Japanese Culture in New York - Chopsticks NY

Every type of liquor has a specific glass/cup that is best matched for its enjoyment: wine is served from a decanter into classic long stemmed wine glasses, sake is served from traditional tokkuri into small ochoko, beer from the keg is best enjoyed in a frosted mug, and even shochu has its special glassware.  While it is perfectly fine to pour shochu directly from the bottle, there are some serving items that shochu connoisseurs prefer.

Shochu fans habitually store shochu in a ceramic keg with a faucet attached to it, particularly because it has a great effect on shochu taste.  The keg successfully removes the harsh taste from the alcohol, which makes it more round and milder, and increases its umami flavor.  In just a few days, usually two or three days, the shochu in the keg ages and its flavor matures and enhances its complexity and depth as if it was aged in an earthenware jar for months.  In other words, the keg is used to upgrade shochu flavor.  The secret behind its trick is the material: ceramics.  Ceramics emit an abundance of far infrared light that promote aging inside the keg to give a similar effect of earthenware aging.

A ceramic shochu serving keg is a must-have item for shochu lovers.  It is not simply for storage, but it magically upgrades shochu taste in a few days. (Photo courtesy of Japanese Culinary Center)

Ms. Saori Kawano of Korin, providing Japanese knives and kitchenwares to both professionals and consumers, sees the growing popularity of this type of ceramic shochu keg that has a negative-ion effect.  “Ceramics like Iga-Yaki, which is usually used for nabe hot pot, are good in producing negative ions and give the shochu a mild flavor overnight.”  The science behind this magic is that the ceramics glazed with high radium mineral content and fired at extremely high heat can release alpha particles that generate negative ions, causing water molecules to constantly move when stored in the pot and induce maturation to proceed due to its mixing action without taking years.

Joka is much flatter than regular teapot.  Traditionally it was used on the heat with distant fire, but today we often use it on top of the stove with direct fire.  The modern joka is made with heat resistant materials.  (Photo courtesy of Japanese Culinary Center)

Another shochu serving item that you cannot forget is a “joka,” a flat eathenware teapot which is used to warm the shochu. It has been traditionally used in Kyushu’s Kagoshima Prefecture and Miyazaki Prefecture to enjoy their specialty sweet potato base shochus.  They mix shochu and water in the joka a day in advance of when they plan to drink it and warm it at low heat right before serving.  This is a great alternative to make hot shochu other than regular oyuwari (shochu cut with hot water), as it helps blend shochu and water very well, enhancing the mildness and smoothness in flavor.

This masterpiece shochu glass is crafted with a kiriko-style carving method and decorated with gold particles.  It is made for special, celebratory occasions, but it still keeps a certain gravity and warmth.  (Photo courtesy of Korin)

Ms. Kawano comments, “Shochu has traditionally been enjoyed and developed as an everyday drink for commoners.”  This is why conventional shochu serving and drinking items have rustic and warm styles. “Even glasswares for shochu have a certain gravity to hold and touch unlike sake cups.”  If you try shochu specific serving items, you would be able to appreciate the Japanese people’s favorite beverage even more.

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Korin
57 Warren St., New York, NY 10007
TEL: 212-587-7021 / www.korin.com

Japanese Culinary Center
by NY Mutual Trading
711 3rd Ave., New York, NY 10017
TEL: 212-661-3333
www.japaneseculinarycenter.com

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