Sake It to Me: Take One

Let’s face it: some weekends, there just isn’t a whole lot on the calendar—which, if you’re like me and reduced to a bowl of mush by 4 p.m. on Friday, translates not into Loserville, but R & R. And a weekend spent under the social radar usually transforms into a late-Monday or early-Tuesday bout of “I’ve got to get out or I’m going to snap.”

In this case, it’s good to have a sense of what the world beyond our computers or peaceful abodes has to offer. This week’s big event is the Sake Fest, slated for Tuesday, April 7, at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. Part of the Subaru Cherry Blossom Festival of Greater Philadelphia (who knew?), the event pairs sake with a myriad of appetizers, cheeses, sweets and other fare prepared by area chefs. While nibbling and sipping, you will learn about sake’s varied flavor profiles and life beyond Asian cuisine. A live performance by Dirk Quinn, a jazz/funk guitarist, is also on the menu.

Come 6-8:30 p.m. Tickets cost $55 in advance (at sakefest.com or eventnavigators.com) and $75 at the door. All net proceeds benefit the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia.

Check back on Wednesday for Sake 101, a primer on the different types of sake and how to drink and serve this underappreciated libation—all in celebration of the arrival of spring and its glorious visuals.