Sommelier’s Recommendations for Sake and Food
By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
There’s nothing like a good meal and matching alcoholic beverage on a cold winter night.
The Japanese rice liquor sake is a hot item among gourmands at the moment. Its clean aftertaste is drawing even the pickiest people, including those who aren’t used to drinking alcohol.
The Westin Chosun Seoul has just completed the renovation of its Japanese restaurant, Sushicho. To mark the renewal, Sushicho sake sommelier Lee Hee-jong held a sake class Jan. 11 and talked about the best way to enjoy sake.
Lee shared some background information on selecting sake, and recommended dishes that compliment the drink.
How Sake is Classified
Sakes are usually rated by the amount the rice has been polished or milled. This process removes the protein and oils from the exterior of the grains to leave a higher concentration of starch. The more polished the rice, the better the flavors are.
Junmai Daiginjo, the highest class, is made with more than 50 percent milled rice, which means each grain of rice is 50 percent of its original size. The second highest, Junmai Ginjo, is 40 percent and Junmaishu marks 30 percent.
Junmai Daiginjo alcohols are quite expensive _ for example, Sushicho’s Yoshinogawa Hizoushu is priced well over 400,000 won per bottle. However, some Junmaishu are relatively affordable.
Like wine, sake leaves various impressions on the palate, such as sweet, dry, and fruity. Some are matured in oak barrels and have a deep and woody flavor.
Unlike soju, the Korean distilled rice liquor that differs according to its region of origin, sake flavor differs according to the brewery. “Of course, rice is an important factor, which is deeply influenced by the atmosphere and other environmental factors of the land, but each brewery’s know-how of mixing and brewing the liquor is what counts in making up the originality,” Lee said.
Tips for Enjoying Sake
There are some guidelines to keep in mind when drinking sake. Some sake is better when warmed and some are better cold. “Usually the heated ones are much lighter and sweeter. They do not put stress on the throat or stomach. Because they are easier to absorb, you may get drunk more easily. However, you sober up more easily, too,” she said.
Warm sake goes well with Japanese-style hotpot dishes and other comforting and affordable foods.
Sake is served in various kinds of glasses. From tiny mugs to wooden or glass cups to aluminum tins, there is much to try and much to study.
Matching Sake with Food
For Jozen Mizunogotoshi sakes, Junmaishu _ oysters and vegetables tossed with citron dressing _ or steamed egg custard with sea urchin are recommended. Since this type of sake is lighter, foods that accompany it should also be mild and soft.
Lee recommended halibut sashimi with ponzu sauce to go with Hakkaisan Junmai Ginjo. The seasonal delight of halibut sashimi is served with touch of salt. “The best halibut and the best liquor… That is luxury,” Lee said.
Yoshinaga Hizoushu has a strong and woody flavor. It may not appeal to those who prefer light sake, but people who like whisky or dark beer may enjoy it. It goes especially well with sukiyaki.
Pan-fried fish milt steak served with ponzu citrus sauce also goes well with the drink. The rich flavor of the fish harmonizes perfectly with the oaky sake.
The high-end Seikyo Maboroshi is a fine accompaniment to Sushicho’s special: rice cooked in a clay pot with truffles and lobster miso soup. “Many people think of Western dishes when it comes to truffles. But the luxurious mushroom and little bit of abalone works surprisingly well with the rice,” the restaurant’s sous chef Han Seog-won said.
Han ``invented’’ the dish for Ozawa Ichiro, the No.2 official of the Japanese ruling Democratic Party, on his surprise visit to the restaurant. “He liked it,” Han said with smile.
Restaurant manager Lee, who recently released a book about sake pubs in Seoul, said the world of sake is wide and that there’s plenty of choices out there.
“From dotkuri, the china bottle liquor, to the posh sake served in wide glasses, there’s something to match everyone’s taste!” she said.
A recommendation for the cold winter nights? Try a good bottle of sake and Yaki Konowada, a delicacy made from sea cucumber. “Come and try it!” she said.