Kaiseki is said to have been born in the 16th century when tea ceremony master Sen-no-Rikyu introduced a frugal meal to accompany the tea ceremony. Over the years, kaiseki evolved into into a combination of cooking style and presentation art using superior techniques and premium ingredients. Today, people consider kaiseki to be one of the culinary quintessence of Japan special occasions.
Originally, a kaiseki meal consisted of only a bowl of miso soup and three side dishes. Today each kaiseki-style dinner consists of 7 to 14 courses served in a strict order. Kaiseki usually begins with a small glass of liqueur or appetizer followed by simmered sashimimón, grilled and steamed dishes alongside other dishes as decided by the chef. Sometimes several dishes are served on the same tray instead of one at a time.
Dishes may vary depending on the locality, but they must all be made from ingredients that are in season or must be The freshest and best on the market.
Since kaiseki is a traditional Japanese culinary style, you will find a lot of seafood and shellfish and lots of vegetables. and rice is often served with miso soup and tsukemono (Japanese pickles) at the end of the meal. The drink of choice is usually sake, but you can also order beer or oolong tea.
However, food is only part of the kaiseki experience. The dishes are also skillfully and delicately presented in carefully selected tableware such as lacquer trays or valuable porcelain bowls. Each meal is like a work of art and can even be used to represent sentences from classic works of poetry or recall historical incidents.
In addition to the quality and appearance of the food, the room where kaiseki is served is equally important. Usually it will be a traditional restaurant with a simple but sophisticated decoration style. The flowers placed in the tokonoma (sacred alcove in the room) must also be seasonal and carefully selected. Ideally, the room would have a sliding glass door overlooking a small garden (tsubo-niwa).
A kaiseki-style dinner is usually quite expensive and must be Reserve. Diners also need to pay attention to dressing politely and neatly when attending a dinner of this type. Some restaurants may serve kaiseki in a stripped-down style, and the lunches include traditional dishes served in elegant lacquered bento boxes. However, kaiseki dinner is still a more complete and authentic Japanese experience.
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