The Drink of the Gods The mere mention of the word sake has the capacity to bring a shudder; a sigh and a desperate look of ‘never again’ to many foreign faces. However to the Japanese, the tradition of fermenting rice into wine dates back to c. AD 300 and has evolved into a key component of Japanese culture and cuisine. The popularity of Japanese culture is highlighted in the James bond film, You Only Live Twice, made in 1967 at a time when breweries had to fortify their sake with distilled … [Read more...] about Sake – drink of the Gods
Myths
A Leaf of Relief
“Teahouses are as important to the Sichuanese as pubs are to the British” Jung Chang, “Wild Swans” Chinese legend has it that tea originated in the Sichuan Province as early as prehistoric times. It is believed that the fifth reincarnation of Buddha, Ta Mo had been meditating for years on when he eventually fell asleep. Upon wakening, he was so angry that he had failed his meditative duty that he sliced off his eyelids. The prosperous Sichuan soil embraced the heavenly donation by taking … [Read more...] about A Leaf of Relief