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    The Soft Power
    1 bite · 2 chews

    The Soft Power

    Miso-glazed eggplant bite on crispy wonton with pickled ginger

    Gatherings are not production — they are architecture. Soft power embedded in a room.

    Why this bite? Carl sees gatherings as soft power. Miso eggplant — gentle, complex, quietly transformative — proves his thesis.

    The Story

    Carl believes gatherings are architecture, not production. During the pandemic, event professionals emerged as connective tissue — aligning departments, preserving culture. What executives discovered was the strategic dimension of convening: soft power embedded in a room. This miso eggplant — gentle, complex, quietly transformative — is soft power you can taste.

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    Prep: 20 minYield: 12 pieces

    Ingredients

    • Japanese eggplant
    • White miso paste
    • Mirin
    • Wonton wrappers
    • Pickled ginger
    • Sesame seeds
    • Scallion

    Preparation

    1. 1.Slice eggplant into rounds, score and brush with miso-mirin glaze.
    2. 2.Broil until caramelized and tender.
    3. 3.Cut wonton wrappers into rounds and bake until crisp.
    4. 4.Place eggplant on wonton, top with pickled ginger and sesame.