I know this is probably going to be my second Sake post, but let me tell you, apart from being one of the most popular beverages in Japan it was also one of the few beverages which I was drinking more than water. It is but just a norm to be served this delicate spirit (mostly warm as it was cold out there) at every meal possible. Nonetheless, I am not complaining. The story of why this particular recipe dedicated to this post was because I experienced a lot in this little prefecture of Japan called Kyoto and its people and what led up to creating this cocktail. More than just Sake, it was that one chance meeting with a gentleman of high stature, who I look up to with much respect for what he has achieved, yet remained so humble.
Cherry Blossom Season
I was just a couple of days into Japan and had experienced the night life on the second night itself. It was quite exciting roaming around the streets in the middle of the night exploring the hundreds of eating joints and pubs on Pontocho, I had my share of painting the town red and barely slept early. I had a schedule to keep up every next day since we were guests of the country and the tourism board had lined up some really interesting things to see and experience through the course of the day.
Kikunoi Honten – Murata’s Main Restaurant
One fine morning we had a little surprise waiting for us in the hotel. We had got an invite from one of the most revered chefs in Japan, whose restaurant was based in the very town we were staying in. Arranged by the board of course, our generous hosts, knowing me and my travel buddy’s penchant for fine food, had selected Chef Yoshihiro Murata’s restaurant Kikunoi Honten (Kyo-Kaiseki cuisine) to lunch in. Kikunoi has 3 Michelin stars to the boot. One had to be extremely lucky or connected to dine at his restaurant and we got to spend a whole afternoon with the chef, his wife and his team. Chef Murata has a total of 7 Michelin stars to his name, shared between 3 of his restaurants in Japan (Honten – the main one, having 3, the other 2 Kikunoi Akasaka and Kikunoi Roan having 2 each). It was an honour and a privilege be dining with him and his wife, an experience which would be etched in my heart and stomach for a lifetime.
Chef Yoshihiro Murata & Me
As a third generation ryotei (traditional Japanese restaurant) owner, Murata, a boy in his early twenties, following a desire to strike out on his own, he flew to Paris to study French cooking at the Sorbonne. Now in his ‘70s, especially for someone with such a highly regarded traditional pedigree, he runs his passion with the same fuel the response he gets for his work. He quickly realized that the world had no idea about Japanese food and, by extension, its culture. He decided to devote his life to spreading knowledge about Japanese cuisine and culture to the world, and has regarded this as his life’s work ever since.
Table Setting – Kikunoi
Kikunoi Honten
His restaurant Kikunoi is located on extensive grounds at the foot of Higashiyama Mountain Range in Kyoto. Legend has it that water from a local well called “Kikusui-no-i” was used by the first wife of Toyotomi Hideyoshi (a key figure in Japan’s feudal era) to make tea, causing spring water to burst forth in the pattern of a chrysanthemum (“kiku” in Japanese) in full bloom. The locals took care of this well for many generations, and eventually began to use its water in cooking. This was the origin of the name Kikunoi – literally meaning “chrysanthemum well.” The restaurant itself was established in 1912 and is currently headed by the third-generation owner-chef Yoshihiro Murata.
Aritsugu Knives – Kyoto
I remember hopping onto a cab from a day of shopping at Nishiki food market where apart from the quaintest and oldest food stores, found a knife I cherish till date from one of Japan’s oldest knife makers (infact as I post this today, it’s the knife I fondly called Ari’s birthday). This knife, hand crafted, sharpened and hand carved in front of me with my name in the Japanese language was handed over with care and instructions like it was a piece of gold (well, to be honest it did cost me an arm and a leg, probably can be compared to gold in tool-money). This old store is called Aritsugu, a family owned cutlery and cookware store who have been around since over 4 centuries. Since 1560, 18 generations of the Aritsugu family have continued to pass along the forging techniques preferred by the Imperial family. Located on Nishiki market, known as “Kyoto’s Kitchen”, Aritsugu provided Japan’s leading chefs with hand-crafted knives and cooking utensils, especially those used in preparing traditional Kyoto cuisine.
Getting “Ari” custom made & hand carved with my name at Aritsugu (Kyoto)
It was coincidental that we chanced upon this shop and were pointed out as being the oldest. It drew me like a honeybee to a flower and before I knew it I was in possession of an Aritsugu original, created for me after seeing the use it would have and the weight right for my hand. What was ironic is that my lunch with Chef Murata was typically a Kyoto meal for which such a knife of precision quality would have been used. Chef Murata was himself quite amused that I had selected such a beauty to possess and asked me to use it judiciously.
The Spring Menu at Kikunoi
Back to the menu, well what would one expect from a 3 Michelin star and a chef who was much revered even before the Michelin grade was established? His menus stay fresh with ingenious twists and surprising elements that build upon kaiseki, one of the culinary world’s oldest and deepest traditions. The ingredients for Kikunoi’s classic kyo-kaiseki are, naturally, seasonal, as well as local. The concept of his menu is in one word “simple”. The freshest catch of the day, infact the first 40-50 fish which are caught (seasonal) are delivered by 8:00am and boxes of veggies delivered around the same time. His cuisine revolves around the 4 seasons i.e. Spring, summer, autumn, winter and each dish reflects this in visual as well as taste. At Kikunoi they treat each dish as an expression of life itself, never forgetting how much they owe nature.
Course 1 : Assortment of Appetizers
Course 2: Sashimi of Tai (Red Sea Bream) and Young Tuna
Course 3: Steamed Wakasa Tilefish
Grilled Halibut topped with Egg Yolk
Steamed Pot of Bamboo Shoot
Bamboo Shoot Rice
Pickled Daikon Radish
Green Pea Soup
Prawn Dumpling, Udo Stalk, Kinome
Pistachio Icecream in Mango Soup
One particular ingredient, which is a very rare herb, called Kinome was predominant in Chef Murata’s dishes. This dainty tendril and leaf combination was delicately weaved into his sushi and laid across carefully on the soup course, apart from finding its way into most of the courses. Chef Murata explained that this herb was drawn from the plant of a certain variety of Szechuan peppercorn (Japanese Prickly Ash) tree which grows in his grounds, and seasonally. It is a very difficult plant to grow and tend for and I personally fell in love with it. I wanted to bring it back but a) could not find any cutting or seeds for the plant and b) was warned that even if I did find something to grow it out of, it would not survive. Oh well, I have been since searching for this herb and have not come across it in any Japanese cuisine in any of my travels. I wish I could recreate something out of it, maybe one fine day when I finally manage to procure it.
Murata’s gracious wife and her unmatched hospitality
Culturally we were treated to a Chef’s table by Chef Murata. One of the key experiences of eating at his restaurant is as good as being invited to his home. Sake flows freely on the low table seating synonymous with Japanese tea houses. The Sake served was the legendary Cherry Blossom Sake brewed during season and we were lucky to not only have it but also take in the beauty of cherry blossoms which were all over the beautiful country.
Cherry Blossom Sake
The dishes and sake were served by his trusted servers (mostly ladies) who have been in the service of the house since many years. In the middle of the course his wife joins us graciously and serves us one of the main courses personally, making light conversations. The meal is wrapped up with much sake and we are shown to our waiting cars, right up to the door of the restaurant, with sweet goodbyes by the couple. This was just how culturally forward the Japanese are, If I was to take something away from this, Royalty in Asian countries (even India) treated each of its guests be it a commercial establishment or a home, there was no distinction.
The owner of Amanosake Brewery & Me
We went on to visit one of the most popular breweries in Osaka a few days later when we were shown around one of Japans oldest Sake distilleries by the owner himself. The Amano Sake Brewery is one of the oldest and historic producers of great Sake, this was spoken about in detail by my travel buddy Aneesh on his website – more of which can be read on the link in the name of the brewery above.
Meanwhile, keeping in mind the beauty of the people, the intrinsic art of dishes which the Japanese are so proud of and the heady spirit of Sake, I have combined all of these to create a drink I christened Ari (after my knife) and its purity reflects in its flavour, its ingredients and its radiating beauty. The cucumber in the garnish has been cut with Ari, the Sake used is from the distillery where the maker had so generously handed over the bottle which I set my eyes on as a gift from him (they only produce small batches which are given out to chosen orders / key people and I asked him if I could buy it, he gave it to me as a gift before leaving) and the beautiful flower called Rosella from Australia which is commonly known as Ambadi in Maharashtra (closer home). These flowers in syrup were something which was gifted to me recently and the beauty in its petals reminded me of the 1st course of Murata’s meal. The start of early spring and nature’s glory.
Ari
Ingredients
- 60 ml Sake
- 120 ml Cucumber Juice
- 10 ml Ginger-Honey-Lemongrass Decoction*
- 1 Rosella Flower (in syrup, drained)
- Ice
- Cucumber Strip to Garnish
Method
- Add all the ingredients except the flower and cucumber into a shaker filled with ice.
- Give it a good shake.
- Place the Rosella in the middle of a round bottom glass; pour the drink carefully over the glass. Garnish with a cucumber slice and a cucumber ball.
- Serve Chilled
*For the decoction:
Take 1” ginger and grate it, add a little water and squeeze through a muslin cloth to extract the essence. Do the same with the lemon grass except you need to muddle it with water or pulse in the mixer. Mix both the extracts with 50 ML honey and chill.
If you don’t get Rosella flowers try and use a dried hibiscus or even drop in a fresh hibiscus after washing and de-stemming thoroughly. They are currently available online in some online gourmet stores.
Kyoto – Cherry Blossoms
Singapore Airlines has the Book the Cook service which includes special meals which you can book in advance. The Japanese sector had some of Chef Murata’s dishes so make sure you order it if you are flying First or Business. Incidentally, Chef Murata is on the panel of chefs for SQ and directs the food served up throughout the classes in the Asian section of meals. Hermann Freidanck, Food & Beverage Manager at Singapore Airlines curates all the dishes which get on board.
This trip was sponsored by Singapore Airlines and the Kyoto & Osaka Tourism Board and as much as I would have loved to experience this if I was to use the services incognito, it was a satisfying experience. Though the tourism board had their own inimitable way of showcasing their country with a touristy itinerary and pin pointing some of their favourite places to eat, there were a lot of opportunities to take off post dinner and discover Japan on our own.
The photographs with the blue titling have been shot by Aneesh Bhasin, a multi award winning lifestyle photographer & writer based in India. He shoots everything from food to people all over the world. He is also the co founder of HipCask India’s first wine and spirit focused smart phone app and consumer platform.
