Sushi

I have tried a California Roll and didn't like that either. Just not for me I guess.

OK...I give up...it just wasn't meant to be.

Wa-sa-bi.

I love sushi. My all-time favorite is Unagi.

Damn, my eyes are watering...

My MIL is a very so-phis-ti-cated woman.

Once she was hosting a group that was in town for a convention at a nice restaurant downtown. They ordered sushi. To show all around just how so-phis-ti-cated she was she deftly picked up her chopsticks and grabbed a huge glob of wasabi and put it into her mouth. The color of her face went from ashen to purple to white as her hair started to stand on end.

I love to tell this story.

hee hee

My first wasabi experience was memorable (as if there is one that isn't).

I was at a fairly upscale dining establishment in Denver, and I ordered tuna, lightly seared - not sushi, just a steak. It came with some interesting-looking green stuff that I didn't recognize. Not knowing any better, I liberally applied the wasabi to a piece of tuna and chewed.

Seconds later, I managed to find my way out of the dining room with as much dignity as possible considering all the tears that were streaming out, and stumbled into the restroom so I could splash some cold water on my face. I was in pain for a while. Whoo-boy.

A little dab 'il do ya.

Er, that would be sashimi grade, I think. Really good sashimi is extremely fresh, and well kept cold. Various places are highly rated for this in LA and SF, that I know of, and undoubtedly in other major world cities. I'd be careful of the average place, not so much for bad fish, as for getting mediocre sashimi. Although I suppose you could get yourself some bad fish too.

I recently heard a story about a friend-of-a-friend that thought wasabi was guacamole...

Now, Chinese mustard, I can eat that by the spoonful!

I have! And it was all right. Nothing like the real thing from a sushi bar, but acceptable for a gathering of close friends.

I bought the fish at the fish market. Buying fresh salmon was the tricky part. I didn't know how to pick!
Another thing was getting the rice right. It took me more than one try, but I eventually got it right.
And hmm... The bad thing about making it at home is that you'll lack variety. Unless you're willing to put a lot of effort into it. I don't see why though. It'll end up being less expensive, less time consuming and much more delicious if ordered and eaten at a good sushi bar.

About the wasabi... ouch! I never had a bad encounter with the stuff. My sister forewarned me about its potential. Pheeew!

Yeah thats kind of what I was thinking. But I thought it would be fun for a get together or something.

When you are buying fish will it be labeled sashimi quality or do I need to just go asking around?

Any raw fish you serve must be sashimi quality. Your option if you can't find it is to simply cook the fish just through before wrapping it up.

Another related thing to do for a get together is to make tempura...

cj has a point. Ask away, just to be on the safe side. Maybe if you go to a small fish market, you can be specific as to what you want and order it ahead. I don't know though, it's just a thought.

Making the sushi is super fun... and messy. Well... it was for me. I'm sure you'll have lotsa fun.
But here's a tip. roll 'em all up first and only then you should start cutting. My friends and I were cutting as we were rolling and some of them started eating before we were finished. They were all curious as to "how it tasted" being homemade and all... Also, make sure you have a very very sharp knife. Nori is surprisingly difficult to cut through.

Thanks for all the tips... I'm getting hungry just thinking about it.