Sake can be paired with cuisines from all over the world. It has been said that there are more than 700 flavor and aromatic components in just one drop of sake, as opposed to 600 in wine and just 400 in most spirits, making sake one of the most nuanced beverages in the world. With its vast array of qualities and styles, this sophisticated drink is easily paired with a wide range of foods.

What many non-Japanese are not aware of is the plethora of cuisine that is available and eaten on an everyday basis in Japan and consumed with sake. Sushi represents possibly only one percent of the spectrum that is available and eaten. That being said, when one enters an izakaya (a drinking bar specializing in the serving of alcoholic beverages and serving the Japanese version of tapas), there is a smorgasbord of items available, all intended to be eaten while imbibing a glass of sake. Depending upon the izakaya, there are at times hundreds of dishes to choose from, ranging from steamed vegetables, fried fish and vegetables, braised pork, grilled fish, meats and poultry, and even cheese. The point to be made is that there is far more on the typical menu than sushi. As a matter of fact, sushi is often omitted from the menu. The Japanese imbibe sake while consuming a vast array of food items from all food groups.

When looking at cuisine, Japanese and Western, we need to keep an open mind, widen our food scope, learn, and realize that sake pairs extremely well with so many foods. Western staples such as cheese, smoked ham, charcuterie, big meaty dishes, forcemeats, or creamy sauces can overwhelm most sakes. However, there are sakes that can rise to the occasion. Aged or matured sake (koshu or jukuseishu) can pair quite harmoniously with the aforementioned items. There are no laws governing the koshu or jukuseishu category, so there will be much variance between producers and brands. However, some descriptors commonly used to describe koshu are the following: bold, nutty, earthy, funky, mushroomy, toasty, and many others. This is a style of sake equipped with the tools to handle rich foods with a depth of flavor. While we are speaking of hearty dishes with depth of flavor, it might be wise to try pairing some of these dishes with genshu as well. Genshu is sake to which, after pressing (joso), water has not been added. It is cask-strength, undiluted, sake with a higher alcohol content of typically seventeen to twenty-one percent. It has a deep, rich flavor.

Highly fragrant sakes which one will normally find in the ginjo/daiginjo family will have the ability to pair with whitefish, shrimp cocktail, seafood salads, tempura, sweet fish with vinegar, and my favorite, oysters with lemon.

It is quite possible that one may desire or encounter a sake with substantial sweetness. There could be numerous pairings using it in a dessert application or, on the other hand, some sweet sake share similar traits with German Riesling: moderate sugar, high acid, and low alcohol content. In this particular case, pairing sake with spicy Thai cuisine, Chinese food, or Indian food works very well. The sweetness of the sake acts as a pincushion for the barbs of spicy food.

When it comes to most seafood dishes or light cuisine, sake provides a wide enough range of flavor profiles to match most dishes perfectly. Many lighter and mildly floral sakes (like Honjozo) are fantastic aperitifs, served on their own before a meal begins.

Sakes with a subtle sweetness, such as a nigorizake, work well with full-flavored or slightly spicy dishes because the sugar subdues the spicy notes which, in turn, enhance the flavor of the sake. High acidity in sake lends itself well to more oily food, such as tempura or rich fishes. A delicate, subtle junmai sake is required when pairing with sashimi or vegetarian food. A more savory sake (possessing umami) is great with soy sauce-based dressings, very salty foods, or seared fish. Chicken, pork, and mushrooms call for an earthier, heavier sake, perhaps one that is higher in alcohol. And when the meal is over, a nice aged taruzake can function beautifully in place of an after-dinner scotch.