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The Art of Japanese Dining
| 2009-11-24 By Emmanuelle Jary Before leaving, we are told: "Exoticism is guaranteed in Japan." Both at the dining table and elsewhere. And so we arrived, prepared to be amazed...  © E. Jary Experiencing Japan is something that creeps up on you: in Tokyo, the differences don’t jump out at you. On the face of it, it’s nothing more than a sprawling Asian metropolis with its buildings, neon lights, traffic jams. You won’t discover Japan through the front door. You need to look for the blind spots to find its true character. A minute means a minute. People set appointments for 11:36! Yet the Japanese don’t strike you as people in a hurry. Everything takes an age: wrapping a gift, buying a mobile phone, agreeing to meet at a certain time in a certain place. It’s all very disconcerting, exasperating even, until you come to realize that although Japan has become industrialized, it’s not at all westernized. The people may live in buildings, eat DOONUT (the latest Tokyo craze) and go mad for pizza yet, somehow, they seem to inhabit a different time and space. The dining table presents some strange moments. All of our sensibilities of taste are turned upside down. The slimy, the sticky, the gelatinous, the spongy. All textures that are all held in high regard. It’s not always possible to be absolutely sure what you’re eating. It’s not easy to recognize the intestine of a sea cucumber, the jaw of a tuna, alevin (newly hatched fish that still have the yolk sacs attached) of sardines? And so, if the taste leaves you in the dark and your eyes aren’t helping either, the solution is to accept eating unknown as a core element of the cuisine. At the dining table you learn that the way each thing is viewed is cultural. The Japanese eat a lot of seaweed and one of the varieties is green and known as Aonori (ao means blue, and nori seaweed). Faced with our confusion, it’s explained that in Japan, green is sometimes used to describe blue. We finally understand that there some things will never be understood. But this does nothing to prevent us from continuing to be surprised by everything. The logic of flavourOne flavour, in particular, characterizes Japanese cuisine. Although we don’t have a specific term for it in Europe, it can be found in a lot of ingredients including tomatoes, asparagus, dairy products and meat.Identified by a Japanese chemist, Kikunae Ikeda, in the early 20th century, the flavour was named umami. Ikeda singled out the flavour whilst tasting a dashi broth that was neither sweet, salty, acidic or bitter. Later studies showed that umami originated from glutumate. The taste is present in many Japanese foods, both naturally, but also through the popular use of dashi in many dishes. The translation of the term has shed light on the status of the flavour in relation to the four other identified flavour types. Umami means "succulent" or "delightful." Beyond the taste itself, it’s interesting to note the significance of umami among Japanese people. The umami taste is referred to as a vertical taste, whilst sweet, salty, sour and bitter flavours are referred to as horizontal or flat. The distinction being that whilst unami exhibits a flavour of its own, it can also bring out additional tastes in other ingredients to provide a greater depth of flavour.  To see and to eat Wherever you try a bento, a sort of compartmentalized lunch box, whether you are on a train or in a Michelin-starred restaurant, the presentation is invariablyneat and designed to reflect the season… Read more  The Way of Tea More than anything else, Sado (often incorrectly referred to as the Japanese tea ceremony – a more accurate translation would be the way of tea) provides one an insight into the ways in which Japan is an "empire of signs." Read more  Alternative places to eat Japan has a number of restaurants that specialize in a particular type of cuisine… Read more  Kyoto’s ryotei restaurants Dining in one of Kyoto’s ryotei is an experience that goes beyond the realm of pure gastronomy…  Ichiro Kubota: the spirit of kaiseki In the video, Ichiro Kubota, chef of the one-Michelin-starred Umu restaurant in London, demonstrates how to prepare the sashimi featured on a kaiseki menu.  Dominique Corby: a magician in the kitchen (Osaka, Japan) Famous in Japan for his French cuisine, media darling Dominique Corby hosts a television show and is an eminent connoisseur of Japan’s culinary culture. The products  Wagyu Beef: meat that’s out of this world Tasting a thin slice of Wagyu beef, which is far too often called Kobe beef, is an astounding experience…  Tsukiji: 20,000 leagues across the land (Tokyo) The world’s largest fish market is open to visitors at night, in the electric mayhem of the red tuna auction.  The golden rules for making a good sushi Takashi Saïto is a recognised sushi master. We take a look with him at the essential qualities that all good sushi should have. Japanese chefs  Hissa, the poet of Japanese cuisine Hissa Takeuchi proves that there is also a great inventive cuisine in Japan that has often served as inspiration for French chefs... but hush!  Ichiro Kubota (Umu, London) Within five months of opening Umu, London’s first Kyoto restaurant, Head Chef Ichiro Kubota won a Michelin star.  Nobu Berkeley (London) Borrowing from Japan and South America alike, Nobu Matsuhisa’s cuisine is like no other. The perfection of certain dishes, which have become classics throughout the world, commands admiration.  Akira Oshima (Amsterdam) When Akira Oshima came to Amsterdam in 1971, the Netherlands had yet to discover the delights of Sushi, Sashimi and Sake. Useful InformationJapan Airlines (JAL) operates direct flights to Tokyo, Osaka and Nagoya, from 1,155€ TTC. Tel: 0810 747 700. www.fr.jal.com Business class passengers can enjoy some excellent food and first class Japanese flavours. JNTO (Japanese National Tourism Office) www.jnto.go.jp/eng |
