The art of Washoku.
First of, a happy 2021. May all your culinary wishes come true. One of my culinary wishes is to prepare a perfect Wagyu A5 and to bake more patisserie. Patisserie is one of those sides of the kitchen that I have to improve in tremendously.
I still remember the horrors of Hospitality School, we had to do basic and foundational desserts like a fruit coulis and pudding. While I saw all my co-students miles ahead in the preparation phase, I was still trying to melt the gelatine in hot water.
One particular skill that helps you improve in patisserie is the method of working with great detail in mind. Paying great amount of attention to the ingredients used and being gentle with the caressing of said products. It is definitely a craft with a great amount of feel to it and the required intuition.
The characteristics of the patisserie craft are quite similar to the Japanese Culture.
Japanese food has several principles that reflects its culture in the patisserie craft;
perfection of presentation
small distinguishable parts,
opposing segments of colour and form
beauty
imperfection through the natural stamp of nature
What allows the Japanese cuisine to work with these principles is the borderline insane quality of producing food. Perfection and exactness are the bare minimum.
The Japanese eat by the season. A tradition that stems from the 7th century when Buddhism was introduced to Japan via Korea. This practice is called *Shun.*The high standard of food production means that they only want to eat the freshest and most natural tasting food thus what the season provides. They also believe it contributes to good health.
To live in harmony with nature and preserve its qualities is the philosophy of the Japanese cuisine.
He who sits in the shade won't take an axe to the tree. (Japanese Proverb)
The Japanese culture can be daunting, with its strict focus on certain principles, rules and beliefs. With this edit I want to introduce you to one of the foundations of its culture, which is Washoku. If you understand Washoku, you form a completely different view on Japan or it may validate what you already know
Yōshoku
Everybody knows the Japanese cuisine through sushi, teppanyaki, okonomiyaki and ramen. Although these are Japanese foods, they are not traditional Japanese food. The Japanese cuisine has different styles with completely unique characters of flavours and ingredients. For example you have the yōshoku style. Which is the Western style cuisine in Japan.
With dishes like curries, tonkatsu (schnitzel) and one of the most bizarre dishes of Japan or maybe ever, Toruko Rice. In short Toruko (Turkish Rice) is Naporitan Spaghetti (Pasta with ketchup and sausage), Pilaf Rice and Tonkatsu with a Japanese curry sauce over it. One of the specialities of Nagasaki. Sounds like someone was drunk.
Washoku
“Washoku” 和食 (和食 – 和 meaning ‘Japan’ or ‘harmony,’ 食 meaning ‘food’ or ‘to eat’).
The other Japanese style is Washoku, the true and authentic style of Japan. Washoku is much more than just food. It is on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage.
They describe it as:
"Washoku is a social practice based on a set of skills, knowledge, practice and traditions related to the production, processing, preparation and consumption of food and respect for nature that is closely related to the sustainable use of natural resources."
The Principles of Washoku
The main principles of Washoku is ichiju-sansai which means "a bowl of soup and three side dishes." With a strong focus on balancing textures and different taste levels while keeping its natural flavour and elevating the freshness.
As mentioned before the Japanese culture puts a lot of importance on aesthetics. One of the staples of the presentation in Washoku is lacquerware. An ancient tradition dating back 7000 BCE. Lacquer originated from China and spread throughout East and Southeast Asia. The lacquer is collected from the sap of the Urushi tea then it gets refined and aged for later use. Marie-Antoinette was an avid lacquer collector.
Kaiseki
Kaiseki is the traditional multi course meal associated with banquets and other special occasions that also garnered a following outside of Japan. With its emphasis not only on finely prepared and artfully presented dishes but also on its lacquered tablewares and the principle of shun. If you are in a major city like London, New York or Paris. The very high-end Japanese restaurants often do it in a kaiseki style. Shown here is an example dish from UMU located in the heart of Mayfair, London
Cha-Keiseki
But what is kaiseki, exactly? In order to examine that, let’s first address cha-kaiseki, the meal served as part of the formal tea ceremony, and from which kaiseki evolved. Cha-kaiseki begins with a tray of rice and soup and concludes a few courses later with a freshly whisked serving of matcha green tea. The legendary 15th century tea master Sen no Rikyu perfected this style of meal, taking his inspiration from s"hojin" cuisine, a form of vegetarian cooking derived from the dietary customs of Buddhist monks.
Rikyu’s rustic style of tea ceremony carries on today in cha-kaiseki gatherings and is the foundation of the basic “one broth, three dishes” approach to serving a complete meal with rice that is the very heart of washoku itself.
The Expressionist
Kaiseki is different in a liberal sense. The sequencing of the courses is completely open to the interpretation of the chef. The "main course" or the seasonal course is also more luxurious than the one usually served in the tea ceremony. In Kaiseki it is custom to serve the rice at the end of the meal, in Cha-Keiseki it get served during the seasonal course.
Yet both styles of meal share in common the practice of reflecting a rich sense of the season—in the choice of ingredients as well as in their presentation and both embody omotenashi, a spirit of hospitality driven by fine attention to context and detail.
With the imagination as the chef's guide, the freedom of creation is infinite. To interpret the different seasons in a presentation that satisfies the mind, eyes and palate. In summer, one can use a sunflower as a serving dish and in fall the chef can use the fallen leaves as a garnish. In the winter, one can use moss.
These expressions are the heart of the craft and not just solely the meal. This is Kaiseki and at its core the essence of washoku.
Mother Earth
When Washoku taught is to be more conscious about the consumption of seasonal vegetables. It is common to find a tomato in the supermarkt all year long. Which is weird since the tomato season is actually quite short. The result is usually a watery substance not in any way reminiscent of a fresh tomato in summer. So whenever you are buying your produce just keep in mind, mother earth gives when the time is right.