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On sushi:

by jcwren (Prior)
on Jun 24, 2002 at 03:41 UTC ( [id://176680]=poll: print w/replies, xml ) Need Help??

Vote on this poll

I like it
[bar] 360/56%
Willing to try it
[bar] 66/10%
I'm allergic to it
[bar] 9/1%
I find it repulsive
[bar] 56/9%
We call it "bait"
[bar] 149/23%
640 total votes
Replies are listed 'Best First'.
Re: On sushi:
by jwest (Friar) on Jun 24, 2002 at 13:48 UTC
    Quoth User Friendly:

    "It is religious. Like cathedral.
    Caffeine for mind.
    Pizza for body.
    Sushi for soul." --Pitr


    -><- -><- -><- -><- -><-
    All things are Perfect
        To every last Flaw
        And bound in accord
             With Eris's Law
     - HBT; The Book of Advice, 1:7
    
Re: On sushi:
by LD2 (Curate) on Jun 24, 2002 at 03:46 UTC
    sushi good, sashimi better! :)
Re: On sushi:
by grep (Monsignor) on Jun 24, 2002 at 04:13 UTC
    We call it 'bait'

    This reminds me I need to skip work and go fishing :)



    grep
    Just me, the boy and these two monks, no questions asked.
      "Word" Where To?


      MGW Aplications Developer QuinnTeam Inc.
Re: On sushi:
by cacharbe (Curate) on Jun 24, 2002 at 12:14 UTC
    I lived in Japan for about a year. Although I wasn't sure about it when I went over there, I'm an avid fan now. I don't like much in the way of the myriad of fish varieties (allergy) but I will eat any of the vegetable varieties, and a couple cuts of undersea creature as well.

    I should add that I will meet any monk, anytime for Sushi in the Detroit area. Name the place and time, I'll be there, or drop me a line, and I'll take you to some places you might not know about.

    C-.

    Flex the Geek

Re: On sushi:
by blackjudas (Pilgrim) on Jun 24, 2002 at 06:18 UTC
    The whole idea of something raw and slippery sliding down my throat makes me wanna gag. (No comments from the peanut gallery please :) ). Maybe I'm just not sophisticated enough. But as with everything I can't really knock it until I try it.


    BlackJudas
      I'm sure there's a million "Sushi for the Uninitiated" guides, but here's my quick take. We're OT licenced here, and I'm using it!

      If you've had smoked salmon, also known as "lox", then you're half-way there. That's kind of the beef-jerky of the fish world. It's a 'gateway' food for some, kind of like the french fries at Taco Bell.

      Stick to what you know and build out from there. Don't do eel or squid unless you're ready for it. Newbie sushi people usually aren't offended by salmon ("sake") or tuna ("toro" or "maguro"). The taste is familar, but when raw, it's a lot more intense. Good fish is really very smooth, but it takes a good sushi "chef" to find it. As a rule, it would seem the farther inland you go, the harder it is to find really good sushi.

      If you're worried about wasabe, which is a green mustard paste with a very strong bite, you'd best stick with sashimi, which is just sliced raw fish. This will come with the wasabe and pickled ginger ("gari") on the side, so you can use it as you see fit. It's just tuna or salmon, so you know what to expect.

      As a rule: The stuff you find pre-packaged in plastic containers at the local mall is not sushi. It's to sushi what a hamburger is to a good steak. They might look the same, adhere to the same basic technical definition, but really, you're fooling yourself.

      When you get more advanced, you can tackle the more exciting stuff. If you're not sweating, you're not trying hard enough. The wasabe is a mustard, and from what I've found, even those used to spicy food are really burned by some of it. Chile hot and mustard hot are two different things, with mustard acting a lot more in the nose. Especially mustard oil, which I swear, is the sushi "chef"'s secret weapon. Do not taunt the chef, or they might spike your next roll with this stuff. Since it's a clear liquid, you're not going to see it.

      Good sushi isn't cheap, but then, neither is good fish. Done right, though, sushi is a lot cheaper than binging on oysters, and it can be a whole lot more fun too.

      Take the time to do it right and you'll probably enjoy it.

        stuff you find pre-packaged in plastic containers at the local mall is not sushi. It's to sushi what a hamburger is to a good steak. They might look the same, adhere to the same basic technical definition, but really, you're fooling yourself.

        We have a grocery store right next door that has real Japanese chefs with real Japanese tools making "boxed" Sushi right there in front of ya. The Sushi they make is really good! It comes with the ginger and the wasabi as well as a small container of soy for just under 6 bucks depending on what you get. I prefer their California rolls but they make many different kinds of Sushi.

        I consider this real Sushi and while I would generally agree with you, I would be careful to generalize too much. Although, I admit, I am not a Sushi officionado and you sound like you have way more experience with the authentic stuff than I. However, if you tried to say the same thing to the chefs making the stuff, I wonder what they would say. Heh, I even tried talking to them once. They don't speak Engrish.

        I've never been to Japan but I imagine there must be some similar thing out there? *shrug* I could be wrong...but I would think that something like this would be the case out there since Sushi is so popular there.

        Get this. There is a Chinese buffet restaurant here that is really good! They also have an all-you-can-eat Sushi bar which again has Japanese (these ones are engrish speaking :) chefs making the Sushi right there before your eyes. That place has some of the best sushi I've ever eaten and its a buffet! They do have a warning stating that if you eat too much of the Sushi at the Sushi bar they will charge you for what you eat...heh. Oh well.

        Btw, I mean no disrespect by "engrish" statements. I actually think its a cool way of saying English.

        _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
        - Jim
        Insert clever comment here...

        As a rule, it would seem the farther inland you go, the harder it is to find really good sushi.

        Well, Maine being right on the coast, I figure that means the sushi place here must be pretty good! ;)

        -----------------------
        You are what you think.

        {grin} Thanks tadman. I've heard nothing but good things, but my dislike is brought on by personal reasons. I cannot stand the smell of fish. When I was young I was on a family vacation to the Black Sea, one hot afternoon, the people renting the cabin with us bought some fish from a local fisherman and when I woke up from my nap (I think I was 4 or so) I opened the door and the stench from the fish being gutted and the heat hit me pretty hard. I don't remember it, but I do know that my stomach turns when I smell fish.

        So in short I am completely uninitiated :), I've been working on trying to get myself used to most ways that fish is prepared.

        The foods you describe sound amazingly tasty and some people have told me that the approach may be to start with the vegetarian sushi. I figure so many people enjoy it that I must be missing something. One day I'll feel brave and go on a mission!

        Thanks again for the informative words.

        BlackJudas
Re: On sushi:
by cecil36 (Pilgrim) on Jun 24, 2002 at 13:50 UTC
    Probably the best use for raw fish is to catch more fish. I'm more preferential to worms, especially ones armed with guns and banana bombs.
Re: On sushi:
by theorbtwo (Prior) on Jun 24, 2002 at 04:14 UTC

    Hm. I've never had it, but when I'm not in a boring mood, I'd like to try it.

    Update: Apparently, a new option got added while I was (somwhat breifly) asleep for the night.


    We are using here a powerful strategy of synthesis: wishful thinking. -- The Wizard Book

Re: On sushi:
by earthboundmisfit (Chaplain) on Jun 24, 2002 at 18:04 UTC
    On the topic of making your own sushi/sashimi, Atlantic Bonito is absolutely incredible. The meat is sweet and smooth as silk. I've never seen it available in any store or restaurant, but those who live in the North Eastern part of the US, south of Cape Cod can catch these from any rock pile or jetty along the coast from mid August through September. White plugs and jigs work, but the ultimate is catching them on a fly rod. When venturing out in my boat, I always bring along a sharp fillet knife and some ginger soy. I've made lunch on the spot with quite a few species: striped bass, goosefish, herring, cod, flounder, bluefish (yuck), bluefin tuna, black sea bass, scup, sculpin, sand lances, sea robins, tautog, false albacore (double yuck!), and an occasional sand worm (not as bad as you'd think). jwest reminded me that Spanish Mackrel is also very good, though difficult to catch with all those teeth.

    warning: those from the south often call bluefish bonito. Bluefish taste like crap no matter how you prepare it. Accept no substitutes.

      While I do agree that Bonito is mighty tasty, I have to urge people to be really careful about preparing it yourself.

      The reason bonitos are prepared lightly charred is because they have parasites on their skin, which must be killed before hand. The parasites easily die under heat, so if you take care of it there's no problem.

      Anyway, people prepare their own bonito sushi all the time, but you just have to be careful

        Yes, that is called scombroid poisoning and it's not limited to bonito. Any scombroid species (tuna, swordfish, albacore, mackrel, jacks, mahi mahi, etc.) can give you this. The liklihood and severity increases the longer the fish is out of the water. This is why I prepare sashimi right on the boat. BTW, it's caused by bacteria that produce histamines; searing the meat will not have any effect, but I've always wondered if a dose of sudofed would.
Re: On sushi:
by Sinister (Friar) on Jun 24, 2002 at 13:01 UTC
    I like it!!!

    Maybe even better when self-created. I can urge you all to take a workshop for the simple-minded-western wannabee sushi maker.
    It gives a great insight and is great fun!

    er formait hyarya.
    -- "Life is a house and the next tornado is never far away"
    -- "lovely by nature"

      Even without formal training, I can recommend making your own sushi, even though it won't be true japanese-style sushi. I always buckle up with some cash, raid the local japanese food store for fish (they have a good selection of frozen fish (frozen, because I'm not near the sea :-(( )), rice (you need "special" sushi rice, I haven't found any cheap replacements yet), and sushi vinegar (vinegar almost without own taste, have yet to determine whether artificial vinegar (concentrate) will work).

      The easy start for not-yet-sushi-eaters is salmon, raw tuna (fat or non-fat), cooked tuna (without oil), and some red/orange coloured crab-replacement as fish, and lettuce?, sesame, wasabi and yellow radish as ingedients.

      The preparation of the sushi rice is easy, wash the rice, cook it, then put in sugar and vinegar, let the stuff cool down; then starts the sushi (and maki) making, and you will find that rice works as a really good glue. One thing you should NOT skip are the bamboo mats to roll the maki, it's much harder without them and the rice needs to have some pressure applied (I've read in a book on sushi that the pressure provokes some chemical reaction ...).

      perl -MHTTP::Daemon -MHTTP::Response -MLWP::Simple -e ' ; # The $d = new HTTP::Daemon and fork and getprint $d->url and exit;#spider ($c = $d->accept())->get_request(); $c->send_response( new #in the HTTP::Response(200,$_,$_,qq(Just another Perl hacker\n))); ' # web

        I am no expert on sushi, but I have been told that most wasabi in typical sushi houses is not *true* wasabi. Apparently true wasabi commands an extremely high price, somewhere around $300USD an ounce. I remember being told what was used as wasabi, but not what they said.

        Anyone know anymore about this?

        Update: wil pointed me to this site about wasabi. Interesting information.

        --Chris

        e-mail jcwren

        I myself prefer cucumber cut up in julliene cubes (rubbed with a little salt) or avocado (which works great with smoked salmon)

        Of course, dont forget that not all sushi require maki or nori (roasted seaweed leaves) and that if you take a shrimp, cut it in at the belly, but dont pierce the shields, and twist it inside out, and put a little wasabi in the chest cavaty you have really great sushi which works as a fabulous apetizer.

        (And I always thought this was a perl place... ;)

        update : For those that do not know what wasabi is ... it is a horse-radish puree, unmixed as to "regular" horse-raddish you buy in $LOCAL_SUPERMARKET which is sweetened with sugar and thus less 'refreshing'...

        er formait hyarya.
        -- "Life is a house and the next tornado is never far away"
        -- "lovely by nature"

Re: On sushi:
by feloniousMonk (Pilgrim) on Jun 24, 2002 at 18:42 UTC
    Mmm, good.
    Wasabi is a must. As one who could live on habanero peppers
    without a problem, wasabi kicks my butt on the heat level.
    It's a much different burn, just enough is heaven but too
    much is nasal agony

    btw - the "fake wasabi" i've tried is soooo far from real
    wasabi it's sad, but you can't tell until you look
    closely or taste it.

    BTW - supermarket horseradish, like Gold's, is a
    different type of plant. Gold's tastes the same as if
    you grew and pickled it yourself. More or less...

    -felonious --
Re: On sushi: raw fish - the best fish ever (and i love fish)
by NaSe77 (Monk) on Jun 24, 2002 at 14:23 UTC
    I just loooooove it. but unfortunatly it is (at least in Berlin and Paris - the only to palces where i found sushi up to now) way too expensive to eat it every day 8(

    so long

    ps: if someone knows a good sushi-place near stuttgart ou brest - tell me , please

    ----
    NaSe
    :x

Re: On sushi:
by dimes (Novice) on Jun 25, 2002 at 20:53 UTC
    Very definite rule of thumb is that the better chosen AND prepared the sushi, the less likely it is to be fishy tasting/smelling. Some types of fish you can't help it....mackerel being on of them....but Tuna should be without fishy-ness, and good salmon should be buttery.....but its very hard to find properly prepared Salmon. I have enjoyed(and not enjoyed) sushi at many places....but the very best is still a little shop in Ocean Beach, California down near the pier...called Sapporo...though everyone who eats there more than once referes to it as Katsu's, since that is the name of the Head Chef and owner. If anyone is in the area and decides to try it out, tell Katsu and Uri that John in New York City says Hi, and I miss them. Out side of there is Samurai in Solana Beach in San Diego, California...fantastic too. Here in New York, there are suprisingly a great many mediocre and just plain bad sushi bars....Blue Ribbon may be the best...but very expensive...Nobu for ppl watching and 1 month reservation delays...for a only average Sushi experience...Sushi Hana on 78th and 2nd is very good and very reasonably priced. -dimes
Re: On sushi:
by hydo (Monk) on Jun 24, 2002 at 19:53 UTC
    Sushi Takahashi on broadway in Portland OR on Wednesday nights. All white plates are 1.25. It's like sushi dim-sum. Actually, they do this all day saturday and wednesday evenings. At any rate, the fried shrimp rolls are tasty and the tako is pleasantly tako-ey. They aren't the best in town, but they sure aren't the worst.

    -hydo

Re: On sushi:
by screamingeagle (Curate) on Jun 25, 2002 at 01:08 UTC
    hmm...how do i put this politely ? ... well here goes :
    i'd rather BE sushi than eat it ;-)
    (well, at least i tried ;-) )
Re: On sushi:
by S_Shrum (Pilgrim) on Jun 25, 2002 at 15:06 UTC

    WHERE you get you sushi is key and personally, I feel it is the RICE, not neseccarily the fish, that is hardest to get around...

    I visited a place around here in Los Alamitos, CA called Sango (call first and make reservations, it gets packed for lunch). If done correctly, the rice should NOT BE STICKY OR DRY and should have an almost sweet taste to it. I have yet to find a sushi place that does it half as close to the delicate taste that Sango does. The rice should compliment what is contained within (or on top)...I've had sushi rolls where the RICE, not the raw fish, almost made me gag.

    Then again, I don't hit up alot of Sushi bars...nobody I know wants to go with me. 8-(

    ======================
    Sean Shrum
    http://www.shrum.net

Re: On sushi:
by Chainsaw (Friar) on Jun 24, 2002 at 21:36 UTC
    Is really good, I like it.

    As one monk sez there are many Uninitiated eating sushy that's true. (For example the last weekend I buy some sushi and carry to home there my to brothers eat sushi and they like it. On the other side a friend almost trow up when try it)


    God help me always to see the other face of the coin. And prevent me from accusing of betrayal those who don't think just as I do.
Re: On sushi:
by shadox (Priest) on Jun 26, 2002 at 05:59 UTC
    Sushi is the best, in fact thats my favorite meal
    Here in Costa Rica not many people eat it, but who cares
    i like it and i will eat it everytime ($) i can :)
    ___________________________________________
    Optimus magister, bonus liber
Getting others to try sushi
by logan (Curate) on Jun 30, 2002 at 18:58 UTC
    Even in the SF Bay Area, I am perpetually amazed at how hard it is to get people to try sushi. Me, I love the stuff, but it's always a tough sell for others.

    When talking people into it, I've found that it's best to start with tuna. "You eat tuna fish, right? Imagine absolutely fresh tuna, caught this morning, and prepared a few minutes ago by someone who's spent a lifetime training, instead of caught 4 months ago, doused with chemicals, and stuffed into a can by someone making $5 an hour." From there, it's much easier to sell them on shrimp and salmon.

    Another good tactic is to go to a place that does all types of Japanese cusine. They can get teriyaki or tempura and try one of your Rainbow Rolls. Soon, they will be hooked.

    Oh, and warn them about the Wasabi. Even if what we get in America isn't real Wasabi, it's still powerful enough to empty your sinus cavity in 15 seconds flat.

    -Logan
    "What do I want? I'm an American. I want more."

      I feel your pain.

      I lived down in Austin, TX, when I got hooked on sushi, and down there I had several like-minded friends to join me when we had the money. Now, living in OKC, I'm having trouble even finding people who eat it. I know there are a few sushi places around, but I'm not yet ready to spend the money on someplace I can't get a trusted opinion on beforehand.

      Ah, well. Perhaps there'll be another trip to Austin to visit my old friends in the near future...

      -rattus

      Update: Again, I fail to see *why* I get downvoted for this.

      Oh, and warn them about the Wasabi. Even if what we get in America isn't real Wasabi, it's still powerful enough to empty your sinus cavity in 15 seconds flat.

      While real Wasabi could still sting you like there's no tomorrow, it's actually much much milder than powder ones and the like.... it's actually sweet, and you can definitely tell the difference :)

      So the correct statement is "Because what we get in America ins't real Wasabi..." (unfortunately, it's also common for sushi places in Japan to use fake-wasabi ... sigh. )

Re: On sushi:
by lestrrat (Deacon) on Jun 24, 2002 at 18:29 UTC

    Where's the "I can't live without it" option?

Re: On sushi:
by func (Acolyte) on Jun 25, 2002 at 03:13 UTC
    Where's the "I'm vegetarian but would like to try sushi, esp. after hearing about spicy tuna rolls" option?
      Well, I'm vegan, and have to say that the veggie sushi is yummy.

      my $yum; my $pants = 33; my @ingredients = (qw(avocado cucumber rice pickled_ginger wasabi)); if (fork){die "Use chop()sticks!\n"} chop @ingredients; for (@ingredients){ $yum += $_; } chomp $yum; untie $pants;
Re: On sushi:
by septuagint (Initiate) on Jun 27, 2002 at 17:23 UTC
    it's good...well, only if you like the smell of feet and don't care about taste, then it's delicious!
Re: On sushi:
by NAstyed (Chaplain) on Jun 24, 2002 at 12:40 UTC
    Never had it, but someday gonna try it.

    Zonaunderground is my Latinamerican underground music site, check it out!
Re: On sushi:
by blaze (Friar) on Jun 28, 2002 at 04:39 UTC
    guess im not that open minded....now calamari on the other hand..mmmmmm...nuthin, like some fried squid
Re: On sushi:
by scott (Chaplain) on Jun 27, 2002 at 21:54 UTC

    Sushi!?

    Dim Sum all the way, baby!

Re: On sushi:
by vek (Prior) on Jun 25, 2002 at 18:57 UTC
    Never tried it but I hear it's an acquired taste (a bit like Guinness - yum).

    -- vek --
      I can't think of a better meal than Guinness and sushi. :)
        I would have thought the heavy taste of Guinness would pretty much overpower the more delicate flavor of the sushi. If I'm mistaken, please enlighten me that I may go forth and try it. A good stout, after all, ranks high among those things which make life worth living. ;)
Sushi Tip
by Anonymous Monk on Jul 01, 2002 at 21:06 UTC
    I haven't read the whole thread, so my applogies if someone has already mentioned this... Take a deep breath when you walk into a new sushi place. Does it smell like fish? If not, you should be safe to proceed. Fresh fish has very little in the way of a "fishy" aroma. It's only after it's been laying around for a bit that it starts to achieve a smell of offensive proportions and a decidedly unpleasant flavor. At that point you have to start worrying about salmonella and such, so, correspondingly, the greater the smell the greater the health hazard.

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