Kaiseki: Boston-style

Kaiseki is a traditional Buddhist meal developed in conjunction with the evolution of the tea ceremony. Kyoto is the birthplace of the tea ceremony and the Kaiseki meal. It is also famous for training geisha and even today one sees Maiko (the geisha-in-training) walking through Kyoto. It is also known for shabu shabu, another exquisite Japanese meal. As Kyoto and Boston enjoy a sister city relationship, it's only fitting that we have a Kaiseki meal represented here, or maybe at least, its dear cousin.

From Kyoto to Boston

For our Kaiseki adventure this evening we had:

• an American guide (Victoria Abbott Riccardi),
• a Japanese-Hawaiian chef (Hiro-san),
• an Italian sommelier (Len Presutti, CWE),
• shared in a Chinese-owned (Desmond Chang),Japanese restaurant (Fugakyu).

The excellent wine pairings nearly made up for any underrepresented part of the globe. While this may sound like a bit of a jumble, it was actually a wonderful experience.

Our guide, the gracious and knowledgeable Victoria Abbott Riccardi is the author of the acclaimed "Untangling My Chopsticks; A Culinary Sojourn in Kyoto." (available at Brookline Booksmith one of the last, great independent bookstores.)

You may know Victoria as a judge on Iron Chef America. She is also Le Cordon Bleu and Harvard educated. Her willingness to share her occasional faux pas in Japan made the dinners feel at ease when some of them might have been a bit nervous about the menu.

She also clearly brought grace and sensitivity with her to Kyoto, along with an awareness of the highly ritualized culture of Japan. It's a virtual minefield for foreigners, but the good news is that you are not expected to get it right and the Japanese are pleased if you even try.

All this and etiquette, too?

Victoria shared her nervousness about whether to use chopsticks or hands when eating sushi in her first upscale sushi-ya(sashimi-chopsticks, sushi-hands), what not to do with chopsticks (two diners should never pick up the same piece of food from a communal bowl, nor stick the chopsticks into bowl of rice - both gestures parallel funeral rituals), where to put them in between courses (on the rest provided or on the rest you make from the paper wrapper if no other one is provided.)

The fun table

Victoria whetted our appetites by reading from her book. Who knew the snap! of chopsticks being pulled apart is beloved by Japanese men as reminiscent of deflowering a virgin. That was all we needed to get the ball rolling. Love of food and travel, and curiosity about other cultures so often brings kindred spirits together. Tonight was no exception.

My charming dinner companions included Leah, Casey, Ross, Susan, and Caleb. We shared travel stories, love/lust stories, family stories and lots of laughs. We ate and drank our way through a six course meal and wine pairing. I hope we run across these new friends again soon. (Note to self: carry more business cards!)

Not Buddhist - How about Buddh-ish?

Our meal was not advertised as kaiseki, but clearly owed much to that tradition which Victoria's book introduces us to. Study of such things in Japan can occupy lifetimes. A true Kaiseki meal is meat-free borne as it is of the training of Buddhist monks. Core principles include: no killing (including meat for meals); no lying; no use of intoxicants. (These principles alone probably explain why Buddhism isn't the new "it girl" of Hollywood religions.)

I had a Shojin Ryori meal at a temple in Kamakura. (Including the drive along the ocean which stirred the senses, so many beautiful beaches, so many beautiful surfer boys eager to catch the large waves owing to the oncoming storm...Oops, there goes another principle.) The whole Kamakura experience is one I will never forget. Each course in my Shojin Ryori meal was a work of art. And Kyoto is one of the most gorgeous cities I've ever seen.

Our menu tonight reflected the blending of cultures that is America, and was no less artful.

First course: Ohitashi (boiled spinach) rolled in napa cabbage topped with black sesame seeds. Asparagus and okra roll (cucumber wrapper replacing the usual nori) topped with Japanese plum and sake sauce. Pairing: Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne

Second Course: Chawan Mushi - steamed egg custard (egg and chicken broth) shrimp, scallop, shiitake, fish cake. Pairing: 2004 Mount Nelson Sauvignon Blanc - Marlborough, NZ

Third Course: Cold Men (egg noodles) with shredded carrot, cucumber, wood ear mushrooms, chicken. Sweet soy, sesame, yellow mustard dressing. Pairing: 2003 Graacher Himmelreich Riesling Kabinett, Studert Prum - Moselle, Germany

Fourth Course: Sashimi Plate - Maguro, Hirame, Ebi, Unagi, Sake, Escolar. Cha soba (green tea noodles) maki with snow crab, mushroom and pickled radish. Pairing: Joseph Perrier Rose Brut "Cuvee Royal" Champagne

Fifth Course: Sirloin in pastry shell; shiitake, red wine and teriyaki sauce. Sauteed onion, enoki mushroom and asparagus. Pairing: 2003 GSM (Grenache, Shiraz, Mourvedre) Peter Lehman - Barossa Australia

Sixth Course: Fresh Fruit with Green tea ice cream and adzuki beans. 2005 Moscato d'Asti "Bosc d'La Rei" Beni di Batasiolo - Piedmont, Italy

Gochisosama!

Untangling my chopsticks (remember the metaphor?) is a great introduction to Japan, especially Kyoto and to its unique culinary traditions. The book includes over two dozen recipes and is available now in paperback.

My first trip back to Japan as an adult included Kyoto, where I was fortunate to have tea on the veranda of the temple where master of the tea ceremony developed this ritual. Many practices in Japan are viewed as disciplines that help one achieve a sort of meditative state. Japan is a place that gives new meaning to the words "stimulus-overload" yet, the magic of it is that in the midst of dizzying, crowded cities one finds these absolutely breathtaking oases of tranquility.

In honor of Kyoto, and of our dinner this evening, I'll make myself a traditional matcha (powdered green tea, prepared just-so with a special bamboo whisk) and dive into Victoria's book.

Domo arigato gozaimasu, Victoria-san!

For a culinary tour through Asia see June Chua's page.

For other ideas about wine pairings for Asian food, see Alan Boehmer's article.

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