Fantasy French Full Course 42: Odyssey of Wheat II — A Journey Where Wheat Wears Time and Transforms into Aroma and Flavor
L’Odyssée du Blé II — Le blé se pare du temps, arômes et saveurs
Odyssey of Wheat II: A Journey Where Wheat Wears Time and Transforms into Aroma and Flavor
The theme is fermentation and time. From young bubbles to maturity, we layer the aroma and flavor of wheat. Reinterpreting classics with sourdough, koji, and sake lees.
Bubbles and acidity outline the profile, while aging layers the umami. From youth to maturity, embark on a journey of taste guided by fermentation.
Amuse-bouche: Lightly Fermented Bubbles × Sprouting
Levain ale foam and sprouted wheat tartlet
Contrast of milky white and young grass
A bite that captures the acidic aroma of young levain in delicate bubbles, layered with the sweet aroma of a sprouted wheat tart, leaving a light lingering finish in the mouth.
• Origin: French natural yeast (levain) / beer yeast culture
• Technique: Emulsifying and stabilizing beer-derived foam, combined with a sprouted wheat tart
Entrée froide: Lactic Refreshment × Grain Sparkle
Salt-koji marinated scallops with malt vinaigrette and green herb salad — Contrast of pearl and jade
Scallops with sweetness drawn out by salt-koji, sharpened by a malt vinaigrette. Transparent umami melts with the snow of grains, where definition and roundness coexist.
• Origin: Eastern koji fermentation × Western acidic salad
• Technique: Drawing out umami with salt-koji and refining the acidic profile with malt vinaigrette
Tasting point
Centered on the milky quality of the scallops, the acidity builds the profile, and the finish fades away round and sweet.
Entrée chaude: Creamy Roundness × Prelude to Char
Tarte Flambée 2025 “Time Layers” — Contrast of flaxen and amber
Ultra-thin fermented dough with fermented cream and onion confit. Crispness and smoothness overlap, and a gentle sweet aroma envelops the whole.
• Origin: Alsatian fermented thin-crust (tarte flambée)
• Technique: Low-temperature long-fermentation dough / semi-whipped emulsified fermented cream / long-cooked onion confit
Tasting point
Experience the “fusion of layers” where the sweetness of the onions and the emulsification of the cream naturally fill the tongue from the crisp dough.
Poisson: “Temps (Time)” Reinterpretation of a Classic
Sea bass in a levain mille-feuille wrap, sake lees beurre blanc and ancient wheat crème — Contrast of golden layers and ivory
Sea bass wrapped in sourdough-scented pastry, served with sake lees beurre blanc and ancient wheat crème. The “layers of time” unravel on the tongue.
• Origin: French classic “Sea bass in pastry” × Japanese sake lees
• Technique: Wrapped and baked in 48-hour fermented sourdough dough / brushed with koji butter / coated with sake lees beurre blanc
Tasting point
Enjoy the three-dimensional effect as the “layers of time” unravel on the tongue in the order of pastry → fish → sauce.
Granité: Nuance of Oxidation × Refreshment
Old cask malt gelée and green apple espuma — Contrast of amber and young green
The gentle oxidative aroma of old cask malt is sealed in a gelée and lifted by the fine bubbles of green apple. Cleanses the palate and quietly connects to the next chapter.
• Origin: The world of malt aging
• Technique: Sealing the oxidative aroma derived from old casks into a gelée and lifting it with fine-bubbled green apple espuma
Tasting point
After the light bubbles disappear, feel the “breath of time” as the malt aroma softly returns to the nasal cavity.
Viande: Low Temperature × Long-term Concentration
Lactic-aged duck breast rôti, black beer jus and cracked spelt — Contrast of deep brown and walnut color
Duck breast with a sweet aroma from lactic aging, served with a light black beer jus. The chewiness of the cracked spelt creates density, and the finish is refined.
• Origin: Nordic aging techniques × French rôti
• Technique: Low-temperature aging and skin-side roasting / emulsified jus reduced with black beer / cracked spelt glaze
Tasting point
Enjoy the moment when the meat and sauce are not separate, but felt as “a single mass on the tongue.”
Fromage: Washing and Refermentation
Beer-washed fromage, spent grain crisp — Contrast of amber and wheat gold
The aroma of the beer-washed cheese is caught by the thin spent grain crisp. The grain aroma lingers, and the scent continues.
• Origin: Monastery-style wash × Brewery culture
• Technique: Beer-washed cheese / crisp baked from brewing lees / drop of hop-scented oil
• Taste: Strong aroma and savoriness overlap, reviving the memory of bubbles
Tasting point
The fat of the cheese and the grain aroma cling like a veil, with the scent lingering on the tongue.
8. Pré-Dessert: Coolness of Milk Fermentation
Kefir and citrus sorbet, honey kombucha mist — Contrast of white and pale citrus
The smooth acidity of kefir with a faint mist of honey kombucha. A white coolness rises, gently preparing the entrance to sweetness.
• Origin: Fermented milk × Fermented tea culture
• Technique: Light emulsification of lactic sorbet / micro-spray of kombucha
Tasting point
Just before the coldness of the sorbet melts, the acidity outlines the profile for a brief moment.
Dessert: Dough Infused with Time
Black beer baba and sourdough custard, wheat koji caramel — Contrast of jet black and ivory
The fermented dough infused with black beer unravels, with acidic custard and koji caramel providing a core to the sweetness—a quiet climax.
• Origin: French baba × Wheat fermentation culture
• Technique: Black beer impregnation / acidic custard / light caramel
Tasting point
After the rich sweetness, a streak of acidity cleanses the mouth, and the finish continues long and quiet.
Mignardises: A Sincere Conclusion
• Sourdough langue de chat (thin and fragrant)
• Malt sablé (crumbly from short baking)
• Yeast nougatine (faint bitterness and savoriness)
Sourdough langue de chat, malt sablé, yeast nougatine. Without fanfare, the curtain falls quietly with fragments of time.
Tasting point
Memories of “time” reside in small fragments, quietly welcoming the final chapter.
Pain Pairing — Five Times
1. Young levain (soft beginning of acidity)
2. 24h fermented baguette (sweetness of wheat)
3. Black beer whole wheat boule (aroma of malt)
4. Rye sourdough (peak of acidity)
5. Ancient wheat brioche (lingering finish of butter)