A delicious appetizer, refreshing as a light salty sea breeze.
Meikel's Nordic spring variation in green, combined to the floral taste explosion from Japan, delightfully evokes a day by the Scandinavian sea...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Green Starter fishing for Sake

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries out, combines and discovers.

This time: A tender, shorty fried Skrei (winter cod), served on a bed of salty sea beans, garnished with fresh cucumbers & ripe, sweet dates, on a tasty, rather hearty broccoli cream sauce - that's it.
Aside: The Gekkeikan Daiginjo. Crisp, fresh and elegantly floral on the nose, reminiscent of white tulips and lime blossom as well as green apples and lychee. The pronounced acidity followed by a straightforward finish and a mild and complex swell on the palate flatter Meikel's spring variation perfectly.

Culinary conclusion: 'From winter culinary to spring!' The starter to this sake is a surprising wave of joy,' smiles Meikel. 'Because like my appetizer, it's light, straight and at the same time a flavorful blast. Exactly this harmonious balance of wholesome and hearty, salty and sweet, fresh and deep - all in one fork - is beautifully reflected in the glass. Spring is calling!'

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

Pizza fans watch out!
Meikel combines the Japanese national drink perfectly with his new pizza creation. Buon appetito!

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Pizza Meikel & kanpai!

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries out, combines and discovers.

This time: The homemade dough is topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella, spicy Bündnerfleisch, anchovies and dates & it's off to the hot pizza stone. For the finish, creamy burrata and fresh arugula as topping - that's it.
Aside: The Goriki Junmai, an aromatic, powerful and tangy sake with a lot of umami. Intense in taste, the ideal companion to Meikel's pizza creation.

Culinary conclusion: 'Pizza & sake, this combo is ingenious! And that's exactly why we do this food blog!' enthuses Meikel.
'This pizza has power and a lot of character of its own with all its sweet, salty, creamy and smoky components. And this sake is the perfect teammate, 100% an enrichment, harmoniously finds room in the flavor and makes itself positively felt.
A strong team, a culinary win, with the Allstars on the court. You can tell my enthusiasm continues to grow.... from bite to bite!'

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

Hearty and festive!
Let's fuse familiar traditions from Switzerland and Japan with relish...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Festive nut ham with sake!

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries out, combines and discovers.

This time: A hearty, juicy nut ham, first boiled in water, then baked in the oven until crispy and finished with a sweet glaze of forest honey, rosemary and apple juice. Served with potatoes and celery puree, accompanied by a sweet red cabbage cooked with apples and cranberries - that's it.
Aside: The Kiku Masamune Taru Sake, a harmonious Junmai shortly ripened in barrels (Yoshino cedar). Tangy-fresh in the nose, with a dry, slightly resinous finish - the ideal companion.

Tip: For those who prefer it slightly sweet even in the glass, we recommend the medium-bodied and elegant Inatahime Junmai Daiginjo. An extremely complex sake, wonderfully fruity and with a smooth acidity and velvety finish.

Culinary conclusion: 'The aroma of a ham in winter is just great. Simple, familiar and hearty. The resinous, dry note of the Taru, really cool - and immediately reminds you of a fir forest. My version was more on the sweet side, so I couldn't resist trying the fruity sake with it too. A good decision!' smiles Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

Creative, simple and above all one thing: Delicious!
In Meikel's kitchen the passion burns - for simplicity, but with great attention to detail. And the grill fire burns even in winter temperatures...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - The Winter BBQ with EDO RIBS

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries out, combines and discovers.

This time: Spare Ribs dropped by Japan. The pork ribs are first put into sake, seasoned with a little salt, pepper and paprika powder and then put on the grill for the right barbecue touch. Finally, the spare ribs are brushed with sake, mixed with a little cane sugar - that's it.
Inside: The complex, amber-coloured Shirayuki Edo Genroku, fermented in wooden barrels (taru). A strong, multi-layered Junmai with a long, salty-sweet veil of dark chocolate, honey, yeast, dried corn as well as lime blossom and wood.

Culinary conclusion: 'Em yes, one bite and bam... Yummy it was!' laughs Meikel satisfied. 'Simple in preparation, but all the more delicate in enjoyment. The honey-sweet Edo is perfect for the glaze and goes fantastically well with this wonderful smoke aroma. This is how winter BBQ goes!'

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

Caught you ice cold!
The wonderfully refreshing summer surprise with a frozen drop of Japan...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Experiment Kabosu Sorbet

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: The homemade summer sorbet made of Kabosu fruit liqueur - that's it.
Inside: Kabosu no Susume, the refreshing, racy, citrus-flavoured fruit liqueur, with hand-pressed Kabosu juice. Mild and extremely refreshing, complex on the palate, racy and present as well as intensely fruity. A sweet and palatable aperitif drink, with a low alcohol content and a sourish-bitter finish - a dream in sorbet!

Tip: If you prefer it pink and minty-fresh, try the sorbet also with Aka Shiso, the light, sweetish and fruity Shiso liqueur, with notes of dark berries, cassis, anise and liquorice.

Culinary conclusion: 'Wow! This Kabosu fruit really got it! An extremely refreshing citrus flavour, just the right thing for a hot summer day. Sorbet with a frozen drop of Japan - summer vibes pure!' enthuses Meikel. Experiment succeeded!

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

Summery temperatures, roasting aromas from the grill and a sake that surprises without limits. This is what makes the barbecue season fun!

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Steak X Sake

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: A colourful mix of grilled vegetables such as red onions, pepperoni, chard, white cabbage and peas to a beef entrecôte, crowned with a nectarine chutney boiled in sake - that's it.
Inside & aside: The complex X3 Rose, brewed from red rice and three times the amount of koji. This sake convinces with elegance, a well-balanced intensity of taste, combined with a delicate sweetness as well as a beautiful, light acidity until the long lasting finish. Aromatic, wonderfully inspiring, a class of its own.

Culinary conclusion: 'Power on the grill, harmony on the plate. And this sake has real power and an extremely inspiring spiciness. Heavy and lively at the same time and with its melt also perfect for meat. The X3 Rose is definitely one of my favourites. Awesome, hell yeah!', laughs Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

When it gets cold and dark outside, it can 'smell' inside... Of course also at cheese lover Meikel's and of course with skillful finesse - but: Swiss style!

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Swiss raclette with sake

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: A hearty, cozy raclette with dear friends. In addition to various Swiss cheeses and swell potatoes, there's real Bündnerfleisch, fresh pear pieces, cranberries and the matching favourite spices - that's it.
Aside: The strong and intense Miyabi. Earthy, dry and pleasantly sweet on the palate, this sake convinces with notes of hazelnut, liquorice, plums, coriander and nutmeg. The Miyabi is reminiscent of a stone fruit brandy and ideal with raclette - just as hearty, just as tasty.

Culinary conclusion: Raclette is also available in my 'kitchen' at this time of year! Sake and cheese are beautiful lovers, that's no secret anymore. Umami is providing the harmony. But it's the combination that counts: The different types of cheese, the recent in exchange with the creamy, simply great!', so Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

It sparkles, glitters and shines.
Because at Christmas it can be festive, slightly exotic and extravagantly delicious...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - The duck for sakelicious Christmas

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: A tender duck breast with a christmassy, exotic festive salad of golden-brown baked French fries from the oven, garnished with morel terrine, red chicory, hot fried pak choi, pineapple cubes glazed in butter and extinguished with sake on a fresh dressing rounded off with pineapple juice - that's it.
Aside: The Shirayuki Banzaimon, an absolute top product among the Junmai Daiginjo. This noble and fragrant sake is extremely smooth, aromatic, with a beautiful, rounded taste of cooked fruits and has a full body, a smooth structure with pleasant acidity and is long lasting in the finish. A truly festive drinking experience.

Culinary conclusion: Fruity, fresh, bitter, sweet, crunchy, soft, cool, warm... This creation conjures up an unbelievably beautiful game on the palate and works sensationally in terms of taste. The menu is simple and at the same time elegant and festive and with this highly complex and fruity sake a perfect Christmas dinner. Great!' enthuses Meikel and wishes 'Merry Christmas'.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

If our culinary section could smell...
Sweet, plain, simply irresistible. They come straight out of the oven, grab it!

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Sake brownies, the chocolaty fairy tale

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: Homemade brownies made of dark chocolate. The delicious chocolate mixture with small pieces of chocolate and sake in the oven for half an hour - that's it.
Inside & aside: The complex Shirayuki Edo Genroku, fermented in wooden barrels (taru). A strong, multi-layered Junmai with a long, salty-sweet veil of dark chocolate, honey, yeast, dried corn, lime blossom and wood. Inside and aside the warm brownies a dream.

Culinary conclusion: 'Chocolate enjoyment that is really addictive. The honey-sweet Edo is the perfect dessert for dessert. Chocolate meets sake, two good buddies. What can I say - with a full mouth - that's brownie heaven! I'll have another one right away...!' smiles Meikel and grabs it.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

A hearty risotto becomes velvety with the perfect nihonshu as ingredient...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Sake risotto!

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: An autumnal sake risotto with figs, pumpkin and Bauern-Schüblig cubes with a hint of honey as topping - that's it.
Inside: Sake instead of white wine! Use the velvet, almost creamy Nouvelle for risotto. The floral Junmai Ginjo convinces with a pleasant, buttery melt, with tangy notes of nutmeg, cloves, cauliflower and meringue, a fresh acidity and dry finish.

Culinary conclusion: 'A real moody court. The risotto cooked with sake becomes smoother and simply tastes better. It was a harmony of freshness, sweetness and spice. And the Schüblig gave the whole thing the right kick. Nouvelle in it and with it, worked wonderfully. Simply good', says Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

Now it's about the sausage!
The culinary delight with a spicy finish from Japan...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Now it's about sausage & sake!

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: The homemade pork sausage, with an exciting filling of pork, apple, celeriac, chilli and fresh thyme - that's it.
Aside: The Kozaemon Kimoto Junmai, a force in taste. Brewed according to the traditional kimoto method, this balanced sake convinces with its fresh and at the same time intense, sweet and spicy roast aromas and its very pleasant acidity - ideal with grilled meat and sausages.

Culinary conclusion: 'The 'sausage making' itself was a real experience for me! Afterwards enjoy the pork sausage with such a sake - just cool. Aromatic, spicy, rocks on the palate', says Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

Asparagus, tuna, sake - the spring-like, lively lightness on the plate and in the glass...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Asparagus... we 'tuna' in!

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: A short fried tuna on a green, hearty asparagus salad, combined with blueberries, cherry tomatoes, radishes and rocket on a sweetish-sourish dressing with honey - that's it.
Aside: The fresh, fruity and extremely lively Junmai Ginjo Dewasansan. Flowery in the nose, this sake reminds of poached peach, apricot, compote and some mint and convinces with its complexity with soft, nutty aromas of almond milk on the palate, a present acidity and a very long, slightly spicy finish.

Culinary conclusion: 'A lively game of acidity and sweetness, supported by the tangy note of this really exciting sake. A light spring dish, with Japanese pepp - I like', says Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

BBQ scent, a multi-layered sake and the holidays taste golden...

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Golden Lamb Racks at Easter

He loves food, he loves cooking and he truly enjoys sake.
Meikel - graphic designer, DJ and sake addict - checks out, combines and discovers.

This time: Delicious grilled lamb racks on a honey rosemary thyme marinade, garnished with potatoes, champions and cherry tomatoes from the oven and for the fresh crème fraîche with cucumbers and herbs - that's it.
Aside: The complex Fukugao Bourbon Barrel - matured in Bourbon barrels. Woody aromas of coffee and tobacco, with hints of coconut and vanilla in the nose and fruity-sweetish notes of dark chocolate and hazelnut. Smooth, round, sweet and spicy on the palate.

Culinary conclusion: 'The Fukugao Bourbon Barrel is a real weight, but harmonises very well with the honey marinade of the lamb and brings its own aromas into play. Exciting! I would say: Culinary ready for Easter!' Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

A juicy, enjoyable Club Sandwich - becomes more tasty with sake!

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Club Sandwich Edition!

He loves food, he loves cooking and he enjoys sake.
Meikel - Graphic Designer, DJ and Sake Addict - tries, combines and discovers.

This time: The delicious Monday evening freestyle sandwich, with fried chicken breast, Bündnerfleisch chips, cheese, tomatoes, rocket, crème fraîche - that's it.
Aside: The Itami Morohaku, an elegant Junmai Ginjo. Balanced, with an excellent acidity and a refreshing citrus note. The perfect all-rounder for everyone.

Culinary conclusion: 'This club sandwich is simply my thing. With this accessible sake, which skilfully supports the taste highlights, my Monday snack becomes a real hit', says Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

A tender pulpo, a matured sake and the eight-armed sea creature turns into a real gourmet menu.

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Octopus with sake

He loves food, he loves to cook and he truly enjoys sake.
Meikel - graphic designer, DJ and sake addict - tries out, combines and discovers.

This time: a tenderly cooked octopus with potatoes, artichokes, tomatoes, fresh parsley and basil - that's it.
Aside: the complex and round Manyo Yamatsuru, an undiluted and strong Junmai Daiginjo (Koshu), matured over 7 years at minus 5°C. With notes of ripe fruits this full-bodied, complex and strong sake is sirupy, tangy and slightly sour in the palate at the same time. Oily in the glass with a dry, strong and slightly bitter aftertaste.

Culinary conclusion: 'The octopus with sake simply convinced me. The tenderness of the octopus and the pleasant balance of the ripe and fruity flavours of Manyo harmonized perfectly - simply fantastic. To be honest, that was 5 out of 5 stars, I am thrilled!' Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.

Delicate, sweet aromas of a creamy vegetable soup - with the matching sake as ingredient. What a creamy dream!

MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku - Sake your soup

He loves food, he loves cooking and he truly enjoys sake.
Meikel - graphic designer, DJ and sake addict - checks out, combines and discovers.

This time: a vegetables creamed soup, with carrots, celery, leek, broth, cream, fresh parsley - that's it.
Inside & aside: Inatahime Ryokan, a round, intense and rather dry Junmai. With a salty and leathery nose this drop surprises with aromas of lime blossom and soja mixed with notes of dark chocolate, coffee, tobacco and nutmeg.

Culinary conclusion: 'I love this soup. It is very fine, almost elegant and always surprising in taste depending on the seasonal ingredients. With this sake inside - and as an accompaniment by room temperature - my simple soup turns into a little culinary poem!' Meikel.

As simple. As good. MEIKEL'S KITCHEN by shizuku.
Please discover more culinary recommendations on Instagram with #shizuku_ch and #meikelskitchen or in our section 'recipes'.