2024.08.26
collaborator
On June 7, 2024, a special event of "Dinner in the Dark" utilizing MIRACORE™ was held. Dinner in the Dark is an immersive workshop usually held at Ryokusenji Temple in Asakusa, where participants eat blindfolded. This time, Mr. Kakuho Aoe, the head priest of the temple, conducted the event using a menu of Shojin cuisine made with MIRACORE™.
Mr. Kakuho Aoe
Mr. Kakuho Aoe is the head priest of the Jodo Shinshu temple, Ryokusenji. He is also known as the "cooking monk" who communicates Buddhism through culinary education and book publishing.
Participants
The event gathered 15 individuals at Ritsumeikan University, all eager to explore the future of food.
Ritsumeikan University's Expo Student Committee “SusTable”:A student group aiming to create a sustainable dining experience through "future food".
Ritsumeikan University Multisensory Cognitive Design Laboratory:A research lab led by Professor Yuji Wada, studying multisensory perception and food cognition from a psychological perspective.
Dinner in the Dark is known as an experience where participants, in a dimly lit room, wear blindfolds, completely depriving them of their sense of sight.
Before plunging into the darkness, a workshop titled "Itadakimasu" is held in a brightly lit room.
In front of each participant is a plate with five pieces of edamame.
Mr. Aoe explains the Buddhist teachings that originated the phrase "Itadakimasu," and participants are encouraged to reflect on these teachings while savoring each piece of edamame. This exercise helps to enhance their concentration on the food before them, preparing them to enter the world of darkness.
*From this point on, the report will continue without photos. Please imagine experiencing the event together in the dark.
Participants were served four courses of Shojin cuisine made with MIRA-Dashi™, savoring each dish while engaging in discussions with their neighbors to guess the ingredients.
"Is this soft piece a carrot?"
"I thought it was a turnip."
"Neither is certain, but it definitely feels like some kind of root vegetable."
The absence of visual cues made identifying the ingredients challenging, yet participants found common ground in their guesses.
One dish, in particular, evoked a strong sense of meatiness, surprising everyone. Later, it was revealed that MIRA-Dashi™ contributed to this sensation.
The concept of subtracting sight and adding taste was fascinating. It was intriguing to realize how MIRA-Dashi™ could create a meaty impression, making Dinner in the Dark even more engaging.
– Professor Wada
In the dark, senses other than sight—such as taste, smell, and touch—become more sensitive. It might be precisely because of the combination of darkness and Shojin cuisine made with MIRA-Dashi™ that we were able to recognize the "animal-like" quality that we usually don't pay special attention to.
When you hear "Shojin cuisine," many might imagine light and plain flavors.
However, in contrast to that image, each dish in this meal had a variety of rich flavors, which was very impressive.
According to Mr. Aoe, MIRA-Dashi™ acts like a stage in a theater: the stage itself doesn't stand out, but it has the power to make the main actors shine. This might explain how MIRA-Dashi™ enhanced the individuality of each ingredient.
I think it's great to have Shojin cuisine that feels like meat. With MIRA-Dashi™, various ideas for Shojin dishes come to mind... In a word, it's "fun."
MIRA-Dashi™ and the technology of MIRACORE™ make plant-based dishes feel animal-like. Thanks to the meeting between Mr. Aoe and MIRACORE™, a new genre of Shojin cuisine that sometimes feels animal-like is emerging. I'm excited to see what new sensory Shojin dishes will come next!