Valentine Dinner Escoffier

As a wonderful Valentine's Day treat, Stephen and I went to the New Sanno Hotel in Tokyo. The New Sanno is an American-style hotel provided for military members and their dependents to enjoy. On this weekend in particular they offered a Valentine dinner escoffier. I have heard it is extremely difficult to get a reservation for considering they begin booking 6 months in advance. However, God was good and somehow made an opening for us!

On Friday, February 8th Stephen rushed home from work, changed, and we caught the first train leaving Yamato Station and headed for downtown Tokyo. A quick one hour later, we arrived just in time to freshen up in the room before heading downstairs to the ballroom where there was even a professional photographer taking photos for guests. We were lead to an intimate table for two which displayed personal name cards, 6 small glasses of wine, and several multiple sized forks. This of course got us talking about proper etiquette so we had a good time sharing etiquette knowledge and pretending we were an older, rich, British couple :)

I would love to give you every detail of the dinner but this blog would become a novel so instead I will attach the menu at the bottom of this post. But I will tell you that it was THE most incredible meal I have ever had. We received a wine pairing with every course (8 total) and descriptions to accompany it. There was also a band of string musicians present to round out the beautiful evening. We savored the food and conversation for a whole three hours!

It was the perfect first Valentine's date as a married couple.

Menu:


APPETIZER
Duck Pâté
Robust Mixture of Force Meat, Seasoned with Fresh Oranges, Brandy, Pistachios Nuts and Truffles, Served with Dijon Mustard and Cornichons
SOUP
Consommé Mirei
A Rich Beef Consommé Garnished with Shiso Leaf and Gold Flakes
SEAFOOD
Fruits de Mer
Array of Seafood Combining Scallops, Lobster and Shrimp, Arranged atop Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Resting in a Pool of Lemon Zest Butter Sauce, Garnished with Japanese Beans
GAME
Roast Quail
Boneless Game Bird, Filled with a Herb Flavored Filling, Studded with Sun Dried Cherries, Nestled atop a Porchini Risotto and Served with a Natural Sauce, Accompanied with Fresh Asparagus
SORBET
Passion Fruit
ENTRÉE
Filet of Beef
Tenderloin Filet, Pan Seared and Served in a Cordon of Madeira Sauce, Garnished with
Grilled Polenta and Array of Baby Vegetables
SALAD
Caesar Salad
Fresh Leafs of Romaine Lettuce, Tossed with a Rich Dressing Flavored with Garlic and Fresh Lemon Juice, Garnished with Smoke Salmon Jerky
DESSERT
Chocolate Heart Shaped Gateau
Served with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream, Resting in a Pool of Grand Marnier Sauce, Garnished with Fresh Strawberries

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WINE SELECTION
APPETIZER
Pinot Grigio, Santa Margarita, Italy
The wine boasts a fresh, clean fragrance that is followed by a crisp, refreshing flavor with hints of citrus fruits. This dry white wine has a straw yellow color. It is clean, intense aroma and bone-dry taste with an appealing flavor of Golden Delicious apples.SEAFOOD
Piesporter Goldtröpfchen, Jacob Zimmerman, Germany 
This Riesling is delightfully off-dry, with crisp green apple and fresh grapefruit flavors. Perfect balance between crisp acidity and ripe Riesling fruit is found in this Mosel wine.GAME
Cabernet Sauvignon, Francis Coppola "Director's Cut", California
Director's Cut Cabernet Sauvignon is blended with some Merlot and Cabernet Franc. This wine delivers a bouquet of blackberries and sweet cigar box along with rich flavors of cherries, currants, and cassis embellished with a hint of anise and vanilla. While dazzling on the palate now, this wine has the structure and dimension to gain complexity in the years to come.ENTRÉE
Cabernet Sauvignon, Cuvaison, California
This wine has a bright core of boysenberry and black-cherry fruit rimmed with cocoa, toffee, and black currants. Firm but forgiving tannins portend an age-worthy Cabernet while the bright fruit and long finish invite early drinking.
DESSERT
Moscato d'Oro, Robert Mondavi, Napa Valley, California 
IIntensely fruity and floral, yet light as air on the palate, the sweetness of the Moscato d'Oro is impeccably balanced by crisp, mouthwatering acidity. This elegant expression of orange blossom, white peach, fresh apricot and rose petal is
interwoven with an unmistakable touch of honey. The clean, citrusy finish is enlivened by a soft, subtle tingle of effervescence.

A Different Kind of Beautiful

I (Kylee) just had my first haircut since living in Japan. Wow! The Japanese salons sure do know how to treat a girl. The service (like most Japanese businesses) was top notch. I was welcomed as soon as I walked into the door; "Shisaimaseeee...!" They took my coat, purse, and scarf to the coat closet, brought me yuzu (Japanese orange/lemon fruit) tea, gave an incredible head AND shoulder massage.

When the hairstylist first saw me I could tell by the look on his face and the question "May I thin your hair?" that he was not used to working with such a mass of mane. Of course I quickly objected so he asked a female to come over and help him so I then had two people drying and straightening my hair.

The actual haircut itself, however, was not top notch. I should know by now not to expect what I normally would see in the U.S. but I keep forgetting. Usually, I would walk into a salon looking like a mess and walk out looking fabulous with big, voluminous, curly, sexy locks (courtesy of Michele Rogers). But that is because I think big, voluminous, curly is beautiful. In Japan, that is NOT beautiful. Beautiful is smooth, thin, straight hair. So when the hairstylist faces me to the mirror to view his masterpiece I was definitely surprised to see a very simple style. Of course I smiled and thanked the gentleman 4 to 5 times (as is part of Japanese custom) but it was a great lesson in the subjectivity of "Beauty". What I saw as "plain, simple, easy-to-do-myself" he saw as truly beautiful.

I know we have all heard the phrase "beauty is in the eye of the beholder", but we really should try to believe it. It has been a lifelong battle to give to God all my self-image issues and I know it will probably continue to be a battle, but now I see that He is using my time in Japan to help me see that I AM beautiful in His eyes and He is the Truth. God made me fearfully and wonderfully, and whatever self-loathing thoughts Satan whispers in my mind can be extinguished by that very truth.

Thanks for letting me get "preachy" ;)