CleverRoot

s u m m e r 2 0 1 8 | 6 9 Sweet Treats Meet Tradition According to Schlosser, the American idea of mochi as ice cream–filled dough is a misconception. "That dish was invented in the '70s in Down- town Los Angeles, whereas 'real' mochi is a simple pounded rice served with no accoutrements," the chef explains. For his Kakurega dessert, Schlosser was inspired by a small shop he came across in Tokyo, where they served traditional mochi dressed with cashew nuts and black sugar syrup. His yakumo mochi is a tribute he spent months fine-tuning: "The hard part is drying it correctly," Schlosser notes, "otherwise it won't puff to the right pillowy texture when it's grilled." Schlosser admits that the culinary team had originally wanted to serve dessert with a milkshake-like drink, but he wasn't thrilled with the idea, as mochi should be eaten with tea. The spirit of collaboration ulti- mately prevailed: Schlosser's dessert was paired with the Ichi-Go Iche- E, made with Hibiki Japanese Harmony, crème de cacao, and matcha, and functioned as a delicious compromise by offering a tea component with a subtle creaminess. "This cocktail is the polar opposite of the Samurai Sword," says Mun- dell, "but the Harmony feels so alive in both. The aim of the Harmony is to show the quality of Suntory's whiskies and the artistry of blending while providing a platform for the single malts to express themselves." Hibiki Japanese Harmony dances on the palate like a foxtrot, with American oak hitting the front, Spanish oak enlivening the back, and the rare Japanese Mizunara oak providing a noticeably elongated fin- ish. "With so many layers of complexity and flavor, you can approach this spirit from different directions," Mundell says of the stark contrast between the cocktail pairings for the sweet and savory courses. To celebrate the end of the month-long Los Angeles Times Food Bowl this spring, Yahagi chose to showcase this traditional style of dining at Spago, where he held a pop-up called Kakure- ga ("hidden gem") on May 31. To transform a well-known Bev- erly Hills mainstay into an intimate Japanese speakeasy with an omakase-style pairing menu, Yahagi—who has served in Spago's kitchen for the past 14 years after Wolfgang Puck Tokyo shut- tered its doors—enlisted help from David Schlosser, Chef/Own- er of Downtown Los Angeles' Shibumi restaurant, and Johnnie Mundell, Beam Suntory's Senior Japanese Whisky Ambassador. Schlosser was raised in Santa Monica, but his heart and his career has transported him to kitchens in New York, Paris, Thai- land, and Japan, where he lived for four years while working for the United States Ambassador. After he eventually landed back in L.A., where his restaurant focuses on hyper-traditional Japanese cuisine, Schlosser jumped at the chance to bring his skills to Spago. Mundell, meanwhile, says he lent his expertise to the bever- age portion of the meal because "a thoughtful pairing like this is the culturally appropriate way to drink Japanese whisky." He explains that the Japanese rarely drink without eating and that bars in the country usually offer meticulously selected small bites. "Japan has a culture of consideration," Mundell continues. "They take everything and figure out the best way to benefit the most people, and the attentiveness to ingredients and flow and harmony that went into this meal is incredibly Japanese." David Schlosser, Chef/Owner of Shibumi, dresses up traditional Japanese mochi with cashew nuts and black sugar syrup. The dessert was paired with a cocktail featuring Suntory Hibiki Japanese Harmony, crème de cacao, and matcha. Kakurega diners could round out their experience with two flights of Suntory offerings: One included Yamazaki 12, Hakushu 12, and Hibiki Japanese Harmony, while the other consisted of Yamazaki 18, Hakushu 18, and Hibiki 17. Both were served with olfactory primers to enhance certain elements of the whiskies. For example, the earthy, umami notes of soy sauce magnifies the Yamazaki's natural sweetness and highlights the cask arrangement, while mint leaf married with the peat found in the Hakushu expression transports drinkers to a pine forest. A Savory Supplement In Japan, Yahagi says, curry is a staple in home cooking: "Every mom makes it, and at my house my mom would make a pot and we'd eat it for dinner and the next three meals." As a nod to this traditional dish, the Kakurega menu featured a katsu curry, with Yahagi's take on the dish scratch-made from roux, sweated onions, a house blend of seasonings, and demi-glace. And while this dish is typically served with a standard pork cutlet, Yahagi upheld the Spago standard by using the highest-quality wagyu beef from Miyazaki Prefecture, fried medium-rare. "It's almost wrong to serve this dish with such a fine piece of meat," says the chef, "but it was fun departure for this event." Yahagi notes that because curry has such powerful flavor, sweet and sour combinations work well to balance it. This prompted Mundell to serve the Samurai Sword, a cocktail made with Suntory Hibiki Japanese Harmony, ginger, lemon, and wildflower honey in a semi-riff on a Penicillin. "The balance is what speaks to me in this drink," he says. "It has the medicinal and restorative elements of a Penicillin, but it's the considered Japanese take—giving the medicine gently—that falls in line with how this meal was structured and how I identify with Japanese whisky." Chef Yahagi's twist on traditional katsu curry paired with the Samurai Sword, a light, refreshing Japanese riff on a Penicillin. Suntory Whisky Toki™ Japanese Whisky, 43% Alc./Vol. ©2018 Beam Suntory Import Co., Chicago, IL. ■cr

• Cover