Well, I have a rather "special" culinary client this weekend - in L.A.! (I live in Tennessee - so "he" is footing the bill for the dinner party and for my flights.) Can you guess the client's name? Here's the menu and a few hints:
The client is vegan and Zen Buddhist!! Client requested 7 pseudo-traditional Japanese courses for about twenty-five adult guests.
1 (Served on black lacquer trays) Miso soup with yams and grilled jicama. Cold Soba (noodles). Salted edamame beans.
2 (Served on tortoise shell dishes, etc.,) Tomato and bell pepper relish with crispy wonton strips. Seaweed salad. Wild rice with day lily stems and peas.
3 (Served on square dishes, etc.,) Grilled spicy tofu with assorted vegetables (carrot, onion, squash, and corn) with garlic and pepper sauce. Ginger citron. Flowered red radish, daikon and green onion with red crystal dipping sauce. (red wine vinegar, sugar, finely shredded carrot, crushed red pepper).
4 (Served on dishes with flowers or shaped like flowers) Matsusake mushrooms, bamboo shoots, purple pole beans and broccoli tossed in sesame. Spicy Japanese slaw served in squash blossom blooms. Candied chilies (red and green)
5 (Served on emerald green dishes, etc.,) Eggplant steaks with leeks in truffle oil. Potatoes in cashew sauce. Sweet rice (sushi) rolls with strawberry, mango and honeydew presented on kiwi slices. (using plum and cherry compote fruit roll in lieu of nori)
6 (Served on deep blue dishes, etc., ) Assortment of pickled daikon, pickled beet and pickled ginger. Mini-cabbage rolls served on (shredded cabbage, shredded carrots, shredded cooked parsnips, ginger, chopped water chestnuts with soy, vinegar and garlic juice rolled in a steamed cabbage leaf then brushed with almond oil and baked) assorted greens with vinegar, oil and pepper. Almond and apricot wontons with lemon honey sauce on vanilla crisps.
7 (Served on red dishes, etc.,) Green Tea. Plum wine. Selection of mini-tarts served in threes with Cherry Blossom Limbs (chocolate limbs and candy blossoms) and (edible) sugar with characters of Wealth, Health, Wisdom, Luck, etc.,) (Tart with macerated cherries and plums cooked in plum wine and balsamic – graham cracker crusts with sugar and almond/hazelnut oils).
Decor will be centerpieces highlighting Daruma carvings (by me), a melon mountain carving in honeydew to look like jade (by a culinary schoolmate), three star gods carving (in white chocolate) and highlighting the client's own Buddha/s.
What do you think???