Unique Kyoto Food Traditions
Traditional Japanese cuisine, especially that of Kyoto, is one of the most sophisticated food cultures in the world. Kyoto’s rich food culture dates back a thousand years, with today’s chefs drawing on centuriesold records detailing ingredients and techniques. Specialized food for the old Imperial court and, later, wealthy merchants, was presented, as it still is today, in bite sized pieces easily handled with chopsticks. Often served cold, it was accompanied by a hot soup and rice.
The fields of Kyoto boast several distinct vegetables, collectively called kyo yasai. Kyotoites are very familiar with their local produce, and accord it a place of honor in exclusive restaurants and in the homes of discerning epicures.
The soy product tofu is a Kyoto specialty. It is made by soaking dried beans overnight in good quality well water, churning them into a smooth mash, straining and then boiling the resulting soy milk, and adding calcium sulfate to act as a coagulant. The mixture is then poured into block molds to set.
Tofu adopts itself to a variety of dishes. Smooth silky tofu (kino) is served cold in summer with a dab of grated ginger. A firmer type, momen, is often cut into cubes, simmered in a kelp broth, and then scooped out and dipped into a light soy flavored sauce. In addition to plain tofu, many of Kyoto’s supermarkets as well as the food courts found in the basements of department stores sell tofu flavored with sesame seeds, black beans or shiso (beefsteak plant).
Another unique Kyoto soy based food product is yuba, the film formed on the surface of boiled soy milk. The thin, translucent beige sheets are hung, and then sold dried or fresh. The taste is a delicate, slightly sweet concentrate of soy milk. Yuba accompanies many a Kyoto dish, especially in the multi course kaiseki meal served in better restaurants.
Although it is the gourmet epitome of Kyoto cuisine, kaiseki grew out of the simple meal served at a formal tea ceremony. The present day kaiseki meal developed in the 16th 17th centuries as the merchant class gained wealth and sought out rarified ingredients and preparations to impress prospective clients.
While delicious, kaiseki’s most striking characteristic, however, is what meets the eye. Moritsuke, the artistic arrangement of food, is an art form in itself, and the dishes on which the food is served are a critical component. For example, the chef will consider color and texture and perhaps even reference the food to flowers or poetry. Presentation is so highly regarded that diners often whip out their cell phones to photograph the dish before them, perhaps to show their friends or to relish in memory the anticipation of culinary pleasure before a single taste! Then comes the pleasure of uncovering the different dishes as one would unwrap a present, each course a delight to both eye and palette, each a culinary gift.