Momotaro Cocktail

Written by Chulapat (Jun) Charoenloet | January 22, 2021

momotaro cocktail recipe

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The Momotaro Story

This week, besides a cocktail recipe, we will explore the Japanese Folktale, Momotarō, a story that I inspired me to make this cocktail. 

As one of the Thai boys who grew up in the 90s, we grew up with the Japanese media influence, such as anime, manga, and games. 

If you ask a guy in their late 20s to early 30s like me, I can guarantee that 80% of them know or have heard of the name Momotaro.

The Momotaro story started as an oral story, as traced back, the first written down version in the Edo era, sometime between 1688-1704 or even earlier. 

Because of the many authors, the details of the story vary. It wasn’t until a later version by Iwaya Sazanami in 1894, who later joined the Ministry of Education, that Momotaro became the National Japanese folktale.

 At some point, the Momotaro story was used as a propaganda icon. Momotaro was portrayed as a Japanese Imperial Army fighting against Oni (ogre), the antagonist which symbolised the foreign enemy in many different wars such as, the Chinese in the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895). 

The Russians in the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905), or even Americans during World War II in which a feature animation film called, Momotaro: Sacred Sailor was adapted.

The traditional story starts with an old couple in Okayama city doing their usual routine, washing clothes by the river. Grandma spotted a giant peach floating down the river. 

Both grandma and grandpa carried the giant peach to their house to eat. 

Once they cut the peach opened, they found a boy inside. 

They decided to raise the boy and named him Momotaro. We can translate this to; Momo meaning peach, and Tarō is the suffix of being the eldest son of the family. 

Momotaro grew up to be a kind young man with the strength of a thousand men. He felt grateful for the old couple who raised him, and he wanted to do a good thing for the community in return by driving away ogres on Onigashima (Ogre’s Island in the north) who steal and spread fear to people in his country.

Grandma gave the most delicious dumplings in Japan to Momotaro before he left the village. Along the journey, he met a dog, a pheasant and a monkey.

They agreed to help Momotaro defeat ogres in exchange for the delicious millet dumplings. 

He crossed the water to Onigashima and defeated the Ogres, with the help of the dog, the pheasant, and the monkey. Momotaro got his victory, and the ogres promised that they will never step near the village and cause trouble again. 

And, everyone lived happily ever. 

The cocktail Momotaro I came up with, is focusing on the friendship of all friends, Momotaro, the dog, the pheasant, and the monkey. Each ingredient represents the main character in the story.

Momotaro Cocktail recipe

Momotarō Cocktail

This week, besides a cocktail recipe, we will explore the Japanese Folktale called, Momotarō, the story that I got inspired from. As one of the Thai boys who grew up in the 90s, we grew up with the Japanese media influence, such as anime, manga, and games. If you ask a guy in their late 20s to early 30s like me, I can guarantee that 80% of them know or have heard of the name Momotarō.
Prep Time: 4 minutes
Cook Time: 4 minutes
Total Time: 8 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Cocktail
Keyword: whisky cocktail,
Servings: 1 Cocktail
Calories: 300kcal
Author: 0777691525

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 30 ml Unaged Whisky
  • 20 ml Peach Wine*
  • 10 ml Banana Liqueur
  • 2 dashes Cardamom Bitters**

Peach Wine*

  • 700 ml Dry White Wine
  • 70 g Dried Peach
  • 6 Tea bags Peach Tea

Cardamom Bitters**

  • 300 ml Rye Whiskey
  • 3 tbsp Black Cardamom Pods
  • 2 inches Crushed Cinnamon
  • 1 Peel Orange
  • 2 Coffee Beans
  • 2 g Nutmeg
  • 1 Bay Leaf
  • 2 g Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients in the mixing glass.
  • Add ice and stir till optimum dilution.
  • Strain in the small coupe glass.
  • Spray oil from lemon peel.

Nutrition

Calories: 300kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
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