Kaiseki – tasting menu in Japan
Food is elevated to an art form
It is NOT only for nourishing the body
It is intended to delight your senses,
To call your attention to the beauty around you.
To remind you that we live in a beautiful,
Magical, poetic universe.
If you do not see it,
It is because you do not stop to appreciate it.
It appeals to your aesthetics and your sensibilities.
Carefully chosen bowls and hand painted
Plates are poetic.
A swan painted in blue
May be accompanies with the blossom of
A blue flower,
A slice of a green seaweed,
A whisper of a story
About a fishing bird at sea.
A single tender ball floating in a dark broth,
Meant to remind you of the full moon,
Floating in the dark night sky.
The taste is subtle and complex.
It takes slowing down
And reaching beyond the five senses
That bombards our nervous systems
With labels like
Sweet!
Hot!
Bitter!
Salty!
Sour!
Pungent!
It is beyond labels in your mind.
How will you call a soft creamy patty, made from burdock root
That has been cooked in herbs, wild mushrooms
Carrots and root vegetables?
It is not sweet
Salty, or sour nor bitter not pungent
It is poetry in the mouth
It is unique
And you are left at awe,
That so many gentle flavors,
Created this small symphony in your mouth.
I wrote this piece after I have eaten a twelve course Buddhist vegetarian meal, next to a shrine in Nikko Japan.
Some of the courses were a combination of three dishes, elaborating on the theme of “Yuba” (tofu skin)
Some of the Yuba dishes tasted a bit like a superbly good fresh buffalo mozzarella, others were served with flowers and roots, seaweed or delicate pink vinegar.
The meal was served in a tatami mat room overlooking the garden.
($40 USD per person)
I have heard that it may be hard to find vegan food in Japan since it is a culture that is based on a fish diet.
I have found this to be a misconception.
In the onsens we have stayed in, dinners and breakfasts were included in the room rate and they have gone out of their way to accommodate us with finger-licking-tasty vegan food that was fit for kings. (And queens)
Some meals had 10-15 items, all beautifully arranged and delicious.
It is NOT only for nourishing the body
It is intended to delight your senses,
To call your attention to the beauty around you.
To remind you that we live in a beautiful,
Magical, poetic universe.
If you do not see it,
It is because you do not stop to appreciate it.
It appeals to your aesthetics and your sensibilities.
Carefully chosen bowls and hand painted
Plates are poetic.
A swan painted in blue
May be accompanies with the blossom of
A blue flower,
A slice of a green seaweed,
A whisper of a story
About a fishing bird at sea.
A single tender ball floating in a dark broth,
Meant to remind you of the full moon,
Floating in the dark night sky.
The taste is subtle and complex.
It takes slowing down
And reaching beyond the five senses
That bombards our nervous systems
With labels like
Sweet!
Hot!
Bitter!
Salty!
Sour!
Pungent!
It is beyond labels in your mind.
How will you call a soft creamy patty, made from burdock root
That has been cooked in herbs, wild mushrooms
Carrots and root vegetables?
It is not sweet
Salty, or sour nor bitter not pungent
It is poetry in the mouth
It is unique
And you are left at awe,
That so many gentle flavors,
Created this small symphony in your mouth.
I wrote this piece after I have eaten a twelve course Buddhist vegetarian meal, next to a shrine in Nikko Japan.
Some of the courses were a combination of three dishes, elaborating on the theme of “Yuba” (tofu skin)
Some of the Yuba dishes tasted a bit like a superbly good fresh buffalo mozzarella, others were served with flowers and roots, seaweed or delicate pink vinegar.
The meal was served in a tatami mat room overlooking the garden.
($40 USD per person)
I have heard that it may be hard to find vegan food in Japan since it is a culture that is based on a fish diet.
I have found this to be a misconception.
In the onsens we have stayed in, dinners and breakfasts were included in the room rate and they have gone out of their way to accommodate us with finger-licking-tasty vegan food that was fit for kings. (And queens)
Some meals had 10-15 items, all beautifully arranged and delicious.
