Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Laziness
Thursday, May 8, 2008
PETIT FOURS
Petits fours--"small ovens"--were a way for pâtissiers to use up leftovers while the ovens cooled down at the end of the day's bake.
While petit four can refer to any bite-sized sweet presented at the end of a meal, they're usually tiny, beautifully iced cakes. Petits fours are traditionally made with an almond sponge cake, or joconde, but they can be any flavor of cake--and filling--you choose.
With a seemingly infinite variety of shapes, flavors and decoration, you can dress these little cakes up for a tea party, a bridal shower, or an elegant luncheon. A tray full of delectable and beautiful petits fours turns any event into an extraordinary occasion.
Monday, May 5, 2008
CASE STUDY
U'll say this bugger said he'll giv info on fnb toh y this case study n stuff???....well its said tht constipated people dont give a shit!!!..so read jus to keep urself informed.....cheers!!!!
THE TAJ'S PEOPLE PHILOSOPHY AND STAR SYSTEM
"The employee at Taj is viewed as an asset and is the real profit center. He or she is the very reason for our survival. The creation of the Taj People Philosophy displays our commitment to and belief in our people. We want an organization with a very clear philosophy, where we can treasure people and build from within."
- Bernard Martyris, Senior Vice-President, HR, Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL).
INTRODUCTION
In March 2001, the Taj Group[1] launched an employee loyalty program called the 'Special Thanks and Recognition System' (STARS). STARS was an initiative aimed at motivating employees to transcend their usual duties and responsibilities and have fun during work. This program also acknowledged and rewarded hard working employees who had done excellent work.
| The Taj Group had always believed that their employees were their greatest assets and the very reason for the survival of their business. In 2000, to show its commitment to and belief in employees, the Taj Group developed the 'Taj People Philosophy' (TPP), which covered all the people practices of the group. TPP considered every aspect of employees' organizational career planning, right from their induction into the company till their superannuation. | |
THE TAJ PEOPLE PHILOSOPHY
Since its establishment, the Taj Group (Refer Exhibit I) had a people-oriented culture. The group always hired fresh graduates from leading hotel management institutes all over
The employees of the Taj Group were trained in varied fields like sales and marketing, finance, hospitality and service, front office management, food and beverages, projects, HR and more. They also had to take part in various leadership programs, so that they could develop in them a strong, warm and professional work culture. Through these programs, the group was able to assess the future potential of the employees and the training required to further develop their skills. The group offered excellent opportunities to employees both on personal as well as organizational front[3] . In order to achieve 'Taj standards,' employees were made to undergo a rigorous training program. The group strove hard to standardize all its processes and evolve a work culture, which appealed to all its employees universally.
[1] The Taj Group of Hotels is run by IHCL, a part of the Tata Group. IHCL was founded by Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata on April 1, 1902. The hotels in the Taj Group fall into three categories - hotels owned by IHCL and its subsidiaries; hotels owned by associate companies; and hotels with third party management contracts in which IHCL has no stake.
[2]The 'Hermes Award' is decided by a 22-member jury, which includes representatives from top hospitality chains from all over the world. This is the only award given for human resources in the hospitality industry and is also one of the most prestigious awards in the hospitality industry. 120 applications were received for the award for the year 2002, among which five were short-listed for the final round. The Taj Group won the award for its innovative 'STAR' program.
[3]On personal front, the Taj Group offered its employees personal counseling and empathized with their problems. On organizational front, it offered its employees ample scope for career advancement, training programs, excellent opportunities for learning and sharing, and self-development programs.
he group believed that talent management[1] was of utmost importance to develop a sustainable competitive advantage. The group aimed at making the HR function a critical business partner, rather than just a support function. To further show its commitment to and belief in employees, the group created the 'Taj People Philosophy' (TPP) covering all people practices of the group. The concept of TPP, developed in 1999, was the brainchild of Bernard Martyris (Martyris), Senior Vice-President, HR, IHCL, and his core team. The concept, originally planned to be called as 'The Womb to Tomb Approach,' covered all the aspects of an employee's career, from joining the group until his/her retirement. TPP was based on the key points of the Taj employee charter (Refer Table I). It was developed in line with the Tata Business Excellence Model (TBEM)[2] . Explaining the rationale for implementing the philosophy, Martyris said, "It is to achieve that international benchmarking in hospitality, and HR must fit into it." According to him, the three major areas of TPP included work systems and processes; learning and development; and employee welfare.
TABLE I
KEY POINTS OF THE TAJ CHARTER
| Some of the key points of the Taj Charter are given below: · Every employee of the Taj Group would be an important member in the Taj family. · The Taj family would always strive to attract, retain and reward the best talent in the industry. · The Taj family would commit itself to formal communication channels, which would foster transparency. |
As part of the TPP, the Taj Group introduced a strong performance management[[3] system, called the Balanced Scorecard System (BSS) that linked individual performance with the group's overall strategy. BSS was based on a model developed by Kaplan and Nortan[4] , and focused on enhancing both individual as well as enterprise performance. BSS measured the performance of employees across all hierarchical levels against a set of predefined targets and identified their variances. Martyris explained, "We are looking at a matrix form of organization which cuts across hierarchy. It is important to understand the potential of people." Therefore, BSS was implemented even at the lowest levels of the hierarchy.
| The BSS included an Employee Satisfaction Tracking System (ESTS), which solved employees' problems on a quarterly basis. As a part of ESTS, Taj carried out an organization wide employee satisfaction survey in mid 2000 of about 9000 employees. According to this survey, the reported satisfaction level was about 75 percent. The group aimed to increase this level to 90-95 percent, and eventually to 100 percent. | |
The Taj Group also established Centers of Excellence for its 14,000 employees at five locations in
Apart from adopting stringent measures to improve performance, Taj also recognized and rewarded its best employees across all levels of the organization. For this purpose, Taj created a unique employee loyalty and reward program known as STARS. Describing the program, Martyris said, "It's an HR initiative aimed at creating an association 'between our star performers and our brand, the Taj.'"
[1] The strategic and tactical management of talent in the organization. Talent Management is a strategic business function that involves an organization's ability to attract, recruit, hire and retain the right talent at the right time and align it with its business goals.
[2]TBEM provides guidelines for the introduction of business systems into the organization and correlates business performance and rewards to individuals. The TBEM includes systems for reviewing talent and offering opportunities across various functions within the group companies.
[3]Performance management is the process of creating a work environment or setting in which people are enabled to perform to the best of their abilities. Performance management is a total work system that begins when a job is defined as needed. It ends when an employee leaves the organization.
[4] Professors at the
THE STAR SYSTEM
The STAR system (STARS) was the brainchild of Martyris. The system was developed in accordance with Taj's core philosophy that 'happy employees lead to happy customers.' STARS, operative throughout the year (from April to March), was open to all employees across the organization, at all hierarchical levels. It aimed to identify, recognize and reward those employees who excelled in their work. STARS was actively promoted across the group's 62 chain of hotels and among its 18,000 employees globally, out of which 15,000 were from
| STARS had five different levels. Though employees did not receive any cash awards, they gained recognition by the levels they attained through the points they accumulated for their acts of kindness or hospitality. 'Level 1' was known as the 'Silver Grade'. To reach this level, employees had to accumulate 120 points in three months. To attain 'Level 2', known as the 'Gold Grade,' employees had to accumulate 130 points within three months of attaining the silver grade. To reach 'Level 3', called the 'Platinum Grade', employees had to accumulate 250 points within six months of attaining the gold grade. To attain 'Level 4', employees had to accumulate 510 or more points, but below 760 points, to be a part of the Chief Operating Officer's club. 'Level 5' which was the highest level in STARS, enabled employees to be a part of the MD's club, if they accumulated 760 or more points. | |
Points were granted to employees on the basis of parameters like integrity, honesty, kindness, respect for customers, environmental awareness, teamwork, coordination, cooperation, excellence in work, new initiatives, trustworthiness, courage and conviction, among others. Suggestions by employees that benefited the organization fetched them significant points (Refer Exhibit III). Such suggestions in each hotel of the Taj Group were examined by the General Manager, HR Manager and training manager of the hotel the employee worked in. The suggestions could also be posted on the web, which were constantly monitored.
Employees could also earn points through appreciation by customers, 'compliment-a-colleague' forums[1] and various suggestion schemes. Employees could also get 'default points' if the review committee did not give feedback to the employee within two days of his/her offering a suggestion for the betterment of the organization. In such cases, the employee concerned was awarded '20 default points.' Hence, in an indirect manner, the system compelled judges of the review committee to give feedback to employees as early as possible.
STARS helped employees work together as a team and appreciate fellow employees for their acts of kindness and excellence. It enhanced their motivation levels and led to increased customer satisfaction. In one case, a bellboy in one of the group's hotel who received an American customer went out of his way to care for the customer. Noticing that the customer, who had arrived late at night, was suffering from cold, he offered to bring him a doctor. However, the customer refused the boy's offer. The bellboy then, on his own, offered a glass of warm water mixed with ginger and honey, a traditional Indian home remedy for cough and cold. The customer felt surprised and also happy at the bellboy's gesture. He left a note of appreciation for him, which added to his existing points.
According to the number of points accumulated, employees would receive a star, which could be pinned on to their coat. When a certain number of points were collected, employees received gift hampers, cash vouchers or a vacation in a Taj Hotel of their choice in
The STARS program had generated lot of attention among the employees at the Taj Group. During the initial phase, not every hotel seemed to be serious about adopting STARS, but after the first awards ceremony was conducted, every hotel in the group reportedly became very serious about the implementation of STARS. Reportedly, customer satisfaction levels increased significantly after the implementation of STARS. Commenting on the success of STARS, Martyris said, "After the campaign was launched, a large number of employees have started working together in the true spirit of teams and this helps us value our human capital. There are stars all around us but very often we look only at stars outside the system. Many employees do that extra bit and go that extra mile, out of the way to dazzle the customer satisfaction with employee recognition. Employee recognition is, hence, directly linked to customer satisfaction. It is recognition for the people, of the people and by the people." STARS was also used by the group as an appraisal system, in addition to its regular appraisal system.
[1] The program encourages the employees to work together and compliment each other.
The STARS was not only successful as an HR initiative, but it brought many strategic benefits to the group as well. The service standards at all hotels of the group improved significantly because the employees felt that their good work was being acknowledged and appreciated. This resulted in repeat customers for Taj hotels. Because of STARS, the Group won the 'Hermes Award 2002' for 'best innovation in HR' in the hospitality industry. Analysts felt that the fame and recognition associated with the winning of the Hermes award would place the Taj Group of hotels at the top of the list of the best hotels in the world. The group also received requests for setting up hotels in Paris (
| The HR practices at the Taj Group attracted several Human Resources and Organizational Behavior experts' world over. In late 2001, Thomas J. Delong, a professor of Organizational Behavior from Harvard Business School (HBS), visited India and interviewed various employees in the Taj Group. After his visit, the Taj Group was "envisioned as an example of organizational transformation wherein key dimensions of cultural change went into the making of global managers." Analysts also felt that social responsibility and people-centric programs were the core values at Taj Group, which were well demonstrated through the 'Taj People Philosophy.' Martyris said, "The challenges here lay in retaining the warmth and relationship focus of the Taj and inculcating a systems-driven approach to service." | |
Analysts felt that the Taj Group had been highly successful because of its ability to provide better opportunities and give greater recognition to its employees, which motivated them to work to the best of their abilities. The Employee Retention Rate (ERR) of the Taj Group was the highest in the hospitality industry because of its employee-oriented initiatives. In spite of the highest ERR; Martyris felt that the retention of talent was Taj's major challenge[1] . He said, "Our staff is routinely poached by not just industry competitors but also banks, call centers and others. In 2002, in the placements process at the hotel management institute run by the Taj, more than half of those passing out were hired by non-hospitality companies. While we are happy to see the growth and opportunity for this sector, we also feel there is a need for introspection. Are we offering swift and smooth career paths to our employees? How am I to retain staffers from moving across industries?"
In late 2002, the Taj Group, to demonstrate its strong belief in employees, announced plans to make further investments in training, development, and career planning and employee welfare. The group also tried to standardize its various processes and develop a common work culture. After winning the Hermes Award in 2002, the group also planned to nominate the BSS for the Hermes Awards 2003.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:
1. "The Taj People Philosophy was developed to show the Taj Group's commitment to and belief in employees." What did the philosophy entail and what were its key components? Explain.
2. The STARS program was created to reward employees to deliver their best at the workplace. In what way did this program acknowledge the work of its employees, and what were the various levels of recognition it offered to its best employees? How did the program achieve its goal? Explain.
3. STARS was not only successful as an HR initiative, but it brought several strategic benefits to the Taj Group. What were the various benefits brought about by the STARS program to the employees and the group? How? Discuss.
ADDITIONAL READINGS & REFERENCES:
1. Ruggia, James, The Class of India, www.web7.epnet.com, November 27, 2000.
2. Sircar, Subhadip, The Taj People Philosophy - Nurturing Employees from the Womb to the Tomb,
www.expressindia.com, December 23, 2000.
3. Taj Stars in New HR Thrust, www.tata.com, April 23, 2001.
4. Indian Hotels becomes a Harvard Case Study, www.tata.com, Jan 15, 2002.
5. Wah! Taj!, www.tata.com, June 20,2002.
6. PKF Values IHCL at Rs. 2,100 crores, www.tata.com, September 2, 2002.
7. The Taj's 'Stars' Shine Bright, www.tata.com, Novermber 15, 2002.
8.
9. Noronha, Christabelle, A Star is Born, www.tata.com.
10.The Indian Hotels Company, www.tata.com.
11. Indian Hotels Company Limited, www.indiainfoline.com.
12. Taj Careers, www.tajcareers.com.
13. www.tajtech.com.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
SAKE....
Sake
Sake is a Japanese alcoholic beverage made from rice. In Japanese, the word sake (does not specifically refer to this specific beverage; instead, the word Nihonshu (literally, "Japanese alcoholic beverage") is used to distinguish it from other beverages. In English, the word sake never refers to anything other than Nihonshu. This article uses the word "sake" as it is used in English.
Sake is also commonly referred to in English as "rice wine", but the characterisation implied is not accurate. Wine is made from the single fermentation of plant juices (Other than sparkling wine, which can be a double fermantation to create the carbonation.). Sake is produced by multiple fermentation of rice, which is more similar to how beer is produced. Also, outside
History
The history of sake is not well documented and there are multiple theories on how it was developed. One theory suggests that the brewing of rice started in
Regardless, the first sake was called kuchikami no sake, (Japanese for "chewing the mouth sake" or mouth chewed sake) and was made by people chewing rice, chestnuts, millet, acorn and spitting the mixture into a tub. The enzymes from the saliva allowed the starches to saccharify (convert to sugar). This sweet mixture was combined with freshly cooked grain and allowed to naturally ferment. This early form of sake was likely low in alcohol and consumed like porridge. This method was used by Native Americans; see cauim, and pulque. Chinese millet wine, made the same way, is mentioned in inscriptions from the 14th century BC as being offered to the gods in religious rituals. Later, from approximately the 8th century BC, rice wine, with a formula almost exactly like that of the later Japanese sake, became popular in
Centuries later, chewing was rendered unnecessary by the discovery of kōji-kin Aspergillus oryzae), a mold whose enzymes convert the starch in the rice to sugar, which is also used to make amazake, miso, and soy sauce. Rice inoculated with kōji-kin is called "kome-kōji”, or malt rice. A yeast mash, or shubo, is then added to convert the sugars to ethanol. This development can greatly increase sake's alcohol content (18%–25% by vol.); as starch is converted to sugar by kōji, sugars are converted to alcohol by yeast in one instantaneous process.
Kōji-kin was discovered most likely by accident. Kōji spores and yeast floating in the air would land in a soupy rice-water mixture left outside. The resulting fermentation would create a sake porridge not unlike the kuchikami no sake but without the hassle of needing a whole village to chew the rice. This porridge was probably not the best tasting, but the intoxication was enough to keep people interested in making it. Some of this mash would be kept as a starter for the next batch.
Experimentation and techniques from
For the next 500 years the quality and techniques used in brewing sake steadily improved. The practice of using a starter mash or "moto" was adopted, for the purpose of cultivating the maximum possible amount of yeast cells before brewing . Brewers were also able to isolate kōji for the first time and, thus, were able to control with some consistency the saccharification (converting starch to sugar) of the rice.
Through observation and trial and error, a form of pasteurization was also developed. Batches of sake that began to sour due to bacteria during the summer months were poured out of their barrels into tanks and heated. However, the resulting pasteurized sake would then be returned to the bacteria infected barrels. Hence the sake would become more sour and, by the time fall came around, the sake would be unpalatable. The principles behind pasteurization (and better methods of storing sake) would not be understood until Louis Pasteur discovered them some 500 years later.
During the Meiji Restoration, laws were written that allowed anybody with the money and know-how to construct and operate their own sake breweries. Around 30,000 breweries sprang up around the country within a year. However, as the years went by, the government levied more and more taxes on the sake industry and slowly the number of breweries dwindled to 8,000.
Most of the breweries that grew and survived this period were set up by wealthy landowners. Landowners who grew rice crops would have rice left over at the end of the season and, rather than letting this stash of rice go to waste, would ship it to their breweries. The most successful of these family breweries still operate today.
During the 20th century, sake-brewing technology grew by leaps and bounds. The government opened the sake-brewing research institute in 1904 and, in 1907 the very first government-run sake tasting/competition was held. Yeast strains specifically selected for their brewing properties were isolated and enamel-coated steel tanks arrived. The government started hailing the use of enamel tanks as easy to clean, lasting forever, and being devoid of bacterial problems. (The government considered wooden barrels to be "unhygienic" because of the potential bacteria living in the wood.) Although these things are true, the government also wanted more tax money from breweries as the wood in wooden barrels sucks up a significant amount of sake (somewhere around 3%) that could have otherwise been taxed. This was the end of the wooden-barrel age of sake and the use of wooden barrels in brewing was completely eliminated.
During the Russo-Japanese War in 1904–1905, the government banned the home brewing of sake. At the time, sake made up an astonishing 30% of
When World War II erupted, the sake-brewing industry was dealt a hefty blow as the government clamped down on the use of rice for brewing. Most of the rice grown during this time was used for the war effort, and this, in conjunction with many other problems, was the end for thousands of breweries all over
Previously, it had been discovered that small amounts of alcohol could be added to sake to improve aroma and texture. But by government decree, pure alcohol and glucose were added to small quantities of rice mash, increasing the yield by as much as four times. 95% of today's sake is made using this technique, left over from the war years. There were even a few breweries that were able to produce "sake" that contained no rice at all. Naturally, the quality of sake during this time suffered greatly.
After the war, breweries slowly began to recover, and the quality of sake gradually went up. However, new players on the scene — beer, wine, and spirits — became very popular in
Today, sake has become a world beverage with a few breweries springing up in
While the rest of the world may be drinking more sake and the quality of sake has been increasing, it is not clear sailing for the sake industry. In
Brewing
Moromi, a stage in the brewing process
Sake is produced by the multiple parallel fermentation of polished rice. The process of milling removes the protein and oils from the exterior of the rice grain, leaving behind starch. A more thorough milling leads to fewer congeners and generally a more desirable product. Multiple fermentation means that there are multiple steps in the fermentation process — the starch is converted to sugar by enzyme action, and then the sugar is converted to alcohol by yeast. This is typical of beverages created from starchy sources, such as beers.
Sake brewing differs from beer brewing in two significant ways. In sake brewing, enzymes for the starch conversion come from the action of a mold called kōji, but in beer brewing the enzymes come from the malt itself. In sake brewing, the multiple processes of fermentation occur simultaneously in the same step, while in beer these processes occur in different, serial steps.
After fermentation, the product is heavily clouded with grain solids and is generally filtered, except in the case of nigori sake. Generally, the product is not aged because consumers prefer the flavor of the fresh product, which degrades quickly in the presence of light, air, and heat. A few varieties of aged sake serve a niche market, however, and can be purchased for a reasonable price if one knows who and where to inquire.
In Japanese, a sake brewery is called a kura .
Types of brewing process
Nigori, or unfiltered sake.
By varying the brewing process, many different types of sake can be created. Categorized by brewing method, there are several types of sake:
Kimoto is the traditionally orthodox method for brewing sake which has been in use for at least 300 years, though very rare today. The mash is hand beaten and made into a paste which then ferments.
Yamahai is a traditional method of brewing sake introduced in the early 1900s, where the starter or "moto" is left for a month to allow it to sour. The method was originally developed to speed production time, however, now it is used to impart a higher acidity and complex flavors.
Sokujō is the modern sake which is made by adding a small amount of lactic acid to the mash to speed the production time. Sokujō sake tends to have a cleaner flavor than Kimoto or Yamahai.
Namazake is sake that has not been pasteurized and is best served chilled, and may be made with any of the above ingredients, or brewing processes.
Genshu ,supposed to be undiluted junmai sake, around 18-20% alc. by volume. Most genshu is honjōzō-shu to make it more economical, however, the method of sake brewing is growing in popularity among premium brands as well.
Muroka , means unfiltered. This type of sake is made as traditional seishu (i.e. not nigorizake), but does not go through the charcoal filtering, so there is a small amount of cloudyness. In recent years, muroka nama genshu sake is growing in popularity as it has a large enough flavor profile so that it can stand up to full flavored western foods.
Nigorizake, is cloudy sake. The sake is passed through a very loose weave to separate it from the mash. It is of course not filtered thereafter and there is much rice sediment in the bottle. Before serving, the bottle is shaken to mix the sediment and turn the sake white or cloudy.
Doburoku is the classic home-brew style of sake and is traditionally a cloudy milky color, as the most delicious flavors are found in the white residue. Doburoku is created by adding steamed rice at the end of fermentation, starting a second fermentation and raising the alcohol level. It is also unpasteurized. Please note that although the kanji for doburoku and nigorizake are the same and both are opaque, they are in fact different styles of sake, with doburoku being the "chunkier" of the two.
By creating a starter-culture of micro-organisms, a higher-quality brew is possible. The starter-culture, called "moto" is stored at 5-10°C, allowing the lactic acid micro-organisms to become dominant in the culture. Lactic acid is important to flavor and preventing un-wanted infections. Subsequently, the rice, kōji, and water is added at three separate stages. The mixture is called moromi ,and grows the mass by three additions. By initiating a brew with a starter-culture, the subsequent batches to moromi also increase the alcohol levels.
Varieties
An American-produced bottle of ginjō-shu sake.
Various types of sake offered for sale at a Japanese grocery in the
There are two basic types of sake: futsū-shu, which are the "normal sake"; and tokutei meishōshu "special designation sake". Futsū-shu does not qualify for any levels of special designation. It is the equivalent of table wine and is over 75% of all sake produced. On the other hand, the tokutei meishōshu or "special designation sake" is distinguished by the degree to which the rice is polished and the added percentage of jōzō alcohol or absence of such additives.
There are four types of tokutei meishōshu (actually six, due to mixing and matching the junmai and ginjō varieties).
honjōzō-shu ,with a slight amount of distilled alcohol added. The distilled alcohol helps pull some extra flavors out of the mash. This term was created in the late 1960s to distinguish it (a premium, flavorful sake) from cheaply made liquors to which large amounts of alcohol were added simply to increase volume and/or give it a high alcohol content.
junmai-shu (literally "pure sake"), made from rice only. Before 2004, the Japanese government mandated that at least 40% of the rice be polished away, with no alcohol added, if the sake was to be considered junmai. Today, it can represent any sake milled to any degree, that contains no additives or distilled alcohol.
ginjō-shu ,rice weight polished to 50% or less.
daiginjō-shu ,rice weight polished to 40% or less.
The term junmai can be added in front of either ginjō or daiginjō if no alcohol is added to result in either junmai ginjō or junmai daiginjō. However, distilled alcohol often is added in small amounts to ginjō and daiginjō to heighten the aroma, not to increase volume, so a junmai daiginjō without added alcohol is not necessarily a better product than daiginjō. In fact, most brews that win the gold medals at the Hiroshima Kanpyōkai (one of the most prestigious judging events) cannot be called junmai due to the small amounts of alcohol added.
In addition, there are some other terms commonly used to describe sake:
kuroshu ake using unpolished rice (brown rice), more like the Chinese production method.
koshu ,aged sake. Most sake does not age well, but this specially made type can age for decades, turning the sake yellow and giving it a honeyed flavor.
Taruzake, sake aged in cedar barrels. The barrel aging gives this type its characteristic spiciness. Also refers to sake casks broken open for the opening of buildings, businesses, parties, etc. As the cedar barrels imparts a flavor, premium sake is rarely used for this type.
seishu, the official name for Japanese sake, but excluding nigorizake and doburoku.
tei-seihaku-shu, sake with low rice polishing ratio.
Generally and traditionally, it has been said that the lower the "seimai-buai" rice polishing ratio is (see below), the better the potential of the sake is. This is true with the majority of sake in March 2007 but, in these few years, sake has intentionally been made with high rice polishing ratios, such as 80%, to produce a characteristic flavor, mainly for the scent of the rice itself to remain.
shizuku-dori ,sake that is separated from lees without external pressure by hanging moromi bags and allowing it to drip slowly.
tobin-gakoi, sake that was pressed into separate bottles usually using the shizuku-dori method, each containing 18 liters. The resulting bottles permits the brewer to select the best sake of the batch for shipping.
shiboritate, sake that has been shipped without the traditional six-month aging/maturation period. The result is usually a more acidic, "greener" sake.
Some other terms commonly used in connection with sake:
kasu , the sake lees left after filtering, used for making tsukemono, cuisine (sakekasujiru, etc.), livestock feed, and shōchū.
nihonshu-do , = (|1/specific gravity|−1) × 1443
Specific gravity is measured on a scale weighing the same amount of water at 4°C and sake at 15°C. The sweeter the sake is, the lower the number gets. When they started to use the nihonshu-do, 0 was the break-even point between sweet sake and dry sake. Now this point is +3. Most sake varies in nihonshu-do between sweetest −30 to most dry +15
seimai-buai (精米歩合), the rice polishing ratio, meaning the leftover weight after polishing. Generally, the lower the number, the better the sake's potential. Tei-seihaku-shu (see above) does not fit this traditional formula.
Serving sake
Main article: Sake set
Sake can be served in a wide variety of cups; here is sakazuki (flat saucer-like cup), ochoko (small cylindrical cup), and masu (wooden box-like cup).
In
The most common way to serve sake in the
Sake is served in shallow cups, called choko. Usually sake is poured into the choko from ceramic flasks called tokkuri. Other, more ceremonial cups, used most commonly at weddings and other special occasions, are called sakazuki. Drinking from someone else's sake cup is considered a sign of friendship, or to honour someone of lower status. The influx of premium sakes has inspired Riedel, the Austrian wine glass company, to create a footed glass specifically for premium sakes such as ginjō and daiginjō.
One item used by some traditional sake drinkers is a masu, a box traditionally made of Japanese Cypress. In some of the more traditional Japanese restaurants, as a show of generosity, the server may put a glass inside the masu (or put the masu inside a saucer) and pour until a large amount of sake overflows and fills this secondary container.
Aside from being served straight, sake can be used as a mixer for cocktails, such as the Japanese tamagozake, saketinis, or the sake bomb.
Storage
In general, it is best to keep sake refrigerated in a cool or dark room as prolonged exposure to heat or direct light will lead to spoilage. Sake stored at room temperature is best consumed within a few months after purchase.
After opening the bottle of sake, it is best consumed within 2 or 3 hours. It is possible to store in the refrigerator, but it is recommended to finish the sake within 2 days. This is because once premium sake is opened, it begins to oxidize which affects the taste. If the sake is kept in the refrigerator for more than 3 days, it is best to use it to prepare or cook food.
Ritual uses
Sake is often consumed as part of Shinto purification rituals (compare with the use of grape wine in the Christian Eucharist). During World War II, Kamikaze pilots drank sake prior to carrying out their missions. Today barrels of sake are broken open (Kagami biraki) during Shinto festivals and ceremonies or following sports victories: this sake (called iwai-zake, literally "celebration sake") is served freely to all to spread good fortune. Sake is also served during the light meal eaten during some tea ceremonies.
In the New Year Japanese people drink a special sake called toso. Toso is a sort of iwai-zake. It is made by soaking tososan, a Chinese powder medicine, overnight in sake. Even children sip a portion. In some regions the first sipping of toso is taken in order of age from younger to older. History dates back to the ninth century. This sake was introduced under emperor Saga.
Kagami biraki is the ritual breaking open of a new sake barrel with a wooden mallet, performed at weddings, business openings, New Years, and other special events.
Sambuca???
Sambuca
Sambuca is an Italian aniseed-flavored, usually colorless liqueur. Its most common variety is often referred to as white Sambuca in order to differentiate it from derivative spirits that are deep blue in colour (known as black Sambuca) or bright red (red Sambuca).
Preparation
The main ingredients of Sambuca are the essential oils obtained by distilling vapours of the seeds of a kind of aniseed called Illicium verum (Star Anise), thus giving the liquor a strong smell of anise. Those are added to pure alcohol, a concentrated solution of sugar and other natural flavours.
History
The name Sambuca may come from an Arabic word: Zammut. It was the name of an anise-flavoured drink that arrived to the
The Italian word Sambuca was first used as the name of another anise-based liquor that was created in
The first commercial version of such a drink started at the end of 1800 in
Serving
Neat
Sambuca can be served neat, as Ammazzacaffè or just as refreshment.
On the rocks
Sambuca can be served with ice, optionally adding some coffee beans as ornament. The ice exalts the flavours and changes the colour of the drink from transparent to dense white.
With toasted coffee beans
In
In coffee
Sambuca can be added to coffee as a sweetener instead of sugar. The mixed drink in Italian is called caffè corretto (literally, "corrected coffee" believe me u this tastes excellento!!:)
With water
Sambuca can be served adding fresh water, becoming a refreshing less alcoholic drink.
Flaming Sambuca
A flaming Sambuca is typically made by lighting the drink in a shot glass and allowing it to burn. The flame is then extinguished and the Sambuca is quickly drunk while still warm. One popular method of extinguishment is placing the palm of the hand over the top of the shot glass, where suction is created causing the shot glass to "stick" to the hand. This is also potentially dangerous; if the flame is allowed to burn for too long, it will heat up the shot glass also - resulting in burn injuries to the hand.
Another technique is to pour a shot of Sambuca into a wine glass, and then to light it, swirling the shot continuously. Pour it into the original shot glass, then cover with the wine glass to extinguish the flame, remove the wine glass but still keep it upside-down. Take the shot, then, using a straw, suck out the alcohol fumes of the wine glass, allowing you to fully taste Sambuca. This is similar to a drink where Blue Bols is mixed with Sambuca, all the steps above are followed but after the fumes are sucked out of the wine glass, the last drop of the mix is poured onto the base of the wine glass and then snorted up the nose with a small straw.
LIST OF LIQUEURS
Liqueurs are high-alcohol, high-sugar beverages with added flavorings usually derived from herbs, fruits, or nuts.
Here's a list of liquers based on their classification....learn atleast 5 form each for interviews... CHEERS!!!
Chocolate liqueurs
- Afrikoko (coconut and chocolate)
- Ashanti Gold
- Cadbury Cream Liqueur
- Crème de Cacao
- Dwersteg's Organic Chocolate Liqueur
- Godiva Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate and Cappuccino liqueurs
- Mozart (disambiguation) Gold (milk chocolate), Mozart White (white chocolate), Mozart Black (dark chocolate), and Amadé ChocOrange (dark chocolate with blood-orange distillate) liqueurs
- Royal Mint-Chocolate Liqueur (French)
- Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur
- Vandermint
Coffee liqueurs
- Bols Coffee Liqueur
- Café Oriental
- Caffè Borghetti
- Coloma
- Copa De Oro
- Duchalet Café Liqueur
- Dwersteg's Organic Coffee Liqueur
- Kahlúa
- Kamora
- Keuck Türkisch Mokka
- Kona Gold
- Kosaken Kaffee
- De Kuyper Crème de Café
- Mokatika
- Tia Maria
- Sheridan's
- Starbucks Coffee Liqueur
- Toussaint Coffee Liqueur
Cream liqueurs
- Amarula
- Baileys Irish Cream
- Carolans
- Dooley's
- Drumgray Highland Cream Liqueur
- Dulce de Leche Liqueur (
- Dwersteg's Organic Coffee Cream Liqueur
- Hare Turkish Coffee Cream Liqueur
- McCormick's Irish Cream
- Merlyn Cream Liqueur
- Mozart Gold Chocolate Cream
- Mozart White Chocolate Cream
- O'Leary's Irish Cream
- Ponche Caribe
- Ponche Crema
- Ponche Diva
- Ponche Kuba
- Saint Brendan's Irish Cream Liqueur
- Starbucks Cream Liqueur
- Vermeer Dutch Chocolate Cream Liqueur
- Voyant Chai Cream
- Kēkē Beach Key Lime Cream Liqueur
Crème liqueurs
- Creme de Banane
- Crème de cacao
- Crème de cassis
- Crème de Cerise
- Crème de menthe
- Creme de Noyaux
- Crème de Rose
- Creme de violette
- Parfait d'Amour
Fruit liqueurs
- Amabilli (banana)
- 99 Bananas (banana)
- Bajtra – Maltese liqueur (prickly pear)
- Cointreau (orange)
- Cuarenta Y Tres/Licor 43 (citrus, vanilla)
- Curaçao (bitter orange)
- DeKuyper Pomegranate (pomegranate)
- Destinee (tropical fruit)
- Dwersteg's Organic Orange Liqueur
- Espiritu del Ecuador (20 Ecuadoran fruits, including peach, chocolate, cherry, and almond)
- Grand Marnier (orange)
- GRAPèRO (pink grapefruit)
- Hpnotiq (tropical fruit)
- Kruškovac (pear)
- Lichido (lychee)
- Limoncello (lemon)
- Mandarine Napoleon (mandarin)
- Manzana verde (apple)
- Midori (melon)
- NUVO (fruit nectars and sparkling chardonnay and pinot noir wines)
- PAMA (pomegranate)
- Passoã (passion fruit; also comes in mango, pineapple, and coconut flavors)
- Pisang Ambon (banana)
- Pucker (apple)
- Triple sec (orange)
- X-Rated Fusion Liqueur (blood orange, mango and passion fruit)
Berry
- 99 Berries
- Blueberry
- Buckthorn
- Cherry Heering (cherry)
- Chambord (raspberry)
- Cloudberry
- Ginjinha (cherry)
- Guavaberry (guavaberry)
- Guignolet (wild cherry)
- Hare Ahududu (raspberry)
- Hare Vişne (sour cherry)
- Hideous (berry and citrus)
- Lillehammer (lingonberry)
- Lingonberry
- Maraschino (cherry)
- Murtado (ugni molinae)
- Polar Cranberry
- Prunelle (plum)
- Razzmatazz (raspberry)
- Sloe gin (sloe)
- Whidbeys (loganberry)
Herbal liqueurs
Note: the exact recipes of many herbal liqueurs (which may contain up to 50 or more different herbs) are often closely guarded trade secrets. The primary herbal ingredients are listed where known.
Anise-flavored liqueurs
Note: Absinthe, Arak, Rakı, and similar anise-flavored beverages contain no sugar and thus are flavored liquors rather than liqueurs.
- Aguardiente – Colombia
- Anis del Toro – Spain
- Anisetta – Italy
- Anisette – France
- Alpestre - Italy
- Arquebuse de l'Hermitage - France
- Galliano – Italy
- Hierbas de Mallorca – Majorca
- Herbsaint – United States
- Mastica – Bulgaria
- Mistrà - Italy
- Oghi – Armenia
- Ouzo – Greece
- Pastis – France
- Patxaran – Spain
- Pernod
- Ricard
- Sambuca – Italy
- Vespetrò - Italy
- Xtabentún – Mexico
See also Category:Anise liqueurs and spirits
Other herbal liqueurs
- Amaro
- Becherovka (anise seeds, cinnamon, and other herbs)
- Beirão (seeds and herbs from around the world)
- Bénédictine (cognac with 27 plants and spices)
- Canton (spirits, brandy, six varieties of ginger, ginseng, and honey)
- Chartreuse (130 herbal extracts)
- Demänovka (14 herbs and honey)
- Danzig Goldwasser (gold leaf)
- Goldschläger (cinnamon, with gold leaf)
- Hideous
- Jägermeister (56 herbs)
- Krupnik (honey and up to 50 different herbs)
- Kümmel (caraway seed, cumin, and fennel)
- Metaxa
- Paan (saffron, cardamom, and sandalwood)
- Riga Black Balsam (Rigas Melnais Balzams)
- Strega (70 herbs, including mint, fennel, and saffron)
- Unicum (more than 40 herbs)
- Zen (matcha green tea from
Nut-flavored liqueurs
- Amaretto (almonds, or the almond-like kernels from apricots, peaches, cherries, or similar stone fruits)
- Frangelico (hazelnuts and herbs)
- Kahana Royale (macadamia nut)
- Nocello (walnut and hazelnut)
- Nocino (unripe green walnuts)
- Ratafia (brandy flavored with almonds, fruit, or fruit kernels - also a flavored biscuit)
Whisky Liqueurs
- Bruadar (Scotch whisky, honey, sloe)
- Cock of the North (single malt, blaeberry)
- Drambuie (Scotch, heather honey, herbs, and spices)
- Eblana (Irish whiskey, coffee, honey, almond, peanut)
- Famous Grouse liqueur (Scotch, bourbon, citrus, spices)
- Glayva (Scotch,
- Glenfiddich Malt liqueur (Scotch, citrus, pear, brown sugar)
- Glenturret Malt liqueur (Glenturret single malt, honey, spices)
- Irish Mist (aged Irish whiskey, heather and clover honey, aromatic herbs, and other spirits)
- Jeremiah Weed (Bourbon, orange, vanilla)
- Lochan Ora (Chivas, honey, herbs and spices)
- Murray Scottish Highland Liqueur (Scotch, honey, sloe)
- Old Pulteney liqueur (Old Pulteney single malt, prune, spices)
- Orangerie (Scotch, oranges, spices)
- Rock and rye (American rye whiskey, citrus, rock candy)
- Stag's Breath (Speyside malts and fermented comb honey)
- Wallace Liqueur (Deanston single malt, Scottish berries, French herbs)
- Wild Turkey Liqueur (Wild Turkey (bourbon), honey, spices)
- Yukon Jack (Canadian whisky, honey)
- sundakanchi[rice based]
Other liqueurs
- Advocaat (egg yolks and vanilla)
- Aftershock (several varieties, most popular of which is cinnamon)
- Baczewski
- Bärenjäger (honey)
- Cynar (artichoke and other herbs and plants)
- Damiana (herb of the same name)
- Génépi (alpine flower of the same name)
- Izarra (numerous herbs and other flavorings)
- Licor de oro (whey, saffron and lemon peel)
- Kajmir (vanilla, brandy, and vodka)
- Patxaran (sloe berries, coffee beans, and vanilla pod)
- Pimento (not the peppers stuffed into olives, but Allspice. Made in Jamaica by Wray and Nephews)
- Qi (lapsang souchong tea, fruits, spices, and Chardonnay brandy)
- Qi White (orange, ginger, clove, other herbs and spices, and white tea)
- Rumpleminze (peppermint)
- Sabra liqueur (dark chocolate and Sabra oranges)
- Salmiakki Koskenkorva (Salmiakkikossu, salmari) (salmiakki – Originally Turkish Pepper salty licorice)
- Southern Comfort (neutral grain spirits with whiskey, peach, orange and spice flavorings)
- Tsipouro
- St. Germain (elderflower)
- Tuaca (brandy, vanilla, and citrus)
- Vana Tallinn (rum, citrus oil, vanilla, cinnamon, and other spices)
- Y Chilli (cinnamon, chili peppers, and other ingredients)