Sake has several different import uses in Japanese culture and tradition. Though this delicious and savory beverage has been around for more than 2,000 years and has over 10,000 varieties, up until the last twenty years or so sake has been mostly produced and consumed in Japan. But a recent surge in popularity has brought sake to new markets around the world. This has meant that along with traditional ways of drinking sake there are a wide variety of new sake drinks to sample and enjoy. 

Sake is used for many purposes in Japan's most prominent religion, Shinto. A Shinto bride and groom consume 9 drinks of sake during their wedding ceremony to seal their vows. The image of the moon reflected in a sake bowl is also significant in Shinto, and sake is also consumed on special occasions to promote good health. But sake is more than a religious drink: sake is consumed in everyday life, as well. Sake is generally served before a meal. Because it is made with rice, most Japanese people will not drink sake with a rice dish, but sake can accompany other dishes. 

When serving sake as an aperitif, it is customary to use a serving set consisting of a small pitcher and several small cups that may look like little bowls. Serving sets come in a variety of shapes, and are generally ceramic or wood. One of the most important rules of traditional sake etiquette is that you must not serve yourself sake; instead, each person at the table serves one or more other people. The server holds the pitcher with both hands, while the person receiving the sake holds their cup with one hand and support the bottom of the cup with the other hand. In many social settings, this ritual is only observed for the first round, but it does add a kind of intimacy to your gatherings with family or friends. Sake has been traditionally served warm in ceramic serving sets; if chilled or room temperature sake is being served a wooden set is often used. 

Sake has recently been imported to the United States and other western nations, and this has spawned a new generation of sake drinks. Some of these include: 

Sake Bomb 

Ingredients:

·        1 shot glass sake

·        1 mug of beer 

The objective of this drink is to drop the shot glass of sake into the beer, and then drink both very quickly! 

Saketini 

      Ingredients: 

·        2 ½ oz. gin

·        ¼ oz. sake

·        1 cocktail olive 

Combine gin and sake with a small amount of crushed ice and shake or stir in a mixing glass as preferred. Strain into a cocktail glass and add the olive as a garnish. Pickled ginger can also be used as a garnish. 

Tokyo Rose     

      Ingredients: 

·        1 oz. sake

·        1 oz. vodka

·        1 oz. melon liqeur

·        1 cherry 

Combine ingredient in a shaker or mixing glass with ice cubes and mix well. Strain into a cocktail glass and garnish with the cherry 

Bloody Sake Mary 

      Ingredients 

·        2 oz. sake

·        3 oz. tomato juice

·        dash Tabasco sauce

·        dash Worcestershire sauce

·        1 tbsp. lime juice

·        salt and pepper to taste

·        celery stalk 

Place first six ingredients in a tall glass with ice, stir with celery stalk. For variation, use Clamato juice to make a Sake Bloody Caesar. 

Sake Punch     

      Ingredients 

·        6 oz. orange juice

·        46 oz. fruit punch

·        24 oz. sake

·        ice cubes

·        sliced fruit 

Mix in a large bowl and then add ice and fruit. 

Sake is a very flexible drink, and can be enjoyed in many different ways. While some people prefer the traditional method of serving sake, either warm or cold, other will enjoy the challenge of creating and serving sake-based variations of their favorite cocktails. However you decide to serve your sake, you are sure to enjoy the many tastes offered by this rice drink that has been a part of Japanese life for millennia.