Kiki Austin, a Sake Sommelier at Mujō in Atlanta, has crafted a novel area of interest within the beverage trade.
Images by Andrew Thomas Lee
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America, she turned a licensed sake advisor at simply 26. Her journey into sake started whereas working in wine retail throughout the pandemic. A buyer pairing sushi with sake sparked her curiosity, main her to dive deeper into the world of sake. Austin loves its versatility and the way it originates solely from Japan, setting it other than wine.
Although sake is historically related to Japanese delicacies, Austin enjoys pairing it with quite a lot of flavors, together with Caribbean and Mexican dishes. One among her favourite pairings is Tokubetsu Junmai sake with stewed hen and coconut rice, the place the wealthy umami and refreshing mineral end of the sake elevate the meal. She’s significantly keen on Yukikage “Snow Shadow” from Niigata, which has a novel, “fatty” texture that balances nicely with daring dishes. Austin additionally highlights seasonal sakes like Hiyaoroshi, a fall favourite in Japan, which is pasteurized as soon as and matured over the summer time. She suggests pairing it with seasonal greens to enhance the Edo-period method utilized in its manufacturing.
Trying forward, Austin is worked up about the way forward for sake within the U.S., significantly the expansion of craft sake breweries in cities like New York, Tennessee, and California.
“I’d like to see one in Atlanta within the subsequent 10 years. Glowing sake is one thing I’m loving proper now. It’s not new, however breweries in Japan have began taking it extra severely. Some types are much like Moscato – low abv and fruit-forward, however I’m significantly intrigued by Awa sake. Awa means “foam” in Japanese. There’s a set criterion a brewery should comply with to have the ability to use the Awa designation, reminiscent of brewing a Junmai fashion as the bottom, alcohol is just not permitted, and permitting CO2 to happen naturally by way of secondary fermentation. This may occur in a bottle, with the addition of moromi/shubo- rice, koji, yeast, and water. I like to speak in regards to the technique of manufacturing with anybody as I eagerly await the latest developments.”
For these new to sake, Austin provides easy recommendation: “By no means pour your individual sake – it’s dangerous luck! There are sakes for each season, they usually can complement meals in a different way, identical to wine does. Take pleasure in fall sakes like hiyaroshi with grilled fish & sushi, and natsu — a summer time launch — with seafood, sashimi, salads and ceviche, and drink it tremendous chilly and crisp.”
