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Toppage ＞ Shudo - The Way of Sake＞ chapter8 |
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Yuzu citrus fruit remain a dark green color during the summer, and are hidden under leaves of branches. But the
fruit is very much enjoyed, as it helps one sober up, and take away bad breath. The fruit is cherished by sake
drinkers, that drop its juice into the liquor. |
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The Seasonal Rain Front |
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In the traditional lunar calendar, summer fully kicked in during the month of June (present day July).The month
used to be called Minashizuki (Month of No Water), as rice seedlings would have been planted by then.Some
say the month had been called as thus because of the brutally hot season, which drained the rice paddies, but present
day June falls during the month-long seasonal rain-front.By early June, the seasonal rain-front would have kicked in,
till the season is declared over by the Meteorological Agency during mid-July.
As the high pressure system over the Pacific develops, a trough of pressure forms, and this in this trough develops a
discontinuous line and a low pressure system, which turns into a stationary front to bring in long days of rain. The
seasonal rain-front is a phenomenon seen only along areas that fall in the East Asia rain belt. It is also referred
to as Baiu Front, the Japanese word for the seasonal rain-front. The month-long rainy season is indispensable
for rich rice harvest in the autumn.However, an unusual pressure pattern could bring a rainy season without rain, or
localized torrential rain. |
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Hachiku-zake (Henon bamboo sake) |
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May 23rd, in the traditional lunar calendar, was known by the name of Chikusui-jitsu from long ago in
China.It was believed that the day is most suited for replanting trees, because the bamboo would be too drunk to
notice on that day.
At this time of year, young bamboo grows very fast. As bamboo needs much water to grow, the rainy season is
probably the best replanting season.
This is how one makes sake from henon bamboo. A young henon is cut in two at one of the nodes. A small hole is
drilled at the node and refined sake is poured and left for two days.Sugar and other contents seep into the sake
to improve its flavor. The sake is even said to be effective in prolonging life |
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Chikureki-shu (Bamboo Oil Sake) |
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Cut diagonally a young bamboo stalk, carve out a node, and fill the bamboo with sake. Place over stove or fire,
if outdoors, to warm the contents.
Bamboo oil, chlorophyll, Vitamin K are among the contents that seep into the sake. This is called
Chikureki (bamboo oil) and for long was used as a medicine for suspiration. Research in recent years has
found that bamboo oil is effective in preventing cancer.
The famed Daianji Temple, one of the seven great Buddhist temples of the ancient capital of Nara serves
sasa-zake (bamboo lead sake) to worshippers every January and June 23rd as part of a rite to mourn for uprooted bamboo.
People in the southwestern main island of Kyushu, one of the production centers of bamboo, call this sake
kapp?-zake, after the sound the liquor makes when it is poured into cups. The sake is
apparently enjoyed in gatherings and such. |
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Hiya-zake (Chilled Sake): The Rules of Thumb |
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More people enjoy chilled sake as summer approaches. It’s best to preserve sake in
temperatures between three to five degrees Celsius during the summer season. But serving sake straight
from the refrigerator is not recommended, because the liquor would be too chilled. One cannot enjoy its aroma, or
its taste.
Most sake is made from ground-water, and the water is between ten to twelve, thirteen degrees. It’s
only a matter of course that sake can be best tasted at these temperatures.
It’s best to take sake out of the refrigerator at least two hours before a meal. |
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The Suimono Soup Dish Represents the Masterly Hand of the Chef |
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The kaiseki cuisine, developed to accompany sake drinking, has a menu of dishes grouped under
the various courses that make up a banquet.As was mentioned in the earlier chapter, the first course is the
Sakizuke appetizer, which is followed by suimono (soup).
To be served a soup meal just when the banquet has hardly begun, may seem odd.But unlike the somewhat casual
soups flavored with miso paste and such, this clear broth also accompanies sake as much as the other
meals. If anything, this dish, along with the sashimi raw fish meal to follow, are the most important
menus in the course. This is because the soup is in effect a greeting sent by the chef, which asks the diners to
take note of how this basic dish is prepared, because it represents how he seasons all his other dishes.
It is important, therefore, to observe the basic etiquette to eat steaming hot dishes while they are hot.The soup
is served in a lacquerware bowl with a lid. Sometimes it is not easy to lift the lid.Should this be the case,
one should hold firmly the rim of the bowl with his/her left hand so that the lid lifts on its own. The lid
should then be lifted with one’s right hand, and held vertically, so the vapor on the back of the lid falls
inside the broth. It should then be placed on the right, and in front of the soup bowl, with the back of the
lid facing up. Cooked inside the broth are ingredients that make up five elements ? the main ingredient, typical
of the season, vegetables or herbs that accompany the main ingredient, a green leaf or vegetable placed to give
the dish a refreshing look, broth, and something that gives the broth a savory aroma, such as a small slice of
a peel of yuzu citrus fruit.
There is much logic in the fashion this dish is designed. It serves the same purpose
as soup to begin a meal course in western cuisine. The meal prompts saliva and gastric juice to secrete, which,
in effect, protects the gastric wall when
liquor is ingested.
Diners should take only one or two sips of sake while finishing this meal, to enjoy the feast
of the season.
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Bonito |
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Every year, at this time of season, the famous haiku of poet Yamaguchi Sod?: “A view of greenery, A wild
cuckoo, The first bonito” is quoted to herald the start of the bonito season. The Japanese fondly call the first
haul of bonito of the season, hatsu gatsuo (first bonito). The only fish whose first haul is considered
such great delicacies are bonito and saury.
In the Tokugawa Era (1603-1867), the first bonito of the season was extremely expensive.The haiku by Takarai
Kikaku: “On the cutting board, One gold coin, The first bonito” substantiates this.
Bonito is a fish that swims along the Black Current, near the sea surface. They begin to swim north along the
Pacific coast. They near Ogasawara Islands between January and February. reach Hachijojima island in March, and off
Chiba, near Tokyo between April and June, as well as Joban between June and July. The bonito at this time of year is
called nobori-gatsuo (bonito swimming upwards). In July and August, they reach off Kinkazan, August and
September off Sanriku, to finally swim near southern Hokkaido before they begin to swim back south.
Hatsu gatsuo used to refer to the first haul off the coasts of Chiba and Joban, but now fishermen take their boats
further out to sea to catch bonito. As a result, hatsu-gatsuo reach restaurants in Tokyo early March.
To watch fishermen catching bonito one by one with fishing rods after taking their fleets out in gentle waters
during the night, is quite a spectacular sight. Bonito, a member of the mackerel family, does not stay fresh for
long. Dried or steamed bonito have probably come to be because of this characteristic. But the best way to enjoy
bonito is to sear the fish quickly on the outside while being left raw inside ? namely, bonito tataki.
Those in western Japan have had a preference for white fish, while those in eastern Japan prefer red-meat fish,
with a bland flavor. This explains why the Edo-ites (present day Tokyo-ites), with their fondness for first of new
crops or new hauls, jumped to hatsu-gatsuo.
100 grams of bonito contains 25.4 grams of protein ? a third of how much protein we need a day. This is truly a
healthy accompaniment to sake.Strangely, bonito does not go well with wasabi Japanese horse radish, but rather
ginger or garlic.
Ginger is originally from the Orient, and used as seasoning or medicine in China and India. In Europe, however,
the Romans found ginger to be an aphrodisiac, as we learnt from Arabian Nights. Its key constituents include
gingerol and zingerone, which is a good remedy for digestive problems and certain types of food poisoning.
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Sea Grapes |
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There is a saying, “Sea grapes grow tasty when wisteria flowers begin to bloom”. True to these words, the
clusters of large eggs laid by cuttlefish are abundant off-shores of Sanriku, the Pacific waters off northeastern
Japan, and as a result, the delicacy is a must for drinking parties and dining tables in the area.
But because of its distinctive taste, some love the taste, while others cordon it off.They are eaten shredded in a
sauce made from vinegar, soya sauce and broth, after the outer skin is discarded. The fresh ones, though, are best
eaten as is, as they compliment sake. |
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Yamame Trout and Japanese Char |
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The stars of freshwater fishing are Yamame trout and Japanese char, which become tasty during early summer and summer. Japanese char live upstream Yamame trout.
Both species won’t be readily available unless anglers are around, but the light taste of the fish certainly goes well with sake.
But cultured rainbow trout, which are members of the same family, are readily available in fish markets, so here is a chance to enjoy fish from freshwater. |
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When Eating Sashimi, Lighter Fishes Should be Eaten First |
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Sashimi raw fish slices, whether eaten at home or in restaurants, may be singled out as the best dish
that goes with sake.
For the chefs, the dish, wansashi (sashimi in bowl), along with suimono (soup), is
what’s regarded as the most important course. It’s the custom for the master chef to be in charge of preparing
the dish.
Sashimi literally means cut, or stabbed body. Why the name?
This is because in olden days, a slice of sashimi was thrust on the fin of the fish, and placed on
the dish to help the diners recognize the fish. Two kanji Chinese characters, sashi and mi, make
up with the word, sashimi, Originally a different kanji, with the meaning, to point to, was originally
used to write the character, sashi.
The appearance of a sashimi dish reminds one of landscape drawings.
Chefs follow certain set styles, but most sashimi dishes are designed to create mini-landscapes. A
dish could depict a distant mountain range, middle and near distances, green trees, a mountain stream, or at times,
a snow scene. It would be interesting to image a natural landscape while enjoying the dish.
A close look at the dish shows that sashimi slices are served in odd numbers. This is a very
important, set rule. One should taste the fish slices facing front, to be followed by lighter fishes with somewhat
bland tastes.
Sashimi tastes better with grated wasabi green horseradish. But the aroma would be lost if the
paste is mixed with soy sauce. Wasabi should be placed on top of the sashimi slice and wrapped as the fish
is dipped in sauce. Because the sauce may drip, one should lift the small soy plate and place it under the slice of
fish when it’s carried into his/her mouth.It is considered ill-mannered and vulgar to lean one’s head forward towards
the plate.
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The importance of tsuma, or garnish, cannot be overlooked. Hojiso, which are small stems of flowering
seed pods of shiso (perilla), should be added directly to the dish containing soy sauce after the seeds are scraped
from the stem. Hold the tip of the stem, and scrape the seeds with chopsticks. The seeds do not come off when the butt
end of the stem is held.<br>
Any vegetable garnish cut thinly into strands is called ken. A popular vegetable would be daikon giant white radish.
One tends to put too much soy sauce when ken is dipped into soy sauce. It is best that the tips of chopsticks be dipped
several times into the soy sauce and replaced on the garnish. <br>
There are many people who do not eat any garnish, but the vegetables are placed not only for decorative purposes. They
are part of the dish. Also from the standpoint of taking a well-balanced meal, one should polish off the plate.<br>
Dry sake goes well with sashimi. The sake’s bitter flavor rather compliments the taste of sashimi, and makes the
occasion even more enjoyable.
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Sake cups and the taste of sake
Today would be a perfect day for pulling out various sake cups in the cupboards that are
usually unused.Porcelain, earthenware, glass, wood, lacquerware, bamboo… the cups should be made of
as many materials as possible. Pour sake into these cups, and take a sip each.
Did the sake taste the same? Didn’t it taste different to the extent it felt like
different sake altogether?
Please give this a try, as a means of having fun of sake. |
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Ayu Sweetfish |
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When the green, young leaves begin to sprout from branches, it’s the time of year when the taste of young
sweetfish peaks. It’s the single-most special delicacy of early summer.Natural sweetfish have a characteristic
aroma because they eat moss in the riverbed.They are best eaten salted and grilled, but they can also be served
raw, while baby sweetfish in Lake Biwa tastes wonderful, deep-fried, as a tempura dish.
Ayu, despite its rather light taste, is rich in protein, and is said to help reduce symptoms of so-called
adult diseases, which include high blood pressure and risks of heart disease. |
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Japanese sea bass |
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Another summer delicacy that cannot be forgotten is suzuki, the Japanese sea bass. Like a number of
other fish species in Japan, they are named according to their size. In Tokyo, fish that are about 25 centimeters
long are called seigo. Fish that are about 50 centimeters are known as fukko, and anything
larger are called suzuki.
Seigo sea bass from Matsue, western Japan, are said to be the best. In fact, seigo also goes
by the name of matsue.A writing from the 17th century describes that “the fish is called thus because of
its white flesh, and its pure (susugu) and innocent way of swimming. “ The Daigenkai dictionary,
on the other hand, also quotes that “the name may also come from the way it swims straight (sukusuku)”
The light taste and elegant, translucent appearance of suzuki is perfect for early summer, but the
fish is firm, and can also be enjoyed in paper-thin slices, dipped in mustard-vinegar-miso bean paste
sauce, or with yuzu citrus fruit, vinegar and soy sauce. It can also be enjoyed salted and grilled, with
a drop of sake.
The fish activates the kidneys and is said to have a diuretic effect. It is a fish that should be eaten by pregnant
women, as it’s said to accelerate growth of the fetus and prevent miscarriages. |
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Horse mackerel |
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The fish is readily available all year round, but they come in season at this time of year. They can be enjoyed
in sashimi slices, pounded, tataki-style, grilled with salt, dipped in vinegar sauce, deep-fried and then
dipped in vinegar sauce.
The Japanese term, aji, which also means taste, apparently became called as thus because they are tasty. The
once popular fish has now become rather pricey. As is well acknowledged, the fish is rich in eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA). As the acid helps prevent thrombosis, the fish should be offered during sake drinking occasions from
time to time. |
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Stone flounder |
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As the Japanese saying, “Bastard halibut on the left, stone flounder on the left” goes, halibut flatfish has
both eyes on the left side of the head, while stone flounders have both eyes on the right.Needless to say, there
are exceptions.
There are many members of the flounder family. Stone flounder and marbled sole are representative of this
family in Japan. They are both in season at this time of year.
Stone flounder are known for actually looking as if they carry a stone on the right side of their backs.
They are best eaten in paper-thin slices, or in sashimi slices, dipped in yuzu juice,
vinegar and soy sauce, but can also be chopped and simmered with sugar and soy sauce. They will serve to be a
perfect accompaniment to sake.
The famous Shiroshita-garei, caught near the Beppu Hot Springs in Oita, southwestern Japan, are also a
kind of marbled sole. |
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Conger eel |
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Conger eel live inside holes they make in mud on seabeds. Conger eel look very similar to eel, but have a light
taste.They taste best starting early summer, when they are ready to lay eggs.
The delicacy is a well-known sushi ingredient, but can also be enjoyed as a tempura dish, grilled in sauce, or
simmered. They go well with sake. |
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| Translated by Fumiko Konoye |
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