Traditional Japanese Set Meal
The origin of Japanese cuisine is thought to be “Honzen-ryori” as a samurai hospitality dish.
Honzen-ryori has been obsolete since the Meiji era and is rarely seen in modern times, but these two dishes, which read the same as “懐石 Kaiseki ” and “会席 Kaiseki “, have a part of their form and a spirit of hospitality. It was taken over.
As the tea ceremony culture formed, “kaiseki cuisine” developed as a meal for enjoying tea, and “kaiseki cuisine” prospered as a gorgeous meal at the liquor table, and became the mainstream of Japanese cuisine today. rice field.
Apart from these trends, “vegetarian cuisine” that has flowed from the continent along with Buddhism and mainly consists of simple meals that cut off meat and fish will also spread widely.
Features of 本膳料理 Honzen-ryori
The three vegetables are (1) namasu (nowadays vegetables seasoned with vinegar), (2) simmered dishes, and (3) grilled dishes. Rice and pickles are not included in the number of three dishes in one soup. Honzen ryori is a set of three dishes in one soup served on a set of legs.
It is said that Honzen-ryori began in the Muromachi period (1336-1573) as a samurai hospitality dish. It was a cooking style with a strong ceremonial meaning and could be said to be the origin of Japanese cuisine, but it has been obsolete since the Meiji era and is now only seen at some Japanese restaurants or ceremonial occasions. not.
かい せき
懐石料理 Kaiseki Cuisine
(Traditional multi-course meal served before a tea ceremony)
懐石 Kaiseki cuisine is a simple meal that you have before you taste tea in the tea ceremony. “懐石 Kaiseki” with the same reading is served with rice and miso soup at the end, but “懐石 Kaiseki ” is served with a very small amount of rice and soup first.
The basic form of cooking is the same Ichiju Sansai as the original Honzen-ryori, but while Honzen-ryori puts the dish on a set with legs, Kaiseki-ryori does not have legs called Oshiki. Place the food on the table.
Kaiseki cuisine, which expresses the heart of the tea ceremony, wabi-sabi, has three main principles and is based on these principles.
・ Use seasonal ingredients
Japan is a country rich in four seasons, and kaiseki cuisine can be menued using only seasonal ingredients.
・ Utilize the characteristics of the material
Kaiseki cuisine emphasizes Wabi-Sabi (It’s the beauty we find in imperfection.) And is a meal that you can enjoy lightly before tea, so avoid strong seasoning and cook to maximize the flavor and aroma of the ingredients. The method is used.
・ We value the spirit of hospitality
In kaiseki cuisine, dishes are served one by one at intervals, but this is a consideration to maximize the enjoyment of the dish “warm food is not cold, cold food is coldest”. Yes, it’s not too early or too late, and you have to figure out when to serve the food.
Nowadays, it is a Japanese restaurant called Kaiseki cuisine, and unlike the original purpose, it may behave as a small amount of cooking course regardless of tea. Also, when referring to 会席 Kaiseki cuisine in the original sense, it is sometimes called “茶懐石cha kaiseki ” to distinguish it from homophone kaiseki cuisine.
会席料理 Kaiseki cuisine "Current mainstream Japanese cuisine"
While the homophone 懐石 Kaiseki cuisine was a simple light meal before enjoying tea, the 会席Kaiseki cuisine looks gorgeous and is a meal to enjoy with sake anyway. It is the same that it is important to use seasonal ingredients, but 会席 Kaiseki cuisine does not have as strict rules as 懐石 kaiseki.
The basics of 会席 Kaiseki cuisine are mainly Ichiju Sansai, but the content is different from Honzen-ryori.
In 会席 Kaiseki cuisine, one soup and three vegetables are basically soup and three vegetables: sashimi, roasted food, and simmered food. At the end of the meal, rice and miso soup sashimi will be served.
Nowadays, the mainstream of Japanese cuisine is this 会席 Kaiseki cuisine, and it is safe to say that most of the Japanese cuisine that comes out at hotel courses, Japanese restaurants, and Japanese cuisine is this 会席 Kaiseki cuisine. In addition, you can see some restaurants that are called Kaiseki cuisine even if they look like Kaiseki cuisine, but there are many cases where the owner is particular about this, so if you ask about the particulars of that restaurant in advance. You may enjoy cooking more.
Thank you for reading! ありがとう。 Namu Shinnyo ■
