Sake Pure + Simple (Paperback)

~ (Author), John Gauntner (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Premium sakes are popping up everywhere... and the trend only promises to get bigger." San Francisco Chronicle -- Review

"Premium sakes are popping up everywhere... and the trend only promises to get bigger." San Francisco Chronicle -- San Francisco Chronicle

"The sake secret is out....sip it chilled or on the rocks." The New York Times -- The New York Times

Product Description

All across America drinking cool sake is the hot new thing. This lively guide provides concise details on selecting, tasting, and enjoying sake, and it's brimming with fun sidebars on sake etiquette and culture. Learn the benefits of bathing in sake! Included are discussions of how sake is made, the best foods to eat with sake, and U.S. brewery tours and sake bars.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Stone Bridge Press (September 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 188065637X
• ISBN-13: 978-1880656372
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #456,816 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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 (Portland, Oregon) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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.

4 of 5 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)

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 (Portland (area), OR) - See all my reviews

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!