Kaiseki Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving to-go, Kaiseki Style. Small portions, an emphasis on symbols. This dinner is also about packing up and taking meals to whoever you’re meeting on thanksgiving night. To be honest Thanksgiving is the last meal I look forward to making, because its kind of like a requirement. So actually this post is about what I wish was available, a full service Thanksgiving meal for two people that can be purchased and delivered…
This is the book I used for inspiration…Japanese Kaiseki usually consists of many courses, but the portions are so small that its more about having the “taste” of a dish and moving on to the next. The dishes look more like gift boxes that you shouldn’t touch, the food is almost too nice looking that it looks unappetizing. However, this is the best Kaiseki book around, and even Adria gave a forward note in it. Kaiseki cuisine is actually a huge inspiration for chefs like Ferran Adria, who co-opted the use of Agar Agar. Kaiseki chefs use a lot of agar agar and are actually one of the first nationalities to use them. Agar agar is used for both sweet and savory dishes.
All about presentation, visual appeal…
You see there is a huge emphasis on shape, symbols, and the reflection of nature in food. A lot of chefs have been inspired by these same principles in Kaiseki cuisine, in fact when I flip through Adria’s book 60% is Kaiseki inspired.
Remember when people made plans and stuck by them? Now I am unsure of what’s going to happen unless I really see the person. Cell phones have actually made people flakier. Its convenient if you’re the one flaking, you can just text that person saying you’ve changed your mind. Of course its inconvenient if someone does it to you. Cell phones are also annoying when your female friend calls you at 1 am worried that her man-friend is ignoring her texts. Cell phones have made paranoid people even more paranoid, boy-crazy girls even more boy-crazy, and flaky people even flakier. This meal is about being prepared no matter WHAT happens. Take it on the go.
Starting off with the stuffing here. I used old brioche from Balthazar to use as the main bread portion for the stuffing.
Stuffing ingredients, fresh olives, onions, brioche, dried cranberries, sage, garlic, salt, pepper…I also added truffle oil to this mix as well as some extra fresh olive juice. Fresh olives are less salty, and pungent. They taste like salty little avocados, I love them. They add good flavor to the stuffing.
Cranberry Jellies, made with Agar Agar, dried cranberries (just reconstitute with boiling water), cinnamon, orange zest, sugar…I boiled all of these, added the agar agar in..and then let it set.
I also took out the cinnamon and processed the whole mixture after boiling to get a smooth shape.
The right image is another snapshot from the book. The right image is the firm cranberry jelly cut into a baby turkey shape.
For the vegetable component, I used cooked asparagus…The liquid is a chicken stock, salt, garlic, and white wine base with agar agar so it can harden. This was the same liquid I boiled the asparagus in. Once the mold sets, it will look like an asparagus side dish that has been constructed by Damien Hirst formaldehyde sculptures.
Another snapshot from the book, this is a fruit dish that has been used with Agar Agar. You can see its just a real fruit dish that keeps its shape with the use of agar agar…same concept..
After its done setting, you should ease it out and it will look something like this.
Frozen mash potato, molded into a little scoop, sort of like the picture above it. Kaiseki is all about shapes.
This Potato String cutter is what I used to get these thin Potato strings.
I fried these in a very shallow oil bath. Its just mashed potato wrapped in string potatoes. I love mash potatoes but I also get sick of its mushy texture. I like that this allows for both crispy and soft.
Baby Chicken, salted and peppered. Instead of Turkey I used small chickens…I really really dread cooking turkey and I don’t find the flavor all that enticing, no matter how much you baste, bake, or brine it! I can’t stand looking at the leftovers either! I always find that leftover meat always has a strange smell.
Sweet potato side…I used a sweet potato pie recipe and baked it, about 1/3 inch in thickness, or 1/2 inch. Once it hardened I cut out little shapes.
To serve:
In Kaiseki cuisine, they serve warm sake. I chose to serve warm white wine with holiday mulling spices . You can see I used a tea infuser to serve it. Inside is dried oranges, sugar, mulling spices…and your choice of white wine. For someone who loves food, I know nothing about wine, red or white. Adagio Teas Glass Teapot shown below:
I printed my own illustrations onto sheets.
Baby chickens with stuffing. Thanksgiving for two with cranberry jellies.
Thanksgiving sides, sweet potato, asparagus with agar agar, and a self encased mashed potato.
Warm white wine, with mulling spices. Bodum Pavina Cups.
Mashed potato.
The demise of luxirare!
Warm Gravy.
Dessert: The pumpkin pie and custard.
I highly recommend Kaiseki: The Exquisite Cuisine of Kyoto’s Kikunoi Restaurant for inspiration!
The plexiglass on top of the wire settings and the wooden pumpkin dish was custom made. If you order these items, they do not come with the plexiglass tops. All of the other links to products are within the hoverable images. Just mouse over the images to get links. And, for more updates, follow Luxirare on twitter here.
Category: Food | Tags: feature 89 comments »
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Phenomenal and inspiring!
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:13 pm
amazing, as always! this makes thanksgiving dinner look so much more… manageable. (not so much the preparation as the end product, haha) – thanksgiving dinner always brings to mind heaping dishes of excessiveness
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:17 pm
oh also – i wish you would have taken a shot with the stuffing and the chicken so we could see how the stuffing turned out – the ingredients for it looked great!
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:21 pm
not sure how i feel about the asparagus suspended in agar agar… but overall, another amazing/visually appealing meal from luxirare! Fantastic!
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:35 pm
fried mashed potatoes? good lord. i actually salivated!
i was about to ask you what wine you chose but read that bit about not knowing anything. i’m still learning as well (but it helps to be dating the manager of a wine store!)
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:40 pm
so…i”ll be over around six, ‘mkay?
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:42 pm
Oh thats super convenient!
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Completely understandable. I love the flavor but I’m sure it the look of it may be a bit creepy!
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:44 pm
“Life’s too short to stuff a mushroom” is a phrase that will probably never pass your lips!
I love that you do all this – so we don’t have to…x
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Wow this looks amazing! Will you ever put the recipes up? I kind of want to try this for fun (even though I’m not the best cook).
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:56 pm
Oh my!!! I am heading to Japan in 3 weeks and am SO looking forward to sampling a Kaiseki meal. Your Thanksgiving Kaiseki feast is incredible!!! From the potatoes, to the stuffing, the asparagus, EVERYTHING! LOVE the pumpkin placemats!!!
You are an absolute inspiration, Luxirare!!!
xx
CC
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:57 pm
amazing. the photos are just visually stunning and fantastic for the soul (: too bad i don’t celebrate thanksgiving. though it seems like an exception might be in order. just love it!
how do you get the string potatoes to stick though? i always envision it falling apart…
and does the tea candle actually do anything to warm the tea. or is just for aesthetic purposes.
November 22nd, 2009 at 7:58 pm
Holy yum!
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:01 pm
Not sure I like this one, because Thanksgiving is about tradition and here you have modernized everything. It would be interesting but it seems too proper whereas I’d rather kick back on Thanksgiving and relax. Aside from this, the presentation is absolutely impeccable and downright gorgeous.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I love the color of the cranberry jelly and the chicken is making me hungry. Can you tell me the ingredients involved and how you cooked it? Thank.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:12 pm
Sweet potato cakes:
1 (1 pound) sweet potato
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Mix and bake these together, 350 f for 1 hour. Boil sweet potato and let cool, remove skin first before you mix with rest of ingredients
Chicken
1 small chicken, salt and pepper skin, put butter underneath skin too. Bake at 400 f for 1-2 hours, depends on your oven and how cold the chicken is before you put it in..I like to bring the chicken down to room temp. Cover it with tinfoil for first 20 minutes so the skin doesn’t burn. Let rest after its out, so the juices redistribute.
Cranberry jelly with agar agar:
Boil 2 cups of cranberries, 1 cup sugar, 2 cinnamon sticks, 1 tspn orange zest, and 2 cups of water, 1 stick agar agar, if the mixture is too think, add a little more water…place into shallow rectangular dish and let cool until its hard.
Agar Agar with asparagus. 5 cups of chicken stock, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup white wine. Boil the mixture and blanche asparagus. Make sure asparagus is tender. Place into cup, and pour the rest of the liquid mixture with 1 stick of agar agar. Let it harden.
For the fried mash potato, just use your favorite mash potato recipe. There are millions out there…the pictures should tell you the rest. You should freeze the mash potato shapes before you wrap it, because it holds its shape better. Fry in a 350f shallow oil bath. Turn the potatoes around so you brown all edges.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:16 pm
Use a small chicken, rub butter under the skin, salt and pepper it generously. Let the chicken come down to room temp. Cook it in convection oven 400f for 1-2 hours. Cover it with tin foil for the first 20-30 minutes and then take it off to let the skin brown. You can tell if the chicken is fully cooked when you poke it with a knife between the drumstick/breast skin and the juices run clear. My oven is temperamental which is why I say 1-2 hours.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:30 pm
The vibrant colors of the food complement perfectly the occasion for which they’re served! I have never witnessed another meal do this so fantastically…
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:35 pm
This is seriously to die for. I really want to try out your pumpkin pie recipe, it is so visually appealing.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:36 pm
freakishly beautiful, as per usual!
i love how the agar agar can be used to showcase food like art behind glass. i once had a kaiseki meal at a ryokan that had a square of shrimp encased in agar. it’s a shame i can’t stand the texture of it! i prefer the feel of ordinary gelatin, but i think it’s not quite as versatile. makes me sad.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:38 pm
i had to wipe away the drool…
love how it’s very ~LUXIRARE~ yet really homey and thanksgiving-ish.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:39 pm
oh and i forgot to mention, your method of making the mashed potato into something that could be easily presented is ingenious. it’s like a homogenous croquette.
November 22nd, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Wish I had Thanksgiving here in England…and you need your own restaurant. Looks delicious, as always, is a recipe book in the pipeline?
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:01 pm
hahaha
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:06 pm
This actually makes me want to have a Thanksgiving in Australia and I don’t even like Turkey or Cranberries.
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:10 pm
You know what? I keep forgetting that the US is the only country that celebrates this..What is wrong with me? Haha..
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:23 pm
Wow. So lovely I could cry.
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:24 pm
Canada celebrates Thanksgiving as well, but ours is in October instead of November.
Your cuisine looks amazing; as always.
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:30 pm
Oh I had no idea!
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:31 pm
absolutely gorgeous, as always, and I found a lot more inspiration that I think I can translate into my kitcthen in this post.
Agar agar is something that I have always associated with the dated cookbooks I read growing up. I’m glad to see modern cooks picking it back up and seeing it on your blog makes it seem all the more possible for me!
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:22 am
i loved the mash potatoe ball. i like the idea of the asparagus but maybe if u had used some green food color it may not have been as murky?
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:24 am
What can I say. You’re seriously crazy in a good way. I’m home and will share this blog with my mom. FINALLY.
Happy Thanksgiving
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:28 am
omg, I can’t believe I never knew abt this site..
one of my readers emailed me and told me abt ur site saying u talk abt food/fashion and decor..
and i’m in love.. hahaha
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:44 am
Usually agar agar is a bit murky. Its not a completely clear liquid, and I have also added flavoring (chicken stock) so this makes a bit less transluscent..
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:50 am
these dishes and clothes never cease to amaze me- i’m about to celebrate my first thanksgiving ever and i think now whatever i eat will disappoint me haha
i also think you should do something with chocolate, what do you think?
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:13 am
You know what it is? I didn’t grow up loving chocolate, still kind of not so crazy about sweets in general, but I will definitely be thinking of your comment within the next couple of months! I feel like also there have been so many creative chocolate ideas, so its hard for me to do something that isn’t completely obvious/trite.
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:27 am
u need to open a restaurant!
November 23rd, 2009 at 1:29 am
Hi. Your idea is great as always. What is detail spices in the wine? It looks so good I want to try at home. Does it good to tea as well?
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:41 am
I am drooling right now. This post makes thanksgiving sound like a gormet meal rather than a “shove everything in your mouth” family affair.
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:20 am
I’ve never eaten agar agar in a savoury dish. This is amazing.
November 23rd, 2009 at 3:52 am
I would absolutely LOVE to be one of your guests for Thanksgiving. I mean just looking at the food you prepare already makes Thanksgiving that much more fun. You are a genius and beyond!
November 23rd, 2009 at 5:50 am
all these are making me drool, agar agar means jelly in Malay
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:46 am
i LOVE this post. every year my father does an agar agar fruit mold for dessert…its like my favorite thing ever. so pretty, and delicious.
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:17 am
i love your food posts. i always save them so i can relish them properly.
also, your parfait with alginate “caviar” has had me planning.
i now work in a science lab where we teach kids and i realised we use these same things to make “polymer worms” for a slime based program. so i have tools at my disposal, can practice without having to spend money and have access to food grade ingredients (for those in australia, http://www.profbunsen.com.au sells the stuff).
we are now planning a boozy faux caviar and liquid nitrogen alcoholic icecream team building night.
November 23rd, 2009 at 9:23 am
Wow! Did you seriously eat this stuff? What does it taste like? Real? A little better? A little worse?
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:01 am
Oh that sounds so fun! That website looks like its for mad scientists haha.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:09 am
[...] Kaiseki Thanksgiving [...]
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:42 am
yum yum yum. i am definitely going to try playing with agar agar some time. and i have frequently fantasized about miniature feasts, so i am glad to know that it is already a documented genre! truly inspired.
November 23rd, 2009 at 10:46 am
Miniature feasts! Total oxymoron…love it!
November 23rd, 2009 at 2:05 pm
i miss kaiseki ryori like the desert misses the rain!! time to make my own… though maybe not for thanksgiving, we have way too much family coming over for that to be time-feasible
November 23rd, 2009 at 4:23 pm
Hello, I was wondering where you got the glass table? It looks like the one my parents used to have but gave away 1-2 years ago because the movers broke part of it off.
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:15 pm
I have it linked in my post..Its called “peekaboo table”
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Hi, I’ve tried to contact you once before by email; I hope it’s acceptable to post it here. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to use some of the parfait images as a source of inspiration for a school art project.
Thank you for the amazing inspiring blog anyway!
November 23rd, 2009 at 7:37 pm
Note: Must try Luxirare potato recipe for Thanksgiving.
Looks delicious! Everything is quite visually appealing, yet tasty! Usually I have a traditional Chinese Thanksgiving dinner…a.k.a. nothing too special, just more food! However, this year, I think I’ll try something Luxirare-esque, and mix things up!
November 23rd, 2009 at 8:06 pm
the custard is the most innovative thing i’ve seen in this post. while i think the jellies are hilarious and cool…they kind of gross me out when i think about eating them. i also love the spiced white wine idea. sorta perfect! we’ve been doing hot apple cider with rum…but as complete winos…this is a veranda we shall have to explore!
as for the potatoes, fricken genius. i love mashed potatoes…but just end up pouring more and more gravy on the same pile because i get sick of the mushiness too!
good show, luxi.
<3
November 24th, 2009 at 2:54 pm
this site needs a wikipedia page i am so trying to figure out the WHYs behind it. food scientist designer model?
November 24th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
You are FUCKING INSANE and I mean that in the best way possible. I want to sit on the couch and pop those potato nests into my mouth like chips goddamn
November 25th, 2009 at 2:11 am
I would definitely make this meal even if it’s not Thanksgiving.
For one of your past recipes, the pizza one, I’m going to try it soon using the pizza dough recipe from the New York Times and your ingredients. It will surely turn out amazing.
November 25th, 2009 at 3:32 am
Incredible! as always
November 25th, 2009 at 5:55 am
I’m really excited by the mashed potato idea! I will have to make that. What’s the recipe? Just a frozen mashed potato ball with grated potato coverings I guess?? Looks delicous.
I’m intruiged by the asparagus jellies. I may have to try that as well, purely for curiosty’s sake
I would love to see you make something with chocolate sometime! I realise it’s not your usual ingrediant but I’m curious to see what you would make. Especially dark chocolate, that’s my favorite!
November 25th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Beautifully presented and extremely innovative, as per usual!!
November 25th, 2009 at 1:27 pm
It’s right before lunch, and I really shouldn’t be looking at your blog. It makes me much too hungry
November 25th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
lovely madam luxi-
i’ve decided to make your pumpkin custard thing at my first family-less thanksgiving!! except im adding a pecan pie top (i think that negates the low cal factor, but whatever.) thanks for the idea!
happy thanksgiving!
November 25th, 2009 at 6:01 pm
I just wanted you to know how much I love your website. I adore both the fashion and the food posts. You are quite talented. Thank you for many inspirational posts.
November 26th, 2009 at 4:59 pm
You are the master at what you do. Come cook for me. This post just made me 10x’s more hungrier for my Thanksgiving meal than I was 5 minutes ago and I was drooling for it then.
I’m always terribly curious on what you use to create your Luxirare labeling for different items. You seem to be able to print on anything!
November 27th, 2009 at 1:11 am
Hi , it’s Thanksgiving Day! I’m happy with my extra day off, and I am planning to doing something fun that’ll probably involve a bike ride and seeing something new in Los Lunas I haven’t seen yet.
You write something new at Thanksgiving?
November 27th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Anytime I go to Japan, I look forward to a good Kaiseki style meal. I’d love to go to the Kansai regions of Japan and experience it there, but I usually stay in the Kanto regions…
Anyways, I am so envious of whoever got to share this meal with you and I love your take on mashed potatoes. It reminds me of a luxified potato croquette!
November 27th, 2009 at 5:39 pm
Yes exactly, mashed potato frozen, then shape thin potato strings around it.
November 27th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
first i thought you should open a clothing store and now im thinking a restaurant would also be a must! make sure you open one of each in every city in the world!!! quite ambitious i know, but it would be amazing!!!!
November 28th, 2009 at 5:41 am
Ahhhhh, nice. A meal well deserving a treat; if I may then I surely will send you a bottle of lychee sake, since you touch base with Japanese cuisine. We both may be less intimidated away from wines. I served lychee sake for my Thanksgiving to refresh those taste palettes a bit.
Hey, I noticed you had switch your string cutter contraption. I recall that one you bought in Japan.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:45 am
Lychee sake sounds like something I should have included but didnt….Now I am craving some.
I have several string cutter contraptions, like 3 different versions, if you want to know the truth this is the easiest to use.
November 28th, 2009 at 2:01 pm
My first goal would actually to focus on the fashion aspect, even though my food posts tend to be a lot more enticing to most folks because food relates to everyone where as fashion is more like this “strange little club” in the corner of the world, you really have to be “into” fashion to understand why its okay to pay anything beyond 200 for a pair of shoes (even that amount is questionable). In comparison to food, fashion is still extremely small…Though once you really start to get immersed in it it does seem like the only thing that matters…haha..
November 28th, 2009 at 2:03 pm
There are so many pictures in one post, so hard to edit down. I wish I could post more about labeling but quite honestly there would be too many pictures. I will consider it for the future…Its really tough to decide what to include..At this point I realize I can’t please everyone and sometimes I just have to post..but thanks for your comment.
November 28th, 2009 at 2:04 pm
Hi Helen,
Sorry I haven’t read your e-mail. I try to respond to every single one, but between responding to twitters, comments and emails sometimes I get very exhausted! Anyway, you can surely take whatever images you need. I’m quite used to it by now, a lot of websites just take my whole posts + all the images..
I’m flattered you are using some of my pictures!
November 28th, 2009 at 2:06 pm
I really really want to debunk this whole “you are insane” thing. I really am not!!! haha.
If any of you met me in real life, I’m sure all of your “luxirare” bubbles will pop. At the end of the day, I have to pay bills, and do the dishes..seriously!
November 28th, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Oh I’m so glad, you’re probably one of the few to try! Make sure not too add too much agar or too little. Again there are million demos on the internet telling you the exact amount…
November 28th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
Many people seem to be totally creeped out by the usage of savory agar agar with the asparagus, I realize now I can see the jellified creepiness although I thought the taste was pretty decent, very subtle…The only tiny problem I have with agar agar in savory dishes is that they have to served somewhat cold…
But still, I guess we can be creepy together!
November 28th, 2009 at 2:09 pm
haha unfortunately for Thanksgiving I was shooting and editing pictures, there was no fun thanksgiving dinner round here.. Maybe next year.
November 28th, 2009 at 2:11 pm
Well I appreciate the honesty I can definitely see your point, In fact I thought about it a lot, that Thanksgiving is actually about abundance and sharing a ton of food with people….but I’m always eager for a different point of view as well.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:27 pm
it looks beyond fantastic. i hope that you enjoyed this meal un-alone!
November 29th, 2009 at 12:37 am
You know I love everything you do, but something about your love for compartmentalizing things doesn’t seem to mesh with the sharing/love/generosity theme of thanksgiving. I find it rather isolating. Seeing the portioned cut outs with gelatin and tiny poultry reminds me of a quiet and uncomfortable dinner. I love everything you do, don’t get me wrong-maybe I’m just a traditionalist when it comes to thanksgiving….
November 30th, 2009 at 4:43 pm
Encore! ( I am literally standing and applauding.)
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:34 am
i love how you managed to work the luxirare logo into the meat cleaver illustration :]
December 4th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
L.O.L. Well, there is coming Christmas and/or New Year to celebrate with lychee sake if inspiration runs freely so. I was not joking, e-mail me an address, and I’ll send you a bottle or two before those holidays.
Reach me here… carinne@live.com
(^ , ^)
December 4th, 2009 at 6:42 pm
I doubt this one deserves it but thanks anyway!
December 8th, 2009 at 12:37 pm
wow u really inspires people to cook with all these color-filled images
customization, merticulous details and lovely displays~
keep it up!
December 18th, 2009 at 7:04 am
Ah I love this! Your site always amazes me…I only wish we celebrated Thanksgiving here in Australia. The potatoes are a brilliant idea, I’ll try them out myself!
Are you going to be putting up any Christmas posts?
Sophie x
December 21st, 2009 at 6:13 am
I tried to replicate yesterday the chicken (very tasty!) and the asparagus with chicken broth and agar agar… Didn’t succeed with it as the texture was not right. I guess I did not use enough agar agar to make it solid enough.
February 11th, 2010 at 7:17 pm
Oh Me oh My!
How did you get such nice napkins? Did you set the type yourself?