Sake is one of those underrated alcoholic beverages, in my opinion, that most people only drink when going out for sushi. Hot or cold, filtered or unfiltered, are pretty much your only options when it is offered on a drink menu. Until now.
Mixologists are featuring this rice-based alcohol in many hip new cocktails. There are numerous versions of the "Saketini", most containing vodka and/or gin along with various liquers, juices, syrups, etc. So for those of you who don't like the flavor of filtered sake, you can now enjoy it in one of these new-fangled concoctions.
If you don't want to drop ten bucks on a "Saketini" at a fancy schmancy bar then make it yourself at home. I whipped up this fabulous and easy sake cocktail (see recipe below) for my New Year's Eve bash as the featured drink of the evening (until, of course, we popped the champagne). Unless you're a sake connisseur the cheap stuff will suffice because, hey, you're going to be mixing it with other flavors anyway, right? Oh, and a warning: sake has about the same level of alcohol content or more than wine does and this drink goes down easily, so sip carefully (unless you want a hangover, much like the one I experienced New Year's Day). Kampai!
Recipe after the jump:
