All About Sake
It’s wine Wednesday, and today we’re touching on something…a bit different. Because sake isn’t exactly wine. Or is it? Read on for some sake facts in celebration of our all-you-can-prepare-and-savor Sushi and Sake class this Friday:
- Is sake wine? Kind of. Called “rice wine” in English, sake is made from an entirely different process than the one we associate with grapes. To create sake, brewers take rice to sugar and rice sugar to an alcoholic brew that can be up to 20% alcohol.
- How old is sake? Old. We’re talking first references were in the third century old. By the 1400s, sake was brewed in temples.
- Is all sake the same? No way. There are two designations of sake – futsū-shu (table sake, in the same vein as table wine), and tokutei meishō-shu (premium sake). Like beer, filtering, aging, and dilution are just as important as the kind of rice used and the distillation process itself.
- What are some sake traditions? Sake can be served cold or hot depending on the season, the brew, and the preferences of the drinker. It’s often served as a marker of generosity and welcome, and can be used ceremonially for the new year, for purification, or for good fortune.
Enjoy some premier sake and sushi you prep yourself at our popular Sushi and Sake course this Friday! Click here for details.
Last Chance for Grill!
We’ll admit it: we think that all of our recreational classes are fabulous. But this week we’ve reached a milestone…the approach of the last grilling class of the season. Won’t you join us to send summer off in style?
Tomorrow night is Southwest Grilling, and the menu is incredible. Fajitas, shrimp skewers, slow-roasted corn, beans, ice cream, AND a selection of incredible Denver microbrews to top it off. It’s a great date night if you’re looking for a change of pace (or a solo evening if you want to get away and into the easiest kitchen you’ve ever encountered). You focus on classic techniques that make food taste good…we do all the cleanup. Don’t miss your chance…call us at 303-308-9300 to register. Happy grilling!
Colorado Culinary Events…Right Now
How can it be Friday again? Luckily, there’s no dearth of culinary events to tempt you this weekend. And remember, it’s always a good time to check out Cook Street’s chock-full calendar of cooking and wine classes so you’ll have great plans for weekends to come. Here’s a taste of what’s going on in Denver and around Colorado:
- GrowLocal potluck/party: Get serious about your locavorism in a dining event that takes place in an urban garden and benefits Growing Our Urban AgriCULTURE at 2828 Larimer Street. Bring a potluck dish to share (preferably one that incorporates local ingredients). Call 303.389.0085 or visit GrowLocal for more information.
- Great American Beer Festival: Yes, this beer festival is still raging on, and if you can snag tickets, you’re in for a craft-brewy treat. Can’t make the cut? Try the Denver Beer Fest instead. Tons of local restaurants are working to make this an unforgettable September.
- Telluride Blues and Brews Fest: Like your beer in a high-altitude setting? Join B.B. King and other blues legends for a festival that’s as much about the juke-joint atmosphere as plenty of delicious beer…53 microbreweries of beer, that is. The festival takes place in Telluride Town Park from 11 to around 9 Friday through Sunday. Click here for more details.
- Colorado Mountain Wine Fest: Beer not your thing? Go for the vino at this wine festival in Palisade. Tastings, classes, food, music, even grape-stomping should sate your curiosity about the nectar of the gods. Visit coloradowinefest.com for more information and a complete schedule.Dish: Brush elbows with Denver’s most devoted foodies as you sample the city’s bounty Wednesday the 22nd at Dish, Denver Westword’s celebration of all things Denver food. Click here to learn about tickets to the event and win some yourself!
Upcoming Denver Culinary Events
That first feeling of fall has finally arrived…and with it are some amazing culinary events that have our mouths watering. Don’t forget to check out Cook Street’s complete culinary calendar for a list of recreational classes at our gorgeous LoDo kitchen.
Boulder FourMile Fire Food Truck Benefit: Get your grub on while benefiting victims of the still-burning fire in Boulder tonight between 4 and 8 p.m. Your favorite food trucks and Boulder businesses will be there. Click here for details and location.
Denver Food and Wine Classic: This event lives up to its name with a classic reputation that’s all about taste. Join Chef Paul Prudhomme and more than 30 area restaurants for food, wine, and flavor. Friday, September 10 from 6 to 9 p.m. and Saturday, September 11, 12-4 p.m. at Metro State University. Click for details.
Denver Beer Fest: It’s finally here…a week deliciously devoted to all things brewed. A huge variety of events are planned at venues around Denver, so get out there and enjoy Colorado’s craft beer tradition! Click here for a complete list of events.
