Oishinbo

Synopsis

The next Ultimate VS Supreme menu contest involves desserts, but Yamaoka is undecided about what to prepare. Meanwhile, Toujin invites Yamaoka to a new teahouse he designed for the owner of Kanzendo, but he also invites Kaibara. The delicacy offered with the tea is monaka, crisp shells containing sweet muscat grapes which must be consumed within 5 minutes before they go soft. Kaibara cryptically hints that the secret to the basic dessert is contained within the tearoom leaving Yamaoka initially confused, but he then realizes the secret is persimmon. On the day of the contest, Kaibara presents partially dried ripe persimmons which are both sweet and soft, arguing that it lies between fruit and a modern sugar-based dessert. Yamaoka counters with persimmon, but has the empty fruit filled with a jelly containing persimmons mellowed in a sake cask (樽柿, たるがき, tarugaki) and the fruit soaked in gin with a little sugar to create a sweet dessert. The result is declared a tie leaving Yamaoka frustrated, although Kaibara demands a rematch but with more imagination next time.

(Source: Wikipedia)