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Post by Yasaki Tadahira on May 15, 2007 10:53:25 GMT -5
I will be attending a big kingdom event (TMT) and will be able to camp, am hopeing to meet a lot of people around the campfire. In hopes for a really good night id like to take some sake to share. I have found a website that sells it, but I have never had sake, i was wondering if there is info some of the gentles on the board could share with me for taste, ettiquite, period info, etc
Drinking prefrences.. not normally a beer guy, prefer hard liquer, prefer stuff with flavor but no bad after taste or acholic kick.
Many thanks.
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Post by solveig on May 15, 2007 15:08:55 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! In hopes for a really good night id like to take some sake to share. ... I was wondering if there is info some of the gentles on the board could share with me for taste, ettiquite, period info, etc. Are you interested in replicating medieval practice or in simply drinking sake? Some of the current rules do reflect premodern rules. For example. You never ever pour your own drink. Also, remember that sake is usually drunk in small unit quantities. In premodern times, you will see people drinking the stuff out of lacquerware saucers. There is actually a formal sake ceremony which you can find described in a book on "chaji". However, I do not know of such a book in English. Basically, the protocol of the sake ceremony is that everyone is seated and the host takes what looks like a small iron tea kettle and goes down the line of guests one by one pouring sake for them. After pouring the sake, the host places the pot next to the knee of the guest with the handle reversed. The guest after sipping sake pours sake for the host. The host then procedes to the next guest. Regardless of such elaborate protocol, the rule of not pouring your own drink prevails. ALSO. Ideally you hold the saucer or cup while the sake is being poured. Basically, the person holding the saucer and the person pouring the sake should be different. It is also good form at times for guests to demure and the host to press. As for sake itself. As I recall, traditionally there is "white" sake and "black" sake. White sake is probably the older and is certainly felicitous. Another interesting period concept out there is "amazake" (sweet sake). As the premodern Japanese often suffered from a dietary fat deficiency in addition to a low level of alcohol digesting emzyme, they tended to get sloshed on fairly low test booze. In practice, sake is often diluted 1:1 with say eutral carbonated water or maybe gingre ale or simiar non-alcoholic beverage when used in conjunction with the tea ceremony.
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Saionji Shonagon
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Post by Saionji Shonagon on May 15, 2007 19:01:54 GMT -5
Sake sort of tastes like white wine. Sort of. But not quite. OK, first of all, I cannot call myself a connosieur of sake because I'm still learning myself. However, I can tell you how I go about it. Be relieved - I generally do not buy because the label is pretty. (Though it's tempting when the sake has an interesting name as you'll see below). When shopping for sake, see how the seller describes it. If it's intended to be served cold, serve it cold. If warm, serve warm. They brewed it that way for you, follow the instructions. Nigori or unfiltered sake is cloudy looking because it has rice sediment in it. Don't worry, it won't be pulpy or anything. Some nigori varieties are quite pleasant. Takara's "Creme de Sake" is inexpensive and quite pleasant. (There's one called "Dreamy Clouds" I am curious about trying, but it's a much more expensive one. Yes. Pretty name, pretty label. But I liked Rihaku's Wandering Poet, so this may be worth it.) There are various different grades of sake too, having to do with how much polished rice is used in the formula, fermentation conditions and so forth. www.sake-world.com/html/types-of-sake.htmlI know that a junmai ginjo will cost a bit more than a $4 bottle of Sho Chiku Bai, but it will be smooth. (Current favorite junmai ginjo is Rihaku's Wandering Poet, and OK, yes, I HAD to try it because of the name.) Momokawa is currently producing what I call "girly fruity sake." www.sakeone.com/sake/moonstone.htmlThey take a junmai ginjo sake as the base and infuse it with fruit. The Asian Pear variety is a lovely sippin' sake and it would go nicely with food. The raspberry wasn't bad either. The Plum is for people who want their alcohol to taste like Koolaid. Not authentic, but also not a bad way to introduce non-sake drinkers to sake. I don't know what is available to you on that website, but if they have the little 300 ML bottles, you could buy a couple different kinds at that size and try them. BTW, sake runs about 15% alcohol on average. You can get silly on it pretty quickly. Oh, and useful for sharing in conditions where you don't want to take breakables: houserice.stores.yahoo.net/plassakcup.htmlThey're plastic, but they're not hideous. Kampai! (If I didn't have to drive to Fremont later, I'd crack open that Takara Sierra I picked up a couple of weeks ago....)
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Post by Yasaki Tadahira on May 16, 2007 8:56:06 GMT -5
My main concerns are to contribute in return and to help with a good time. I have never camped over at a event, but im told there are various fires to visit and people to meet, and drinks to share. If i share id like it to be sake.
Would sake be the correct thing to share around a campfire? would it be like a shot compared to a large drink? any other hints?
Thanks for all the information.
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Post by solveig on May 16, 2007 9:41:41 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! My main concerns are to contribute in return and to help with a good time. I have never camped over at a event, but im told there are various fires to visit and people to meet, and drinks to share. If i share id like it to be sake. Would sake be the correct thing to share around a campfire? would it be like a shot compared to a large drink? any other hints? Thanks for all the information. I recommend that you just go and participate this year. Sake is not really something that you just show up with. At least not in a Japanese context. Maybe in a future year you will want to run a sake party of your own at your own camp.
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Saionji Shonagon
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Post by Saionji Shonagon on May 16, 2007 11:33:46 GMT -5
would it be like a shot compared to a large drink? Just because the serving is small does not mean you need to belt it down like a shot. Sip it. While it is possible to carry a bottle around and swig inelegantly out of it, sake would be better as either a contribution to a party where you plan to spend some time or at a party you yourself are hosting. That way it can be served and enjoyed properly. Why not invite some people back to YOUR camp for a sake tasting?
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Post by solveig on May 16, 2007 15:22:39 GMT -5
Noble Cousins!
Greetings from Solveig! Generally speaking, the traditional pre-modern way to drink sake involves holding the saucer with both hands and more or less slowly tipping the contents into your mouth. If you want to emulate tea sipping, then you might finish it in three sips. Generally speaking, you should take an odd number of sips. Definitely avoid taking four sips.
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Post by roninpenguin on May 21, 2007 19:45:09 GMT -5
Why not invite some people back to YOUR camp for a sake tasting? Been there, done that, had great fun... Until the smelly dog wine came out.
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Saionji Shonagon
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One dreamed of becoming somebody. Another remained awake and became. (Found in a fortune cookie.)
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Post by Saionji Shonagon on May 21, 2007 20:48:28 GMT -5
Until the smelly dog wine came out. Um, yes, that was extra special.
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Post by solveig on Jun 8, 2007 21:50:31 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! My main concerns are to contribute in return and to help with a good time. OK. Then I suggest that you find a Japanese/Asian foodstore and buy a bunch of non-sweet dry munchies. This can include wasabi peas (which always go over well), dried squid, norimaki senbe, &c. Make sure to wrap the package, and bring it wrapped and give it to your host when you arrive. Tell him that it is a small thing and that you are not sure that it is appropriate for his party.
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Post by karasumaru on Jun 20, 2007 15:30:36 GMT -5
Noble Cousins! Greetings from Solveig! Generally speaking, the traditional pre-modern way to drink sake involves holding the saucer with both hands and more or less slowly tipping the contents into your mouth. Or you can be manly and drink it cradled in between your forefinger and your thumb, while scowling and planting your other fist firmly on hip. Sake is wonderful. I have wonderful memories of my kendo sensei in Japan grabbing a bottle (which I later learned was worth about 20000 yen), hesitating, then handing it to me while muttering, "I know you won't appreciate this properly, but here's a small gift." Of course, I had just given him some single malt, so all was fair. In general, the best stuff is consumed cold, while the cheaper brands can either be served warm or chilled. Again, as a general rule, I prefer the wine from Hokkaidou to elsewhere, but like grape wine, great nihonshu can come from anywhere. If you prefer the hard stuff normally, you might try shochu, which is of higher alchohol content and can pack quite a kick.
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Post by solveig on Jun 20, 2007 17:04:01 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! Or you can be manly and drink it cradled in between your forefinger and your thumb, while scowling and planting your other fist firmly on hip. Captain Morgan TV commercials aside, that approach can be a bit difficult when one is drinking from a shallow saucer. If you want to base your drinking style on samurai movies, you could hold the rim one handed with the back of your hand away from you and drink the sake in one gulp. However, you are still likely to be seated. Also, your fist is still a bit unlikely to be on your hip. There are much better places to put your hand if you want to draw your sword quickly.
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Saionji Shonagon
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Post by Saionji Shonagon on Jun 20, 2007 17:41:34 GMT -5
Reminds me, my copy of "Sake Pure and Simple" arrived from Amazon.com last night: www.amazon.com/Sake-Pure-Simple-Facts-Libation/dp/1880656744/Small enough to take shopping, it includes the basics on how sake is made, types, how to store it, and so forth. Things I did not know before last night: The bottle should have a date on it - though finding and reading it on some imports can be a challenge! Most sake should be drunk between 6 months and a year from the bottling date. (There is an aged variety). Screw-top bottles are not an indicator of good or bad quality. Sake is not wine, a cork would contaminate it, so screw tops are fine. Sake should be stored in a cool, dark place. Once you've opened the bottle, drink it or sink it, as you would with wine. Don't keep a bottle in the fridge hoping it'll last. If you're not going to get through a big bottle, look for the half-size ones.
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Post by karasumaru on Jun 20, 2007 21:00:03 GMT -5
I did make certain to separate the "info" portion of my post from the "-tainment" portion with a big ol' smileyface. Next time I'll use this format: KORE WA JODAN DA YO: *joke* JODAN GA OWARI DA ZE! (I love that reverse-drinking samurai pose)
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Post by solveig on Jun 21, 2007 1:21:56 GMT -5
Noble Cousin! Greetings from Solveig! I did make certain to separate the "info" portion of my post from the "-tainment" portion with a big ol' smileyface. Next time I'll use this format: KORE WA JODAN DA YO: *joke* JODAN GA OWARI DA ZE! (I love that reverse-drinking samurai pose) I feel compelled to explain that my parents always complained that my sense of humor was extracted along with my tonsils at age five.
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