Sake is hot! Actually it's also served cold. But never mind, sake is meant to be enjoyed and if that means breaking the rules or with tradition, so be it. That's the fundamental message in Sake A Modern Guide, a new book by Beau Timken, local sake aficionado and owner of the only sake store in America, True Sake, with accompanying recipes by Sara Deseran 7x7 magazine senior editor.

If you've wondered what the difference between Junmai, Ginjo and Junmai dai ginjo is, rest assured Timken demystifies the names and styles of sake. The history of sake is particularly interesting and goes down smooth. Best of all, Timken explains how to taste sake, (something I could have used at the Joy of Sake event a few months back) and provides a selection of fifty sakes to try. The listings are amazing. For each sake, along with a full description is a defining word such as "shimmering" or "silky" a wine and a beer to compare it with and several foods to pair it with.

As you might expect, many of the recipes Deseran provides use sake as one of the ingredients. Suggestions are also made for which sakes pair well with the dishes that run the gamut from appetizers, pasta, salad and even a risotto. It turns out risotto and sake are a very contemporary pairing in Japan these days. Who knew?

As if to demonstrate that sake should not be taken too seriously, there is a section on sake cocktails. If you are setting up a bar and don't want to invest in the typical rum, vodka, whiskey repertoire, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much you can do with sake. In the section are drinks in the styles of hot toddy, margarita, sangria, cosmopolitan and bloody mary. Finally for those who enjoy infused vodkas, don't miss the section on infused sakes.