SAKs & Sake

[jalind]

Sitting at home after dinner watching a Japanese movie, and enjoying it with some sake. We've got SAKs & Coffee, SAKs & Tea, SAKs & Snacks, why not Sake too?



John
(who doesn't expect this to be as popular as SAKs & Coffee, but nothing is 100% certain)

[cali-SAK-attack]

 

 

[jalind]

 

    

[Barry Rowland]

I've nothing to add but some great memories of the Far East and a yearning to get my mitts on a bottle!  We need some of the Japanese Space Shuttle SAKs to really round this out.  Great idea John!

[magentus]

I have nothing to add except my support and sincere hopes that we don't get as far as a 'SAKs and SEKs' thread. 

Is that sweet set up a sake heater?

[magentus]

Oh, and what was the movie?

[Thunderpants]

Oh, and what was the movie?

"SAKs on a plane"

[jalind]

I have nothing to add except my support and sincere hopes that we don't get as far as a 'SAKs and SEKs' thread. 

Is that sweet set up a sake heater?

Thanks . . . yes it is. Found it on the U.S. Amazon. Uses the generic "tea light" candle (uncertain of its name in the UK), a short candle in a thin aluminum cup that's sometimes used in restaurants for candlelight on the tables in a glass tea light holder that's safer than traditional candles in candlesticks. Takes less time to heat the sake than I thought it would. As with any sake heater it does get hot and you have to let it cool down. The one disadvantage is not being able to move it once it's been lit for a few minutes as the wax in the tea light has completely melted, and it's going to be hot to the touch.

I have a very "old school" sake bottle and a deep bowl into which you pour boiling water. That bottle has a deep indention on the bottom that allows checking the sake temperature by feeling it with your fingers.

 

John

[magentus]

  We call them tea lights too. Or something similar like Blinkin' tea lights or Blummin' tea lights or Flippin' tea lights. 

Next Question: What does Sake taste like? Any other spririt?

[jalind]

We call them tea lights too. Or something similar like Blinkin' tea lights or Blummin' tea lights or Flippin' tea lights. 

Next Question: What does Sake taste like? Any other spririt?

No, it's quite unique. Like scotch, or gin, there's some variation from brand and type within brand. It's not sweet, but I don't consider it "dry" either. Nearly all sake is best served very warm (not steaming hot like coffee or tea) and it shifts the flavor making it richer tasting. After opening a bottle I keep it refrigerated, but always warm it before drinking any.  Sake is made from fermented rice, but the process is not simple as with Chinese rice wine. It's more complex and a very finicky process. A little stronger than wine. Bottle I had out was 16% (wine from grapes is typically 8.5% - 12%). If you've never had it before, then it's worth a try. If you don't care for it, you've checked another box on the bucket list. Like beer, or coffee for that matter, there's an acquired taste.

If you're with Japanese there's an entire protocol to serving and drinking sake, such as you never serve yourself, someone else you're with serves yours, you serve others next to or across from you, and you must observe when someone's cup is empty to offer them more. Makes it very social as it forces interaction with those around you. Cups are always filled as much as possible. Some will actually overflow it slightly if it's in their version of a saucer to catch the overflow (a short box in which the cup is set). The filling and occasional overflow (if there's a box under it) is symbolic of abundance and wealth. A heated sake serving bottle is always handled by the neck as the bottom part can be hot to the touch. If you watch a Japanese movie in which a group is drinking sake you can observe the customs surrounding it.

I didn't initially have sake cups or a serving bottle. I used, of all things, small demitasse espresso cups like the one I used for the coffee thread this morning. Sake cups are about the same size, but without the handles. Used a small glass bottle (about 1/2 pint) after it was empty from whatever food had come in it as the serving bottle. Had to be careful heating it though so as not to crack it.

John