CONTENTS
Sake of the month
Although summer is over before we know it, here in Japan it is still quite warm indeed...
Looking forward to the breezy days of autumn, we would love to introduce to you a sake that can surely bring warmth to your heart in fall season!
What is "KOKORO"?
In Japanese, "kokoro" translates into the word "heart".
As you might imagine, the sake is named with the hope that people can feel the dedication - "heart, spirit and soul" put into the sake production by the Japanese craftsmen in the brewery.
Take a sip of "KOKORO" and you will find that this sake has a gentle sweetness that tastes like melon, at the same time maintaining just the perfect balance between a delicate sourness and fruity sweetness.
At the same time, "KOKORO" can be enjoyed in the form of hot sake as well! As a Junmai sake - meaning that the sake is made from the mere ingredients of rice, koji and water, with no addition of brewers alcohol - the rice is always carefully fermented to achieve this exquisite taste.
As we approach autumn, it is going to be the season to relax with a cup of warm sake in the cool evening!
"KOKORO"
| ALC | 15% |
| Volume | 720ml |
| Origin | Ehime Prefecture |
| Ingredients | Rice, koji, carbonated water |
| RPR | 60% |
| Classification | Junmai Ginjo |
The Brewer's Philosophy
The brewery of "KOKORO" is located in the Ehime Prefecture, Japan, in which three siblings work as a team fully dedicated to their only goal in mind - "to create the kind of delicious sake we can be truly proud of."
To achieve this, the team commits to a completely handcrafting process without any use of large machinery. As a result, although "KOKORO" can only be made in a small quantity, the quality of the sake is never compromised for the sake of production efficiency.
Since the quality of water also makes a huge impact on the taste of the sake, "KOKORO" is made from "ryufukusui" - water from subterranean rivers, which is considered the best kind of soft water in Japan. It is not an overstatement to say that the flavor of the beautiful nature in Japan is skillfully translated into the enticing taste of "KOKORO".
Take a closer look at the label design and you might be surprised - can you see the silhouette of the craftsmen trio standing on the top of the mountain? The illustration is a visual testimony to not only the love among the brothers, but also the love and effort they have put into the meticulous production of "KOKORO".
Recommended pairing
Now let's see what makes a great pairing with "KOKORO".
With simple ingredients that you can easily purchase even outside Japan, you can try out Kakuni, which is considered a popular dish here in Japan!
Kakuni (Japanese stewed pork)
Ingredients (for two)
- Pork belly meat (in blocks), 300g
- The green part of a green onion, 1 scallion
- Ginger, 1/2 piece
- Spinach, 50g
- Water, 400ml
- Hot water for boiling, 1000ml
- (A) Soy sauce, 70ml
- (A) Cooking sake, 50ml
- (A) Honey, 3 tablespoon
- (A) Sugar, 1.5 tablespoon
For topping: red pepper (an appropriate amount to your liking!)
Recipe
- With the skin on, cut the ginger into thin slices.
- Cut the pork belly meat into blocks with approximately 5cm in width.
- Boil water in a pot. Then add in spinach and boil for 30 seconds until it is soft. Strain the spinach in a colander. Cool it down under running water, then squeeze out excess moisture. Cut off the root, then cut the remaining part into pieces of approximately 4cm in length.
- Place the pork belly meat in a frying pan over high heat. Fry until all sides are browned. Wipe the frying pan clean with kitchen paper.
- Add the green onion, ginger pieces, water and ingredients (A) into the frying pan and heat over medium heat. Bring to a boil then place in the drop lid. Covering the pan with the lid, cover over low heat for approximately 40 minutes until the pork becomes soft.
- Place (5) and the spinach pieces into a bowl, and finish by adding the appropriate amount of red pepper!
Without a doubt "KOKORO" makes a good combination with meat dishes. Feel free to send us a message if you wish to know more about other recipes!
See you again in the next blog post!
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