The Asia University Hop Project (AUHP) Comes to Fruition: Behold, The Beer–Asia Beer

There were times when certain university students invested their energies in questionable pursuits. In the somewhat distant past, for example, there were some who felt compelled to swallow goldfish. In the first half of the twentieth century the situation got so bad at Temple University that “Fraternities stationed volunteers near the fish tank in the … Continue reading The Asia University Hop Project (AUHP) Comes to Fruition: Behold, The Beer–Asia Beer →

Hachinohe Shuzo Co., Ltd.’s V1116: “I Wanna Reach Out and Grab Ya”

Exhibit at the Nebuta Museum, Hachinohe Hachinohe is a city in Aomori Prefecture, northern Honshu. As Steve Miller would probably put it, there are a couple of things there that one might want to reach out and grab, after making payment, of course. One is a visit to the Nebuta Museum, which is conveniently located … Continue reading Hachinohe Shuzo Co., Ltd.’s V1116: “I Wanna Reach Out and Grab Ya” →

A Sake Named “Kaminari Sandai” (Thunder the Third) @ ¥100: A Down-to-Basics Beverage for Curbside Kiplings

Kaminari It is interesting how alcoholic beverages of a certain caliber have very distinct and even poetic names, apparently irrespective of the country of origin. Consider, if you will, the American wino wine MD20/20. The “MD” does not, of course, stand for “Medical Doctors,” who are unlikely to recommend it, let alone savor its less-than-subtle … Continue reading A Sake Named “Kaminari Sandai” (Thunder the Third) @ ¥100: A Down-to-Basics Beverage for Curbside Kiplings →

Eel: The Editorial

fooduniversity.org Go This Way This is the final entry in our series on eel. We hope that our readers have found the information interesting and, if they have not already done so, are now motivated to explore the pleasures that this dish has to offer. In Japan, the most obvious place to conduct this gastronomic … Continue reading Eel: The Editorial →

The Eel Abroad, Part 2

fooduniversity.org Spearing Eels, Winslow Homer In this penultimate posting in our series on eel, we make a sharp departure from the foci of this blog--Japanese drinks and, to a lesser extent, food pairings for those beverages. All will be made clear in the final entry. The Dictionary of Historical Slang has an entry for the … Continue reading The Eel Abroad, Part 2 →

The Eel Abroad, Part 1

fooduniversity.org This is the sixth entry in our series on eel. Here, we leave Japan briefly and look at how eel is and was consumed overseas. Many Japanese believe that eel is not eaten overseas. Nothing could be further from the truth. Calvin W. Schwabe (see the first entry in this series) lists a number … Continue reading The Eel Abroad, Part 1 →

Eel-and-Beverage Pairings

fooduniversity.org This is the fifth entry in our series on eels. Here we briefly consider two beverages that are thought to go well with Unagi no Kabayaki—nihon-shu and beer. There are some rules,…or guidelines,…or, wait a minute,...perhaps the best word to use here is suggestions as to what drinks complement which foods. A common assumption … Continue reading Eel-and-Beverage Pairings →