A Guide to Sushi

Life is all about learning and new experiences. At least I, for one, feel that it should be about those things! Some people try an activity like sky diving or a cruise for the first time to celebrate a 60th, 70th, or 80th birthday. My grandfather celebrated turning 80 by riding the wildest roller coaster he could find. It made me greatly admire his courage and he recaptured a fun part of childhood that day. He also had a good time teasing me about not having the guts to get anywhere near a roller coaster!

Variety is the Proverbial Spice of Life!

A less physical way to experience new things is to build an interest in various international music or international cuisine. I have tried both and each is equally as stimulating. Give it a try and your friends will soon be asking for tips and wanting to accompany you to all those fabulous new restaurants you will be frequenting.

Do a little bit of research and decide which cuisine to start with. I will be discussing a Japanese specialty because it is what enamored me to world cuisines and I am always on the lookout for new culinary experiences. But for today, the topic is something that I crave quite often: the wonderful world of sushi!

I was a true newbie, but just for a short time! When I timidly walked into my first sushi restaurant, I didn't even know what sushi looked like. I only knew that it was becoming very popular and I wanted to be able to say that I tried some of it. By the time I left that Orlando restaurant, I was hooked.

What is Maki?

If you are newly becoming familiar with sushi, you may be more comfortable with one of the "maki" roll choices that will not involve raw fish. Maki is simply a name for the type of sushi that is rolled and cut into bite-sized pieces. (But be advised that some maki uses raw fish).

Two such "non-raw" favorites are California Roll (cooked crabmeat, avocado, and cucumber rolled in the special rice mixture and seaweed sheet); and the Philadelphia Roll (rice and seaweed with smoked salmon, cucumber, and cream cheese). One side note here: if you are traveling in Asia, don't ask for California or Philadelphia Roll Maki, they are primarily "Western" sushi menu items!

What is the Green Stuff?

There are some basic terms to know, whether you are just discovering this sweeping food craze or you are already an aficionado. One excellent thing to learn is what exactly that "green pasty stuff" is that will be served with your sushi. This is something to remember if you are new to the sushi world and want to survive your trip to the restaurant! Here is the way my mind worked the first time:

"What is that pretty green paste?"

"Well, it's being served near the sushi; it must be to spread on top of it!"

That was actually a pretty good guess, but if you value life and limb, do not *spread* it, use only a wee bit with your sushi! It is called wasabi and it is Japanese horseradish. It is much stronger (read "fire-like!") than the familiar horseradish we enjoy in other parts of the world. I have heard people say that the wasabi is to be mixed with soy sauce before eating it with your sushi and others say that the best way is to tuck a little bit of it directly into the sushi roll. The critical term there is LITTLE BIT! Personally I don't like soy sauce, so I always use the wasabi directly onto the piece of sushi.

What is Gari?

Next to the wasabi and soy sauce near the sushi, you will find thin strips of pink "ribbon-like" food. This is called "gari" and it is pickled ginger and eaten between different types of sushi for palate cleansing. I view it as an acquired taste, but it really isn't too hard to get used to.

What is Nori?

The dark substance that holds the rice, fish, and vegetables together is a sheet of thin seaweed. It is called "nori" and can be rolled up inside with your rice appearing on the outside, or the nori can be on the outside to hold everything together.

Okay, So How Do I Eat This Stuff?

Most varieties of sushi are made in such a way so that the diner can (and should) eat the piece in one bite. You can use chopsticks or your fingers. If you enjoy soy sauce, dip the sushi piece into it quickly and that's all there is to do before enjoying your meal. Don't forget your gari or sip of green tea between bites and be prepared to be hooked!

Have At It and Enjoy!

Finding a sushi restaurant isn't very difficult now. They seem to be cropping up everywhere. In my own case, I can even find it at my local Chinese / Japanese buffet as well as in the deli section of my supermarket.

Why not learn to make it and treat your friends to a sushi party? My own plan is to learn how to make many varieties of sushi. It will certainly be kinder on the waistline (and wallet!) than eating out every time I get a longing for it!