Fudoh - The Immovable Spirit of Sake

For almost 1.5 years now, I have the privilege to be a wine blogger for TheLocalNose.com. It was truly a gift that keeps on giving from The Universe. For my Facebook friends, my overjoyed sights and shout-outs from drinking events and outings, made me being coined as someone "spiritual". Yes, in this case the "spirits" are referring to the alcoholic beverages. Hey, I'm in the industry, I am glad to flaunt my "spiritual" side anytime.

The Universe has recently opened up a new door for me knowing I do not discriminate my "spirits", I have been recently invited to a sake tasting event with Sake Master Kan Otsuka, the current and 19th generation descendant of the renowned Nabedana brewery from Narita City. In this event, Sake Master Kan Otsuka brought us the legendary Fudoh (不動) sake, the sacred sake for Buddha offered at Naritasan Shinshoji Temple, one of the three biggest temples in eastern Japan. Fudoh which means The Immovable, was derived from one of the guardian deity to Buddha by the name of Fudō Myō-ō (不動明王). Yes, Fudoh sake is offered with great honour to those who make pilgrimages to the temple.

Sake Master Kan Otsuka with the Chef  of Ginza Kuroson

Nabedana brewery is one of the oldest breweries in Japan since 1689. Can you imagine a family business that has been around for 325 years? If you do get to taste their sake, you are tasting a part of history that is still alive. However, what makes Fudoh unique is their openness to embrace something new without losing its heritage. Fudoh keeps recreating themselves and that is through the use of new local variety rice called "Sake Komachi" instead of the king of sake rice - "Yamadanishiki". This new variety infuses the rich, intense and yet elegant touch to the sake.

Sake Master Kan Otsuka (who approved my Facebook friend request, yay!) introduced us to the process of sake brewing which involves 8 steps (for more details, you may refer to this link):

1. Rice polishing: The finer the rice, the more it is milled away, the softer the taste on the palate.
2. Rice washing and steeping 
3. Rice steaming
4. Koji making
5. Shubo (Fermentation Starter): +/- 2 weeks
6. Moromi (Final Culture): +/- 4 weeks
7. Filtration 
8. Pasteurization and storage: At least 6 months before bottling.

Sake, like any other alcohol, and like any other good things in life, needs lots of patience. I was however, very impatient to taste the sake. Finally, Sake Master Kan Otsuka introduced us to 4 sakes:

1. Fudoh Special Junmai
   Made from Miyamanishiki rice, polished to 60% it has relatively high acidity level (Acidity: 1.6) and relatively dry (Dryness: +3). It was a great opening that paired well with fish such as tuna, mackarel and kare. Truly refreshing and easy going that you can serve it cold or hot.
2. Fudoh Junmai GinjoMade from Sakekomachi rice variety. Polished to 55%, acidity level of 1.5 and dryness +2 (lesser than Fudoh Special Junmai) however it has a more intense taste than Fudoh Special Junmai, which made it suitable to be paired with sushi, tempura, yakitori, shabu shabu, raw sliced red fish, etc.
3. Fudoh Junmai DaiginjoIt has all the same specifications as Fudoh Junmai Ginjo except the RPR (Rice Polishing Ratio) - instead of 55%, it is 50%. That 5% really plays a big part in the texture and smoothness of the sake. Recommended to be paired with sushi or raw sliced white fish.
4. Fudoh Ginjo Nigori (Unfiltered)
   Made from Fusakogane rice grown in Chiba perfecture. Polished to 60%, acidity level of 1.2 and dryness  +3. Notice the milkier colour, it is because this sake is purposely made unfiltered. Hence, it has a little bit of powdery texture to it as if you are drinking soya milk with alcohol. The unfiltered sake is a very seasonal and usually consumed during celebrations such as New Year. It has to be drunk really fresh and paired well with Korean BBQ (yes, surprisingly), hot pot and rich tasty appetizer.

If you'd like to try them now, guess what, you can! Beam Suntory, world's third largest premium spirits company to whom Singapore is privileged to be the first country ever outside Japan to try Fudoh sake, has the entire Marquee at Beer Fest Singapore 2014 just to showcase the finest handpicked whiskey, wine, sake, oh you name it. Fudoh sake will be made available from S$8-15/ glass. It will be served in a wine glass instead of typical sake shot so that you will be able to smell the aroma and receive generous portion of sake. Huat ah!

Beer Fest Singapore 2014

Venue: Marina Promenade (F1 track behind Singapore Flyer)

Event Duration: 12-15 June 2014

Time: 13-14 June 6PM-2AM, 15 June 12PM-10PM

Ticket Sales: Starts from $15/person from Sistic

If you'd like to have the chance to win great prizes, tag your pictures at Whisky and Wine Marquee with #BeamSuntoryExp and upload it through Instagram and Facebook. The best 20 pictures will win a bottle of Single Malt Whiskey each! 

Lastly, this experience will not be complete without the delicious food by Ginza Kuroson (Address: 30 Robertson Quay, 238251 Phone: 6737 5547). My favourite dish was the flatfish and the restaurant was kind enough to show us how this fish actually looks like too .... it is indeed ... flat. -_-"

This "spiritual" experience has truly been really rewarding. Thank you, Sake Master Kan Otsuka for the sharing a part of your heritage to Singapore. You're so cool that I'm so impressed to know you are quite an active user of Facebook! Thank you, Beam Suntory for bringing Fudoh Sake to Singapore. Thank you, Heat Branding for the wonderful event and ultimately, thank you, Universe for the experience that made my life so abundant.

Old Age is No Place for Sissies

Old age is no place for sissies.

- Bette Davis

Whenever I come back to my hometown, Pematangsiantar, there is one person that I must meet - my Chinese tutor. I just met her few minutes ago and it was one of the toughest moment I had in my life because the face of old age was too in my face. Yes, I'm indeed a sissy.

"Lao shi" which means teacher in Mandarin, is how I always call her since I was 3yo. But actually she has been more than just a teacher to me. She's like a friend, a mentor, a grandma and one of the important person from my hometown that's so close to my heart.

I was her student even before I went to the kindergarten. She literally saw me growing up. When she was hanging the laundry, I was there next to her pretending I was playing piano on top of the washing machine. She told my parents I did that thinking there was some talent in me and I got enrolled to music lesson after that. Aiyoh!

She never failed in giving me birthday presents ever since. By the time I was not that amused by toys and stationery, she taught me the value of gold. My birthday present was upgraded from toys to gold ring. By the time the price of gold soared up, she gave me 'angbao' (red packet) filled with money instead. Very practical. Also, as I have some phobia crossing the road in my hometown (still am), she would help me and made sarcastic remark "aiyoh, so big liao dunno how to cross road ah." Then she would smile and laugh at me for being so chicken. :) I always love those moments.

When my parents came to Singapore in December 2013, I asked them how Laoshi was doing and they said she is bed-ridden, her legs are too weak to walk. She wanted to give me angbao once again afraid she wouldn't have the chance to see me anymore. My parents dismissed her and said she's big enough and you don't need to give her angbao anymore. If you want, please give it to her yourself. That statement from her mouth really crushed me.

Today, I finally met the frail her. Someone who once used to wash me after I went to toilet cause I was helpless and clueless, now the table has been turned. She is helpless in her diaper. After talking to her for at least 10 minutes, she actually didn't even recognize who I was. But she remembered once I mentioned my name and said I have different look but my jovial and mischievous character still the same.

I asked her what she thinks is the most important in life, she said working. Indeed, she has devoted her entire life to her work. Teaching Mandarin, which she can't do it anymore now, must be devastating to her. But what she didn't know those Chinese characters are not the only thing she has imparted to her students. I can't speak for others but for me she has instilled in me the importance of being kind, friendly, generous and always smile in all circumstances (except when those moment I drove her mad, thank God there were only a few of those). Strong lady that she is in her 80s, never married, she is still with her big smile even though it lacks some luster now, but she still smiles.

People in my family (and community) always emphasize the youngsters to get married. Why? If not, when you grow old, who will take care of you? Funny logic, really. Because what if your husband/wife dies before you or if your kid dies before you or ... as if you know what will happen. Getting married is an insurance for old age? I'm not sure. I've seen too many elders with kids and spouses who are also living alone and taking care of themselves in the end.

But what I learn from my Laoshi who is single, unmarried, without any children is still being taken care of very well. A family whom she taught for many years has stepped up to provide care for her. Providing the 24/7 attention that she needs. Without her knowing, she has built her own family simply by doing what she knows best - teaching.

I don't know anything about old age but I know seeing someone you care so much slowly drifting away is not an easy sight. But that's life. All of us will go through that. Our loved ones will go through that. Hence the only moment that is truly real is the present moment we have with them, which we may lose if we are too busy on our phones when we are at their presence. Sorry ... I'm rambling with not much sense.

I said goodbye to her as I needed to leave and I did things I never did to her before. While trying hard to hold back my tears, I hugged her and kissed her on the cheek and told her,"Laoshi, ming nian zai jian." (Teacher, see you next year!). That's a lie. I will see her again before I leave because I am not sure if there is a next year. I hope so. I will see her again and with my broken Chinese I will write her a short note to let her know that my life would have never been the same without her presence (though she already knew as I already wrote her such letter once but I will do it again). I will let her know she has led an awesome life touching many lives without her even knowing and the inevitable of being old and frail is nature's way to let you know, you've done enough. Please rest and savour the moments you have collected. They are enough.

Thank you, Laoshi. See you tomorrow or Friday. I have not decided yet. But I will see you again.

I Need. I Want. I Be.

"I need to write."

A voice that has been nagging in my head for the past few months.
My last blog entry was in October 2013. I had a few draft blog posts but none of them was completed.

"I need to write."

There I said it again.

In the end, I wrote nothing.

So, today I silent the voice of "need" and change it to the voice of "want".

"I want to write."

The purposeful little voice of "a want" beats the many nagging voices of "a need".

And that is good enough for now, so I thought.

It's funny how these 2 simple words - "to need" and "to want" may have the same word(s) at the end of the sentence (Eg. to write, to eat, happiness, freedom, etc) but each carries different motivations.

As I write and ramble further in this post that may lead to nowhere, I come to realize there is a verb that is more effective than "to need" or "to want". That is - "to be". Because when you just "be", you don't need to need or to want because you already are "that".

"I write."
"I eat."
"I am happy."
"I am free."

I will let "be" be the word that guides me in this new year. Funny that "to be" is actually part of my Chinese name and yet I still need to be reminded of it. Tsk Tsk Tsk Tsk.

Oh, Shakespeare, you're a wise man indeed.

"To be or not to be, that is the question."
- William Shakespeare