Is it food? You might ask that question at a buffet, or in-flight or just to tease your friend. But can food be art? I’m not sure, because I’m too busy eating it.
How about that? Is that art? No, I’m not talking about the photo, rather I’m referencing the biscuit, known as 小瓦 (the pronunciation is either kogawara or ogawara; the meaning is “little tile”), hailing from the Kikusui flagship store in Kobe, Japan. Wagashi, Japanese sweets better known as accompaniments to the tea ceremony process, are a specialty of Kikusui. In true wagashi fashion, without a sip of tea, 小瓦 gets blander with each successive bite.
In general, Japanese cuisine is known for its labor-intensive placement of various dishes in specific wares, and for a multi-course meal, serving certain dishes in a rigid order. In other words, you’ll probably leave hungry. However, my question is, do you care that your food spent more time in the powder room than you? To quote one of the more unusual writers in the blogosphere: “It’s Food. You’re Supposed to Eat It.”
Collateral Lettuce 