Lemon sours seem to be very popular nationwide right now. Why is such a classic drink now the drink of choice for after-work and holiday evenings?
As a testament to its popularity, the Lemon Sour Festival 2018 is now underway. Last year, the festival was held in Nakameguro, but due to its great success, it has been powered up to seven cities nationwide this year.
This "Lemon Sour Festival 2018" will tour the country, starting in Shinjuku, Tokyo, from Thursday, April 5 to Saturday, April 7, and then moving on to Osaka, Nagoya, and Sendai. HOUYHNHNM's editorial department went undercover on the first day of the festival. Here is a report on its contents!
The venue is "Kabukicho Cine City Plaza" , in the middle of Kabukicho. The venue is marked by the TOHO CINEMAS SHINJUKU, which Godzilla looks down on.
When I spoke to the event's management, they told me that as of 3:00 p.m., just after the event was held, a whopping 200 people had rushed to the event! The opening toast was given by comedian Kendo Kobayashi and Ami of Dream.
The centerpiece of this Lemon Sour Festival 2018 will be the stalls featuring the best lemon sour stores in Tokyo. Each store offers its own unique lemon sour and delicious food.
Ebisu "Ojiso
Asagaya "MEAT MEAT MEET
Shibuya "ROCCOMAN
Shinjuku "BANCHUYA
Kichijoji "Tosaka
Sumiyoshi "Hirayama the Beard
Nishikoyama "Walk
In addition to the basic style of lemon sour that we proudly serve, we also offer a wide variety of other drinks, such as the "frozen! Marugoto Lemon Sour," which uses frozen lemons instead of ice from "Ayumi," and the "Eating Lemon Sour" with jellies from "MEAT MEAT MEET" are just a few of the many varieties. As you compare them, you will feel pleasantly intoxicated.
This is the "100 different lemon sours" booth by Takara Shuzo, a sponsor of the Lemon Sour Festival, where visitors can create their own lemon sours by freely combining 10 types of shochu, 5 types of lemon, and 2 types of wariage.
Mr. Nara, Public Relations, Takara Shuzo Co.
So first, I asked Mr. Nara, the PR manager of "Takara Shuzo Co.", for his recommended combination for this booth.
. "There is a shochu called 'shochu for lemon sour,' which differs from regular shochu in that it contains herbs to enhance the aroma of the lemon. And Setoda lemon, combined with strong carbonation, is the best combination!"
I had never heard of a shochu for lemon sour. It seems to me that a good lemon sour should go well with any food, and that it is better to choose a simple rather than an acrid alcoholic beverage.
HOUYHNHNM's greedy editorial staff took advantage of this opportunity to ask a professional how to make a delicious lemon sour that can be made at home, which is of interest to both our readers and us personally!
. first fill a chilled glass with ice, stir in the shochu, and let the whole thing cool. . Then, pour the soda water slowly using the edge of the glass to prevent the carbonated bubbles from breaking. . This is the most important part of the process. And the most important thing is the lemon . Make sure to cut them into smile cuts (wedges) instead of slicing them into rings . Then squeeze the juice with the peel side down to release the full flavor, and finish by circling the edge of the glass."
Just a little bit of awareness can make a big difference in taste, he said. In addition, we asked them about the ideal amount of ingredients they are interested in.
. It depends on your taste, but ideally, you should make it so that the alcohol content is 81 TP10T. For example, if the shochu is 251 TP10T, you would fill the glass one-third full.
I've learned that this is a good thing. Also, they recommend using "salted lemon" for the arrangement. It seems that lemon sour is a basic, refreshing drink, not sweetened or anything like that.
Unfortunately, the first day was a bit chilly, but it was still crowded with people passing through Shinjuku. It is expected to be crowded with many people today and tomorrow (6th and 7th), when the weather will be warmer.
The fact that the event has become a nationwide event means that it is filled with so much charm. It is probably one of the most popular food festivals in the booming food market. If you are looking for a great tasting lemon sour, this is a must-go event.
Text_Rei Kawahara
Lemon Sour Festival 2018
Kabukicho Cine City Plaza, Shinjuku, Tokyo
Dates: Thursday, April 5 - Saturday, April 7
Minatomachi River Place, Namba, Osaka
Dates: Thursday, May 10 - Saturday, May 12
Miyagi/Sendai Sun Mall Ichibangai Shopping Street
Dates: Friday, June 1 - Saturday, June 2
Aichi/Nagoya Nayabashi
Friday, June 15 - Saturday, June 16
Fukuoka/Hakata Location TBD
Friday, July 27 - Saturday, July 28
Kanagawa/Yokohama Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse Event Plaza
Saturday, August 18 - Sunday, August 19
