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>> Su-Mei: On today's episode of "Savor San Diego," we'll embark on a delicious journey about Japanese food and drinks, from the ancient art of sake-making to modern cocktails, and exotic foods that pair well with each.

We'll visit with local masters and an unexpected trail-blazer to learn about this beautiful and elegant cuisine.

Whether sweet, savory, or sour, San Diego is full of unique culinary treasures.

I'm Su-Mei Yu.

I've been lucky enough to be a cook, author, restaurant owner in America's finest city for more than 30 years.

I'm constantly discovering interesting people, delicious products, and fascinating places in our food community.

Join me on another culinary adventure as I explore and savor San Diego.

Hidden in a business warehouse in San Marcos is one of California's only craft sake breweries.

Its founder, Charles Perkins, comes across as a bit of a mad scientist when you first meet him, but you soon realize that he's actually a tech genius turned passionate brewer.

His story of how he got the bug to make sake is so unbelievable, you got to see it to believe it.

>> Su-Mei: I've been waiting anxiously to meet you, because I can't imagine your story.

What's going on here, Charles?

>> Charles Perkins: For a long time, I've been home brewing beer, about 15 years, just as a hobby.

But my technical background, my career is in computers.

But twice in the past 10 years, I've had to find a new job.

And I thought, "I need a new career."

I need something that I'm excited about, just as much as these computers.

And I'm excited about brewing, but San Diego, the competition is a little bit fierce here.

This is one of the best cities in the world for beer.

And so, for that reason, opening up a beer brewery seemed I would have some tough competition.

And I was sitting in a sushi restaurant thinking about what I could do, and the answer was in front of me.

I had some nice, cold, craft sake that came from Japan, and I thought to myself, "How hard is this?

I know how to brew beer.

What's different?"

So, I did a bunch of research.

I read lots of articles.

I explored the Internet.

I found people who were home brewing sake, and I tried it.

I liked it and my friends liked it when I made it, and so I thought, "You know, this is something that I can do, bring something new to the San Diego brewing scene."

>> Su-Mei: I don't think you could learn it from books.

>> Charles: Well, actually, I can't learn it all from books.

I needed a base to start from, and the beer was the base.

The rest of it had to come from the sake itself.

I had to make bad sake before I could make good sake, and then the rice tells me what not to do.

It is audacious.

This means this will not be a Japanese-style sake.

This will be a California sake.

It is made from the same ingredients, but the flavor profile comes from my customers, who are not traditional sake drinkers, coming back to me and saying, "I like this."

>> Su-Mei: Charles, you have a combination of passion, and persistence, and stubbornness, and extreme, strong self-confidence to think that you could do this.

I am absolutely amazed.

I think I would like to see how you make sake.

From what I read, it sounded so complicated.

>> Su-Mei: Making sake is a complex and delicate process that can produce dramatically different results depending on the ingredients, technique, and equipment you use.

In his rather humble space, fashioning common household equipment into sake-making vessels, Charles follows this intricate and ancient path of sake-making.

>> Su-Mei: Charles, what is sake made with?

>> Charles: Sake is made with water, rice, koji, and yeast.

Rice is so important.

>> Su-Mei: So, is this, like, a regular rice I eat in a Japanese restaurant?

>> Charles: Almost.

This is rice much like you eat in a Japanese restaurant, except it's been further processed.

The outside has been ground off.

This is a ginjo rice, which means at least 40% of the weight has been ground away, leaving behind the pure starch interior.

>> Su-Mei: How do you grind the rice and how much do you know how much to grind?

>> Charles: Well, I don't actually grind it myself.

I don't have a rice mill, but I can order it ground to my specifications.

>> Su-Mei: Really?

>> Charles: The rice itself imparts a great deal of flavor, and so some sake producers like to use regular table rice, but the more premium rice, which is more expensive, is only used for sake.

>> Su-Mei: Rice, water, and yeast provide the foundation for the drink, but even the tiniest variation can result in very different flavors.

As Charles has discovered, a brewer's experience, and most importantly, attention to detail and patience, are key.

>> Su-Mei: Not bad.

Not bad.

For all the efforts and all the homemade equipment you've done, this is amazing.

Now I'm gonna really appreciate when I have some sake to know how complicated it is to make this.

>> Charles: Yeah.

>> Su-Mei: Thank you so much for your time.

>> Charles: You're welcome.

Thanks for coming.

>> Su-Mei: Sake is wonderful on its own, but even better when paired with authentic Japanese food.

To learn more about pairing sake with food, I meet up with my friend Erika from the Japan Society of San Diego and Takeaki at his restaurant, Sushi Tadokoro, in Old Town.

>> Su-Mei: I am so surprised to find a Japanese restaurant in Old Town.

>> Takeaki Tadokoro: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: Now, you're originally from Japan.

>> Takeaki: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: And where?

>> Takeaki: From Yokohama.

>> Su-Mei: Did you train in Japan?

>> Takeaki: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: Tell us about your style of cooking.

>> Erika Shiraishi: Oh yeah, so this is Edo-mae style sushi, and it's, like, kind of special technique they have.

And Edo used to be the old town--old capital of the Tokyo, and then "mae" means "front."

So, long time ago, they used fish from the Edo Bay to create the sushi.

And then, long time ago, we didn't have a fridge system, so they used--how can I say?

>> Su-Mei: Is it pickled?

>> Erika: Pickled, yeah, cures, and also marinated misos to cook the sushi to prevent the get raw easy.

>> Su-Mei: I don't know too much about Japanese food, but some.

You have raw fish, sashimi, and then you have sushi, which is raw fish, but also cooked fish, right?

>> Erika: Mmm-hmm.

>> Takeaki: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: Now, sushi and sashimi is very important, no, with drinking sake?

>> Erika: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: Which is what we were very interested in.

>> Erika: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: So, I understand that you have a variety of wonderful sake.

>> Takeaki: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: And so, this is--is this a traditional way of drinking sake, is to eat it with sashimi and-- >> Erika: Yeah, of course.

Yep.

>> Su-Mei: Well, maybe you could educate me more about sake.

I would like to be educated by drinking it.

So, maybe I could follow you.

All right, thank you.

>> Su-Mei: Tadokoro offers a range of sake for customers to enjoy with their sushi.

As the organizer of San Diego's Annual Beer and Sake Festival, Erika is quite familiar with the ancient drink.

So, she, along with Take-san, offered to give me a crash course in sake and food pairings.

>> Su-Mei: And Take-san, we just came from a place where this American man, Charles, taught us about how sake is made, and it's very, very complicated.

But I think moreso is that for somebody like me who don't know much about sake, I don't know how to choose sake.

>> Erika: It depends.

In Japan, we have so many choice of the Japanese food, so when you pick the Japanese food, we can-- >> Su-Mei: You can pick the sake to go with it.

>> Erika: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: So, Take-san, it depends on the price of the sake?

If it's very expensive, it means it's very good sake?

>> Takeaki: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: So, of these three kinds, what are these?

>> Takeaki: This is--these two is, like, a junmai ginjo.

This is a junmai daiginjo.

>> Su-Mei: Yes.

What's the difference between these three and these two.

>> Erika: So, the junmai ginjo and daiginjo, the difference is the percentage of polishing rate of the rice.

>> Su-Mei: Oh, the polishing of the rice kernel.

>> Erika: Yes, yes.

>> Su-Mei: Oh.

>> Erika: So, like, this is the least polish and this is more high polished, so that's why it'll be more expensive than this one.

>> Su-Mei: So, do you think the Japanese people, the young generation, knows much about sake?

>> Erika: I think older generation knows more about this Japanese sake than younger generations, because, you know, the younger generation, we have, like, so many choice, not just only sake.

We have, like, beers, soju, cocktails.

>> Su-Mei: But don't you think that to eat Japanese food, you should drink sake with Japanese food?

It tastes better, no?

>> Takeaki: Especially the fish, very good with sake.

>> Su-Mei: Okay.

Now, when you see Samurai movie, they were drinking all hot sake.

>> Takeaki: Yes.

>> Erika: Right.

I think it depends on, you know, the season too.

Like, for example, during the summertime, you know that in Japan we have four seasons, so it's so hot and humid outside, so you might want to drink cold sake to chill off your body.

And then during the wintertime, like, you know, outside is so cold and the snowing, so you might want to pick the warm sake to keep you warm as well.

>> Su-Mei: So, there was some saying that if it's hot sake, it's not good quality sake.

Is that true?

>> Erika: I think it's people's preference?

>> Su-Mei: So, why do you have different kind of glasses?

>> Erika: They're special customer [inaudible].

Usually, you know, when you come to this restaurant, if you order sake, you can pick your favorite glass to drink the sake, so you can enjoy the taste of the sake at the same time you can enjoy the sake visually as well.

>> Takeaki: Even same sake, we use this glass, then you drink this sake, compare, it's different texture, taste.

>> Su-Mei: Oh really?

So, if you drink it out of this glass compared to this glass, this one probably taste different than this one?

>> Takeaki: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: I would like to experiment.

So, may I perhaps have some of your wonderful creations and pick my glasses, and then we'll try the different sake.

>> Takeaki: Certainly.

>> Su-Mei: Sushi is the perfect food to pair with the clean, crisp flavors of sake.

Take-san offers to give Erika and me a delicious tasting tour of his Edo-style creations and sake tips.

>> Takeaki: I love food, especially good food.

>> Su-Mei: Absolutely, but it takes experience, I mean, to do really, really good sushi.

I mean, you don't have to make your own soy sauce.

You make your own soy sauce.

You don't have to really buy fish from Japan, but you do it.

What makes you decide to do it this way?

>> Takeaki: There are many sushi restaurant, but other restaurant, it's making wrong way.

>> Erika: Now there is--I mean, California roll is so popular and they import it to Japan.

So, like, sushi industry in Japan is starting to changing.

So, sometimes it's a little bit hard to find a traditional way to cook the sushi like him, so we really need to respect the way he's serving and that he's preparing the food.

I think that's very special, especially, you know, you cannot eat this kind of traditional sushi here in San Diego.

That's really, really special.

>> Su-Mei: Teach me how to do this correctly, Erika and Take-san.

>> Erika: So, first, maybe you can drink a little bit sake, and then try the sushi.

>> Su-Mei: Mmm, nice.

Very nice.

Okay, I'm gonna follow you how to eat properly, because I'm told that many of us don't know how to eat this correctly.

>> Erika: So, you can use a chopstick or hand, but I prefer to use a hand.

So, pick the sushi, and it's already--the soy sauce is on it, so you can eat as it is.

>> Su-Mei; You eat the whole thing in one bite?

You don't bite in between.

>> Takeaki: One bite.

They're designed for one bite sushi.

>> Su-Mei: Mmm.

So, we do the same thing?

We take a taste first?

>> Takeaki: Yes, please.

[music] >> Su-Mei: Another kind of Japanese restaurant that's gained popularity in San Diego is the izakaya.

The izakaya is a gastropub type establishment, popular for afterward drinking.

In fact, the word "izakaya" is made up of the Japanese words "I," meaning to stay, and "zakaya," meaning sake shop.

To learn more about izakaya, Erika takes me to Izakaya Masa in Mission Hills.

>> Su-Mei: Konnichiwa.

This smells incredible and looks gorgeous.

I'd like to know what izakaya is.

Could you explain?

>> Erika: Yes.

So, the Japanese izakaya is kind of Japanese version of tapas restaurant, and then they also have, like, little foods on the tables, and then we share the food with your friends at the table.

>> Su-Mei: And this is like a drinking place?

>> Masayoshi Tsuruta: Yes.

>> Erika: So, usually, like, the Japanese business men come here after work, and maybe they started around 6 o'clock 'til, like, maybe until 6 o'clock in the morning, drinking and eating all night long.

>> Su-Mei: Oh my goodness.

Why did you decide to open izakaya in San Diego?

>> Masa: I wanted to try to the more traditional Japanese restaurant.

So, then in 2004, in San Diego, it's nothing to the izakaya style.

>> Su-Mei: No, no izakaya.

>> Masa: Yeah.

>> Su-Mei: So, you were the first?

>> Masa: I think so.

>> Su-Mei: You're very brave then, to open an izakaya, because there was none in San Diego, and nobody knew what izakaya is, no?

Isn't that right, Erika?

>> Erika: It is.

>> Su-Mei: And so, it's interesting because you have two menus.

>> Masa: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: One in Japanese.

>> Masa: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: And one in English.

>> Masa: Yes.

>> Erika: Yes.

I think most of the American people would not order.

I think, you know, most of the Japanese people order certain different things, and some of them are kind of a little bit strange for American people.

So, this menu is in Japanese menu.

>> Su-Mei: So, when you make these dishes, Chef, this is--the reason for it is to be able to eat these dishes with the drinks.

>> Masa: Yes.

All Japanese that we can share, you know, the small plate, the same chopsticks.

>> Su-Mei: But these dishes are created to eat with the sake and also for-- >> Erika: Soju.

>> Su-Mei: Soju.

What is the difference between sake and soju?

>> Erika: The sake is kind of rice wine, and the soju is Japanese spirits.

>> Su-Mei: So it is stronger than sake?

>> Erika: It is.

It is.

>> Su-Mei: Ah, it's kind of like our moonshine in this country.

White lightning.

I love moonshine and white lightning.

Okay, so, is it made with rice, or what is it made with?

>> Erika: Most of the soju is made from rice, barley, or potatoes.

>> Su-Mei: That's very interesting.

Now, so how do you serve?

>> Masa: Usually, so, we drink on the rocks.

>> Su-Mei: You do?

>> Erika: So, there is so many way to enjoy the soju.

One is ice water, hot water.

You can also mix with the green tea, Oolong tea.

>> Su-Mei: Really?

>> Erika: So, like a citrus juice, with soda water, with ice, it's called chuhai.

>> Su-Mei: So, you do this so that you can drink longer, or is it because of the taste?

[laughing] >> Su-Mei: No, because when I drink white lightning or moonshine, I don't mix anything.

I just go... right?

But this one, I mean, if you put, ice, I don't know, I mean, it's, like, diluted, so that means that I have to drink maybe 6-7 glasses to get the 1 shot.

>> Erika: Right.

>> Su-Mei: So you can do this all night long?

>> Erika: Because usually, I mean, we stay in izakaya for like 3 or 4 hours, enjoying meal and drinking.

>> Su-Mei: Your restaurant, I mean, this place look like I'm back in Japan.

>> Erika: Yeah, this is very, very authentic Japanese izakaya style.

Yeah, I feel like this is in Japan.

>> Su-Mei: Really, because it does have that feel to it.

It's very small and intimate.

But the dishes, are these typical izakaya dishes, or did you make up some of these?

>> Masa: No, in Japan, the same.

>> Su-Mei: So, how do you begin?

>> Erika: We start from the light meal, to a little bit heavy one, like, you know, the deep-fried meal.

And the end, we usually have a shime, which means closing the meal, and we usually eat the carb food.

>> Su-Mei: So, you end with that.

>> Masa: It's, like, similar to burrito.

>> Su-Mei: Burrito?

>> Masa: Yeah, American people.

So, they eat after drink.

So, right.

>> Su-Mei: I heard from friends that they come here to have ramen.

>> Masa: My ramen is hakata style.

>> Su-Mei: Not all ramen is alike.

The best bowl of ramen begins with a delicious broth.

Masa takes me through the recipe of his flavorful version.

The noodles he uses are unique to his style of ramen, so he has them made especially for his restaurant by a local company in Oceanside.

>> Su-Mei: Oh my God, this is so good.

This is delicious.

>> Masa: Thank you.

>> Su-Mei: I'm gonna go cook now with Erika, but I want to take this, because this is so very special.

Thank you so much.

>> Masa: Thank you.

>> Su-Mei: Arigato.

>> Masa: Arigato [inaudible].

>> Su-Mei: After our most enjoyable lessons in sake, sushi, izakayas, and soju, Erika and I head over to my restaurant Saffron to prepare a Thai version of yakitori that makes a delicious sake pairing.

>> Su-Mei: So, Erika, because you've been in Thailand, you're gonna recognize some of this food.

So, now we've eaten sushi, we eating sashimi, we eating all the wonderful little Japanese tapas-- >> Erika: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: I'm gonna show you what we do here.

This is the Thai version of it, except mostly men did this.

What they would do is they would sit around the bonfire, they'll drink, they'll eat, they'll cook, right?

And they love this particular dish, which is called mu ping.

>> Erika: Mu ping?

>> Su-Mei: Mu ping.

"Mu" is pork, "ping" means grill.

>> Erika: I see.

>> Su-Mei: Yes.

And it's really simple.

This is from Chiang Mai.

While this is being cooked, a lot of time men would then eat other things, right?

And what they love is things that is a little crunchy, and salty, a little bit spicy, that they could drink more.

So, we have peanuts that has been deep fried with some fresh chilies, onions, then they dip it into the salt to eat it like that.

Right, because salt and chilies or anything spicy makes you want to drink more, so they want to have a really good time.

So, to make mu ping, what you need to do is to put in 1 tablespoon of the garlic, chopped, yes; 1/4 cup of the minced lemongrass.

So, this is lemongrass, no?

What you do is you take out the outside and use only the inside here.

Chop, chop, chop.

>> Erika: You don't use the top part?

>> Su-Mei: No, you don't.

You don't use the outside because it's too tough.

>> Erika: I see.

>> Su-Mei: And not the green ones, but this one here where the flavor is.

Then, 1 teaspoon of black pepper.

>> Erika: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: And 1 tablespoon of coconut sugar, which is closest to what in Thailand we use, yes?

A low glycemic, very good for you.

>> Erika: Nice.

>> Su-Mei: And then, we need 1/4 of a cup of the oyster sauce.

>> Erika: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: So, you put all this in there, close up, shake, shake, shake.

>> Erika: Shake, shake, shake.

>> Su-Mei: And then, you put the meat in, and you marinate it.

And then this way, you can mush it, you see?

Is that easy?

>> Erika: That's very easy.

>> Su-Mei: And then, you put it in the refrigerator, an hour or so, or a whole day.

And then, when you ready to make it, then we put it on the skewer.

>> Erika: Okay.

>> Su-Mei: So, you do in between the meat.

>> Erika: Okay.

>> Su-Mei: Yeah?

And make sure that the bamboo is not exposed so that it doesn't get burnt.

Yes?

Like this.

Here are some, and yours.

>> Erika: Is this good?

>> Su-Mei: Yes, very good.

So, we gonna spray some with coconut oil and we're gonna put it on the grill.

Yeah?

Yeah.

This is from Thailand.

This is a satay machine.

>> Erika: Wow, you brought it from Thailand to San Diego.

Oh my God, that's so cool.

>> Su-Mei: Well, you have to have authentic things.

And you see how I put it all very close to each other?

It's better to do this way so that it will cook, cook much easier.

You flip it by picking it all together and you flip it, right?

>> Erika: Right, right.

>> Su-Mei: You don't do one at a time, you flip it all together like this, yes?

So, this has been cooking for awhile, and this is done.

See how gorgeous it is?

>> Erika: Oh, looks so yum.

>> Su-Mei: Right, so you could try one or two.

And I have two sauces here.

>> Erika: Yes.

>> Su-Mei: One is sweet pepper and one is peanut sauce.

Both of them are from my restaurant, Saffron.

>> Erika: So, should I try?

>> Su-Mei: Try and see what you think.

>> Erika: [speaking foreign language] >> Su-Mei: Thank you.

I assume that means "thank you" in Japan.

>> Erika: Mmm, so good!

>> Su-Mei: Thank you.

>> Erika: Here you go.

>> Su-Mei: Thank you.

>> Erika: Arigato.

>> Su-Mei: Arigato.

>> Erika: Arigato gozaimasu.

>> Su-Mei: Thank you, Erika.

It's been such a joy.

>> Su-Mei: It has been great fun learning about one of my favorite brews, sake, and discovering other types of delicious Japanese drinks and food in San Diego.

I am more appreciative than ever before of the art of sake making, and hope I have piqued your curiosity to go out and explore this wonderful cuisine further in our local community and beyond.

Arigato.

>> Su-Mei: For video clips, recipes, tips, and more, please visit my website at SavorSDTV.com.

[music] [music] >> Su-Mei: "Savor San Diego" has been made possible by these generous supporters and views like you.

"Savor San Diego" is also brought to you by-- >> Julie: My name is Julie.

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>> Su-Mei: Funding for "Savor San Diego" provided by-- >> announcer: SDG&E is a San Diego-based energy company that provides energy to neighborhoods across San Diego and Southern Orange Counties.

Our employees live, work, and play in the communities we serve, and we give back by volunteering with local charitable organizations.

Connect today at sdge.com.