Rice, Water, Earth: Notes on Sake
These posts are the continuation of my thoughts and reporting on sake for the James Beard award-winning Exploring the World of Japanese Craft Sake, which I co-wrote with sake sommelier and Sake Samurai Michael Tremblay.
“Cosy Koji”: Marika Groen and Melissa Mills on the Making of a Koji Community
“Koji has its own life, not so different from yours. They are born, grow up, learn to survive, and pass away in the blink of an eye.”
Hishiroku Kyoto: Japan's Oldest Koji Merchant
“During World War II my grandmother was arrested and put in jail on suspicion of diverting rice to be sold on the black market for food.”
Is Sake Good for Your Health?
“I believe that drinking a little sake every day is good for customers’ health.” — So Okasora, Chiyomusubi Brewery.
The Science of Sake Aromas
“Lighter fluid or stove fuel, scorched oil, a vinegar dressing, a deviled egg, a just-unwrapped cheese, a sip of wine or rum: all offer distant echoes of the early cosmos, sensible traces of the inherent, relentless creativity with which matter explores its own possibilities.”