A competitor on Chopped has presented his plate to the judges, and one of the judges (I forget if it was my nemesis Scott Conant or one of the others) asks if he’s satisfied with the way his fish is cooked. He squirms and admits that if he’d had more time he’d have cooked the fish a little longer. Haven’t these competitors ever watched the show before they got on it? Complaining about lack of time never cuts it on Chopped. One of the judges then declares that, though definitely undercooked, the fish is edible. Another judge chimes in (and this has got to be Scott) and declares, “I disagree. My fish is raw! I can’t eat this!” Maybe he doesn’t like the flavor or the texture, but why can’t he eat it just because it’s undercooked? Hasn’t he ever eaten at a sushi bar? Or is he admitting that the quality or freshness of the fish that this show with its extravagant budget has procured is compromised? While it may be safer to cook your fish through, unlike chicken it isn’t necessary.
I was introduced to sushi long before I ever considered eating raw fish. Back in high school, I’d often pass by a sushi bar just to see the chefs at work. (Why they even had a sushi bar is beyond me. But I digress.) I’d order monte crab (which is also known as hand crabs), something that I’d never even heard of. It had a sort of chewy texture and a sweet and sour flavor, but I had no idea how to cook it. Now I understand that it’s difficult to cook, but it’s not so much difficult as it is to enjoy.
The midday meal is considered a social opportunity in Japan. It’s a chance for friends and family to get together and talk. Japanese hardly ever eat alone. Dinner is considered a serious occasion.
Dinner is traditionally a quite formal affair. Japanese typically don’t eat until around 7 or 8.00 pm. (That’s an odd thing to mention on a site devoted to sushi, but the timing of this is important.) It’s common to have company with dinner during the meal, although it’s normally not a pre-Japanese custom. Custom is such that if you are alone 7 or 8 minutes after dinner is served, you must be considered quite poor and inferior in status.
The classiness of a place is a key component of Japanese dining etiquette. Obviously, you have to dress formal when dining Japanese style. Even though you may be eating alone, you still need to be knowledgeable about the Japanese language and customs because you’ll probably be asked to masquerade and wear something formal for the meal.
Japanese generally don’t go out to eat. Dinner is typically a more relaxed affair where the company is relaxed and conversation is around the table. Japanese typically don’t dine out with their family. The social aspect of the meal is to have fun, be friendly, and enjoy company. Actually, consider this an art form in Japanese dining.
Probably the best way to get to know Japanese dining manners is through omake – or cooking. Japanese may cook as part of their job, but most free evenings for Japanese is to cook for friends and family. Cassocking is popular in Japan, and actually, professional chefs (chef de needed) have websites (google+&gdnukpbottom) where they continually update the recipes that they use. These are free ebooks that many private chefs have created.
You may already know about sushi, sashimi, climash, theabolewhich involves cutting raw materials, including citrus fruit and tofu, creating dishes with either amazing sweet or savory sauces, and wrapping them with either a wrap of seaweed or a piece of raw seaweed. Then, the ingredients are wrapped in seaweed, and the final dish is presented in original style. sushi is available in many varieties, the most popular being the California Roll. The shark fin sandwich is also a favorite. The rule with these kinds of sandwiches is that ingredients must be wrapped in seaweed.
For those who have been socialized with a number of people, and would like to have something new to eat, sushi is the perfect thing to try out. It’s not too messy, and not too expensive. There are various types of rolls, and the texture is velvety. The rice can be served on the outside, or you can put the rice inside first.
Getting through the sushi menu can be a challenge, given the many confusing menu listings. Every listing is technically a different restaurant. You can choose a teriyaki steak, haddock, bottle gazpacho, and so on.
