I’m a big fan of Japanese artisan sake and wanted to post an article about sake and food pairing. But I’m not the expert, so when author, instructor and publisher of one of the most comprehensive websites about Japanese sake (SakeWorld.com), John Gauntner, offered to write a post, I practically did a back-flip! And then, to top it all off, Morgan of Vine Connections (a former client of mine) came over and brought a caseful of sake for me to try. So, I invited friends Michael, Debbie and Barry to come by and party. Our meal was non-Japanese, which was perfect because we really got a chance to experience how clean, crisp Japanese sake plays so well with other foods, especially cheese, manicotti, smoked wild boar and home made bread ~Jaden
by John Gauntner
I’ll just come right out and say it: sake holds as much potential for pairing with food as wine. It’s true. And the rules and principles are the same.
Sure, it has its limitations. Sake is subtle; it has a much smaller presence or “footprint” than wine. It’s generally more demure, more delicate. And it has a lower overall acidity and no tannins. All this limits it in some ways, but helps its pairing potential in others.
But know this: sake is NOT limited to Japanese food, nor even to Asian food. Perish the thought! Sure, sake has limitations. Food that is too strong in any facet – spicy, rich, hot – will overpower sake. But take away those obvious mismatches, and what remains in western cuisine works very well indeed with sake.
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This is my dining room. Which somehow turned into my office, bookshelf, the kids computer room (they were playing a game on Star Wars website) and place for placing miscellaneous doo-dads that you never want found again. The stacks and stacks of cookbooks are essential, while the specific titles on the table change week by week (depends on what I’m cooking), I’m never without inspiration or reference at my fingertips.
It’s not the most ergonomic office situation, but it provides me with an eagle’s eye view on my children, who can cause mischief faster than you can flick whipped cream on the ceiling.
This spot also is just 3 steps away from my front door, my kitchen and my bedroom. In case I need to greet the UPS guy who brings me new cookbooks every day, check on a dish simmering on the stove or go take a nap.
I love working at home.
Well, I’m about to bring my office on the road for three weeks on book tour. I’ve never been away from the kidlets and husband for that long, and I’ve certainly never been that long without my stacks and stacks of cookbooks that I love so much. [click to continue…]
One of my favorite cooking shows of all time is the original Iron Chef. No, not the modern version that plays over and over on Food Network right now, but the one taped in Japan with the silly English dubbing that always cracks me up. The episode that I drooled most over was “Battle Matsutake.” Matsutake Tempura?! Oh hello lover!
So since that episode, I’ve been pining for Matsutake mushrooms. I kept hearing that in Japan, it’s a seasonal, rare, expensive thing….so I just sorta passed it up as, “okay, one day…” type of food.
And a couple of weeks ago I found out that Matsutake mushrooms are harvested here in the Pacific Northwest (okay, not really “here” as I’m in Florida, but I mean here as in American soil!) and this year is one of abundance. My good friend Dave from Earthy sent me an email when they first started arriving, and I almost canceled the rest of my travel plans to come home so I could play with the ’shrooms.
But how to cook?
Marc of No Recipes and Stephan of Zen Can Cook came to the rescue with ideas and recipes. I had dinner with both of them a few months ago in NYC, but we don’t have a photo to prove it.
Because we were too damn busy eating, laughing and stuffing our faces at dinner. Oh and drinking lots too. No wonder!
So, if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a few Matsutake mushrooms, remember to keep the recipe simple. The mushroom is so fragrant and earthy that you don’t want manipulate it too much. Keep it simple, with few good quality ingredients and enjoy its natural aroma and taste.
What is Matsutake Mushroom?
Fall is the season of Matsutake mushrooms. In Japan, it’s a highly prized mushroom, perfect specimens selling for as much as $250 for 6 small Matsutake mushrooms! I compare it to truffles – the Matsutake has a penetrating, deep earthy aroma. It’s texture is thick, meaty and hearty.
Matsu = pine
Take = mushroom
The Matsutake grows only under pine trees, and I’ve heard that the never grow in the same place twice. How frustrating for mushroom hunters, eh? American Matsutake is a little different from the Japanese species, but just as fragrant and delicious.
Hsiao-Ching Chou wrote, “In that regard, the matsutake resembles the truffle, which lends its perfume to any preparation it encounters. A broth with several slices of a pine mushroom would be served in a lidded bowl or pot, for example, so that the scent of earthy pine with a tinge of cinnamon swirls within the container until it is finally released.”
Hurry! Matsutake mushrooms are only available September through November!
How to make Matsutake Dobin Mushi
First, clean your mushroom with a damp cloth, wiping off as much dirt as possible. Cut off the tough bottom nub of the mushroom. Use a paring knife, turn the knife around so that you’re using the upper dull edge, and scrape off the thin outer layer on the stem.
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The world has gone bacon crazy, and unfortunately it has nothing to do with the food item actually made from pork belly. I’m talking about products sold in tubes, squeeze bottles, jars, cans and tablets, all flashing the word “Bacon!” as it’s only selling point and not an ounce of real pork in its ingredients. Apparently, that one word is so powerful, the products are still flying off the shelves!
I’ve seen “bakon” vodka (Twitter member @MarcSeattle said it tastes like “bac-os mixed with motor oil”), zero-calorie bacon flavor spray packaged in a hairspray-like bottle by celebrity chef David Burke, cardboard bacon air freshener that you can dangle from your rearview mirror and even bacon-flavored lip balm. When did pretending to staple two strips of fatty pig to lips become sexy?
I recently visited a friend who happens to be a vegetarian. Before I could even put my purse down and exchange pleasantries, she excitedly thrust a jar at me, “This is my newest obsession…bacon flavored mayonnaise…Baconnaise! Isn’t it genius!?” Though I have to admit, it’s not that bad in a sandwich. And I get the excitement, especially for those who are omnivores-turned-vegetarians but miss the whole meat flavor thing.
For me, I’d rather have the real deal. Spraying “bacon” flavoring on my eggs in the morning just seems so pathetic! And there’s no better way to enjoy steak than to slather it with a butter made of real bacon and real blue cheese!
Step-by-Step: Bacon and Blue Cheese Butter
First thing you’ve gotta do is cook your bacon and then mince it up in teeny tiny pieces. You should also crumble your blue cheese if it’s not crumbled already.
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Feeling lazy? The Ultimate Breakfast Machine will deliver continental breakfast at the push of a button. Only problem — no bacon.
These are meant for baking, but colorful dual-compartment squeezy bottles SCREAM ketchup + mustard. Two condiments, two bottles? So passe.
Po-tay-to, Po-tah-to. Thought you knew what those tubers were all about? Think again.
Hitchcock’s The Birds meets Guy’s Big Bite for a tragic ending in this hilarious SNL skit.
You say it’s for the kids, but really who can pass up a gumball machine + foosball table rolled into one.
And ending on an upbeat note — try this music video for your next jazzercise session.
