A Fig Liqueur-like Beverage from Japan: Brought to Us by Miyato Yaso Institute of Niigata

Another product featured at FOODEX Japan 2025. Figs are not a fruit that one associates with Japan. Egypt and Turkey are the heavy hitters with respect to them. Nevertheless, the Japanese do grow figs and are now producing a liqueur-like drink from the fruit. Figs have a number of characteristics that make them attractive—not in … Continue reading A Fig Liqueur-like Beverage from Japan: Brought to Us by Miyato Yaso Institute of Niigata →

JFEX Gems: Morita Kinshachi Brewery’s Matcha and Miso Brews

As is our custom, drinkingjapan.org was at JFEX 2025, which was held at Tokyo Big Sight from July 9-July 11. We encountered a number of noteworthy beverages and will report on some of them from time to time. The following is our evaluation of two brews from an Aichi-based brewery. Tea Ceremony, Mizuno Toshikata Last … Continue reading JFEX Gems: Morita Kinshachi Brewery’s Matcha and Miso Brews →

Kizakura “Kyoto Mugiaji Matcha”

Have you seen the videos comparing US and foreign versions of various food products? Common products that are often compared are cereals and sodas, where the US versions often have synthetic petroleum-based dyes, while foreign versions do not. The US versions are vibrantly colored, while the foreign versions have more subdued hues. Due to health … Continue reading Kizakura “Kyoto Mugiaji Matcha” →

“The Ostrich”: The Dance

This is the final entry in our “Ostrich Series.” As promised, we will end on a musical note. In the 1960s there were a whole slew of dance songs, ranging from Little Eva’s “The Loco-Motion” to The Orions’ “The Wah-Watusi” to the eternally irritating “Do the Freddie” by Freddie and the Dreamers. Believe me, you … Continue reading “The Ostrich”: The Dance →

Ostrich: Beyond Meat

As we implied in the first entry of this series, there is more to ostriches than meat. We could go on at great length about this, but, as our readers will know, we try to keep our postings relatively brief. Among the notable characteristics of the bird are its feathers and its eggs. The illustration … Continue reading Ostrich: Beyond Meat →

Ostrich and Wine Pairing, Part 2

We chose three red wines and paired them with Yoshinoya’s ostrich under two conditions. The three wines are pictured below and a limited sensory evaluation will be provided for each. The wines are all reasonably priced. The ostrich was tasted first without the accompanying sauce and then with it, following the rule “from light to … Continue reading Ostrich and Wine Pairing, Part 2 →

Ostrich and Wine Pairing, Part 1

Still Life with Ham and Grapes, Alexander Adriaenssen Often successful wine and food pairing is just a matter of common sense. You wouldn’t use a hammer to insert a SIM card, would you? Or a nuclear weapon to zap a mosquito? Or a crowbar to create a seat for yourself on a crowded subway train? … Continue reading Ostrich and Wine Pairing, Part 1 →