It's all about the polish...

So I was able to attend the annual "Joy of Sake" tasting held at the Puck Center in NYC. They had 399 sakes available for tasting!!! They had a whole floor of sakes yet to be released in the U.S. and another floor dedicated to the ones that we can buy here. They also had many top restaurants providing incredibly delicious appetizers. But back to the point. I was able to take these pictures of rice grains used to make sake at one of the booths there. Here you can clearly see how much smaller 35% "seimaibuai" is compared to a regular rice grain. Meaning with the rice grains used to make a particular sake, they polish away the hard outer surface of the rice grain so that only 35% of the actual grain remains. This is the center of the grain which is the most flavorful part. That's why you get those incredible aromas and flavors from the Dai Ginjo's we all love. Dai Ginjo's have to have a seimaibuai of at least 50% and as much as 35%. This is also why Ginjo's and Dai Ginjo's tend to cost more. You not only have to polish the rice grains, but you have to use a lot more rice to make the same amount of sake. Almost 3 times as much for certain Dai Ginjos. Pictured is the largest brown rice grains from the top. It's amazing how much work and effort they put into making beverage. But I have to say, it is definitely worth it!

Unpasturized "Nama" Spring Sake...

I've learned a lot about sake since moving to New York. The difference between crappy warm sake that people do sake bombs with, and cold, quality sake where you can actually taste the flavors. I've learned about the main classifications "Jumai", "Ginjo" and "Dai Ginjo" and specialty sakes like "Nigori" which means unfiltered. But one thing that gets me really excited about sake is unpasteurized "Nama" sake. Only available during the summer months, and early fall. It's unpasteurized which means it's not heated to kill all the bacteria. This means, it's alive, changing and best of all, vibrant. It has a shorter shelf life and has to be kept refrigerated or it will spoil. It's a little more expensive, and a little more work but boy is it worth it. Take this "Tedorigawa Arabashiri", which means "Rippling Stream". It is Fantastic!!!. It feels alive on your palette, with tiny effervescent bubbles that tingle the senses...like a "Rippling Stream"!!! This sake is thoroughly enjoyable and incredibly surprising to anyone. It comes in a beautiful brown bottle with this rice paper label.... and once you sip this, you'll never feel the same about sake again.

Live Tanks...

One of my most pleasurable dining experiences was at this bar/restaurant in Ropongi area of Tokyo. We ordered one of the Tile fish from the tanks and it was prepared right in front of us... usuzukuri style. Which means it was cut paper-thin. It was amazing!!! I wasn't the least bit hungry but this sashimi was so good... I could not resist eating it. It costs about a hundred dollars per fish... but what an experience. I have yet to come across anything in NYC that comes even close to this.

Beautiful Bamboo...

Good food is all about fresh ingredients. This is not the same bamboo shoots that you get at a chinese restaurant here in the states. Seeing something like this makes me want to cook!!! It be interesting to see an Iron Chef show with this as the main ingredient. Bamboo shoots are not to be eaten raw. It has a bitter taste and can be hard to digest. This picture is from a market in Kyoto. That part of Japan loves its mountain vegetables.

A Live One...

This is from the same sushi bar in Shibuya that I mentioned before. We enjoyed Live Lobster! You know, it was one of those things. I was in Tokyo, didn't know if I'd ever be back. Here was my chance to try something different.... and ohhh it was different. The chef plucked it right out of the tank and away he went. After he prepped it, he set this plate in front of us. The lobster was still moving. Apparently, that is the sign of an expert chef. The lobster should still be alive when it is presented to the customer. If the chef takes too long, the lobster meat doesn't taste as good.

The whole presentation was amazing to watch. I remember the meat being both sharp and succulant to my novice palete. Very good with our sake and beer that we had. Now that is something you don't do everyday but it was well worth it. I'm not sure how much it was supposed to be because I didn't see the lobster on the menu but apparently, it's pretty expensive. I'd think it'd have to be. This is something I haven't seen in New York, but would like to try here. I think New Yorkers are just crazy enough to try it.

9 Grams...

So according to a sushi chef who's been at it for about 25 years, the proper weight of rice for a nigiri piece of sushi is exactly 9 grams. This is according to high-end restaurant standards in Japan. The chef even told me they gave him quizes on how my grains of rice each piece of nigiri should have! The answer: 250 grains. Give or take 50 grains. He says it was a LONG time ago so he doesn't remember exactly. I didn't believe him so we sat there with a tooth pick and counted them out. Lol... yes... we are freaks and yes, he was right.

Above is a couple of pieces of sushi at a popular restaurant in Shibuya, a famous part of Tokyo. To the left is Kani Roe... or Crab Caviar. Delicious!!! The texture and flavor were perfect. I actually don't remember what the other piece was. From the looks of it, it's part of a fin judging by the texture. Notice how the pieces are layed on bamboo leaves. No need to do dishes and biodegradable to boot.

Will Travel...

Here's a picture I took during my recent visit to Madison, Wisconsin. It's a Shrimp Tempura Roll from a restaurant located near the capitol called Muramoto. Shinji Muramoto was one of the talented sushi chefs that I used to work with back in my sushi slinging days and now he owns his own Japanese Tapas Restaurant. It's a very nice place with a big bar and plenty of table seating. The decor is sleek and dark and the food is above average. They have a great sake selection as well as wines and Japanese beers. It's great to see some old friends become successful doing the things they love.

Temaki Zushi...

The art of the Hand Roll... has been lost for the most part. But for those who know... it IS one of the best ways to enjoy a slice of raw fish. For food like sushi, I believe texture plays just as important role as does taste. That's why you should only order hand rolls when you're sitting at the sushi bar. It's critcal to eat the hand roll within seconds of being made so the nori (seaweed) stays fresh and crispy. The crispyness of the nori combined with the fresh fish combined with delicate sushi rice make for a wonderful culinary experience all it's own. When you order the same handroll at a table, it just isn't the same. No matter how fast your server is, the nori will begin to soak up the moister from the rice within seconds and you end up with chewy nori and a subpar experience.

Years ago, I remember when I was working as a sushi helper, we were allowed to eat sushi as our family meal at the end of every Sunday . It was my favorite night to work just because I knew at the end of night, I was going to get sushi. I'd go to the bar, get a couple pieces of nori, a bowl of rice and some cuts of sashimi, avocado and usually cucumbers and sit at the table with the others. While everyone else was enjoying their meal as sashimi, which was the perenial favorite. I started making handrolls right at the table with all my ingredients. To this day, it's still the best hand rolls I've ever enjoyed. I just remember being overwhelmed by how good everything tasted at the moment it was made, as opposed sitting there for a few minutes. It does make a difference.

So... I suggest trying it at your favorite neighborhood sushi bar. Sit at the bar and start ordering hand rolls. You won't regret it. The picture above is from part of my dinner tonight, Yellowtail and Scallion and Tuna Avocado Hand Rolls. I also had an Eel and Cucumber Hand Roll but it's not pictured.