As you may know, my moonlighting adventure as a food and wine blogger is only half the narrative. By day, I am an attorney in Honolulu, Hawaii with Chang Iwamasa LLP, specializing in corporate formation and governance, real estate transactional matters and non-profit organizations.
Today (March 19) I had the privilege to discuss the integration of my law practice with Musings by the Glass on ThinkTech Hawaii's Law Across the Sea Program with host (and fellow attorney) Mark Shklov. Buckle up; one should never casually commence my modicum of [live] musings. At least, for your sake, there were rigorous time limitations.
The interview can be found here.
This might not shock you, but I decided to bring a few vinous friends to partake in the occasion. Every good conversation can benefit from a bottle … or two.
Read moreMy musings by the masu has come upon its final chapter. A sweet ending to a scientific beginning. In Part I, I explored the sake brewing process and certain aspects that make it unique from wine and beer. Sake science 101. In Part II, I paired sake with savory cuisines outside of Japan to demonstrate sake’s diverse pairing potential across the globe. Sake need not be reserved exclusively for sushi night. But how about continuing the sake trend post-dinner? When it comes to dessert, many transition to coffee or tea. Inebriation complete; commence sobriety re-calibration.
Not so fast!
This post posits the hypothesis that sake is indeed up to the challenge of pairing with dessert. And the best part of this hypothesis? Confirmatory data analysis. In other words, a lot of eating and drinking. Hypothesize, experiment, repeat. To complete the sake musings trilogy, I seek out a few tasty treats to sample with sake. Let the nightcap commence!
Read moreThis week the sake chronicles continue. Huzzah! In Part I, I explored the science of sake brewing and certain aspects that make it unique from wine and beer. A bit wonkish, I might admit, but hey, science matters. In Part II, I take to the streets (metaphorically speaking) to pair sake with cuisines outside of Japan. Unconventional insobriety.
Notwithstanding sake's great pairing potential, most are disinclined to select sake when sushi isn't on the menu. In a way, this is surprising. At last observation, Japan has chickens … and cows … and vegetables. Salad? Check. Spicy and savory dishes? Check. Fried chicken, marinated beef and seafood? Check. If sake can pair with the diversity of Japanese cuisine, surely these pairing techniques can be translated to other cuisines of the world.
Oh, they can. Wonderfully. So let’s get to it...
Read moreSake - "the drink of the gods" - has evolved over thousands of years and developed particular customs and etiquette as intricate and exciting as any other beverage in the world. Primarily associated with Japan, it holds a proud history, fascinating traditions, and clean yet complex flavor profiles. So, why do most Americans seem to know so little about it?
Although it was discovered in China as early as 4800 B.C., sake quietly remained in Asia, and principally Japan, for most of its life. It was only in the 1880s that sake made its global debut in the suitcases of Japanese immigrants traveling to Hawaii as laborers on the sugar plantations. Aloha, exotic tasty beverage. With the rise of Japanese culture and influence abroad, sake has experienced rising popularity in the West, especially among youth, who are more prone to fermented experimentation. But despite the recent dabbling, sake's character-laden labels and foreign terminology can still make one feel a bit lost and intimidated. In a series of posts, I attempt to assuage those feelings, and get you drinking with confidence. Kanpai!
Read moreHere in Hawaii, we love to eat. A lot, frequently, and with friends. To facilitate a modicum of fiscal responsibility in my culinary enterprises, I often search for that magical acronym jotted on Yelp pages and restaurant windows: BYOB. Don't concern yourself with the typical 400 percent markup for alcoholic beverages. Just bring your own.
Brilliant.
One problem. With BYOB, there is no sommelier to offer recommendations; you are on your own. Most wouldn’t find tremendous difficulty pairing their bœuf bourguignon or spaghetti alla puttanesca with a tasty vinous beverage. But for the more adventurous, where do you begin when attempting to pair sashimi, papoutsakia, or Evil Jungle Prince Thai Curry?
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