Shizuoka Beer Tasting: Aoi Brewing- Hollyhock Xmas Ale!

December 12, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

The long-awaited craft beer by Aoi Brewing is finally served on the tap at AOI BEER STAND in Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, but do hurry as it is a limited brew and it will surely quickly disappear!

Hollyhock Xmas Ale!
Actually, I bear a personal responsibility in the very naming of this beer as I had advised to use the name Hollyhock to owner Naoki Mando before he had even built the newest craft beer brewery in Shizuoka Prefecture!

Served on tap
Barley, Australian Galaxy hop, Pearl hop, Crystal, Chocolate, Munich and Maris Otter malts, American Pale Ale live yeast. Coriander, orange peels, lemon peels, cinnamon
Unfiltered
Alcohol: 8.0 %
ABV: VIII%
Clarity: slightly smoky (normal considering live yeast and being unfiltered), very clean
Color: dark orange
Bubbles: Long head. Very fine bubbles. Creamy. light orange color
Aroma: very fruity. Citruses with notes of strawberries
Taste: Assertive, strong, full body, fruity attack with welcome acidity.
Complex: citruses, oranges, lemon with hints of strawberries, cinnamon and dry dark chocolate.
The acidity hits pleasurably as the beer lingers inside the palate marrying with beautiful alcohol.
Stays truthful to first impressions all the way through.
Changes little with food.

Overall: Absolutely splendid beer! A bit expensive but worth all the yen of its price!
Aoi Brewing in all that sort time is already reaching unexpected peaks with still so much more potential yet unexplored!
A craft beer for true adult craft beer lovers, be they ladies and gentlemen
A very heady, fruity and extravagant craft beer to be savored slowly for full and true enjoyment!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK

BEER GARAGE

Aoi Brewing Co.,Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyagasaki Chyo, 30
Tel.: 054-294-8911
Opening hours: 17:00~23:00 (Monday~Friday), 15:00~23:00 (Saturday), 15:00~22:00 (Sunday)
Closed on Tuesdays
COD, Cash On Delivery only for all orders.
MAP

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Navigating Nagoya by Paige, Shop with Intent by Debbie, BULA KANA in Fiji, Kraemer’s Culinary blog by Frank Kraemer in New York,Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pie
rre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento, Hapabento, Kitchen Cow, Lunch In A Box, Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Ichi For The Michi by Rebekah Wilson-Lye in Tokyo, Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Another Pint, Please!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in Kansai by Nevitt Reagan!
ABRACADABREW, Magical Craftbeer from Japan
-Whisky: Nonjatta: All about whisky in Japan by Stefan Van Eycken
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Non gastronomy must-see sites by Shizuoka Residents

HIGHOCTANE/HAIOKU by Nick Itoh in Shizuoka City

French gastronomy, Shizuoka City, Wine Bar

Wine Bar Lunch: La Vigne in Shizuoka City (2nd)!

December 10, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: smiling and very friendly
Facilities: overall very clean. Superb washroom. Entirely nonsmoking!
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: French bio wines only by the glass or the bottle. Lunch.

La Vigne in Koya Machi, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, across from JR Shizuoka Station has just gone through a very welcome change!
First of all, apart from a beefed-up food menu they now offer a very reasonable lunch for Monday to Friday!
This was my second visit for such a lunch today for it included a favorite of mine reminding me so much of home cooking back home!

This time’s lunch set!

This was the glass of French organic wine I had!
Of course you can still drink wine by the glass then but soft drinks and coffee and others are also available!

What did I have this time?

The side plate!

Green salad, marinated red squid and salmon tartare!

Minestrone soup!

Pork belly and lentils stew, just like back home in France!

Once again very reasonable, satisfying and yummy!

LA VIGNE SHIZUOKA
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koya Machi, 17-2.
Tel.: 054-205-4181.
Opening hours: 10:00~22:00 (11:00~20:00 on Sundays & national Holidays)
Lunch: (800 yen) Monday~Friday, 11:30~14:00
Cards OK
Entirely Non-Smoking!

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Craft Beer, Japanese Beer, Nagano Prefecture

Nagano Beer Tasting: Minami Shinshu Beer Brewery-Apple Hop

December 10, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

AOI BEER STAND owned by Aoi Brewery in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, has the merit to offer on tap other craft beers from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan, but you do have to hurry as they usually served only one keg before switching to another brew!

Apple Hop by Minami Shinshu Beer Brewery in Kami Ina Gun in Nagano Prefecture made with Tsugaru applles grown locally!

Served on tap
Barley, barley malt, Tsugarau apple, hop, live yeast.
Unfiltered
Alcohol: 6.5%
Bubbles: very fine and light bubbles, short head. Milk white.
Clarity: only slightly smoky (normal considering live yeast and being unfiltered), very clean
Color: light golden orange
Aroma: Dry apples
Taste: Rich, dry and deep attack.
Fruity. Dry apples.
Very refreshing.
Lingers long enough for true tasting.
Stays true to first impressions all the time.
Fruity apple making a comeback with every sip, lingering longer and longer on palate.

Overall: Very refreshing and elegant craft beer.
Ladies will fall in love with it.
No wonder AOI BEER STAND serves it on tap for the second time!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK

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Japanese Fish, Makogarei, Turbot

Japanese Fish Species 11: Makogarei/Turbot

December 9, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

“Makogarei” or Pleuronectes yokohamae Gunther for the specialists is one of the many kinds of turbot indigeneous to Japan.
You will find it on the markets between June and August.
Depending where you live, you might do well to know its other names: “Aome” (Sendai), “Mushibirama” (Konahama), “Mako” (Tokyo) or “Amakarei” among many.
It is net-caught all around Japan.

It has comparatively a lot of flesh for a turbot, making it a choice morsel for nigiri or sashimi.

It can reach a length of 30 cm. Contrary to many other fish, the size will bear no incidence on the taste, but if you wish for extra taste, avoid female specimen bearing eggs/roe, and if possible, although a bit extravagant, choose a live fish (possible at Parche, Shizuoka JR Station!).
A good sushi or Japanese restaurant will deep-fry the bones and head for you, making for a great snack with great ale!

As a sushi nigiri, it is served as it is, and can be savoured with a little salt and lemon juice only as seasoning.

Many people also ask their sushi nigiri seasoned with tare/sauce.

One more way is to present it as konbujime/marineated in seaweed.

Being a large fish, it can be easily manipulated into bo sugata sushi/baton sushi with the rice inside the fish.

Small specimens are appreciated grilled whole with some lemon, soy sauce and grated daikon.

Another popular cuisine is to stew/simmer the whole fish in soy sauce, mirin and sake as ni-zakana.

The sperm sacs/shirako of the male specimens are much appreciated in European-style cuisine!

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French gastronomy, Italian Gastronomy, Shizuoka City

French & Italian Dessert at Pissenlit Restaurant in Shizuoka City:!

December 9, 2014 dragonlife 1 Comment

Service: Excellent and very friendly.
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom (mouthwash and toothpicks provided!)!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive, very good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products, especially organic vegetables and Shizuoka-bred meat and caught fish. Very inventive French gastronomy.

I finally managed to pay a belated visit to my favorite French restaurant in Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo Machi, namely Pissenlit French Restaurant, and since it was quite a big affair I thought it would a better idea to introduce some the dishes concocted by Chef Toru Arima/有馬亨さん one at a time.
I will start with the last dish, a dessert combining Japanese, French and Italian cuisines!

Can you guess what it is made of?

The oval fruit is actually a persimmon called “anpogaki”, grown in Shizuoka, and prepared half dried, practically as a confit!
The ice-cream is a succulent chocolate ice-cream.
The Tiramisu is a classic Italian dessert.
And the crumbled cake is a chocolate cake!
Obviously we are getting near Christmas!

PISSENLIT
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

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Saba, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka City

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Eikun Brewery-Shiboritate Junmai Ginjo Nama Genshu (conducted at La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City)

December 8, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

I don’t mind repeating it all the time but I prefer conducting sake tastings in the right environment but not many places are propitious for that exercise or willing to help.
But La Sommeliere in Miyuki Cho, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City is certainly becoming a habit as not only I can conduct my tasting in the best conditions possible but also exchange views at the same time!

Now, what sake dis I taste this time?
Shiboritate (just pressed) Junmai Ginjo (no pure rice alcohol blended in) Nama ( unpasteurized) Genshu (no pure water blended in) by Eikun Brewery in Yui, Shimizu Ku, Shizuoka City!

Rice: Gohyakumangoku (Fukui Prefecture)
Rice milled down to 60%
Yeast: Shizuoka New-5
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees
Bottled in December 2014

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Assertive, dry and fruity. Banana, melon
Body: Fluid
Taste: Assertive, dry and fruity attack backed by puissant junmai petillant and welcome alcohol.
Complex: bananas at first but melon rapidly taking over.
Lingers on only for a short while warming up back of the palate with a marked dry melon ending.
Very easy to drink in spite of its high alcohol contents.
Varies little with food.

Overall: Very elegant sake in spite (or because) of its humble rice and strong alcohol.
Best enjoyed on its own, but could be happily paired with white meat and chicken.
A discovery once again

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays & National Holidays
Entirely non-smoking!

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Numazu City, sake, Sake Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Takashima Brewery-Hakuin Masamune Karakuchi Junmai

December 7, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

These days Takashima Brewery is receiving a lot of accolades from all over Japan for its top-class premium sake, but I also have a weakness for their more humble brews!

One of them is simply called “karakuchi/dry junmai”, but it worth all its (low) price!

Rice milled down to 65%
Alcohol: 15 degrees
Bottled in October 2014

Clarity: very clear
Color: Faint golden hue
Aroma: dry and fruity. Almonds, macadamia nuts, oranges, walnuts
Body: fluid
Taste: very dry and fruity attack with only a little junmai petillant.
Complex: Almonds, walnuts, chestnuts with hints of oranges.
Lingers for while with a dry, fruity and pleasant finish.
Stays dry all the time. New facets appear with the second sip: dark chocolate, more nuts.
Varies little with food. Stays faithful to the first impression even with heavy food.

Overall: Obviously a sake devised to marry with heavy food, especially izakaya fare. Actually enhances the food.
Nonetheless eminently eminently enjoyable on its own. I would definitely drink it all evening and night, although this might turn up into a dangerous proposition.
A sake for all seasons, especially for dry sake lovers!
Don’t get fooled by its seemingly humbleness!

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Shizuoka City, Vegetarian cuisine

More Vegan & Vegetarian Gastronomy: Vegetable Sashimi and Okinawa Awamori at Yasaitei in Shizuoka City!

December 7, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Excellent and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean, Beautiful washroom
Prices: reasonable
Strong points: Vegan and vegetarian Cuisine possible any time, Izakaya gastronomy, local products, oden. Good list of sake, shochu. Wines also available.

I had another occasion to visit Yasaitei the other day!
Of course I had another plate of vegetable sashimi but this time I enjoyed a totally different drink!

Awamori, a very strong spirit akin to shochu made in Okinawa with Thai rice!

Cute table setting!

The o-toshi/appetizer was not not vegetarian but it was nonetheless exquisite: kabu/small turnip with chicken soboro in sweet and sour sauce!

The vegetable sashimi plate of the day!

As usual served with a “dressing” of sesame oil, miso paste and rock salt!

Let me show you the vegetable sashimi plate from both sides for a better understanding of the arrangement!

Ice plant and celery!

Tomato, shiso and daikon!

Tomato, cucumber and green pepper!

Next, from the other side!

Cucumber and tomato!

Onion, myoga ginger, shiso, daikon!

Myoga ginger, celery and ice plant!

See you there again soon!

YASAITEI
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-Cho, 1-6-2 Green Heights Wamon 1-C
Tel.: 054-2543277
Business hours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended
Seating: 6 at counter + 14 at tables
Set Courses: 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 yen
Individual orders (carte) welcome
Parties welcome

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French gastronomy, Quiche Lorraine, Wines

Quiche Lorraine & Alsace Riesling Wine at La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City!

December 7, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and smiling if a bit shy
Facilities & Equipment: Spotless clean. Beautiful washroom. Entirely non-smoking!
Prices: Appropriate
Strong points: Great range of reasonably-priced wines from all the world. Hig-class wines offered by the glass. Top Shizuoka Sake by the bottle or glass. Great bistro-style light food and local bakery breads.

La Sommeliere in Shizuoka City is fast acquiring a solid reputation not only for its wines and Shizuoka Sake, but also for its bistro-styles light meals!

Hiromi Hasegawa/長谷川浩美さん Is now offering a home-baked Quiche Lorraine!
I saw it being done and I can tell you this is the real article!

She presently serves cold or hot paired with an Alsace Riesling Wine!
This is all part of a new seasonal light meal pairing proposal:
1) Quiche Lorraine with French Alsace (1200 yen, 700 + 800 yen for separate orders)
2) Cassoulet with French Bordeaux Merlot (1300 yen, 800 + 800 yen for separate orders)
3) Trippa in tmato sauce with Italian Primitivo Wine from the Puglia region (1300 yen, 800 + 800 yen for separate orders)

I don’t have to tell you that more reports are the offing!

This time the Alsace wine is a Riesling produced by GRAND C (12 degrees), bottled by Joseph Cattin in Vooegtlinshoffen.
A dry and fruity white Riesling perfect for seafood, fish, poultry and light food!

I ordered my quiche hot!
Served with a carrot salad, it makes for a very satisfying light meal or snack at any time of the day and night!

The quiche is really elegant and lighter than expected, a sure sign of quality and home-made authenticity!
The eggs and cream are perfectly balanced by the high quality bacon!

And the crust, not that easy to make, is just perfect with the right thickness, lightness and taste thus contributing an important finish!

The ladies will love it!
Mind you, the gentlemen will surely be happy to enjoy such exquisite light traditional cuisine!

The other two sets coming soon!

LA SOMMELIERE

420-0857 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 7-5, Aiseido Bldg, 1F
Tel. & Fax: 054-266-5085
Opening hours: 11:00~22:00
Closed on Sundays & National Holidays
Entirely non-smoking!
FACEBOOK

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Christmas, Christmas decorations, Shizuoka City

Big Bad Wolf chasing Little Red Hood: Isetan Department Store Christmas Decoration in Shizuoka City!

December 5, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Isetan Department Store for once has made a big effort to decorate its premises for the coming Christmas hanks to a great artist Finland whose works you can also admire on the windows of Isetan Department Store in Shinjuku, Tokyo!

Don’t trust that wolf around a corner of the store!

Little Red Hood hiding behind a pillar?

They seem on friendly terms, Though!

Father Christmas’ mount?

Owl and friend surveying the scene outside!

More reindeer waiting to join the fun!

Lapp hunters guarding the entrance!

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Beer Brewery, Craft Beer

Aichi Beer Tasting: Y Market Brewery-Trinity Black

December 5, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

This beer brewed by Y Market Brewery in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture, is called “Trinity Black” because it is made with three different Belgian yeasts: Saison, Abi and Trappiste. Black stands for the color of the beer!

Hops include Sofia Hops and Fagel Hops.

Served on tap
Barley, barley malt, hop, live yeast.
Unfiltered
Alcohol: 7.8%
Bubbles: Very fine and light bubbles. creamy, long head. Milk coffee color.
Clarity: only slightly smoky (normal considering live yeast and being unfiltered), very clean
Color: brown black
Aroma: Fresh and strong. caramel and bread
Taste:Very deep and solid attack.
Refreshing.
Assertive flavors competing with each other. Caramel, bread, coffee beans.
Dry and fruity with some pleasant acidity.
Lingers long enough in palate for true tasting.
very easy to drink in spite of high alcohol contents.

Overall: Very elegant Belgian black beer.
Very easy to drink.
Will please dark beer lady fans in aprticular!

AOI BEER STAND
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Miyuki Cho, 4-6, Den bill, 1F
Tel.: 054-260-5203
Opening hours: 11:00~23:00
Credit cards OK

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Hamamatsu City, sake, Sake Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery-Ten Teki Koshu Junmai

December 3, 2014 dragonlife 5 Comments

I have just had one more occasion of tasting a sake a bit off the tracks by Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery in Hamamatsu City!

“Ten Teki”, which means “IV” in English!
It is a koshu/古酒, a sake 15-year old!

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in November 2014

Clarity: very clear
Color:Golden
Aroma: very dry and fruity. Sherry, cherries
Body: fluid
Taste: sweet, deep and fruity attack.
Plums with notes of umeshu and rum.
Very elegant.
Changes little with food but for an even drier note.
Stays fruity all the time.

Overall: A sake to be drunk as a digestif with chocolate or any dessert, unless you wish to challenge a great pairing with strong cheese, both to be taken at at the end of a special repast.
If you happen to drink it as a liqueur, it will quickly disappear!

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Shimada City, Shizuoka City, Tourism

Gokoku Shrine (護国神社) in Yunoki, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City!

December 3, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

Gokoku Shrine (護国神社) in yunoki, Aoi Ku, Shizuoka City, for all its darker aspects since it is there to mainly look after the souls of soldiers killed in recent wars, is still a place worth a long visit as it also includes a forested park monthly used for flea markets.

The main entrance torii/gate.
There are many entrances but none of their gates bear a plaque with the name of the shrine.

Take a look at the stone map of the whole precinct at the entrance!

Past the main entrance you will walk through a small forest with a big pond on your left inhabited by birds, fish and turtles!

Even in winter it is a nice place to stroll through.

Now is the season for the last leaves fall!

A small bridge will lead you to the main shrine and its park.

Large modern stone lantern!

Approaching the main shrine!

Spare a look at the small edifice on your left!

Stone washing basin!

The main torii gate!

An old torii gate with its “mon”/crest!

An imposing “smiling” lion guard!

Its “roaring” companion!

A traditional lantern!

The “mon”/crest on the torii gate!

Past the torii gate!

It is a major shrine in Shizuoka Prefecture and has its own office and even its museum!

The main shrine!

The left roofed aisle!

The right roofed aisle!

The stone fence bears many names commemorating past Japanese Army Corps!

Approaching the main shrine from the right!

Details of the right aisle roofing!

Old but in great repair!

A small money offerings wooden box!

The main access to the shrine!

Votive offerings!

An imposing facade with its rice straw garland and money offerings box!

The curtains denote the importance of the shrine!

The Imperial sixteen-petal chrysanthemum crest!

The shrine also prays for peace and end of wars in the World!

The traditional plaque with the name of the shrine!

A peek in the interior past the cherry blossom bearing curtains!

An enormous Japanese drum for Festivals!

Off-limits interior!

Back through the park!

View of the main entrance on the way back!

Big traditional stone lanterns at the entrance to the shrine office!

The clouds and the deer!

The mountain!

There is a small but interesting war museum on the second floor.
Next report!

Dragon picture!

Stone lantern in the back garden!

there is a sole kyudo/Japanese archery range open to all at the back of the office!

Grand old archer!

Actually there is also a kyudo club inside the premises!

Going out through one of the side entrances!

Many small stone lanterns along the walkways!

The side entrance/exit!

Good-bye, Gokoku shrine!

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Hamamatsu City, sake, Sake Brewery

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery-Kijyoushu Junmai Nama Sake

December 2, 2014 dragonlife Leave a comment

I have just had the occasion of tasting a sake a bit off the tracks by Hamamatsu-Tenjingura Brewery in Hamamatsu City!

Its name is Kijyoushu/貴醸酒, and it is done by adding already made junmai sake to the leftover moromi/mash of the same sake as opposed to an unfiltered sake! You could it is blended for further fermentation!

Naturally it is a limited brew!

Alcohol: 15~16 degrees
Bottled in November 2014

Clarity: White and smoky, normal due to contents of white lees, but very clean
Color: white
Aroma: Sweetish and assertive. Pears
Body: Siruppy
Taste: Very strong junmai petillant backed attack. very fruity.
Complex. Pears, apples, with hints of lychees.
Lingers for a while warming up the palate before departing on a drier note.
The petillant will tone down along the way.
Turns slightly sweeter with food with a comeback of the petillant.

Overall: very interesting and elegant white lees sake.
Would definitely appeal to ladies as a white lees sake.
Reminiscent of “namazake”!

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Cakes, Christmas, Vegan, Vegan Dessert

Vegan Christmas Cakes & New Year Confectionery: Japanese Wagashi! (re-published)

December 2, 2014 dragonlife 3 Comments

Pyramid-style Christmas Tree?

Here are some more suggestions for Christmas Cakes through re-published articles!
Have fun!

NOTE: I’m an unrepentant agnostic hedonist (and an omnivore to boot!), but since some of my vegan and vegetarian friends are Christian, I hope these pictures will inspire them!