I {heart} sushi

It's no secret that I lurve me some sushi. I can have sushi everyday for the rest of my life. 

Hubby was the one that actually introduced me to sushi when we were still dating. He took me to a sushi restaurant in California and had me try a California roll [which was good] but also had me try the wasabi {straight up} --- which turned me off immediately. [If you've ever eaten plain horseradish on it's own--you know what I mean.]

Over the years, I've acquired a discerning palate for different kinds of sushi and I am more adventurous now than before. My favorite is sashimi [which is just the plain raw fish without the rice] but I will try anything and everything.

(sashimi)

If you're new to sushi and thinking about trying it for the first time, here's some of my tips:

Stay on the safe side

Go to a reputable sushi restaurant. Nowadays, you can find reviews on Apps such as Yelp or Tripadvisor which is very helpful especially when you're traveling. You'll have fresher selection from cities that are closer to the water (like San Francisco or Seattle) but other places can have them shipped usually in 24 hours (like Las Vegas).

(SushiMon)

Try cooked items first

Not all sushi is raw. If you are uncomfortable eating something raw, try something cooked and that you like. There's also sushi without seafood ("vegetarian sushi") such as a cucumber roll. Other examples are:

• California Roll - avocado, cucumber and imitation crab meat
• Eel (Unagi) - cooked and served with a sweet savory sauce on top
• Shrimp (Ebi) - is always cooked

Start with Rolls instead of Sushi or Sashimi
Rolls are made with rice and the fish is within the roll and not on top (which is called nigiri). It can be wrapped usually with seaweed but some are wrapped with lettuce or just the rice. This might offset the thought of eating something raw from the get-go.

Here is Nigiri ( kinds of tuna--pink and white, and unagi--eel)

Unagi rolls

A variety plate

When you're ready to eat 
You can use chopsticks to pick up the sushi or you can use your fingers. Put a small amount of wasabi (Japanese horseradish---which is always optional) and mix it with soy sauce (I use low sodium soy sauce) in a small dish provided for you. Dip your sushi lightly in the mixture then put the entire thing in your mouth (if you can).

Some sushi restaurants have desserts that you can try. They are usually small (bite-size) which is perfect!

(Green tea ice cream)

Let the chef help you
Ask the sushi chef what you should try first. They are always very helpful. Do not expect them to handle money. People who handle the food, never touch the money.

Ready for some sushi yet?