Sushi - The Art of Food

Just last weekend I was in Canada on a secret visit which involved a lovely wedding on the river bank and spending time with my nearest and dearest. It's been eighteen months since I've been home (A word I find conflicting as I find I am just as much 'home' in London as I am in Calgary) and seven days hardly seemed like enough time to pack in all the catching up and bonding I have been craving for about sixteen months.

I managed to squeeze all the pips out though through a variety of different get togethers and gatherings including a wedding party breakfast, dinner at the Calgary Tower and a lunch of Peter's Drive Through enjoyed atop a hill overlooking the city.

For me family and food go hand in hand and one of my favourite days across the pond was spent with my wonderful grandma, who just happens to be Japanese. My now lawfully wedded sprout enjoys food as much as I do and had repeatedly said that she'd really like to learn how to prepare sushi. I figured who better to ask than my grandma, who agreed emphatically. What was originally just going to be me and my partner trying our hand at hosomaki and saimaki, turned into a family affair.

Over bamboo mats and sticky rice it occurred to me that there doesn't seem to be a single member of my family, my new sprout included, who doesn't exude a strong creative energy in everything they do. As we all took turns making the absolutely poetic rolls of sushi you could see each individual style coming through, be it an eye for detail or a flair for the extravagant.

It was delightful when, afterwards, we all sat down and enjoyed our edible art over fantastic conversation.

It was last Sunday that this wonderful gathering occurred and this weekend my partner and I decided to test out our new found skills to see what we could remember and what new things we could drum up.
Clare prepared the Miso, as she'd been taught by my aunt just last weekend. The result was absolutely smashing and made with a twist as she used a 'salad mix' of seaweed so along with the traditional green, red and white algae could be found.

We prepared the rice and veggies together and she cut up the salmon and tuna.

With all our ingredients spread before us we set out our sushi mats and went to town on what we had thought would be too much rice. It was true that we were only able to make three rolls and two nigiri, but when we were finished we still had a feast that could probably have fed three if I'd not been one of them.

I think it's important to remember that there is creative energy in everything we make and do. Even if you're not painting/drawing/sculpting/writing/acting as much as you'd like, you can always find ways to bring creativity into the little things, like the food you have to eat any way. This incredibly beautiful meal was fun to make, delicious to eat and way better than anything instant or microwavable.