Japanese Culture in New York - Chopsticks NY

TRYING SHOCHU IN AN AMERICAN WAY

In this country shochu is often introduced as Japanese vodka because of its production method and flavor. In fact, there are unimaginably wide varieties of flavors, thanks to its versatile base ingredients: sweet potato, rice, wheat, buckwheat, sugarcane, sesame and dates just to name a few. Today in Japan, shochu is more popular than ever mainly due to its healthiness and its diverse drinking styles. This trend has not resonated in the U.S. yet, but there is a lot of potential. Global mixologist/liquor consultant, Junior Merino, says, “Here most people don’t know what shochu is. To start getting into shochu, you need to have a cocktail because American culture is all about cocktails. Shochu is low proof (somewhere around 20-25% alcohol) so it is easy to drink, but at the same time when it’s mixed in a cocktail you easily destroy the shochu flavor. It’s hard to make a beautiful cocktail without destroying the actual beauty of the product.” Here he shares his original shochu recipes, which both maximize the shochu flavor and suit Americans’ palates (see box on bottom) He admits that the world of shochu is so complex that it takes a while to know each product’s character and incorporate it into your everyday drink repertoire. If you are adventurous you can try as much shochu as possible, but if you are a beginner and don’t want have so much trial and error, it might be safest to start by following his recipe. Welcome to the wonderful world of shochu!

Junior Merino is a mixologist, liquor consultant and the founder of The Liquid Chef, Inc. (www.juniormerino.com) Based on his philosophy of creating healthy drinks, he educates and showcases the artistry and mixability of ingredients and liquors from all over the world. In addition to restaurants and bars, his clients include celebrity cruises, airlines, hotels and theme parks.

Shochu Recipe

Shochu-Orchata 2 oz Rice Shochu 1 oz Pineapple Juice 1/2 oz Delicia Orchata Concentrate ¼ oz Lime Juice 1 oz Club Soda Pour all the ingredients in a shaker, add ice, shake and serve in a tall glass. Garnish with berries and a cinnamon stick.
Rising Sun 1 oz Kissui Miyanoyuki Junmai (Junmai sake) 1 oz Chiyonosono shochu (Rice shochu) ½ oz Boiron lychee puree 5 raspberries 1 oz sugar cane water 2 tarragon leaves garnish Muddle the raspberries in a mixing glass then add the rest of the ingredients, ice, stir and serve in a tall glass. Garnish with the tarragon leaves.