50 Sushi Tips for Beginners (Part 3)
Here are tips 21-30 from Janet Murray. As always, comments are welcome. To check out the complete list click here.
50 Sushi Tips for Beginners by Janet Murray – Tips 21 – 30
Japanese food has garnered a considerable amount of attention in recent years due to its amazingly healthy properties and clean, balanced flavors. Though Americans have grown familiar with sushi and other cornerstones of Japanese cuisine, many still find it difficult to break through all the barriers, protocols, and – yes – cases of mistaken identity that continue to surround the dishes to this day. With these quick tips, those interested in learning more about sushi have a solid place to start before moving on to the advanced courses.
21. Do not take food off a dining companion’s plate with the eating end of chopsticks.
Pick up food of other people’s plates with the other end of the chopsticks, which does not touch the mouth. Doing otherwise compromises sanitation and cleanliness.
22. Never pass food with chopsticks.
Instead, pass the plate and allow dining companions to pick up the food themselves. Passing with chopsticks resembles the bone protocol during traditional Japanese funerals.
23. Buy the itamae a sake or beer to show appreciation.
Doing so does not take the place of a tip, of course, but many enjoy establishing a rapport with the sushi chef and treating him or her to a sake or beer as a way of showing appreciation for an exquisite meal.
24. If drinking from a carafe, dining companions should refill each other.
This typically holds for alcoholic beverages, but it also a nice, polite gesture when consuming tea from a shared container as well. Individuals must serve others before serving themselves, and wait patiently for their dining companions to follow suit when in need of more drink. Alternately, if serving oneself, be sure to offer others a refill first.
25. Never stick chopsticks straight up in a rice bowl.
Instead, place them over the shallow shoyu dish or a provided chopstick rest. Making them stand upright in a bowl of rice recalls the incense sticks burned at funerals.
26. Be sure to tip both the waitron and the itamae.
At sushi establishments, it is advisable to leave tips for the waiter or waitress as well as the chef. If there is not a tip jar available at the bar, simply add it to the bill and indicate the split.
27. Make sure the fish does not have an overly pungent odor.
Though some seafood does naturally admit a slightly fishy smell, a pronounced bouquet of rancidity indicates compromised freshness. It is not considered rude or wasteful to skip over a piece of sushi due to safety concerns.
28. Fish flesh must be firm.
This can be tested by pressing it with a finger. If the flesh feels mushy or does not spring back (as it were) from denting, then it is not fresh and should not be eaten. The only exception to this rule is sea urchin, which has a naturally soft, buttery texture.
29. Do not eat raw fish if pregnant.
In spite of all the health benefits of raw fish, pregnant women are discouraged from indulging. Slices of sashimi, nigiri topped with sake or toro, and other dishes still pose a risk – however slight – of causing damage to unborn children.
30. Do not eat raw freshwater fish.
Far more parasites are present in freshwater fish than those residing in saltwater because the majority cannot handle the high salinity of the latter’s environment. In fact, certain breeds of tapeworms explicitly thrive in the muscles of some freshwater species. Because of this very high risk of infection, it is never safe to eat raw fish from freshwater habitats.
