roll is roll is roll

Last night, I went to a sushi cooking class. I've been eating so much of it, and we've been liking it so much, that I wanted to learn the secrets of making sushi rice and turning out delicious maki at home.

The instructor began with a lesson on making the rice. This turned into an exhortation to everyone in the room to get a rice cooker, for god's sake, except to me because, obviously, I already have one.

So, then, the rolling. Put the mat in front of you, put the nori on the mat, smush the rice on the nori like you'd smush shortbread into a pan, put the goodies inside and then...

Use the mat to roll. Give one good roll, a squeeze to make sure everything stays in and then, holding the mat with one hand and pulling while using the other hand to crimp and keep things stuffed inside so nothering falls out, kind of zip the mat to roll it up*.

I don't know if I described that well, but let me tell you this: watching him, I had, as they say, a great big fucking aha moment: Rolling is rolling! I can do this!. At this point, as I sat smiling, watching the chef and oh so pleased with my understanding, he said, "Let's just say that there may be, um, something in your past that will help with this, and that I'll know it when I see your rolls."

Well, friends, let's just say that I made the prettiest rolls in the room.

*imagine rolling a joint with a dollar bill and a pencil, and you've got it.

Posted by volfie at March 28, 2006 06:06 AM