My 31 Days of Sushi campaign wraps up early next week. And I can say with pride that I’ve never worked harder in my life.
I also learned some things, particularly about growth. The Japanese Bar has a lot of room to grow, and I’m looking for new voices to contribute to the blog. If you, or someone you know, is passionate about Japanese food or beverage, please send me an email.
Looking forward, I have some exciting things lined up in September. This includes my first product launch, a pair of giveaways, and expanded whisky content.
Best Sake With Uni
Uni and sake pairing is a match made in heaven. But which sake will work best?
It’s not as hard as you might think.
This post covers the basics of pairing uni and sake. And you’ll also discover several famous brands that pair really well with uni sushi.
And if you have a favorite uni and sake pairing, I’d love to hear about it. Please add it as a comment at the bottom of the post!
31 Days of Sushi (and Sashimi)
There are only a few days left in my 31 Days of Sushi (and sashimi) campaign. Browse all of the content thus far by clicking the link below.
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Rare & Expensive Whisky Sales Continue to Set Records
Auction prices for ultra-rare whiskies continue to surge. Recently at a Bonhams auction, a 1991 Macallan cask sold for $4,464,000 HK (nearly $575K US). The casks contained around 151 liters of Scotch.
In addition, coveted Japanese whiskies brands like Karuizawa and Yamazaki continue to see crazy demand. I’ve been waiting for the Japanese whisky market to cool off slightly. But it doesn’t look like it will happen anytime soon.
Get the full story from InsideHook. They also dive a little deeper into the demand for rare casks of whisky.
Two Japanese Brands Among World’s Favorite Beers
According to new research by Maxima Kitchen Equipment, two Japanese beer brands are among the top ten in global search volume. It will surprise few that it was Sapporo and Asahi. Both were in the top five.
However, I was surprised that they were outclassed by two Mexican beers.
Check out the full beer brand search rankings from Eat This, Not That!
Recipe for Japanese Cake: Castella
Castella, or kasutera, is a popular Japanese sponge cake. It’s widely available across Japan and is easy to make at home too.
Traditionally, it’s made with only four ingredients: honey, sugar, bread flour, and eggs. This week, the Daily Meal published a castella recipe that includes a bit of milk in the mix.
I feel compelled to make these side by side. And if you try it out, please let me know how it goes.
Dining While Relaxing With Your Cats
The world’s cutest dining room table is now available in Japan. Called the Neko to Kutsurogu, this oak table has a hole in the center that’s just big enough for your cat’s head to fit through. A platform underneath gives them easy access and a new lounging spot, as well.
Check out SoraNews24 for more info about the table and a couple of must-see cat photos.
Miyagi Wine Aged Under the Sea
A winery in Miyagi is attempting to create a new specialty wine by aging bottles in the ocean. The stable, cool temperatures and constant vibrations supposedly age the wines much more rapidly.
I’ve written about this project many newsletters ago. It seemed like a novelty to me then. But I’m more curious now. The grapes they’re using are young. But with time, the wines may prove to be pretty good.
I’m very interested in trying them out.
Get the story on ocean-aged Miyagi wine from the Star Advertiser.