International Cuisine and Sake Experience
An exciting 'International Cuisine with sake' event was held in a warehouse-style secret kitchen studio "KONTACTO EAST STUDIO" in the backstreets of Tokyo's sophisticated nightlife district, Nishi-Azabu.
This event showcased the sake experiences with dishes from five countries - China, Thailand, Mexico, Sri Lanka, and Korea - selected to complement Kubota sake, offering a plate full of charming and delicious delicacies.
First, from the Chinese cuisine section, the owner-chef of the Hong Kong restaurant "ShinShin" in Nishi-Azabu presented 'Hong Kong Style Steamed Chicken with Ginger Green Onion Sauce' paired with 'Kubota Junmai Daiginjo'. The marinated chicken thighs, steeped overnight with green onions and ginger, exuded a tender texture and delicate flavour that harmonised perfectly with the depth of the Junmai Daiginjo. The balance between the sake’s crispness and sweetness of the Kubota sake hinted at the possibilities of harmonizing it with a variety of Chinese dishes.
Moving on to SriLankan cuisine,Chef Miyuki Hayashi, owner of "Ahasa Dining", a Sri Lankan cooking school, chose 'Ambulthiyal,' a spiced fish stew in which fish is cooked with lots of spices and salt until the moisture evaporates. This dish, typical of the cuisine of the southern region of Sri Lanka, incorporates a paste made from the fruit of the Garcinia plant, also known as 'Goraka'. The tanginess of Goraka, smoky aroma, and a touch of spiciness complemented the robust umami of 'Kubota Hekijyu', a yamahai-style sake. served at a warm temperature.
And for the third course, Mexico City-born chef Martinez Elsa, who runs the "Maicito Taller" food culture workshop, which includes explanations of the cultural and historical background of the cuisine, created a Mexican dish of 'Crispy corn tortilla with ceviche', served with creamy avocado on a crispy corn tortilla. The fresh taste of the sea and the tangy, refreshing citrus flavour complemented the smoothness of 'Kubota Senjyu Ginjo', a clear and dry sake with a mellow flavour.
For the final courses, Chef Kumiko Abe of "DDD," a popular Thai cuisine private dining spot in Nakano, served 'Green Curry' with chunk of chicken. The richness of coconut milk and fragrant jasmine rice perfectly matched the rich flavour of ' Kubota Seppou', enhancing the overall deliciousness.
Finally, a very special first challenge was presented with 'Cold Press Shots' - from the health organic store "Oizumi Factory Nishiazabu" at the Nishi-Azabu intersection. Three types of 'Cold Press Shots were made using 100% organic vegetable and fruit juices : the red shot contained beetroot, apple, and lemon; the yellow shot contained carrot, lemon, and ginger; and the green shot contained kale, cucumber, and lemon mixed together.
How did you find mixing your favourite juice with the sake you drank that day to create your own personal 'SAKE MIX'? Everyone seemed to be experimenting and trying it out according to their preferences, while refreshing their memory of the taste of the sake. It seemed that the red beetroot and Junmai Daiginjo mix was quite popular.
This event ran for four sessions from lunchtime through dinnertime, and attracted an international crowd ranging from French to Korean and Myanmar nationalities etc.,, all of whom enjoyed the combination of Sake. Some participants were tasting Japanese sake for the first time and discovering their favorite combinations. Interestingly, Japanese sake not only complements Japanese cuisine, but also surprisingly goes well with Asian dishes such as spicy cuisine.
We hope everyone found their own unique way to enjoy sake with different cuisines. The quest for sake exploration continues...
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