In case you are unawares, my favorite food is in fact sushi. There are many reasons that this is the case. First, obviously I think it tastes great, but I love the whole experience that having sushi "is". This is my tribute page to all that is sushi to spread the message of sushi to the masses.

*see info at bottom for details | Last updated: September 3, 2007

What is sushi?
Beginning as a method of preserving fish centuries ago, sushi has evolved into an artful, unique dining experience. In its earliest form, dried fish was placed between two pieces of vinegared rice as a way of making it last. The nori (seaweed) was added later as a way to keep one's fingers from getting sticky.

People should associate sushi with the sushi bar or shop, which plays a role in Japan curiously similar to that of the Pub in England. In this relaxed and informal atmosphere, patrons sit at tables or booths enjoying their food and beverage. True aficionados sit at the actual sushi bar on a stool, selecting his delicacy from the refrigerated display in front of him and watching the master prepare his selection.

Unfortunately, many people associate sushi with raw seafood. In the first place, not all seafood is served raw, and in the second place, raw seafood is more properly called sashimi. Sashimi is slices or slabs of raw seafood, such as tuna and octopus, served on a platter with thinly sliced ginger, finely shredded radish, and wasabi (Japanese horse radish mustard). Sushi can be eaten as is, or is often dipped into shoyu (Japanese soy sauce) and then eaten. Often, much care is put into the creation of the dish and the many methods of preparing the food indicate the importance of appearance to the educated consumer.

What are the different kinds of sushi?
There are different kinds, depending on how the item is presented. They are:
Chirashi-zushi - a bowl or box of sushi rice topped with a variety of sashimi.
Inari-zushi - Aburage (fried pouches of tofu) stuffed with sushi rice.
Maki-zushi - The rice and seaweed rolls with fish and/or vegetables. There are also more specific terms for the rolls depending on the style. They are:
Futomaki - thick rolls
Hosomaki - thin rolls
Uramaki - inside-out rolls
Nigiri-zushi - The little fingers of rice topped with wasabi and a filet of raw or cooked fish or shellfish. Generally the most common form of sushi you will see.
Temaki-zushi - Also called a hand-roll. Cones of sushi rice, fish and vegetables wrapped in seaweed. It is very similar to maki.
The fish in sushi can also come in a few different forms and styles, apart from the plain piece of fish. You might see:
Hikari mono - a piece of fish with the silvery skin left on.
Neta - the name for the piece of fish placed on a piece of nigiri sushi.
Sukimi - Chopped up fish sometimes used in maki (rolls) or served as sashimi.

What are those other things on my plate?
Depending on what you ordered and the whim of the chef, you might see items such as wasabi (the hot green Japanese horseradish-like rhizome), gari (pickled ginger, which comes in both a pink and a light tan colour, with the lighter stuff usually indicating better quality). You may also see a large green leaf called shiso, which is often served with sashimi, and a shredded white mass of Japanese radish called daikon, which is also often served with sashimi.

* This is a count of the number of sushi pieces (pieces of Maki, Futomaki, Nigiri sushi, etc.) that I have had since I started counting for this site in January of 2000. This is actually probably off a little, because there was a period of time in which I stopped counting for a bit. But it is pretty close. And yes, I am aware of two very obvious facts: 1) There is no way I wil ever fill up the entire counter, in fact I think it is a given that I may never even break the 5 digit mark, but I do not let that deter me. And 2) Yes, I know this is an uber badge of dweebdom. But have you have thought that it just might also be the uber badge of sushi-dom? -- Yeah. I know. It isn't. But I tell myself that anyway to feel whole.