sake, rice wine

According to the food code, wine is the product of the fermentation of the sugar contained in the grapes. However, in other countries this mention is used on other products, as is the case in Japan. Sake is the generic expression that defines alcoholic beverages, although in general it refers to Want to add a caption to this image? Click the Settings icon. as obtained from the fermentation of rice.

One of the theories about its origin goes back to China 5000 years before Christ and much later to Japan, where water was added to the preparation and it was called kuchikami,

To achieve a sake, two basic and quality elements are needed: rice and water. The rice, of the shinpaku-mai (short grain) type, is not the same as that used for cooking, it is a whiter and opaque cereal, and with less dense starch in the center of the grain.

The husk-stripped rice is steamed and cultured with koji-kin mold spores, making koji the soul of sake, so that the starch is transformed into sugar and then fermentation takes place. The alcoholic graduation, although it varies, can reach 22°.

Sake is generally drunk cold or at room temperature, although some of the stronger ones can be heated to around 40 degrees and drunk lukewarm in earthenware, glass or ceramic bowls decorated with traditional art motifs. It can be presented alone, with ice or with hot or cold water.

Asian food had a great reception in the West. Many restaurants propose to accompany typical dishes with the traditional drink, although in Japan today sake competes in gastronomy with beer and wine (the latter is aspirational in some cases).