Sushi Otaku

I’ve always been a fan of sake. In fact, I prefer it to wine, which as a westerner obviously has to do with a taste acquired from my frequent sushi dining. When I order sushi I order sake. Some traditionalists say that one should not drink sake while eating sushi, “rice and rice,” but I never understood the logic behind that. Good sake is a great companion to the subtle flavours of sushi. Dry sake does not interrupt the taste of your meal; it provides balance and a palate cleansing to help differentiate each piece. And for those of you who prefer a sweet sake, that works too as the seasoned rice has a slight sweetness to it. Of course my number one rule is that if you like it, do it. While I can certainly appreciate a good wine/sake, I’ve never been a snob about it.

Many people, east and west, drink beer with their sushi. Often, Japanese beers (lagers) that tend to have a lighter body and flavor (in comparison to some of the western craft ales that can be darker and heavier). This makes sense as a heavy beer can easily cause you to lose sight of your meal and it’s subtlety. Some beers are meals in and of themselves. The Japanese beers lean more towards the sake spectrum as alcoholic beverages go, and often do accompany a good hunk maguro. But they still seem like too much for something as subtle as ika (squid) and other, lighter fare.

Sake is an interesting beverage. I won’t go into a detailed history since it’s an easy search, but the different styles that have evolved are a great insight into the complexity of the drink. Hot or cold. “Pearl” or clear (pearl is a white, cloudy sake with the some of the fermented rice solids, or”lees” remaining in the drink). There are many ways to enjoy sake.

Historically, sake was served warm. This would actually help mask some of the off flavors produced during production and the storage techniques that contributed a “woody” flavor. Sake was not, historically, a complex or sophisticated drink, but it certainly was robust. That’s not a criticism, just a result of the way it was produced. Over time, techniques became more sophisticated, the chemical reactions better understood, rice tailored to sake production was created and overall, a better beverage evolved. Today, generally the cheaper sakes are still served warm, but better ones are served chilled. And better they are. Today’s sakes are as complex and sophisticated as any wine (and have as many way to describe their taste, body, etc.). And that is why they can be easily paired with any food, and especially sushi.

I drink green tea after my meal. But I always have a glass (or two) of sake with my sushi. Sake can stand up to the western style spicy scallop roll or the traditional hamachi sashimi . It’s also great on its own. I always keep a bottle of my favorite in the fridge. Those of you who may have tried it but may have been turned off by a warm glass should really try a cold glass of the good stuff. And drink one for me.

Warren
The Sushi Guy

N.B. I’m going on holiday for a bit so I won’t be able to post for about 2 weeks or so. But hopefully I’ll find some sushi to talk about when I get back. Let’s just hope I’ll have something positive to say…

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Yesterday’s MSNBC Article on the dangers of sushi kind of bothered me. I’m used to the media sensationalizing just about everything, but it seems to me that their main goal, in the absence of enough news, is just to scare people. I’m not going to argue that there is no risk to eating predatory animals and fish, there is (all toxins work their way up the food chain on land or in the sea), but the risk of mercury in tuna, swordfish, shark, and others has been known for a while. And unless you are eating a lot of these foods every day, I honestly don’t believe that you are risking your life (as it would seem they believe) every time you go out for sushi.

What the article blatantly fails to mention (and obviously so because this seems to have been written to take advantage of the growing prevalence of sushi restaurants in the west) is that these already known risks are also valid in tinned tuna, and any other predatory fish you may eat cooked in a regular restaurant or home. You also might want to think about the pesticides in the veggies you eat every day as well (the ones that get into your produce, not just on the skin). Or BSE in your beef. Or avian flu in your poultry. I could really go on for a long time.

My point is not that everything is great and don’t worry, be happy. It is that any educated consumer should be aware that just about everything you do carries risks (even crossing the street) and that any sensible person should simply just be smart about their diet and not fall prey to the fear mongering that the media seems to have adopted instead of reporting actual news. Remember, for them it’s all about getting the readers attention to sell more papers and ad space, not about how to enjoy something responsibly.

Warren
The Sushi Guy.

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