Saké Pure + Simple: Facts, Tips, Lore, Libation [Paperback]

Griffith Frost (Author), John Gauntner (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

Grif Frost's SakéOne brewery has revolutionized how Americans drink saké-not hot but lightly chilled. Here he and saké expert John Gauntner provide useful and fun facts about brewing, history, tasting, connoisseurship, selection, and etiquette. This updated edition includes new saké bars and shops, plus a new introduction by Andrew Weil, M.D., on saké as a natural, pure beverage.

Griffith Frost is CEO of SakéOne in Forest Grove, Oregon. John Gauntner has written several books on saké.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Easy to read, nicely organized...[Frost] has a good sense of humor, and his perceptions are a lot of fun to read." - Dan Berger, Los Angleles Times -- Review

"Takes the mystery out of this interesting libation." - Asian Reporter -- Asian Reporter

About the Author

Frost is Chairman of the International Sake Institute and the CEO of SakeOne, the only American-owned sake brewery in the world. He conducts regular sake seminars around the U.S. and lives in Forest Grove, OR.

Gauntner is the foremost writer on sake and sake connoisseurship today and publishes the international newsletter Sake World.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Stone Bridge Press; 2 edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1880656744
• ISBN-13: 978-1880656747
• Product Dimensions: 6.6 x 5.7 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,575,917 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy to read and thorough in details and useful information., October 12, 1999

By 

Robert Peterson (St. Charles, IL) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sake Pure + Simple (Paperback)

Sake` Pure+Simple walks you through a history of Sake and how this tasty drink is made. Beyond learning about sake in general, the authors provide you with information that you can actually use when in the store (or restaurant). Having lived in Japan, and have drank my fair share of sake, I find this book (aka guide) a useful tool in understanding this 4000 year old beverage. The more I learned about rice wine, the more I realize it's just as complex and fun to drink as grape wine.

Since reading the book I have begun drinking some of the author's recommendations cold, instead of scalding hot, and the taste is so pleasant and goes down easily (perhaps to easily). In the three weeks since buying the book I now have served sake numerous times with friends, once the fear of the unknown subsides, everyone has had a great time tasting various flavors and brands.

The authors pit themselves against each other at times to defend their opinions and it is a refreshing way to learn more about sake. I am ready for a newsletter or a continuously updated sake` web site from these competent author's.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Kampai! to the authors, February 3, 2001

By 

Susan Porjes "Food writer" (Honolulu, HI USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sake Pure + Simple (Paperback)

A wonderfully accessible pocket-sized primer aimed at Americans who want to enjoy sake in the USA. This fun, eminently readable, book briefly discusses the culture of sake and how sake is brewed, then goes on to list and rate the best sake bars, shops, and breweries in North America. The authors are nothing if not opinionated, holding that although sake traditionally has been served warm, the flavor profiles can easily be destroyed by heat and most premium sakes taste best when served slightly chilled.

There are suggestions of what foods to eat or serve with sake (no, not sushi!) and several recipes. I also learned a neat factoid: the standard Japanese toast, "Kampai!," is written with two kanji characters, "dry" + "cup," with the obvious meaning of "drink up!"

As Japanese Food Host at BellaOnline, I'm happy to find a resource whose focus is brands of sake that are available to American readers. My only quibble is that not all the brands mentioned toward the rear of the book (where there's a list of what the names mean) are otherwise described or rated. I'd like to have seen more!

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pure+Simple, A potpourri of information, May 8, 2000

By 

Dan Neuwirth - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sake Pure + Simple (Paperback)

I'll keep my review short, as many of the others here have already pretty much noted all the details.

Saké Pure+Simple covers just about all topics Saké, from history, lore, sake bar etiquette, science (types of saké, how it's made, etc.), flavor profiles, and anecdotes.

It's good, easy reading (REALLY great for those 2-hour plane flights). It's organized in such a way that you can either read it straight through, or as I prefer it, just "flip to a page" at random. Great book!