June 2009 Sake & Food Pairing Class

It goes without saying that I really enjoy teaching sake classes at Astor Center! June started off with our super fun ‘Sake and Food Pairing’ class. This class takes a walk on the wild side of sake and really goes in search of some of the more unique flavors in the sake world.

The Pairings
Sparkling: Harushika Tokimeki Junmai (pairing: apple wedge)
Kimoto: Sawanoi Iroha Kimono Junmai (pairing: Grilled shitake w/bonito)
Yamahai: Hiraizumi Yamahai Junmai (pairing: tsukune chicken meatball)
Genshu: Umenishiki Junmai Ginjo Genshu (pairing: Edamame.)
Nigori:Ichinokura Junmai Nama Genshu Nigori (pairing: blue cheese)
Koshu: Hanahato Kijoshu (pairing: vanilla ice cream)

Which sake food pairing do you think was voted as the class favorite?
Drumroll please……
Ichinokura Nama Nigori with the Blue Cheese! Wha? I know! But it really worked. The texture of the sake and cheese were both super creamy, but the blue cheese had a little bit of saltiness that was just fantastic with the nama.

Special Guest

Riedel O Daiginjo Sake Tasting Glass

It was not only blue cheese and nama that made this class special! We had a very special guest, Mr. Maximilian Riedel. He spoke for a few minutes and introduced his Riedel “O” Daiginjo sake tasting glass.

We enjoyed the very special Wakatake Junmai Daiginjo with Mr. Riedel’s glass. He showed us the finer points of tasting sake using his stemless tasting glass. We also each got to take home our glass! Yeah!

Here is a video of Maximilian Riedel introducing is “O” line of glasses: