Learning From Expert

I was invited over to a friend's home for dinner the other day. His mom is a wonderful cook and they are my great foodie friends. I have to say she makes the best homemade fruit pies -- her pie crust is perfectly light and flaky, and her fruit filling is so delicious! In the meantime, Japanese cooking is her expertise and that's what I've always wanted to learn from her. It was my lucky day.. we had Japanese meal that evening :)

She showed me how to roll basic sushi -- California Rolls. It's all about a little trick here and there that we wouldn't have thought it matters. But to me, food is the final product of an art of cooking. Every component matters, and it makes such a difference...

I've learned that to slice nice pieces of Maki (cut sushi roll), I do need a good sharp knife, and have to use a clean motion with little pressure. To achieve a clean cut, a knife blade needs a dip in a water to just barely wet. A dull blade will definitely crush the roll.

I love Masago! So, not only it's inside the roll, but also topped on each slice -- YUM! Masago has gorgeous bright color and mild flavor, great for presentation as well as adding texture and flavor. (Masago is a type of roe that comes from capelin fish, a member of salmon family.)

Then, there were varieties of vegetable tempura she made. Don't they look amazing? They're everything you look for in Japanese-style tempura: being coated with feathery light, golden, and crispy batter. Shredded carrot, green bean, and Italian parsley were among the variety.

Hand-picked blueberry pie finished our great dinner. It's comforting, scrumptious, and so delicious! It made me happy :)

I am so grateful..