source: nomoo
Long-selling snack “baby-star” that most Japanese knows. Maybe some people eat it since they were children.
This time we’ll compare baby-star compatibility with alcoholic beverage as “snack for adult” instead of “snack for kids”.
Discussion by liquor experts seriously about baby-star… for the first time!!!
What is baby-star?
Long-selling snack “baby-star”
Recently, in addition to the classic chicken taste, they sell other kinds such as added peanuts or Kaki -no –tane (Kameda Crisps / crispy rice crackers) or spicy taste.
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▲ From the left “kokuuma chicken taste’ ”kaki-no-tane 3 type’s mix” ”spicy chicken taste”.
Baby-star. Not only children, it also nice for adult.
We asked experts simple questions!
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It must be tasty as snack during drinking alcoholic beverage.
What “the liquor experts” think about that?
This time we invited the beer/ sake / wine experts. They discussed about “Is baby-star delicious during drinking alcoholic beverage?”
We invited three young liquor expert.
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This time we invited three young professionals in the liquor industry.
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Beer: Brewer Mr. Keita Yamanouchi
During university student, exchanged studies for one year at the UK - School of Oriental and African Studies. At that time, he was impressed by the local beer. After graduating from the university, once he got a job but he couldn’t break his feelings towards beer and decided to be a brewer. After training at a certain brew pub in Asakusa, he became a head brewer by Y.Y.G. Brewery & Beer Kitchen from March in 2016.
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Wine: Cheese wizard・ Mr. Yosuke Matsuda
After experiences in various restaurants, he has produced and opened Cheese cuisine specialty restaurant “Cheese restaurant DAIGOMI” in 2013, and 2nd restaurant specializes in domestic cheese cuisine,” Cheese restaurant DAIGOMI minamiaoyama” in 2015.
Now he owns “KARMAN” . He is active not only for cheese but also for wine and other liquor and he tells fun of eating and drinking as a cooking professional.
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Sake: international kikisake-shi (sake sommelier) Mr. Hiroto Azuma
Business development at Liquor Innovation co. which owns sake specialty store” KURAND SAKE MARKET”. He produces events related with sake such as “SHIBUYA SAKE FESTIVAL”. He works not only in Japan, in activities to spread the taste of sake to the world.
For the first time Baby-star discussion has started
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▲Cheers! They are the same generation, so soon it became a friendly atmosphere.
Mr. Matsuda: Baby-star! This reminds me of my childhood. I didn’t expect that we talk about this for compatibility with liquor.(haha)
Mr. Azuma: I suspect no adult is seriously talking about baby-star in the world.(haha)
（During eating baby-star）
By the way… Still delicious baby-star! I think that chicken tastes stronger than when I was a child, or not?
Mr. Yamanouchi: That’s true! I feel that the delicious taste of chicken are clogged. I taste chicken consommé more than chicken soup.
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▲They are eating ”kokuuma chicken taste”. Baby-star which taste stronger than normal chicken taste.
They are discussing about “ the delicious taste of chicken “of baby-star.
“Chicken soup”” chicken consommé”. Just like they are talking about cooking. Nobody think they discuss about baby-star.(haha)
Surprise! Baby-star with kaki-no-tane
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Mr. Matsuda: This baby-star is mixed with kaki-no-tane! It is for adult as “a snack for alcoholic beverage”. I’m sure it tastes good with beer!
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Mr.Yamanouchi : Some children also love kaki-no-tane. For adult you eat as appetizers than snack. You also can eat it as appetizers at some bars.
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▲ “kaki-no-tane 3 type’s mix” is a baby-star for adult. Added kaki-no-tane and peanuts to Koku-uma chicken taste baby-star.
Mr. Azuma: Kaki-no-tane has a very strong taste. So I thought if it is mixed with baby- star, the taste of chicken might be gone. I was surprised that it has become a good combination unexpectedly. Chicken flavor was added to kaki-no-tane. Delicious!
Amazing spicy chicken taste
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Mr. Azuma: That is spicier than I expected! Hot! (haha) It’s too spicy for children. Baby-star for adult!
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▲ Added spice to normal chicken taste “spicy chicken taste”.
Mr. Yamanouchi: ”The appetizers”! Just like kaki-no-tane baby-star, we adult also can enjoy the taste.
Mr. Matsuda: What a …baby-star!
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▲During talking, these three become more serious
Selection by professional. Delicious combination of baby star and liquor
After tasting.
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Well, What the result will be!?
Beer
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Mr. Yamanouchi: First of all, I have to say to you! Absolute beer is better than sake or wine! (haha) No doubt!
You can choose beer flexibly. If you want to enjoy the taste of alcohol well, you should choose which has strong beer taste and fragrant such as ale. On the other hand, I think that pilsner type beer is good when "you want to enjoy exhilaration" or "you want to refresh".
When choosing a beer, I recommend bitter taste for ale or pilsner to gives an exquisite flavor.
Especially I recommend IPA(India Pale Ale) which became popular during craft beer booming. The strong fragrance and bitter taste more than the taste of baby-star.
Wine
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Mr. Matsuda: I recommend you to choose well-aged wine which you taste alcohol more than fruity wine. I choose “Tempranillo”.
Though most of wine doesn’t suit spicy food, “Tempranillo” taste good with spicy baby-star.
Unique red wine from “New World production” taste more delicious than expensive luxury vintage wine. Cheap wine which you can buy at supermarkets or convenience stores is good enough.** Buy baby-star and wine at the convenience store then have a house party. Nice!
Besides though I thought “You only can taste better with red wine”, white wine also good.
When you drink slightly sparkling wine “Sauvignon blanc”, you’ll feel refreshing. French Chardonnay also delicious.
If you want to enjoy choosing the brand of wine, rather white wine may be better.
Sake
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Mr. Azuma: I recommend “strong and tasty sake” to drink while eating baby-star. I could find rich and strong taste of baby-star more than that I expected. So that when you drink “light” ”plain” taste sake, you cannot taste sake.
I recommend well-aged rich taste sake such as Yamahai or Junmai-sake(sake made only with rice, koji and water)* than fruity Daiginjo.
Sake is not a type of alcoholic beverage that drink at once a large amount. So when you eat strong taste dishes, you will be thirsty. So that I recommend “rich” ”strong taste” sake which you can both enjoy sake and appetizers.
Instant easy snack!? Baby-star arrangement by liquor specialists
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While talking about liquor, they also discussed, “if you use baby- star for cooking?”(haha)
The unique point of view of liquor specialists is, of course funny! We’ll also tell you.
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Mr. Azuma: Do you know that it is delicious to pour sake on cup noodles? It became a hot topic on the net a while ago. Something similar to baby-star is… Butamen!
Add hot water just like normal you do to make ramen, then just put a little sake.
That’s all but delicious! You can smell sake and sake brings rich taste to ramen. Great!
Mr. Matsuda : I didn’t know. It’s wonderful! But we talk about baby-star. So we cannot talk about Butamen! (haha)
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Mr. Azuma: Oh… Both are the products from same Oyatsu Company, Ltd…
Is not good idea to talk about relatives of baby- star? (haha)
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Mr. Matsuda: Well, it is OK though. (haha)
I recommend use it for al ajillo! Though you cannot find texture peculiar to baby- star anymore.(haha) It has a good salty taste, so it is suitable for seasoning. Add it instead of chicken consommé, so that add richer taste.
With 6p cheese (Processed cheese) .Eat melted cheese and baby-star on top of the baguette.
Delicious! Just snacks of wine!
Besides,,, though “noodle on noodle”…put crushed baby-stat on top of the pasta also nice.(haha) Use it like a fried onion.
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Mr. Yamanouchi: Al ajillo sounds delicious!
What I thought was, smoked! It will smells smoked. If it is a type containing peanuts, you can also enjoy smoked nuts. Snack that you can enjoy twice at once!(haha)
If it just like a fried onion, it must be nice to use as a salad topping. Baby-star
has a texture as well and you can taste chicken. So it seems easy to use as a cook accents.
Summary
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They are exciting! They are enjoy drinking alcoholic beverage and baby-star.(haha) Baby-star is a good snack for alcoholic beverage. The liquor specialists also recommend.
Baby- star that you can easily buy at convenience stores or supermarkets. If you see it, buy it with alcoholic beverage and try “evening drink with baby-star”!
Thanks to: Y.Y.G. Brewery & Beer Kitchen