Sushi Otaku

I love going out to a great sushi-ya and sitting down to a nice, appealing meal. Served properly, sushi is art as well as sustenance, and often each piece can take conversation in an interesting direction, even without the aid of sake. sushi offers insight into the skills of the itamae, and the individual who chose the particular fish for the restaurant. It also speaks wonders about the importance of ritual and presentation in eastern cultures.

So why does every market seem to sell sushi these days? Basically, it’s a fad. I don’t mean that in the pejorative sense, I’m actually happy it has caught on so well, but it really does smell of one. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve grabbed a salmon maki from Whole Foods for lunch, or a California roll on the way home to snack on before dinner (Shhhhhh! Don’t tell my wife). But if you think about it, the prevalence of sushi is a good thing. Regard about how it came to be.

Way, way back in history, sushi was a pre-prepared (and preserved) food. It was essentially raw fish that had been enclosed in rice and left under a rock in an anaerobic environment to “ferment.” After a predetermined period of time had elapsed, the fish was eaten (and I imagine was quite pungent) and the rice thrown away. Centuries later, vinegar was added to the rice (to enhance the preservative qualities) and eventually the rice was eaten as well when the “ferment” had finished. Eventually, the seasoned rice became the “bed” of nigiri-zushi and fresh raw fish was placed on top and the resulting product was sold from stalls for folks on the go. Not that long ago, it became restaurant food. *

Sushi is the ultimate fast food. The artisans who create each piece can whip out a roll in no time at all. It seems disrespectful to say that they can slap a piece of fish on a bed of rice before you can blink, But it’s true. And often it looks and tastes great. And what’s better, it is actually good for you. Give my body a choice of stopping by McDonald’s on the way home or snacking on a spicy tuna roll and I think you know which it would prefer. Sure, the roll is a bit more expensive than a burger, but we’re still only talking a few dollars so I don’t buy that argument. Sushi as a quick meal or snack is good for you; it’s as simple as that, unlike many other options. Sushi can be not so much “fast food” as “quick food.”

So what is sushi? To me, it can be quick snack or robust dining experience. Like anything, it has evolved, and evolved well. For me, the spread of sushi into more public outlets allows me the “quick fix” that I often crave. I still enjoy going out for a more elegant experience and to appreciate the presentation and skill of the itamae (and conversation with him/her if I’m sitting at the sushi bar). I see no reason why sushi can’t have it both ways, especially if you think that it was more casual fare for most of its history. With sushi, you can pack the mystique of the dish into a take-out container and still know you are eating something unique. As “fast food” it is not dumbed-down. Sushi stands up to the label and dashes it. So when I need a quick bite I’ll have my fish raw, please, and leave the fish and chips for someone else.

Warren
The Sushi Guy.

* This is a brutally condensed version of the history of sushi and should be seen as such. It’s history is much more convoluted and interesting than this brief writing can convey.

4 Comments »

I feel somewhat oddly as I get more personal in this blog, however I guess that’s the point of a blog sometimes, eh? But one issue I thought I’d touch on is sushi and dating. I’ve been eating sushi for a long time. When I started to get interested in “The Real Date” (as opposed to the high school whatever happens, happens kind of date) it was obvious to me that a Japanese restaurant would be a place I would choose. I’m that kind of guy.

These days, it’s easier to go out to a sushi-ya on a date, however 15 years ago, they weren’t so numerous and sushi wasn’t as popular. Back then, I would make sure to go to a restaurant that had other options, such as teriyaki and other cooked, western friendly items. Sometimes it wasn’t hard to get my date to try the squid (ika) or the uni (sea urchin), but more often it was a no-go and I never pressed the issue. It was often great for conversation, though, as I munched away on my bowl of shrimp heads or monkfish liver (mmmmm, ankimo).

As time passed, I got older and palates became more sophisticated. More people knew of and ate sushi and it was not as uncommon to drag someone to a basement sushi-ya that you couldnâ’t even see from the street and have the best sushi you’ve had in a while (and I love New York City for that). I was always good with etiquette questions and identifying the unusual items, and the conversation changed from the “what the heck are you eating” kind of chat to “hey, that looks interesting, what is it?” type of conversation. Dates weren’t about impressing someone any more (well, not as much) and evolved into appreciating the food we ordered, and each other.

One technique, however, that was sure to impress (or so I thought) was to pop what was left of the wad of wasabi (I always order the real stuff when available) into my mouth at the end of the meal and chew away. With bright red face I would check the gag reflex and pretend that all was well. Did the chicks dig it? Well, they sure thought I was crazy, and in your twenties that’s not a bad thing (as long as you not a total wing nut). My wife makes fun of me to this day for showing off in that way with her. The combination of date and sushi became easier and more interesting as sushi caught on, while my adventurousness no longer had the impact it once had. But, it wasn’t a bad thing. The date should be about the date and not wondering why some guy is popping shrimp eyes between his incisors.

I no longer date, for obvious reasons, and my wife is a great sushi partner. We do still go out on “dates” to our favorite sushi-ya when we can get someone to watch the kids. It no longer impresses her when I eat my wasabi (it became a habit from overuse), but I can still whip out an offhand sushi fact that she hasn’t heard yet, which is nice. The food is good and the conversation better. I just wish the itamae would stop skimping on the wasabi.

Warren
The Sushi Guy.

No Comments »

Life is hard. Making sushi is harder. The other evening I decided it would be fun to make some maki for dinner, something I used to do a lot, actually, when I was younger. But it’s been a really long time since I had the time and wherewithal to do it at home and it’s no bicycle ride.

I figured I would make it easy since it had been a while and I last made it before I had children. ‘Lets start with a few California rolls’ I said to my wife who readily agreed because everyone in my family has a severe avocado addiction.

This is what we did:
Buy your seafood. Then, start with the rice. You want to rinse sushi rice before cooking to get rid of excess starch, otherwise your sticky rice (as my son calls it) will be a solid mass and impossible to work with. Rinse the rice until the water runs relatively clear and then cook. When the rice is cooked, season with a mixture of rice wine vinegar and sugar and carefully fold the rice to evenly distribute the seasoning liquid. It sounds odd, but that’s what you do, believe me, it works. Let the rice cool to room temperature and you are ready to go.

Cut up the avocado, cucumber, and surimi (that fake crab leg stuff that is used in these rolls) and got all the fixins’ together. Get out your nori (seaweed wrapper for the roll) and place it shiny side down. I cut off about 1/3rd of the sheet to help me size the roll properly, but that’s up to you. Spread some of the rice mixture evenly over the nori, leaving a bit of nori showing on the edges. Lay the goodies in a row along the closest part of the sheet and slowly roll the sheet away from you. It is easiest if you have a bamboo rolling mat to help guide the rolling and shape the roll after it is rolled up. Roll. And viola! Cutting the rolls also requires finesse. Use a large, very sharp knife, and keep some water handy to keep the knife edge moist or the starch adhering to the knife will make cutting your roll a living hell. Cut in half, place the two halves side by side and cut them into thirds and you will have a nice maki.

Yeah, right. It sounds easy, doesn’t it? Well, it’s not. It’s really not. My first roll was 4 inches in diameter. Bizarre. Way too much rice, but it had been a while… Keep the rice layer relatively thin, that’s what you have to remember. By the third roll they started looking normal, but it was a groove that I really had to work on to get back into. I did and we played around with other fillings. Salmon is my son’s favorite. My daughter just likes the rice and had way too much fun with it. But it was a good evening with some nice cold sake, edamame, and mochi with red bean ice cream filling. Some of the best stuff on the planet. It’s fun to make sushi at home, and really not hard at all. It’s just hard to make it look nice

Warren
The Sushi Guy.

7 Comments »

I’ve been disappointed many times at various restaurants, but I really think it’s the worst to be disappointed when going out for sushi. One always expects something good and perhaps different when going out, but sushi is such a unique experience that when you get bad sushi, it hurts (Please! Not in the face!). If your lamb isn’t cooked right, or your potatoes are just plain weird, it’s one thing, but if your hamachi is funky, it will make you want to push your plate away and perhaps even divest yourself of your latest meal.

I mention this because, years ago, there was a little sushi place not far from where I lived that used to be my stand-by. I went weekly if not more frequently, even for just a nibble sometimes. But over time, something happened. It started to go downhill. There wasn’t a management change and the same itamae prepared food behind the counter. Perhaps he was getting senile, but one day I got bad hamachi. Really bad… It made me ill. I’m not a complainer so I didn’t, but it took me a while to go back. Over time, I had other bad experiences there with items just ‘not right’ and eventually I simply stopped going. Perhaps I should have said something at some point, but I never did. About a year or so later, it was closed, and I don’t think I need to guess why.

I love sushi, and I don’t ask for perfection in technique, but when a food prides itself on its freshness and preparation, there is a level of quality that I cannot overlook. When I go out for sushi, I need it to be good. If it’s not, I may as well have gone for fast food. And I don’t mean fish ‘n chips.

Warren
The Sushi Guy.

5 Comments »