Sushi Otaku

Archive for June, 2011

I’ve heard people refer to sushi as “cat food” before and make fun of it in many other ways, but what many folks don’t know is that Bluefin Tuna, now suffering from incredible demand, was, until the 1970′s, a ‘sport’ fish sold to companies for cat food or thrown away. Its fatty belly meat, known as ‘toro’ is now one of the more expensive items on the menu. I guess it’s all how you want to look at it.

All foods evolve as demand and supply issues tug at the markets and sushi is no exception. There was a time in the past when oysters populated our coasts like moss, and they were considered as food only for the poor. Even lobsters suffered the same opinion, and in fact were even ground up and used to fertilize soil in the early days of the European colonization of the Americas. It wasn’t until the turn of the century (well, the last century, the early 1900′s) that it started to be a “status” dish. Salmon is now a new ‘health food’ due to the high concentration of Omega-3 fatty acids, but even in my lifetime was once dirt-cheap and not that popular. I remember being very young and eating it probably twice a week since my mother was a particular fan of the flavor (and I became a devotee myself).

Our perception of food changes over time, and foods that would otherwise be ignored are constantly being incorporated into our diets as existing stocks dwindle and new opportunities are exploited. And some foods that were simply not common in some geographical regions (e.g the U.S.) become popular after a period of exposure, like sushi. The Monkfish was a rare fish in our diet until the mid 1970′s, but now ankimo (monkfish liver) is an expensive delicacy around the world (in fact, wholesale prices for the livers have increased over 2,000% since 1982, and you can imagine what that does to retail prices over that same time). I could go on forever and talk about any type of sushi I want, but the point of this piece is that the folks who don’t understand what we sushi otaku appreciate simply don’t put our culinary world into perspective. So sure, call my sushi “cat food.” Technically, you may not be that far from the mark. But it’s the best darn cat food I’ve ever eaten!

Warren
The Sushi Guy

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.

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.

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.