Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Summer shu-making

A stop in to see Ioanna and Hisashi one night times in nicely with the 1 year anniversary of Pelican Burger, as well as the 1 year anniversary of their first attempt at making ume-shu. A handful of friends are around, and we're drinking shu late into the night ... much fun! and this is all that's left:

Shu making

but it inspired us the following weekend to meet at Ionna's and start on the next batch for next year's party. First we pick up some supplies, including bottles, rock sugar, white liquor and various fruits;

Shu making

for the ume's, we're doing 2 different varieties. One a little sweeter, and another trying out pricking the ume's before placing them in the jar, to see if this boosts the flavor.

Shu making

Once the fruit was pricked it was piled into the jar and topped with the rock sugar and then in goes the white liquor ...

Shu making

We also did a pot of cherry and a pot of lemon-shu.

Shu making

We all cheer's to our efforts ....

Shu making

and Ioanna makes a plate of Shin Sapporo blue cheese, ricotta and dried tomato. mmmmm

Shu making

It's been so hard looking at these shu's developing up on the shelf but knowing we have to wait a year before we can savour the hard labour, so we decided to make a new one each month, so that next summer there will be a new one to drink each month ....

Shu making

2 comments:

Boots in the Oven said...

That is too cool! I can't believe it takes a year for it to mature - I admire your patience. We made limoncello once, and I almost drank it before the month was up.

Kat and Kim said...

Yeah, it's pretty hard to resist. Thats why we're making one a month now so next year they're always on hand. The newest was a blueberry with a few slices of lemon for fun.