Shochu popularity grows in the U.S; a glimpse from Chicago
WRITTEN BY: Founder WRITTEN ON: June 2. 2008It’s amazing how fast shochu (soju) is growing in popularity in the U.S.
Most recently, Chicago has been the focus of attention with a brand new pan-asian restaurant actually named Shochu!
Here is a recent article from Stacy Warden. Stacy writes:
When Japan tired of sake, it turned to another indigenous liquor: shochu. This Japanese vodka-like liquor, usually made with grains or root vegetables, packs a ton of natural flavor into each bottle. Aside from its earthy essence, shochu shares several of its best features with wine, like the growing number of varieties available and the way it’s often enjoyed with meals (not to mention its heart-healthy benefits). But if wine echoes sophistication, shochu signifies rebellion; it kicks the pretension of proper pairings straight to the curb.
In addition, Stacy highlights some tasty examples of shochu cocktails in the area including:
- Calpico and shochu – traditional yogurt based carbonated beverage with shochu
- Koji tini – shochu, ginger and white grapefruit juice
- Yofune Nushi – shochu, blood orange, coconut milk and soda.
As we like to do, remember to pour for others and not self.
