From Dame Judith Dunbar-Hines

June’s Dames Who Read book was EIGHT FLAVORS The Untold Story of American Cuisine by Sarah Lohman.

Threatening clouds did not deter 16 Dames and friends who gathered in the secret garden of The Spice House for our June meeting.  Patty Erd, her husband Tom “The Spice King”, and their staff quickly set up a tent, and welcomed everyone with wine and gift bags. They then presented a lively and engaging discussion of the origins and popularity of the eight flavors mentioned in the book we had just read, Eight Flavorsby Sarah Lohman.

Afterward we crossed the street to Kamehachi for an amazing meal to illustrate those flavors in unusual ways, all with a Japanese accent.  The meal included huge trays of  beautifully presented sushi selections, plus miso soup, Chicken Teryaki and Mushroom Tobanyaki, followed by ice cream with a miso caramel sauce.

From the book, the presentation, the meal and the presentation, we all learned interesting and useful facts about Black Pepper, Vanilla, Chili Powder, Curry Powder, Soy Sauce, Garlic, MSG, and Siracha.

We thank the Erds and the staff at Kamehachi for a most flavorful and fun event !

Photos by Toria Emas