‘Sake’ It To Me

Don’t speak to me. I haven’t seen Top Chef yet.

[Sufficient pause for you to pick your collective jaws up off of your collective floors. And/Or desks. And/Or cardboard boxes functioning as desks if you are like me and partially moved in to your home.]

“Why, Sarah,” you may ask, “what on earth could be so important that you missed your favorite television show of all time?”

Two words: foie gras.

That’s right, folks. Last night for dinner, I was practically IN an episode of Top Chef.

Thanks to my dear friend and fellow food blogger, Teddy, I was able to attend a dinner for Austin food bloggers at Kenichi, in downtown Austin.
The restaurant has recently acquired (which I assume is fancy restaurant speak for “hired”) one of only sixty-five sake sommeliers* in the world, and they threw a lovely dinner for various food bloggers around town featuring SEVEN courses with SEVEN sake pairings. Oh. My. Goll. Y’all. [And that is all I really need to say.]

*Wine expert. Like Stephen Aspirino. From Season 1 of Top Chef.
In addition to eating one of the best meals of my life–did I mention that I ate foie gras?– I learned a fun trick for holding my chopsticks between courses. That little “stand” was actually the original wrapper around the ‘sticks.
Below you will see a specially formulated Texas mojito, made with Texas shiso (a Japanese mint-like herb). I will have you know that when we sat down and realized we had missed the pre-dinner cocktails, I immediately ordered some for the table. Have we not all figured out by now that mint and lime are my signature flavors?
Oh my darling blog readers…this was so good…but not as amazing as THE FOOD. After all, you know I’d rather eat than drink any day. Are you ready? Beyonce wants to know if you can handle it. I think you can.

Course #1: Red Snapper Salad (tai sashimi with pine nuts, orange supreme, shishito peppers, sunflower sprouts, and confetti sauce)
Course #2: Seared Sea Scallop (house made yuzu koshu, sweet pickled daikon, candied ginger, peanut butter miso)
I just need to stop for a moment and say that the peanut butter miso with the candied ginger in it might have been one of the most delicious things I have ever eaten in my life. Now, I know I don’t get out much, but still. Y’all, I literally almost picked up the plate, put it in front of my face and licked it clean. I did not care that I was meeting most of these people for the first time. [This did, however, seem the appropriate time to share my tip about eating nut butter out of the jar with a chopstick.]
Course #3: Sansho Escolar (peppercorn crusted waru in lemon-truffle sauce over sauteed portabellas and Japanese peppercorns)
We thought we were doing well with the peanut butter miso, but oh no. That fish. Those portabellas. It was so interesting because the fish was super pepper-fied, and the portabellas were ultra lemony, and normally, you would pair the pepper with the ‘shrooms and the lemon with the fish, but oh my goll, y’all, my tastebuds were forever changed.

Course #4: Tuna and Miso Foi Gras (Asian pear, crispy garlic, truffled pnzu)
I would just like to say that now I know what the big deal is about foie gras. It really is that good. And with tuna…well….[enter lack of possible verbiage to describe the flavor explosion in my mouth]

Course #5: Temari Sushi (yellowtail belly, orange mustard sauce, scallions, red shiso)
Perhaps my favorite course, although really, they were all so darn good it’s hard to say. Yet, that orange mustard sauce with the bite of sushi…..man alive.
Course #6: Japanese Steak & Eggs (akaushi, poached quail egg, king oyster mushrooms, kizame wasabi)
When the chef came out to describe this dish was the first moment it struck me that I was clearly on a panel of Top Chef and should have been taking notes for my scorecard. He had this adorable story about loving breakfast foods and this being his interpretation of steak and eggs. It was precious. It was also delicious. [Sadly, Tom Collichio did not invite me to meet him back at Judge's Table. Next time.]

Side Note: The akaushi beef is apparently extra healthy and lower in cholesterol than even chicken. It was also raised in Texas. There was a whole bunch more to this story, but I was too focused on eating to pay complete attention. Seriously, though. Trying to “eduucate” a bunch of foodies AFTER having put the food in front of them? Not a smart plan. It’s like a teacher giving the students the artifact and then expecting them NOT to play with it and actually listen to directions.

You know I got excited when I saw these glasses come out. It sparkles? Yes, please!
Course #7: Green Tea Tiramisu (with Japanese chestnuts)
Some people said it was too creamy. Others said it was deceptively light and they were left feeling a bit heavy in the stomach. I said, “Are you going to eat the rest of that?”

And in case you were wondering, Teddy and I declared the motto of the evening: “No morsel left behind.” So you can bet your bottom dollar (apparently I have now transitioned from Top Chef to Top Broadway Star) that I ate every last bite of each course. And I enjoyed every. single. one. [Sometimes the "smart" thing to do is recognize a good thing when its given to you. ]

Yes, we sampled all of these sakes…
Well, bloggies o’ mine, it’s time for me to pack my knives and go. [Insert closing credits video of me alone in the Top Chef kitchen packing up my knife bag---although instead of black, mine would be custom-made green. Obviously.]