Before the meal begins, one plate is set on the table first.
Just-picked leafy greens and herbs lie piled in layers, with yuzu and honey running lightly over the top.
Leaf Crush begins with that first plate.
What rises first is yuzu peel and lemongrass. A freshness that spreads like a dressing as the leaves are tossed. The clear, juicy bite of green grape skin and a herbal nuance of wild thyme join in, and the green takes on fuller shape and depth.
At the center are leaves torn and crushed by hand. Raw green, the kind that bursts the moment a leaf is bruised between the fingers. Of them all, the tea leaf is the most bitter, and it holds the balance among the sweeter, brighter notes. Neroli adds a light floral brightness, and honey draws the scattered leaves together into a single dressing.
Oakmoss and patchouli spread the earthiness of the soil those leaves grew in, giving the fragrance its roots. Because of them, instead of sparkling for a moment and fading, the green lingers long on the skin. White musk closes the finish cleanly, and tonka bean leaves a tender warmth.
A fresh green plate, the kind that wakes the appetite. Leaf Crush is the first course that opens The Table Collection.