“No problem. It’s good that you came early today. I will have enough time to introduce her to the basics. Are you going to stay as I teach her?” The Japanese chef asked He Haotian.

“Nah, I’ll leave her here. Meina asked me to buy her some souvenirs. I’ll pick her up by afternoon so her husband wouldn’t worry about her whereabouts,” the man replied as he stood up and removed the lint on his coat. “Will you be fine, Xin’er?”

“I’m a big girl now, Uncle. Now, shoo…” Lu Xinyi waved her hand, gesturing her mentor to go. “Also, don’t forget to buy me some sweets on your way, Uncle!” she called out just before the man disappeared from her sight.

Turning to the foreign chef, Lu Xinyi beamed a smile.

“Chef, let’s start. Shall we?”

—

“Xin’er, the simplicity, sincerity, and sophistication of Japanese cuisine are what make it different from the other international cuisines. The dishes are usually presented in bite-sized pieces with each bite containing the meat, rice, vegetables, even fruits. These are so meticulously prepared that the food preparation and presentation are an art on themselves.” Kawashima Tohaku explained as they cut the vegetables into smaller pieces.

Lu Xinyi eyed the box the man brought earlier. It had some fresh produce in it, and she thought how simple but fresh the ingredients were.

“I noticed that. Sometimes, I think it’s hard to ruin such masterpieces by eating it.”

“It would be bad if no one eats it.” The chef laughed.

“So what exactly are the characteristics of Japanese cuisine, Chef?”

Lu Xinyi washed her hands clean and wiped it dry with a clean towel. The chef continued his work by taking a large fish and expertly cutting the flesh off from its bones. Under a minute, he was able to remove the bones stuck in the flesh before cutting it on equal size.

Lu Xinyi watched with wide eyes as she picked up the head and the fish bones and saw how clean the cut was. This was really the work of a master chef.

“There are four main characteristics that you could see in Japanese cuisine. First is expressing the season. We believe in creating food according to the season. We use the ingredients that are ripe and prime in the current season in which we are cooking.

“Not only do we cook rigorously with seasonal ingredients, but by presenting these foods to reflect the time of the year. So in spring, you may arrange foods to resemble cherry blossoms while summer presentations could express flowing rivers or waterfalls. One may use chestnuts in the fall because those are the items that are most apparent in those specific seasons.”

“Is this why the food presentations are always on the spot?” Lu Xinyi asked. She picked up a skewered chicken that the chef prepared earlier.

“Of course, Miss Lu. We believe that a person should love what they see before they actually consume it. That’s where the second characteristic of the cuisine comes in: eating with your five senses.

“Taste, touch, sight, sound, and smell; all of our senses come into play in Japanese cooking. Visual enjoyment is important. A dish may be arranged like a landscape painting, with elements on the dish evoking a sense of perspective. The sound of sake pouring or even someone slurping soba noodles loudly—all contribute to the pleasure of eating. Here, try this miso soup, and tell me what it tastes like.”

Kawashima Tohaku washed his hands and prepared a small bowl of miso soup for Lu Xinyi. ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ​ꪶ​

Lu Xinyi picked it up and took in its appearance and scent before tasting it.

“Do you know Doujiang?” the chef asked her.

“Yes. It’s a paste made from preserved fermented yellow soybeans. It is being used in our local cuisine,” she replied.

The chef nodded. “Doujiang is the predecessor to miso. Now, what can you say about this miso soup?”

He wanted to know if He Haotian was telling the truth when he told him that Lu Xinyi had the same ‘absolute tongue’ like her father. He wanted to see and hear how Lu Xinyi would describe this simple soup he made.

Miso was made from fermented soybeans and was a thick paste-like substance. It didn’t sound particularly delicious, but it has a great umami flavor. It was an essential ingredient for many Japanese food dishes, something that Lu Xinyi wasn’t aware of since she was more familiar with local cuisine and baking.

“It tastes salty, tangy, and savory. There’s umami that hit my tongue and tickled my senses. It’s more like a soup base to me, Chef,” she said truthfully.

The man was pleased with her answer. Generally, miso tastes salty and savory on its own. Lighter varieties tend to have more sweetness. It was typically smooth, similar to less oily nut butter; but some varieties can be chunky. While one could taste miso on its own, it wasn’t meant to be eaten that way. The salty funkiness added a complex, rich flavor to dishes.

“Yes, actually there are some varieties of miso. Let me show you some and take a taste of it.”

He took three containers and showed it to Lu Xinyi. It was white, red, and brown miso.

Lu Xinyi took a small portion from it using a clean spoon and, with her forefinger, took a taste of it. She took a glass of water to gargle her mouth to remove the taste before trying the next one.

“This white one has a mild taste, with balanced sweetness, saltiness, and umami. I think it’s best paired with any food with tarty, acidic flavors like citrus fruits or slightly bitter or peppery flavors like mild greens and fish.”

“This one…”—she pointed at the red-colored miso—”has a rich and salty flavor, with a strong umami kick and pronounced soy flavors. It can be paired with other ingredients with earthy flavors like root vegetables and nuts.”

“What about the brown one?” Chef Kawashima asked. He was somewhat surprised that Lu Xinyi was able to describe the flavors in just one taste and was able to come up with how to use it.

“It has more nutty, earthy, and salty flavors compared to the two. This one can stand in for meat to provide the mouth-filling savoriness for its umami flavor. One can also use it to red meats or poultry and can complement well with the spiciness of the chilies.”

Chef Kawashima was impressed with Lu Xinyi’s observation. She indeed had an ‘absolute tongue’ like her father.

“Have you considered being a professional food taster or a gourmet critic?” he asked, making the woman frowned.

“Not again…” Lu Xinyi muttered.

“It’s alright,” Chef Kawashima laughed at her reaction. He Haotian must have asked the same question before. “But you are good, Miss Lu. You were able to describe the flavors without a problem. No wonder Chef Chu is proud of you. He said he finally found an apprentice worthy of his time.”

“Really?” Lu Xinyi raised a brow at that. She never knew that her mentor bragged about her to any acquaintance he talked to. She wondered then if her father would have been proud of her if he was alive.

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