Fly by Night

Throughout the history of humankind we have been tied to the past, lavishly celebrating life with the ceremony of death and memory. Ancient burial mounds help define the history of cultures in time and place and hold an unsettling mystique. Kofun, “ancient grave”, from around 250 – 550 CE, are to Japan what the pyramids were to the Egyptians, or the even more ancient barrows to the Celtic druids. These megalithic “tumuli” tombs derive that period’s names, alternatively the Kofun or Tumulus period. The sacred burial mounds were monuments to royalty and the ruling elite; the borders of each site were demarcated by terra cotta ornaments known as haniwa.

The original haniwa, which translates as “circle of clay”, were hollow barrel shaped cylinders arranged as simple markers. They evolved during the Kofun period into sculptural forms, including warriors, dancers, houses, and animals such as aquatic birds. Japanese Karakuri box artist Yoh Kakuda was inspired by these ancient relics to create a modern artwork that echoed to the past. Kakuda explains the origins, “I was thinking about a design for an exhibition with the theme, “WA”. You can interpret about this theme "和 Japanese",  "円 circle", "輪 wheel" or "わ the letter of WA".” The term “WA” has many meanings and spellings depending on the alphabet being used. Japan itself was called “Wa” in the Kofun period, for example. The most common meaning is “circle”, which can be symbolic as well as literal. Kakuda combined many meanings and even used the actual letters “wa” in the theme. “The Haniwa [are] ancient Japanese objects, and it's hollow inside, and it has "wa". It was perfect.”

“It was believed that Aquatic Bird Haniwa carried and guided to the other world the souls of the mound tomb. I actually saw an unearthed Bird Haniwa of a parent and children, and they looked really lively. They all seem to look realistic with their free and calm expression. I wondered if this was made with the sense that everything has a life of its own. Then I want it to move like it's alive. That's why I made it so that the Bird Haniwa looks back at you.” Like many of the wonderful pieces Kakuda has made, there is an automaton element to this one, so that as the steps to opening the box are discovered, the figurines come alive.

“At first, I tried to make a mechanism that would make people feel "circle", but it would have been too complicated, so I gave up. Anyway, I tried to think simply. There were two problems during production. One was the strength of the bird's neck and mechanisms. This is the case every time. How to create strength in a limited space? Another was how to shape the base of the neck. Haniwa is made of clay, and its shape is smooth. Smoothness cannot be omitted. So, how to make the curve from neck to body?”

Kakuda has sculpted the aquatic bird beautifully from shiuri cherry to a silky smoothness that captures the likeness of the original haniwa perfectly. Exploring the piece is an intimate act, as it interacts with you and observes your efforts with a quizzical gaze. “Aquatic Bird Haniwa is thought to have been used to show the afterlife as an ideal world. In other words, haniwa is a prop to visualize an ideal world. Until now, I had thought that the haniwa was a substitute for the people who would be buried in the tombs with the royalty. But now my image has changed a little.” If you take some time to appreciate the stories and ideas captured in Kakuda’s work, you can open so much more than a box. The artist’s message to fans of the work, “Thank you for everything. I hope you enjoy my work with the freedom of your imagination!”

The imagery of a tomb, and the afterlife, evoke pictures of the dark of evening to me, so I will toast this beautiful bird with a nightcap. The drink, from Iowa bartender Karli Sandos, is based on the Boulevardier, a bourbon, vermouth and Campari combination similar to the Negroni but with whiskey in place of gin. The drink is notable for its use of Averna, a dark brown Italian amaro from Caltanissetta, Sicily. The secret recipe of local herbs, spices and botanicals was originally passed down from the Benedictine monks of Abbazia Di Santo Spirito as a gift to textile merchant Salvatore Averna in 1868. Although the incredibly popular amari is now owned by the Campari group, it is still made using the original recipe.

Sandos explains the origins of the drink: “I wanted a nightcap to share post-service with my then partner on the patio in the late summer months. Our favorite garnish for Averna on the rocks is sage (we went through every herb in the walk-in to be sure), and his favorite drink was a boulevardier so I set out to tie these concepts together in a seasonally appropriate way. Cucumber lightened the build and a sage tincture enhanced the herbal-aromatic combination, resulting in a really smooth, pleasant drink to share after all of the chaos of the night had come to a close.” The best way to enhance the aromas of an herb or botanical that will play into the complete drink experience is to give it a little slap to wake it up. Sandos uses a different term she got from her “bar grandma”, a former beverage director she worked with who added a bit of “good ol cheeky fun” to the routine – she disciplines her herbs.

I’ve said it before, that puzzle boxes and cocktails have more in common than you might realize. The people who are drawn to these pastimes tend to incredibly generous and inclusive, and that certainly applies to the makers as well. Take Sandos’s drink making philosophy as an example: “In addition to mixing drinks, I work in hospitality marketing. For both roles, the job is to understand the available goods and what interests who we’re offering them to – I want to deliver authenticity to the establishment’s concept and approachability to our audience. You can make the most delicious, adventurous recipe but if it’s disinteresting or confusing to your guests you won’t sell a single one. My goal is to understand what attracted a patron to our counter and then deliver that – usually with the introduction of a little something extra, for fun.”

Averna is one of the most approachable Italian bitters available, considered sweeter than most with an almost caramel like flavor. Like most amari, the exact recipe is a closely guarded secret, but it boasts flavors of anise, citrus, juniper berries, myrtle, rosemary, and sage, which Sandos highlights in this drink. Here’s to the memories of the past reflected in the beauty of the present. Cheers.

Night Bird by Karli Sandos

1 ½ oz rye whiskey

½ oz Averna

¾ oz sweet vermouth

2 dashes sage tincture

3 cucumber slices

Muddle the cucumber in a mixing glass, then add the remaining ingredients and shake with ice. Strain into a favorite glass and garnish with a “disciplined” sage leaf.

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