Baijiu… what in the world is that? Well, I’m here to demystify the world of this ancient Chinese spirit for you. Baijiu is the National Spirit of China and is a ritual in all aspects of Chinese life. “It is a part of being Chinese”.

IMG_5317           Recently I was able to meet with the importers for this spirit who gave me some great insight to this one of a kind beverage. Did you know Baijiu is a $23 Billion Dollar Business? I didn’t know either! In fact, it is however and outsells many other spirits not only in china, but also in the world.

This spirit not only is somewhat unknown to many people, but even to those who consume it… do they know it pairs beautifully with food? Not just Chinese food too, but with American Infusion IMG_5318Cuisine! Here we dined at The Good Fork in Red Hook, BK. This spot whipped us up one heck of a Baijiu cocktail that was the perfect aperitif before a gorgeous dinner. For starters we tasted through one of the best Baijiu’s I have ever had, which was the Moutai. This smelled of banana and fragrant flowers and went beautifully with the Grilled Octopus appetizer. For an entrée I decided on the Steak with Kim chi Fried Rice and Egg.

This was delicious, as the runny center of the egg, coated the steak and rice and added this touch of creaminess needed to balance the deep and complex flavors of the Chinese spirit.

 

IMG_5329            For those of you who want to try some Baijiu yourself, be sure to check out some great selections at various price ranges.

Always remember, eat what you like and dink what you love!