
Bringing together food from different cultures can be a fun way to experiment with new dishes and develop unexpected flavour combinations. That’s why I enjoy creating wafu meals that combine European aesthetics with Japanese ingredients and cooking techniques.
Pasta is one of the easiest ingredients to mix into a wafu meal, especially when using leftovers. With that in mind, here is my wafu pasta jumble recipe that includes tofu and cannellini beans soaked in a homemade shochu roux.
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3 Essential Podcasts For Furthering Your Sake Education
Podcasts are excellent resources for learning new things, especially when it comes to breaking down a subject as diverse and complex as sake. From the production process to the history of different rice varietals, there’s so much to enjoy in learning about sake and there are podcasts that champion Japan’s national beverage with great content and insight.
Here are three essential podcasts for furthering your sake education and falling deeper into the nihonshu rabbit hole.
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Guest Post: Shochikubai Shirakabegura Kimoto Junmai Review
It’s easy to brand Takara Shuzo Co. Ltd as nothing more than an offshoot of the Takara Group (Japan’s leading corporation for alcohol-related business and biotechnology) and all the negative connotations that can come with multinational mass-production. Yet, the brewery, based in the Nada ward of Kobe (one of Japan’s major nihonshu producing regions), have skilfully blended the best parts of traditional sake-making methods and the advantages of modern technology, to create beautiful, authentic, contemporary sake.
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