Determined to be the first sushi chef in space, this video shows astronaut Soichi Noguchi making and eating a handroll (temaki) in space!

Sushi in Space

by Marisa Baggett

Many would be surprised to find that I count Michael Jackson as one of the most influential figures in my sushi career. I never had the pleasure of meeting the superstar nor have I ever found any accounts of him being a sushi lover. I can’t do the moonwalk and haven’t committed all the dance steps of Thriller to memory. Yet I can confidently say if it weren’t for him, I may not have ever ventured into a career of sushi. In the past when people would say to me that I couldn’t become a sushi because I was a black female, I super-imposed Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk over their image in my mind and find strength. Whenever I face a sushi challenge or feel like I can’t press out one more nigiri-zushi, I can use the same image or turn on his music and once again I am strong. In essence, I equate sushi with Michael Jackson and the connection came to me in a very unexpected way.

About ten years ago in the town of Starkville, Mississippi, I owned a small restaurant called The Chocolate Giraffe. The restaurant, which could best be described as an eclectic upscale sandwich shop and bakery, was the storefront for a catering company as well as a coffeehouse.  Back in those days I dreamt of becoming the town’s premiere baker of spunky wedding cakes as well as becoming the it caterer. It was through my catering business that I agreed to provide sushi for a dinner party despite having no knowledge of the cuisine. A few employees that had actually frequented sushi bars in other towns put it all together while I focused on the ambiance. The party was a huge success and The Giraffe as we were so known, began hosting weekly sushi nights.

I liked sushi enough. On the one hand, it added a distinct panache to the restaurant’s reputation. It was pretty and one could barely argue against the income it provided. We were the only sushi game in town, not a single one of us was Asian, and it felt great to do something we were told by another restaurant owner would never catch on. But for all of its glory, sushi didn’t touch a special place in my heart. In fact, it literally didn’t touch me and vice versa. I opted instead for a more hands off approach, directing my line cooks on presentation and creating the menus without ever once preparing any of it.

Sitting at the bar one sunny afternoon and recovering from a lunch service, I watched as my father parked his pick up truck in front of the restaurant. He entered very purposely, removed his signature cowboy hat and took a seat next to me. He offered no greeting but instead looked me directly in the eyes.

“Even Michael Jackson still has to dance,” he said.

It seemed a strange, irrelevent thing to say. I had expected to hear a report that I had perhaps overspent my labor budget for the prior week or something of the sort. Daddy, who doubled as a business partner, rarely visited mid afternoon unless there was some corrective action I needed to implement immediately. He must have known that I was confused because he repeated his profound statement.

“Even Michael Jackson still has to dance. You serve sushi but you don’t even make it. Even Michael Jackson still has to dance, “ he offered.

And before I could respond, he replaced his hat and left me sitting alone at the bar.  His words haunted me all afternoon. His words couldn’t have been any more timely as it was the eve of one of our most booked sushi nights. As usual, he was right. How could I continue to justify not taking a more active approach?

I retired from work early that evening and curled up at home with a thick stack of sushi books. As I flipped through page after page of beautifully photographed nigiri-zushi and maki, my father’s words rang over and over again in my head. I had to at least give sushi making a try or I would never hear the end of it. I resigned to make the most of it and spent hours reading about the cuisine and comparing various tips on its preparation. 

With more studying what once seemed so foreign and elusive became somewhat familiar. Though having no hands on experience, I had a hunch that I would know what to do when the time came. I closed my eyes and imagined myself to be a sushi “dancer” that allowed the preparation of sushi to flow through me like music does an amazing dancer.

The next day, I joined my staff in the kitchen. They raised eyebrows when I announced that I would be joining them in making sushi for the night. When the preparations were nearly complete, we all huddled around the pot of rice and watched as little tufts of steam emerged. This had always been their favorite part of the process. I had to admit that it was mesmerizing quite like a mysterious dance partner beckoning one onto the floor. It was at that very moment that I fell in love with sushi. Sushi beckoned me onto the “dance floor” and I accepted. It was then that I knew sushi and I would have a lifelong affair.

“I think we’re ready to open. What are we listening to tonight?” asked one of the kitchen guys.

I smiled and retrieved a cd from my purse, slipping it into the player without letting anyone see. I took a deep breath of the vinegar-perfumed air before pressing play and resuming my place behind the counter. Within seconds, the tell tale beat of Billie Jean filled the restaurant.  I hovered my hands over the sushi rice. I was ready…ready to dance.

Dazzle your friends with a simple roll that only looks difficult. The secret to making this roll is a piece of plastic wrap. Nova lox and avocado are layered on top of the sushi roll then covered with a piece of plastic wrap which stays in place while the roll is being cut to ensure that the toppings don’t fall off.

Not sure how to make an inside out sushi roll? Learn more about the ura maki or inside out rolling technique.

Crab Rolls Topped with Salmon and Avocado

Makes one sushi roll of 6-8 pieces

1 4in x7in piece nori

1 cup prepared sushi rice

1 imitation crab stick

2 cucumber sticks, French fry sized

1/4 avocado + 2 thin slices

2 slices of Nova lox, cut in half (You’ll only need 3 total pieces, so eat the other one or apply towards another roll.)

1/2 tsp finely chopped scallion

1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

pickled ginger, optional

wasabi, optional

soy sauce for dipping, optional

To assemble the roll, place nori rough side facing upwards, horizontally directly on your work surface. Cover entire surface of nori with a thin even layer of sushi rice. Flip nori over.

Tear or cut crabstick in half lengthwise. Place pieces end to end in the center of the nori, being sure they extend the full length of the nori. Next, place 2 avocado slices on top of crabstick. Use another thin slice if avocado does not extend the full length of the nori. Top with cucumber sticks and sprinkle on scallions.

Roll according to the method for rolling inside out sushi rolls. Do not cut sushi roll into pieces.

Starting on one end of the sushi roll, lay one piece of Nova lox on top. Cut 2-3 very thin slices from the 1/4 avocado piece and lay them on top of the sushi roll being sure to overlap the lox. Place another piece of lox overlapping the last slice of avocado. Cut another 2-3 pieces of avocado and continue the pattern. Place the last slice of lox on the sushi roll. This pattern should extend the surface of the sushi roll. You may have to shift some of the pieces around slightly at an angle to cover the entire surface.

Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the sushi roll. Using a bamboo rolling mat, gently press the lox and avocado to the sushi roll. With plastic wrap still in tact, cut roll into 8 pieces. With plastic wrap still in tact, lay bamboo rolling mat on top of sushi roll and gently adhere lox and avocado once more to sushi roll. Very carefully lift plastic wrap away from sushi roll.

Sprinkle the top of the sushi roll with sesame seeds. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce for dipping if desired.  

Buddha’s Bones

Life Lessons Learned Through Rice

“I hate to waste this rice.  Since it won’t keep, what if we made some more sushi and shared it with the neighbors?” she suggested.  “They would absolutely love it!”

I nodded approvingly, thinking that it was exactly this type of hospitality and thoughtfulness that I loved of Mississippi women. Despite the common thought that Mississippi was a place full of ignorance and lack of culture, I wanted desperately to tell the country that it was wrong. While the state did not enjoy a long history of cultural embracement, it certainly deserved some credit and respect for the simple fact that people were learning how to get past the past. People were too quick to give up on the state, but I was a proud native, especially in moments of irony. Where else in this country besides this pristine, immaculate showroom worthy kitchen in the heart of Mississippi could a black, Jewish, female sushi chef spend an evening sipping wine while sharing the secrets of sushi and discussing such varied topics as favorite New York restaurants to skinning deer?

“There are spiritual beliefs that tie in with rice. It is one of the reasons why rice is so important in Asian cultures,” I interjected casually. “The name sushi chefs use for rice, shari, means Buddha’s bones.”

And in the universal manner of the cultured, they listened with interest regardless of whether the idea was one they were willing to adopt as their own. They asked questions about Eastern religions, many of which I did not know the answer. But of all the questions they asked, I never expected “And what do you think? Do you respect the rice as if it were the bones of Buddha?”

With my Mother in the room, it was a question I didn’t want to answer. Religion had been a sticky subject with us at times. I grew up with that good old Southern religion; yet even in junior high school I found myself defending, in a serious sit down with her, my desire to become a vegetarian. Only after a promise that my choice was not influenced by my Buddhist or Hindi friends was the decision acceptable. The last thing I wanted was to give an answer that suggested that I had embraced Buddhism. The move to Judaism had been tough enough.

Inside I chuckled at the most light-hearted explanation of rice deities. “Seven gods in every grain” was how the author put it. It sounded like the back of a cereal box. It sounded like something that should be heart healthy, yet another example of a miraculous food full of moral fiber with the ability to flush out the less beneficial aspects of an otherwise unhealthy conscience.

And within that thought came the truth and my answer. It’s not that I believed in reincarnation or the idea that I was handling the bones of Buddha, but more or less that I couldn’t deny the importance of sushi rice as an ever present substance in my passage to adulthood.  Sushi rice had been an integral part of my transformation into a decent human being. It lured me into a world beyond my wildest dreams, helped me gained confidence, taught me the importance of patience, helped me find my voice and sustained me during times when both my body and mind needed nourishing. Somewhere along the way, deep inside those tiny grains of rice, there had been established a diet of ancient knowledge that was metabolizing for me into lessons learned on honesty, humility, and the importance of love.

“That is a good question,” I replied, leaving the complexities of the answer for me to ponder on my own.

After the class, I began to reflect. There had been a time when I looked back on my adventures in sushi as interesting life experiences. And they were. There had been (and still continued to be) seemingly good, bad, and even questionable events on my sushi life journey. But more importantly, I began to realize how the work of one’s hands influences one’s life. In my case, sticky rice had since the first moment I touched it left behind a residue of self actualization. Rather than the rice being molded under my hands, at my touch, perhaps just the opposite had occurred. Perhaps I was the one that had been molded and shaped.

As a planet, I’m quite fond of Mercury. As the metal linked to actor Jeremy Piven’s ailing health causing him to give up his recent role in the Broadway show Speed-the-Plow? Well…I’m less than thrilled. And as sure as I was that mercury scares were dying down, this news may likely resurface mercury as the new carb.

When you eat sushi, do you take mercury levels in fish into account? 

Classic green beans amandine was the inspiration for this sushi roll.  But when playing around with ingredients, I couldn’t resist the idea of a surf and turf that included succulent King crab leg and beef tataki. What resulted was a fantastic combination – crisp green beans, toasted almonds and crab topped with thinly sliced beef tataki drizzled with brown butter soy sauce.

Green Beans Amandine Sushi Roll with Beef and Crab

For each roll:

1 4in x 7in piece nori

about 1 cup prepared sushi rice

1 large crab leg, about 7 in or 1 imitation crab stick cut in half lengthwise

about 4 green beans, blanched and cooled

1 TBSP toasted almond slivers

1 tsp finely chopped scallions

5-6 very thin slices of prepared basic beef tataki

2 TBSP butter

1/2 tsp soy sauce

Place nori horizontally on a dry, flat surface. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap, about the same size of nori, on top. Using the nori as your guide, lay pieces of beef with edges slightly overlapping, across the center of the plastic wrap. Lift away from nori and set aside.

To assemble the roll, place nori horizontally directly on your work surface rough side facing upwards and spread with a thin, even layer of prepared sushi rice. Flip nori over. Place crab or halved crabstick pieces horizontally in the center of the nori, being sure that it extends to the edges. Spread toasted almonds across the crab. Sprinkle scallions on top. Place green beans end to end on top of other ingredients.

Roll according to the method for rolling inside out rolls.  Before cutting roll, carefully lay beef on top of the roll. Leave the plastic wrap intact. Gently press beef to roll with an uncovered bamboo rolling mat. With plastic wrap still intact, cut roll into 6-8 pieces, dipping knife in water between cuts. With plastic wrap still intact, gently press beef once again to the roll with a uncovered bamboo rolling mat. Carefully lift away plastic wrap. Arrange pieces of sushi on a serving plate and set aside.

Place butter in a pan and melt. Continue to heat butter until it turns a deep brown, but not burnt. Remove from heat and instantly add soy sauce. Pour hot butter sauce over sushi roll.

Enjoy!

A chilling account of a sushi house haunted by something other than ghosts….

I like to experience food adventures vicariously through various food blogs. When I’m in the mood for a bit of humor, I enjoy reading the adventures of Adam D. Roberts, mastermind of The Amateur Gourmet blog. His sense of humor makes it hard to envision that he was once a serious law student before following his heart and stomach to NYC.  Adam’s site features recipes, musings, restaurant reviews, food videos, original songs about food and more.   

Awhile back, I was perusing the pages of Adam’s blog and ran across an image that sent chills down my spine. Let me just say that I’ve never been a fan of horror.  Anything remotely terrifying sticks with me for weeks and induces me to sleep with the lights on at night. As a sushi chef, this image was one of the scariest I’ve ever seen. And the title of the post, “My Worst Restaurant Experience Ever”, could very well have been the title of the latest horror film. So with one hand covering my eyes and the other slowly scrolling down the page, I read (between my fingers) his very scary account.  I gave several audible cries near the end and have yet to get past the feeling that my skin is still crawling.

Here is Adam’s very scary sushi account:

The Amateur Gourmet – My Worst Restaurant Experience Ever

Want to read more by Adam D. Roberts? His latest book, The Amateur Gourmet: How to Shop, Chop and Table Hop Like a Pro (Almost) is now available in paperback.

Praise for The Amateur Gourmet

“The Amateur Gourmet is Adam Roberts’ witty, engaging account of how he went from being a frozen-pizza-eating law student to a passionate home-cook and food writer. For anyone seeking to venture beyond toaster meals into the pleasurable world of sauteeing and braising, Roberts is the perfect guide.” —Matt Lee and Ted Lee, authors of The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook

“If you think foodies take themselves too seriously, you’ll love tagging along as Adam embarks with his friends on one challenge after another on the road to gourmet-hood. This is a funny, helpful companion for anyone who’s ever felt intimidated by the world of fine food.”—Clotilde Dusoulier, author of Chocolate and Zucchini: Daily Adventures in a Parisian Kitchen

The above image was used with Adam’s permission. 

Basic Sushi Rice Recipe

Brown Sushi Rice Recipe

Stove top Sushi Rice

Asparagus Salmon Hand Rolls  

Balsamic Strawberry Tuna Maki 

Butternut Squash Sushi Rolls  

Kosher Smoked Duck and Basil Sushi Rolls

Chipotle Tuna Sushi Rolls

Grilled Mahi Mahi Maki

Vegan Eggplant Tempura Sushi Rolls 

Kappa Maki (Cucumber Rolls)

Asparagus and Enoki Sushi Rolls

Sweet Potato & Shiitake Maki

Spicy Tofu Futomaki

Recipe for Ponzu

Smoked duck and basil is a wonderfully fragrant combination. The inspiration for this came from a crispy fried spring roll appetizer I tasted once. I couldn’t help but wonder how a similar combination would when transferred to sushi. The result was quite tasty and I decided to add a thin sliver of sweet red bell pepper.  The roll is just as tasty with a thin sliver of roasted red bell pepper.

Kosher Smoked Duck and Basil Rolls

Makes 4 Sushi Rolls (24 pieces)

4 4in x 7in pieces of nori

about 1 1/2 cup prepared  sushi rice

4 ounces smoked duck, cooled to room temperature

8 very thin 3 1/3 in slivers of red bell pepper

4 large fresh basil leaves

Cut smoked duck into 4 portions. Cut each portion into thin strips and set aside.

Place nori, rough side facing upwards, horizontally on a bamboo rolling mat. (The slats of the rolling mat should be aligned horizontally.) Spread about 1/3 cup of prepared sushi across the nori, leaving the top 1/3 of the nori uncovered.  Tear one basil leaf into 4 thin pieces. Lay pieces horizontally, end to end in the center of the sushi rice. Place 2 strips of red bell pepper horizontally, end to end on top of the basil leaves. Lay duck strips horizontally, end to end on top of the red bell pepper slivers.

Roll according to the technique for rolling thin sushi rolls. Set roll aside seam side down on a cutting board. Repeat above steps with remaining ingredients. Cut each roll into 6 pieces. If desired, served with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce for dipping.  

The links below describe the methods for creating sushi rolls and include step by step pictures of the various techniques for making sushi rolls. Some of the pictures include images of shellfish and it is assumed that because these basic rolling techniques are universal and central to this website as a general guide, these images will not be viewed offensively.

Once these basic techniques are mastered, try creating your own tasty variations.

Basic Sushi Rice Recipe

Brown Sushi Rice Recipe

How to Make an Inside Out Sushi Roll

How to Make a Thin Sushi Roll

How to Make a Thick Sushi Roll

How to Make a Hand Roll