もはると
As I learned when I was getting certified as a sake taster, the dishes that go well with "mature sake," which is one of the four classifications of sake and mainly consists of old sake, should be rich in flavor, such as broiled eel or tsukudani (food boiled in soy sauce).
However, it is rare to encounter old sake, and most restaurants serve only new sake or hiyaoroshi sake made from rice harvested in the previous year.
But this place was different. The labels say "2020" or "Heisei 30," and they serve only sake bottled this year after several years of aging in the brewery, heated and served. The liquid has a slightly golden color and a mellow aroma.
The best dishes to pair it with are not light sashimi, but rather the fatty head of tuna with its rich flavor, or wild game such as wild boar, duck, or deer. And then there is the stir-fried squid and taro in a rich liver sauce. They go well together, don't they? Both the sake and the food asserted their individuality, and the battle was as fierce as ever.
Sashimi from the neighboring seas served with ginjo sake is fine, but sometimes it's nice to have something with a big punch like this.
Japanese>English