When I met Mitsuyasu Uchibori he gave me a business card that read “Summelier No 001″. He is Japan’s premier vinegar sommelier. (Su-memlier is a pun on the Japanese word of vinegar, su.)
And quite the showman . . .
Uchibori runs a 130 year old vinegar company in central Japan and a chain of drinking vinegar shops in Takashimaya department stores. The vinegar boutiques sell a range of fruit vinegars.
I tried several and they are rather like an unusally acidic fruit juice. Very nice.
Uchibori has vinegar bar in Tokyo station too. They have Ai-su Cream and Su-fu-to cream desserts and a few alcoholic vinegar cocktails. I recommend the ginger vinegar and beer.
A word of warning though. If you are not used to drinking vinegar don’t go crazy trying the whole menu. I had quite a stomach ache the evening after this shoot.
Vinegar is very good for your health but about 10cc a day is right.
Drinking Vinegar, Nov 2009 – Images by Tony McNicol
I would absolutely try these desserts. Your photos are a big inspiration, I plan to visit many places you have shown here next time I go to Japan.
I like the summelier’s smile, he’s the personification of ^_^
Very good quality photographs. I taste different flavors of these vinegar liquids. Was very reluctant at first, it’s nice, indeed.
Once again, I like your photos.