“The Best of Everything” by Rona Jaffe is a New York City classic. I didn’t know what I was getting into when I picked it up, but I’m glad I did—it’s a ton of fun. Published in 1958, it follows the lives of four young women beginning their NYC adventures. It’s “Sex in the City” meets “Madmen.” Careers, exhausting first dates, relationship problems set against the 1950s city backdrop: its similarities to today are surprising. It makes you wonder how far we have (or have not) come, yet feel close to a time and place that seem ages ago. The characters drank scotch or brandy on every other page, and when they weren’t it was a simple cocktail like a martini, cigarette in hand. So, I mixed up a delicious saketini: 2.5 oz. Chikurin Junmai Ginjo sake, 1 oz. vodka, and a sliver of cucumber set to soak. Any good quality sake works well, but a Junmai Ginjo grade is light and refreshing, so it went well with the cucumber. I can’t wait for NYC life to finally start up again!
ORIGIN
Okayama, Japan
Rice Type
Home-grown Yamada Nishiki
Tasting Notes
Mild, ricey sweet aroma; pancakey “mochi” sweetness on the palate; finishing with delicate cherry notes.
Food Match
Complements oysters, sushi, sashimi, salads and other light foods.
Diana studied Anthropology at Penn State and Food Culture & Communications at the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Italy. After living la bella vita in Italy for six years, she returned to the U.S. and landed in NYC. She has been working in wine since 2012 and holds WSET 2. Loves Nebbiolo and amaro. Talk to her about Italy.