Tomoko Tahara Tomoko Tahara

Double layered jelly.

Double layered jelly. This is our pallet changer. A small refreshment before a dessert.

Green apricots and flowering currant jelly.
Green apricots have a distinct taste compared to fully ripe apricots. The taste of green apricots is often described as slightly sour or tangy, with a hint of sweetness. They have a unique fruity flavor that is not as intense as fully ripe apricots but still enjoyable, also have a subtle almond-like flavor. This flavor is often associated with apricot pits or kernels, which have a slightly nutty taste. It adds a pleasant depth to the overall flavor profile of green apricots.
The combination of green apricots and flowering currant jelly are a delightful pairing. The sourness of the green apricots can complement the sweetness of the flowering currant jelly, creating a balanced and flavorful combination. The almond-like flavor of the green apricots can also add an interesting twist to the overall taste experience.

By creating a double-layered jelly, you can enjoy the distinct flavors of both ingredients in a visually appealing manner. The contrasting of amber colour and gentle red colour reminds me a sunset.

Maest food (Tomoko Tahara) solo Vegan Farm to Table Dinner Series Vol.12.
20th June 2023 At Folke restaurant 2585 W broadway(Kitsilano)
This time, the menu is all gluten free.
Ticket link is here.

Menu:

1.Kelp chips,tonburi, morells, wild pickles
2.Vegan Burrata.Elder flower.Strawberry & miso. Seed crackers.
3.Turnip noodles. Mugwort mochi. Peas. Herbs
4.Burdock.rubarb. Pine cone honey.Artichoke.Seasonal beans.
5.Flowering currants and green apricot jelly
6.Monaka wafers. Cherry blossom ice cream.Seasonal fruits.

*We will have feature drinks :
cocktails, wine and non alchols.
Feature bottle cocktails by Kaname (Grapes and soda )
Vegan biodynamic wines selections from BC wine provider Ian and wine.
For sobers, our forest inspired sodas. Available at the cash bar on the day.(accepting cash/credit card/debit) .
Also a bonus! Our playlist of the night is created by Vancouver DJ, Nina Mendoza .

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Sneak peek of 1st course : Hassun, snack plate

A sneak peek of our first course: Hassun.

Folke restaurant and I (@tomokotahara/ @maest_food ) teamed up to create a modern take on this traditional snack tray from the Kaiseki tea ceremony menu. 

Our Hassun features four unique snacks:

  • Candied horsetails with beach rose sugar. (T) / I wrote about candy made from foraged horsetails that I dehydrated and candied with soy caramel, coated with beach rose sugar.

  • Wild green bouquets with rosehip tare, flavoured oil.(T) / I also foraged wild greens, including ground elder, cleavers, bitter cress, wild fennel, and blossoms, and served them as a bouquet with rosehip tare sauce and flavoured oil.

  • Pumpkin seed tofu with Chef Colin’s special condiments (stay tuned)(F) / Chef Colin from Folke created pumpkin seed tofu without using Nigari or other coagulant agents. He will serve it with his special homemade condiments, and the reveal is coming soon!

  • Slow cooked Beet sashimi with house made ponzu jelly.(F)/To make the slow-cooked beet sashimi, chef Colin used a multi-step process that included burning, slow cooking, and dehydrating the beets. The resulting dish is packed with delicious beet flavor.

Here is a great news. We're excited to offer a more budget-friendly version of our event ticket. Now priced at just $85, your ticket includes a 7-course tastings menu(complete with dessert) and gratuity. 

We've also streamlined the menu by reducing the number of featured items, so you can focus on savoring each bite. Choose your preferred seating time (6pm or 8pm) and get ready for a culinary adventure like no other!

*We understand that some of you may have already purchased tickets at the higher price, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. However, we will be issuing refunds for the price adjustment to ensure that everyone can enjoy this incredible dining experience at the new, lower price.

Ticket link https://www.folkerestaurant.com/tickets. Photo credit : Cafe yvr

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Great grapes

vegan experimental farm to table dinner at Burdock and co

I was at farmers market to look around interesting vegetables that I only can find at the market.

Stoney paradise farm. They are famous for tomatoes, their tomatoes are flavourful and sweet, they have huge line ups when they are at the market.

I saw they are selling coronation grapes - and I was wondering how do they taste like. I tried a grape berry - wow. It was amazing.

The grapes are in our second course, eye ball beets.

Cherry blossom flavoured slow cooked beets. Beets are stuffed with local hazel nut cheese.The grapes are on the centre, it is tiny part of the dish but their flavour is bold, perfect with floral flavoured beets.

Serving with plum seed flavoured dashi broth. The plum pit flavour is from Denmark’s famous distillery Empirical’s liquor.

Flax seed crackers on the side.

Our dinner pop up event at Burdock and co, tickets and details are here. Don’t miss it - this is our last pop up 2022

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