[Carefully selected by the handsome master brewer! 】9 selections of Japanese sake snacks from Totsuru Sake Brewery! Falling in love with a handsome man and sake♪

[Directly told by the brewery president and chief brewer] Sake snack series

Here we come[Directly told by the sake brewery president and chief brewer] Sake snack series!

This is the third installment, and today we have Tokatsu Sake Brewery's President Nonaka, who is in love with both the sake and the sake brewer, giving us his special sake snack/marriage recipe.♪

Totsuru Sake Brewery was on the verge of going out of business during its predecessor's time, but the current owner and chief brewer, Yasunari Nonaka, the 6th generation, has successfully revived it into a splendid brewery.

That sake barrel is amazing...

And President Nonaka is so handsome...

If you read this article, you will definitely fall in love with Japanese Sake Swamp!

Toast directly with the sake brewery president and brewer♪ Hands-on local SAKE

We, who are writing this article, are running an in-home experience-based alcohol mail order service that combines "local alcohol mail order x online toasts with the makers."

It's a so-called online sake brewery tour, and it's a really nice service that allows you to toast with the presidents and brewers of local sake breweries from the comfort of your own home.♪

(→Don't say it yourself! lol)

We want you to experience not only the taste of the alcohol, but also the personality and way of thinking of the sake brewer.

We operate our services with this in mind.

The sake snack menu we will be introducing this time is a real recommendation that we heard directly from the online sake brewery tour.

What is Sake Mariage Pairing?

 Image source: prtimes

In this article, we will explain about snacks that go well with sake, but before that! I would like to explain the term mariage pairing.

The word mariage pairing has a very fashionable image. Mariage comes from the French word, and pairing comes from the English word.

In the rough meaning of the word, mariage is ``marriage'' and pairing is ``combination.''

It's a little hard to understand from just this, so I'll explain what they mean and the differences. 

 

What is mariage?

Mariage is also used in the food world in addition to the word "marriage." This is an expression often used especially when it comes to wine.

When two different things come together, something new is born, which is a way of expressing it that matches the word "marriage."

I feel like mariage has a multiplicative element of deliciousness, like A×B=C.

Marriage seems to be often used to express a highly anticipated result, such as combining alcohol and food to create a new flavor that was not present individually.

What is pairing?

In general, pairing has a slightly more flexible meaning than mariage. It's a place where you can enjoy a meal by combining alcohol and food.

It's like A+B=AB, where the deliciousness of each flavor is added together.

In the case of Japanese sake, the question is not whether to use mariage or pairing, but because there are many dishes that go well with each brand, mariage is used for multiplicative combinations, and pairing is used for items that go well with each other in a wide range of situations.

For other details, please refer to the article below.♪

For detailed introduction articles regarding sake mariage and pairing, please seehere

 

 

9 Sake Snacks Recommended by the Sake Brewery President and Chief Brewer ~ Totsuru Sake Brewery, Taku City, Saga Prefecture ~

Now that you understand the basics, let's get into the more important information!

This time, we will introduce recommended snacks that go well with Tokatsu Sake Brewery's sake.

 

 About Totsuru Sake Brewery in Taku City, Saga Prefecture

Higashitsuru Sake Brewery is a sake brewery located in Taku City, Saga Prefecture. Taku City is famous for the education of the Analects of Confucius, but the area is also suitable for sake brewing as it is surrounded by mountains.

The company was temporarily closed and on the verge of going out of business in 1989 during its predecessor's era, but the current president, Yasunari Nonaka, relaunched it in 2009.

The hardships after starting up are also more difficult than others. In 2019, they suffered from a flood, and there were times when there was nothing they could do about it, but with the support of those around them, they were able to safely resume making sake.

The sake produced by Tokatsu Sake Brewery, which has overcome many hardships, is truly delicious.

 

 

• Tokatsu Sake Brewery Co., Ltd.
• 3625-1 Oaza Beppu, Higashitaku-cho, Taku-shi, Saga Prefecture
• 0952-76-2421
• The homepage ishere

 

About President Nonaka and Chief Brewer

President Nonaka has publicly stated that he originally hated sake.

After a certain encounter, he fell in love with sake, and he is working hard every day to create drinks that overturn the common sense of people who don't like sake.

So, what kind of alcohol is actually made?

 

 

Alcohol and pairing menu introduced this time

The three alcoholic beverages we will be introducing this time are: and these drinkstoWe will introduce 9 snacks that go well with this dish.

1. Totsuru Semi Shigure Sparkling Raw
2. Totsuru Junmai Ginjo BLACK
3. Totsuru Junmai Ginjo WHITE

 

Higashitsurusemi Shigure sparkling raw pairing menu

This sparkling drink is recommended even during the hot summer months when there are no cicadas!

There are two ways to make sparkling: carbonation injection and secondary fermentation in the bottle, which involves bottling with the yeast still alive.This latter type of sparkling uses secondary fermentation in the bottle.

That's why it has a thin white cloudiness as a proof of live yeast, and is characterized by a fizzing and fine carbonation!

Is this champagne already? This sake is also recommended for women.♪

• Alcohol: Higashitsurusemi Shigure Sparkling Raw
• Rice used: Yamada Nishiki (not graded)
• Rice polishing ratio: 55%
• Alcohol content: 14 degrees
• Recommended way to drink: Chilled (we recommend drinking it chilled)

 

Raw ham and avocado with sweet and sour lemon sauce

Image source: coocpad

Wrap the avocado around the prosciutto and adjust the taste with sweet vinegar and lemon to complete the dish.♪

The relatively sweet alcohol goes well with the prosciutto and avocado, elevating it to an even higher quality sweetness!

Furthermore, this sparkling beer is made in such a way that it has a sour taste at the end, so it matches well with the sourness of the lemon and is extremely delicious.

 

Yakitori (salty chicken breast)

Image source: kurashiru

You might think that the previous one would be a stylish combination with champagne, but this one has yakitori and sparkling beer that will make you feel like you're at an izakaya or food stall!

It would be better if the yakitori was sprinkled with a little more salt to match the sparkling fizziness.♪

Ah, I wish the food stall had such stylish drinks...

 

Bitter melon rice or ponzu sauce

Image source: delish kitchen

This is a very new sake pairing.

The bitterness of bitter gourd and the sweetness of the sake create a symmetrical taste that makes them hold hands in your mouth.

And in this okaka ponzu sauce, sourness and umami are mixed well, making it a special combination where you can truly feel the four flavors of bitterness, sweetness, sourness, and umami all in one.♪

 

 

Totsuru Junmai Ginjo Nama BLACK pairing menu

``BLACK'' is a sake brewed with black koji, which is often used in awamori.

By making it with black koji, more citric acid is produced, which is difficult to produce in regular sake brewing.

The image of the taste is that it is a full-bodied sake with a strong umami flavor!

• Alcohol: Totsuru Junmai Ginjo BLACK
• Rice used: Saga no Hana
• Rice polishing ratio: 55%
• Alcohol content: 16%
• Recommended way to drink: Chilled, room temperature, hot

 

lean beef steak

Image source: cook pad

As an image, it would be like pairing beef with red wine.

The strong flavor and sharp aftertaste perfectly complements the flavor and fat of the beef.

It's good to pair it with red wine, but it's also fun to pair it with this BLACK.♪

 

Shishito pork roll

Image source: fytte

A simple and fragrant snack menu that can be completed by simply wrapping pork around shishito peppers and grilling!

When you add the flavor and sourness of this BLACK to the spiciness and pork, there's nothing more to say.♪

 

Ginger grilled

Image source: kikkoman

Ginger grilled rice and sake are an unusual combination, but with the crispness of this BLACK, you won't have any complaints.

This rich flavor has a synergistic effect with the ginger sauce!

Please give it a try.

 

 

Totsuru Junmai Ginjo WHITE pairing menu

The last product I would like to introduce is this Junmai Ginjo WHITE.

This WHITE can be said to be a sibling to the BLACK mentioned earlier, but this is a sake made with white koji.

Shiro koji is a type of koji that is usually used in shochu, but when used in sake, it also produces the same citric acid!

However, the difference from before is that it feels refreshing.♪

I would like you to compare the refreshing taste of WHITE and the richness and flavor of BLACK. 

 

• Alcohol: Tozuru Junmai Ginjo WHITE
• Rice used: Saga no Hana
• Rice polishing ratio: 55%
• Alcohol content: 16%
• Recommended way to drink: Chilled, room temperature, hot

 

sea bream carpaccio

Image source: mizkan

 

Carpaccio has the image of being paired with white wine, but this WHITE goes perfectly as you imagine.

This carpaccio goes perfectly with the refreshing sauce and the refreshing taste of the sea bream, and when you pair it with the refreshing and sharp WHITE, it's refreshing to the third power, and it's super comforting!

 

Marinated squid and celery

Image source: Kateigaho 

Next up is marinated squid and celery, which is also refreshing.

Hey everyone, celery is actually really good when it comes to pairing with sake.

The flavor and texture of the squid is marinated in that bluish celery, making it even more refreshing.

And WHITE really fits there! !

 

Sake-steamed oysters with lemon butter

Image source: delish kitchen

Here comes the oyster♪

Sake and oysters are a combination that I fall in love with in the fall.

This time, we steamed oysters with lemon butter, adding a juicy sour and buttery flavor to the WHITE that washes away that flavor quickly.

Enjoy this exquisite combination that will bring you to tears!

 

Hey everyone, here are the 3 types of alcohol recommended by Tokatsu Sake Brewery so far.✖︎We introduced 3 types of snacks = 9 items, what do you think?

I'm sure there will be something to suit everyone's taste, and I hope that Tokatsu Sake Brewery's sake will help you change your concept of Japanese sake.

See you next time!

 

If you want to interact with the brewery president and brewer at home, try Hands-on Local SAKE

Each time we hold an event with a different sake brewery and a different theme related to sake, so if you are interested in the theme of this online sake brewery tour, please check it out below!

Check out this month's online sake brewery tour

 

In addition, on each SNS, we are distributing sake pairing menus from the sake brewery president and chief brewer, sake Q&A, and the latest information on events, so please follow us.♪

 

●OfficialInstagram

https://www.instagram.com/handsonlocalsake/

 

●Official Twitter

https://twitter.com/handsonsake/

 

●Official YouTube

https://bit.ly/3mIoY8K

 

●OfficialFacebook

https://www.facebook.com/handsonlocalsake

 

●Participants onlyFacebook community page

https://www.facebook.com/groups/handsonlocalsake