Cultural Exchange
Japan has given me many things.unsurpassable food rich history, classic films , My Wife, Sake. Not necessarily in that order.
What have I given japan ? well almost nothing, Perhaps my monthly ramblings have amused or entertained or even engaged on some level.,Thats more than I could hope.
Being a chef almost always means you enjoy alcohol in some way, either to unwind after a busy day or sat at a table with friends.
Some of us go too far on occasion but that seems to come with the territory.
Now being somewhat older and wiser Ihave taken more interest in quality rather than quantity . I have been enjoying sake for over 20 years now, and a lot of that time I only managed to get to drink it while in japan.Enjoying and understanding are not the same thing. such along history of sake making evolution. now in Japan it's revolution.The new young brewers are taking control.So Now I took the opportunity to take a sake course with the SSI and become a Master of Sake.
I was not sure how useful or important it would be. Ive had a bit of a shock! as a chef you would think the tasting process would be the easy part well it is not identifying aromas and notes from sake is particularly difficult. Once identified if you can?writing a description that can be used to describe a sake to a customer to make it interesting and appealing its yet again another art.Both these tasks instil fear.Today I will be taken further out of my comfort zone as we will be doing interaction as sommelier to customer.As an old school chef. Being hidden in the kitchen is a pleasureActually being forward facing as they call it now, is not my bag.But what does not kill you makes you stronger.So the last day is over Blind tasting of 4 sakes If anybody thinks tasting is the ultimate job and its easy, you should rethink that opinion.
After tasting four sakes and making judgments along with notes and food pairing suggestions .The sakes while you are not looking are switched in order then you have to find the sake by comparison with your notes just to see if your taste has a memory.
Probably the hardest thing I have done. I got 2 out of four but did manage to put all of them in the right categories.
The day finished with a round of questions from prior exams Only got 1 out of 3. must try harder!
So now my head will be buried in the book and course notes for two weeks before the exam.
when that is done the papers return to japan to be marked so three weeks in limbo before my result. wish me luck.
Kanpai, and thank you Japan for the sake.