What would a tour of the world's bites and boozes be without Japan? Today, as Japan faces Paraguay for one of the final spots in the quarter finals of the World Cup, Bite and Booze will take a look at the rich culinary history of island nation known as the Land of the Rising Sun. Besides rice, seafood is highly consumed in Japan since the country is surrounded by oceans. Seaweed, fish, clams, fish cakes are essential ingredients in Japanese cooking. Dashi soup stock used in Japanese-style meals is made from katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) or konbu (kelp). Other essential ingredients in Japanese cuisine include mushrooms, noodles, beans, ginger, and more. Essential seasonings in Japanese cuisine are soy sauce, mirin (sweet rice wine), miso (bean paste), sake (rice wine), rice vinegar, and wasabi (Japanese horseradish).

Sake is a clear alcohol drink which is basically made by fermenting steamed rice with koji mold and water. Sake has about 15% alcohol. It's said that good water and rice make good sake. Sake are divided into two kinds: futsu-shu (general sake) and tokutei mesho-shu (special sake). Tokutei meisho-shu are categorized by the degree of rice milling and the use of distilled alcohol like Honjozo-shu and Junmai-shu. Namazake is sake which has not been pasteurized. Any kind of sake can be namazake. Sake is often used in Japanese cooking. Leftover sake is suitable for cooking. Sake can be used for cocktails or other drinks.
For some information on Japanese beer, go to the BR Beer Scene!
Thanks and Credits:
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/holidaytraditionalfood/a/introduction.htm
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/sake/p/sakeprofile.htm
http://animecooking.com/sushi-rolls-maki-style/
http://www.oneinchpunch.net/2008/04/18/japanese-sushi-chef-creates-van-gogh’s-sunflowers-and-pandas/
http://weblogs.fox40.com/news/opinion/sacramentoscene/2009/08/sushi_and_saki_take_a_class.html
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