When I mention sake (Japanese rice wine) as a cocktail
ingredient, I often get looks of surprise.
Since its introduction to the West, sake has been linked almost solely
with sushi, Japanese hibachi cuisine and things Asian. But it can also be a remarkably light but
flavorful cocktail component. But first
a few words. . . a very few words . . . about sake.
Sake is a wine brewed from rice. It’s “brewed,” because it comes from
grain. There are many different types of
sake, and a wide range of prices – especially for the premium varieties - but
the ones used in cocktails don’t need to be sophisticated. In Japan, sake is more often consumed
chilled, rather than heated, as we often see in restaurants. Sake on the rocks is a clean-tasting
aperitif, and there’s no need to make a fuss over the “proper” way to consume
sake, when it’s used in cocktails. So
here goes:
Sake on the Rocks
2 oz Sake
Pour over ice and garnish with cucumber slices or a wedge of
lime.
The Sake Martini
2 oz Dry gin (or vodka, if you prefer)
½ oz Sake
Cucumber for garnish
Place the ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir
until well chilled. Strain into a
chilled cocktail glass and garnish with a thin spear of cucumber or a sprig of
dill.
Tip: Using sake,
instead of dry vermouth reduces the amount of botanicals (herb flavoring) in a
martini, leaving the cocktail with a cleaner taste. Dry vermouth can seem heavy, by comparison.
The Bloody Maru
2 oz Sake
6 oz Tomato juice
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Juice of ½ lemon
Cucumber spear for garnish
Tip: Sake has a unique, light flavor that goes so
well with the other ingredients – perhaps far better than vodka does. For a more Asian feel, use a dash of soy
sauce, instead of Worcestershire. Or
feel free to use a TINY (that’s T-I-N-Y) bit of prepared wasabi, instead of
cayenne pepper. Mixology is about
experimenting with flavors and combinations.
