Japan: Street Food Bite and Booze of the World Cup

South America had a rough day yesterday, so we're going to take today's street food guide to the FIFA World Cup 2014 far, far away from Brazil. Japan is a country full of people on the go. There are probably a million different street food options to choose from, but today we're going to take a look at their Ikayaki and Japanese Hitachino Nest Beer.

Photo Credit: colourbox.com

Ikayaki is grilled squid and it is delicious. If you've never had squid, it's super tender and has the a similar consistency to scallops. On the streets of Japan you can find ikayaki skewered and hanging like cotton candy on carts at a fair. This recipe is for ginger marinated ikayaki and would be a perfect way to kick up your grilling game! The subtle sweetness of the meat pairs well with the kick of the ginger and soy sauce. If you decide to try it out let me know how it goes!

Photo Credit: behance.net

Hitachino White Ale is quite possibly one of the best beers on the planet. It has a complex flavor with notes of coriander, orange, and a dash of nutmeg. Although it's from Japan, you can find it here in Baton Rouge at Calandro's! It's a great refreshing, drinkable summer brew. Let me know if you like it!

 

Yamazaki Sidecar at Nobu: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Yamazaki Sidecar and Mia Margarita from Nobu in Malibu

While in Los Angeles a few weeks ago I had the opportunity to dine around a few different parts of town. My friend Shelly and I somehow got reservations at Nobu in Malibu, so we drove from Hollywood to the beach in order to get a taste of the acclaimed restaurant. With a Ferrari a few Bentleys in the parking lot, we made our way in and ordered a couple cocktails to enjoy while overlooking the Pacific Ocean before dinner.

In honor of Whisk(e)y Wednesday, I decided to share our cocktails with you here. I, of course, ordered a whisky drink. The Yamazaki Sidecar featured an ice sphere and Yamazaki 12 year single malt Japanese Whisky. I've actually reviewed the whisky before on a Whisk(e)y Wednesday post if you want to read about it. The sidecar also contained Gran Torres Orange Liqueur and yuzu juice from the Japanese fruit. The beverage treated me well as the cool breeze blew in from the ocean and the sound of crashing waves set our ambiance.

Shelly had a Mia Margarita. While not a whisk(e)y drink, I still thought I should mention it. Corralejo Anejo tequila, passion fruit, shichimi, and lime juice filled the glass. The flavor packed punch from the shichimi spice mix combined with a quality aged tequila made this an excellent margarita. Dinner at Nobu impressed even more than the starter cocktails. It was a little dark in the restaurant and my pictures can't do the food justice. We did a 12 course tasting menu that I'm still thinking about weeks later. Nobu is a beautiful restaurant with rockin' menu and some great cocktails, that's for sure.

Four Roses Small Batch: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Four Roses Small Batch

Four Roses Small Batch scored very well with our panel. Kind of forgotten in the recent news about Suntory purchasing Jim Beam and Makers Mark, Four Roses has long been owned by the Japanese owned Kirin Brewing Company. That certainly doesn't mean there is anything un-American about the taste or quality, though. The nose on the Four Roses Small Batch bourbon is spicy sweet with hints of oak. It is fairly mild with a bit of a syrupy aroma laced with a pleasantly booze tinge. On the palate it is not as sweet as a lot of bourbons. Some vanilla and cinnamon are present, but mostly the flavor sticks to grains and wood. The finish is long and smooth with a lingering brightness that warms on the way down. It is complex yet balanced. A very good bourbon worthy of any collection!

Four Roses Small Batch 

Average Score 82.67

Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by Calandro's Supermarket. Calandro's has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, Irish, and other whisk(e)ys as well as wine and craft beer. This WW feature was scored by Jay Ducote, Eric Ducote, and Jeremy Spikes. Scores are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, and Balance and Complexity using our own proprietary scoring system. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y (though not undrinkable) while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss and anything above 80 is rather extraordinary and anything above 90 is world class.

A Look Back on the Whisk(e)ys of the World Tournament Part 1/3: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

About two years ago we began the Whisk(e)ys of the World Tournament on one of my radio shows called Raise a Glass (now you can listen to the Me and Big Mouth Radio Show in that time slot). The concept was pretty simple: four of us would pick our #1 seeds then we would fill in the rest of the ballot by pulling whisk(e)ys out of a hat. We included all the whisk(e)y brands that the four of us had on hand as well as other major brands that we knew we could acquire easily. No bottle exceeded $100 retail, and really only a couple were even close. Most, as you can see looking at the list on the right, were pretty affordable. We actually had 80-90 in the hat, so nothing other than our four #1 seeds were guaranteed a spot. We also put in a play-in game for the 16 seed in each bracket, so in total 68 whisk(e)ys made the field. These included bourbon, American whiskey, Canadian whisky, both blended and single malt Scotch, Irish Whiskey, Japanese Whisky, and even a couple odd balls. For the most part, the #1 seeds were selected based on perceived value and taste. I picked a bourbon, Blanton's, to head my bracket. My brother Eric from the BR Beer Scene picked Highland Park 12, a Scotch, for his. James and Jeremy both selected Irish Whiskeys for their brackets going with the Powers Gold Label and Tullamore Dew, respectively. The #1 seeds were not meant to be our choice for the best whiskey of all time, but rather our pick for a whiskey that might get farther than others, that we had on hand, and that we wanted to guarantee a spot in the field.

So the field was set. We spent the following weeks tasting every whiskey in every bracket and announcing who would move forward and which spirit got sent home. We went from 64 to 32 in a matter of four weeks, then again from 32 to 16 over the following four weeks. Next week on Whisk(e)y Wednesday I'll reveal the sweet 16. Which whisk(e)ys would be your pick?

Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by Calandro's Supermarket. Calandro's has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, Irish, and other whisk(e)ys as well as wine and craft beer. This WW feature was scored by Jay Ducote, Eric Ducote, and Jeremy Spikes. Scores are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, and Balance and Complexity using our own proprietary scoring system. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss and anything above 90 is rather extraordinary.

Nikka Taketsuru: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Whisk(e)y Wednesday returns to Japan with Nikka Taketsuru, a whisky made in the Land of the Rising Sun in the Scotch style.  This whisky is an interesting one.  The comments from our panel were all pretty varied.  The nose reminded me of cherry cough syrup.  Eric got a similar medicinal aroma.  Oak came through on the taste with more cherry but very little smoke.  The wood flavor continued to hold up on the finish while thoughts of smoothness were inconsistent.  The whisky lacked balance as the few flavors it had left little to truly be desired.  We found it a little rough around the edges for sure.

Nikka Taketsuru 

Average Score 58.5

Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by Calandro's Supermarket. Calandro's has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, and other whisk(e)ys as well as wine and craft beer. This WW feature was scored by Eric Ducote, Brenton Day, and Charles Pierce. Scores are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, and Balance and Complexity using our own proprietary scoring system. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss and anything above 90 is rather extraordinary.

Yamazaki Single Malt 12 Yr: Whisk(e)y Wednesday presented by Calandro's Supermarket

Yamazaki Single Malt Japanese Whisky

Japan's distilling culture makes its first appearance on Whisk(e)y Wednesday with Yamazaki Single Malt 12 Year.  Made in the Scotch style using single malt barley, the Yamazaki had a honey and floral nose that delivered a slight burn.  The 86 proof whisky had plenty of charred oak and big wood on the palate.  James referred to it as an "understated" Scotch in style as it finished with a little bit of peat smoke and heat.  Overall the whisky seemed to struggle with balance and did not come across as being all that complex either, but the nose and initial taste were enough to make it a decent purchase if you want a Japanese whisky in your collection.

Yamazaki Single Malt 12 Year

69.25 Average Score

Whisk(e)y Wednesday is a blog post series on Bite and Booze sponsored by Calandro's Supermarket. Calandro's has one of Baton Rouge's best selections of bourbon, Scotch, and other whisk(e)ys as well as wine and craft beer. WW is created and rated by the hosts of Raise a Glass. Scores are marked for Nose, Taste, Finish, and Balance and Complexity using our own propriatary scoring system. Marks are then added and averaged, leaving us with a final score out of a 100 point scale. Our scale should be looked at on the full range of 0-100 rather than an academic range where 70 is passing and anything less is failing. A 50 should be considered a very mediocre whisk(e)y while anything below 20 is absolute horse piss and anything above 90 is rather extraordinary.

Non-Local Beer Shout Out

I just wanted to give a quick Bite and Booze shout out to two of my favorite beers these days that aren't from a Louisiana brewery.  In fact, they aren't from anywhere around here at all.  The first is Pumpkinhead from the Shipyard Brewing Co. in Maine.  This beer is undoubtedly one of my favorite pumpkin flavored beers.  While it may seem a little odd to be bringing it up in February, I don't care.  It's that good of a beer.  Plus, you can actually find some on the shelves of Whole Foods in Baton Rouge right now.  The brew has a wonderful pumpkin flavor while still tasting like beer.  Feel free to give it a try and let me know what you think.

The second beer I'd like to mention is somewhat widely available around Baton Rouge these days.  It has replaced Kirin Ichiban as my favorite beer to get while eating sushi or other dishes from the Orient.  Hitachino Nest's White Ale is a Japanese beer that, while moderately expensive, is worthy of the price tag.  It is smooth, flavorful, and downright delicious.  Just don't let them pour it in a frosty glass if you order it at a restaurant.  A beer this good deserves room temperature glassware!

Japan - The 2010 FIFA World Cup Bites and Boozes

Japan

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).

Originally, raw fish was fermented in salt to preserve it and eaten with seasoned rice. In Japanese cuisine, sushi indicates dishes that use sushi rice, which is seasoned with a sweet vinegar mixture. Although you can make sushi without using any fish, many kinds of fish are commonly used in sushi dishes. Most Americans think that going out for sushi means you are going out for raw fish, however that is not actually the case. Sashimi is the Japanese delicacy primarily consisting of very fresh raw seafood, sliced into thin pieces and served with only a dipping sauce (soy sauce withwasabi paste or other condiments such as grated fresh ginger, or ponzu), depending on the fish.  When ordering sushi, you are actually ordering dishes with the specially prepared sushi rice which is complemented by any number or fish, vegetables, and other toppings and condiments, that are then often rolled up into what we know as sushi rolls.

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