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At the San Antonio New World Wine & Food Festival last month, I ate lunch at Oro in the Emily Morgan Hotel, which is just across the street from the Alamo. We were sitting around chatting about up-and-coming food and drink trends when our hostess, Jeanne, asked, "Have you tried Shochu yet?" We hadn't, so she promptly ordered up a couple of small glasses for us to sip.
Shochu is a clear spirit made by distilling barley, rice, sweet potatoes, black sugar, or even more exotic ingredients like milk or pumpkin. It's served diluted with water, with fruit juice, or on the rocks, and typically has about 25 percent alcohol, making it stronger than sake but weaker than some spirits.
Oro has hosted several special events to introduce Shochu to the San Antonio area, where it's a new item. While Shochu has been a staple in Japan for centuries and has outsold Sake there since 2004, it's just beginning to make its way into the States. You can probably find it easily on the west and east coasts, but it will be harder to track down in middle America.
If you can't find it at your local wine and spirits store, ask if they'll order it. For one thing, it's fun and easy to mix into cocktails, like the recipes after the jump. For another, it's what our hostess calls "sake light"--a 2-ounce serving of Shochu only has about 35 calories, compared to 80 calories for a 2-ounce serving of Sake and 120 calories for the same amount of vodka.
After the jump, some Shochu cocktail recipes.
Shochu Margarita
2 ounces Shochu
1/2 ounce Cointreau
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
Mix and pour into a salt-rimmed margarita glass. Garnish with lime wedge.
Shochu Strawberry Margarita
1 1/2 ounces Shochu
1/2 ounce strawberry liqueur
1 1/2 teaspoons Cointreau
1 1/2 ounces fresh lime juice
Mix all in blender with ice. Pour into a salt-rimmed margarita glass and garnish with a fresh strawberry.
Shochu Gimlet
2 ounces Shochu
1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
Mix together and garnish with a lime wedge.
Recipes courtesy of Oro Restaurant.
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12-06-2008 @3:57PM Kevin said... In the cold winter months it is also often mixed with hot water to help stave off the cold. Kind of a Shochu alternative to sake's Atsukan. Whatever way you have it, it is delicious.
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12-06-2008 @10:27PM Joe said... That's right. When I worked in Japan I would often make a hot cup of shochu with an umeboshi in it...man that brings me back. I really hope I can find some soon. I've been looking for a long time!
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12-07-2008 @1:53AM Greg said... A lot of the japanese restaurants here in Hawaii serve this. You can actually buy a entire bottle, and they'll let you write your name on it and will store it for you for the next time. I enjoy mine on the rocks with calpico (yogurt drink), oolong or green tea.
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12-07-2008 @9:30PM gol frompton said... Sochu is of Korean origin
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12-08-2008 @1:17AM Greg said... I believe Shochu is Japanese, Soju is from korean origin. They often get confused though.
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12-12-2008 @2:26AM James said... We've been fortunate to have just been awarded a gold medal for our shochu by the same judging panel that voted Grey Goose #1. We'd love your feedback on what you think of it. Good or bad, we'd like to hear it. www.haamoniismooth.com.
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