Click To View Larger Image

• by:
• Riccardi, Victoria Abbott

Kaiseke is an ancient Japanese practice that dates back to the thirteenth century. Beginning as a modest vegetarian meal, Buddhist monks ate in Kyoto's Zen temples, it developed into a highly symbolic, uniquely Japanese ritual. Riccardi, through special introductions and favors from numerous Japanese contacts, was able to attend one of Kyoto's most prestigious tea schools, where she was taken under the wing of an American expatriate who became her kaiseke mentor.

Riccardi's story is not only a journey into adventure and adulthood but also an engrossing, knowledgeable account of Japanese culture, food, and the romance of Kyoto. While abroad, Riccardi lives with a Japanese couple, taught at the English school they ran, and explored the beguiling world of Japanese cuisine--the restaurants, food shops, supermarkets, and many fast-disappearing culinary customs. Her memoir is enhanced with 25 recipes so readers can replicated some of the dishes Riccardi encountered.