April 4th is "Dorayaki Day."
When it comes to food pairings with dorayaki, people often imagine green tea or coffee, but in fact, its affinity with wine is not bad at all.
However, "wine" encompasses a wide variety of styles.
After looking into various aspects, it turned out that it pairs well with a certain "red wine."
Here, we will consider the pairing of dorayaki and wine.
Getting to Know Dorayaki
Before pairing dorayaki with wine, let's first get to know about dorayaki itself.
Dorayaki is a wagashi (traditional Japanese confection) where azuki red bean "an" (paste) is sandwiched between two castella-like pancakes made from flour, eggs, and sugar.
It is said that it came to be called dorayaki because its shape resembles a percussion gong ("dora"), though there are various theories about the origin of its name.
During the Edo period, dorayaki was reportedly square-shaped like kintsuba, and it was in the early Meiji period that it took on its current round shape.
Although it originally had the thickness of a rice cracker, under the influence of Western culture introducing pancakes and the like, it is said to have evolved into the thick shape we see today.
Today, with fresh cream dorayaki, butter dorayaki, cheese dorayaki, pancake-style dorayaki, and more, dorayaki is actively evolving.
It is probably only a matter of time before a dorayaki appears whose original form is no longer recognizable.
The "Pancake"? Or the "An"?
While there are various types of dorayaki, this time we will consider wine pairing using a "regular dorayaki."
Now, when pairing wine with dorayaki, one wonders whether to base the match on the "pancake" or the "an."
Normally, when you eat dorayaki, you taste the pancake first, so let's consider the compatibility between the pancake and wine.
Dorayaki Pancake and Wine
As mentioned earlier, the dorayaki pancake is a castella-like batter, differing from actual castella only in proportions.
It is less sweet than castella, feeling like an elastic, spongy object.
Just as maple syrup feels delicious on castella batter, sweet wines, aged sparkling wines, or nutty, oak-aged Chardonnay seem like good options.
Also, red wine has strong fruit flavors, and because the liquid soaks juicy and deep into the batter, it gives the impression of a red wine-infused castella, meaning the pairing might not be so bad.
If so, we can consider that the pancake easily pairs with almost any wine, which could lead us to the answer: "It goes with any wine, so feel free to pair it however you like!"
That being said, what defines dorayaki is the an inside.
The presence of an in dorayaki is quite pronounced, and even if the wine pairs well with the pancake, the pairing will fall apart if it clashes with the an.
The pancake may still be important, but when considering the pairing of dorayaki and wine, it seems we must explore the compatibility of "an and wine."
Aroma Compounds of Dorayaki's An
According to research investigating the aroma compounds of dorayaki's an, it is suggested that several characteristic aroma compounds are contained within it.
Since there are different types of an, the proportions vary, but the following aroma compounds received particular attention:
- 2-Isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine
- Benzaldehyde
- Cyclotene
- Guaiacol
- Maltol
- Eugenol
This alone might not mean much, so let's summarize the scents these components evoke:
- Herbaceous, boiled azuki bean aroma
- Maple syrup aroma
- Caramel aroma
- Almond aroma
- Spicy aroma
Of course, factors like texture also play a role, so these components cannot definitively be called the only important factors, but to accomplish a successful "dorayaki x wine" pairing, using these aroma compounds as clues for wine selection seems to be on the right track.
Is Red Wine Made from That Grape Variety Good?
The wine derived from the aroma compounds of dorayaki's an.
First, I thought sweet wine might work, but it was suggested that when cyclotene—which contributes to maple syrup-like aromas—is abundant, it weakens the azuki flavor, so sweet wine was ruled out. (Though that doesn't mean it won't pair at all.)
Looking at caramel and spicy notes, white wine or sparkling wine might also not fit, and when it comes to the herbaceousness derived from methoxypyrazines along with spicy, caramel, and almond aromas, these also seem off...
After considering various options, red wine emerged as the choice for dorayaki.
Moreover, it seems to pair well with varieties characterized by herbaceous and spicy notes, such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.
Southern French varieties like Syrah or Spanish varieties also seem promising, but when herbaceousness is the keyword, the aforementioned Bordeaux varieties take the lead. (Personal opinion.)
Furthermore, because it is said that the flavor of azuki bean an itself is felt more clearly through retronasal aroma (in-mouth aroma) rather than when smelling it alone, a red wine whose aroma is somewhat restrained would likely achieve better balance in the mouth.
However, this was just a hypothesis.
So, to see whether this theory was correct, I put it to the test right away.
<Goichi Wine Shiojiri Merlot 2019> & Dorayaki
The wine prepared to pair with the dorayaki was <Goichi Wine Shiojiri Merlot 2019>.
Made with 100% Merlot from the Kikyogahara Wine Valley. Aged in French oak (briefly), it is a red wine that lets you simply enjoy the appeal of Merlot.
After popping a bite of dorayaki into the mouth, take a sip of <Goichi Wine Shiojiri Merlot 2019>.
……。
As a result, as expected, it was a supreme pairing.
The wine soaked into the dorayaki pancake, giving the impression of wine-flavored castella batter.
The gentle flavor of the an perfectly matched the herbaceous notes, fruitiness, and soft flavors of <Goichi Wine Shiojiri Merlot 2019>.
Another key point is that the acidity and tannins of <Goichi Wine Shiojiri Merlot 2019> refresh the palate.
The fact that the wine is not overly assertive may also have been a reason for the pairing's success.
Wine and Wagashi Are Great Once in a While
Dorayaki and red wine have a great affinity.
This experiment confirmed that fact.
In the first place, since "an" pairs well with red wine, it seems that various other food pairings could also work with other wagashi.
Sparked by wine and dorayaki, I felt that the enjoyment of "wagashi x wine" could expand even further.
References
On the Aroma Compounds Contributing to the Deliciousness of Azuki Bean Paste in Dorayaki
What is Dorayaki? Introducing Its Origin, History, and the Secret Story of Its Birth