“i sometimes get nervous when i eat plum jelly. they often use plum wine. i know it tastes good, but so often it makes me drunk. this one was non-alcoholic.”
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“i sometimes get nervous when i eat plum jelly. they often use plum wine. i know it tastes good, but so often it makes me drunk. this one was non-alcoholic.”
Ume Monogatari no Onnanoko Garage Kit by Kind of Magic, of Ume Monogatari
桜梅桃李 (o-bai-to-ri) “never compare yourself to others”
This yo-ji-juku-go (Japanese 4-character idiom) is comprised of 4 beloved Japanese trees. They are:
桜 = cherry (sakura)
梅 = apricot (ume)
桃 = peach (momo)
李 = plum (sumomo)
Each of these iconic trees blossoms in its own time and in its own unique way.
桜 (sakura) are of course the cherry blossom trees famous for blooming spectacularly and incredibly briefly once a year, usually in April. Sakura trees in full bloom is an annual event, and people go to their local park to see them, take photos, and have picnics underneath them. It's such a big deal that it's reported on the weather forecast, with reporters commenting on how quickly the "sakura front" is moving northwards across the country.
梅 (ume) is the "ume" in umeshu! This is a sweet liqueur which is made from soaking ume in sake. It tastes amazing, and is one of the things I miss most about Japan. Japanese learners will no doubt recognise "ume" as usually being translated as "plum", however it is technically closer to the Western apricot.
桃 (momo) is one of the best-loved fruits in Japan. There is even a fairy story called "Momo-taro" about a little boy who comes from inside a peach. He grows up to be a great hero, of course, and saves everyone from a demon. "Momo" is also a fairly common girls' name.
李 (sumomo) are known as "Japanese plums" or "Asian plums". The trees are famous for their delicate white flowers. They usually bloom just before the sakura. Whilst not as famous or as showy as sakura, they are well-loved for their elegance, and for being a sign of spring.
This one-off calligraphy artwork is available on my Etsy shop here:
An original shodō (Japanese calligraphy) work - not a print! 桜梅桃李 (o-bai-to-ri) “never compare yourself to others” This yo-ji-juku-go (Japan
Preparing for 2024, limited edition "Attack on Titan" umeshu, i.e plum liqueur from Japan!~ 🤪😝😋🤩
Winter Thaw
1 oz Kahlua
1 oz heavy cream
1/2 oz Kikusui umeshu (Japanese plum wine)
1/2 oz Cherry Heering
Discover other great sake cocktails in my book, "101+ Sake Cocktails." Available now in print or digital from Amazon. https://www.azonlinks.com/bc/kyGn7
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One of my last meals on the island of no COVID! Black garlic tonkotsu ramen with a marinated egg, sesame chili paste for seasoning, and my all-time favorite drink: something that I wanted to try but they didn’t have quite a full serving left so I got it for free! In this case, umeshu made with local black sugar shochu.
Umeshu Mojito!
Ingredients:
45 ml umeshu
2 teaspoons brown sugar
8 mint leaves
2 lime wedges
Soda water to taste
Method:
Tip the brown sugar, mint leaves, lime wedges and a little soda water into the glass and muddle
Add the umeshu
Top up with soda water
Recommended by major umeshu (plum wine) distiller Choya / govoyagin.
This article was not sponsored or supported by a third-party. A Cocktail Moment is not affiliated with any individuals or companies depicted here.
I finally finished it ! my kitsune shida and Umeshu, Tayakoi boi ! It took a long time to complete, but I'm really happy with this illustration. Ink pen line, watercolor paint.