Day 34 - Sun and Sushi

It was lovely and sunny today and things looked a little brighter. I skipped the gym because Gerry had the evening free, it would be our first together in what seemed quite a while. I had grand ambitions to cook something up but to be honest, this working malarky really takes it out of you. By the time I arrived home I was quite intent in ordering a fresh batch of sushi from our new favourite Eat Sushi. It was duly late as always, so I could perhaps start to go off the boil of this place. I ordered my usual of mixed sashimi and paired it with a salmon and tuna set.  Gerry went for a chicken katsu with miso soup.

Now normally I rave about this place but I think I might need to explore new venues for a while after today's offering. The sashimi was still the bees knees, fresh and plentiful with a good helping of shredded daikon. It is great value for money.

The rolls were ok, with nigiri rice soft but not falling apart but I felt the roll fillings could have been slightly more generous.  Perhaps I just miss having a helping of fresh ginger and wasabi too, I think packets are a very lazy offering.

Gerry's said her miso soup was nice if a little salty but her chicken katsu was very disappointing. The chicken itself looked and tasted like a cheap frozen and very thin breadcrumbed fillet and the curry sauce tasted full of additives and colouring. Being hungry she ate it part of it but it did not taste good. A disappointing offering from this restaurant as the noodles we have had before have been fairly high quality.

Overall, I felt a little disappointed about tonight and almost wished I'd got off my butt and cooked after all... or...perhaps it is just time for a change.

Day 20 - Wet Wednesday

Food was the first thing on my mind when I woke today. After a few drinks I definitely had the munchies. Breakfast was served downstairs and we chose quickly. I went for Eggs Benedict with bacon. It was extremely yummy but slight overkill with the hollandaise sauce. I had to set up a toast barrier to curb it's creep across my plate. Gerry went for the vegetarian breakfast and said it was yummy. It was paired with copious tea, coffee and juice and had the appetite I could have sampled fresh pastries and yoghurts. I do love the staff at Hotel Una because they do a real stand-up job!

After breakfast we took a little trip up to The Lanes to have a wander, Gerry desperately trying to stay out of the many funky clothing shops that adorn the streets. In my hunt for a bag I dragged Gerry into TK Maxx. I bought the Man's Bag from that particular branch 5 years ago and I wanted to see if it could come up trumps again. Bingo! I purchased a brilliant Mandarina Duck bag with an RRP price of £185 for a bargain £50! I think I'm in love with it.  It is slightly bigger than the Man's bag though so I don't think that the MB's is totally out of the game just yet. I also picked up a smaller bag form Rowallan's. I do like it but I'm still deciding whether its a keeper or returner. Hmm decisions, decisions.

Seeing as breakfast filled us up quite a lot we abandoned our sushi lunch plans and started back to London. With the rain setting in, it seemed the right time to go. See you soon Brighton, probably on a Thursday!  We made good time up to London and after a round about way of getting home we settled in on the sofa with bowls of homemade hot pea soup.

Pea & Mint Soup

It was just enough to last us until dinner and what else but sushi of course.  It was quick and easier after a busy couple of days and simply delicious. I think Eat Sushi is fast becoming one of my favourites.

To round off an enjoyable couple of days we watched Pan's Labyrinth. We've not watched it for around 4 years so I was just about ready to see it again but boy did I forget quite how graphic and at times pretty scary it is! I think the acting is superb and the director, Guillermo del Toro gets the tone of the film spot on. He really does pull you into the story and you forget that you have to read subtitles. I think the last 3 films that we have watched together are foreign language films and it makes me remember what talent is out there aside from the standard American and British offerings.

Anyway, off to bed now. It's been a good couple of days.  I think it's good to get away for a little while, if only for the night, it's just unfortunate that when you come home the troubles you tried to escape are probably still waiting.

Favourite View in Brighton

Day 11 - Monday Fail

I failed miserably today in regards to cooking.  I was still at my parents and had a slightly sleepless night, punctuated by small dog head-butting the bedroom door just to give me a cheeky smile and wag of his tail before trotting quite happily back to his bed. How very thoughtful.

After an energetic start to the day with Day 9 of Wii Active - it really is quite a 30 minute work out and something I highly recommend. I can feel biceps forming already!

Breakfast was quaffed down quickly and was nothing out of the ordinary. With the weather being absolutely dire I abandoned plans to walk into town to replace watch battery and buy A4 frame, thus the television got my full attention. There was very little on unfortunately and I found myself succumbing to The Holiday.  Actually quite a good film, marred only by the woeful miscasting of Jack Black as a romantic interest for Winslet. He may be considered amusing by some but this does not make up for his complete lack of sex appeal. I can think of so many others who would have been far better choices.  Poor old Kate, Cameron gets Jude while she gets, well...Jack.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic, the film brought me neatly to lunch time and again it was a dull affair. I'd made a Chicken Tikka Masala the night before so had the rest of this with some basmati rice. Tasty but not picture worthy.  Parents arrived back shortly after lunch and we caught up over pots of green tea.  All very healthy.  Time was getting on so I set off back home with plans forming in my head of what I could do with a tin of hotdogs, tinned tomatoes, dried herbs and pasta. However, by the time I made it through the doors and saw Gerry, visions of sushi were dancing before my little eyes.  I'm slightly ashamed to admit it was time for takeaway. Gerry wanted noodles and I was craving some fresher than fresher fish. I swung into action online and ordered from Eat Sushi.  I haven't ordered from here in quite a while as remember not thinking it was anything special first time around but decided to give it another go and very glad I did.  Despite being 15 minutes late, the varied sashimi was some of the best I've had recently, the hosamaki salmon rolls and marinated mackerel nigiri  were lovely.  We even got some free vegetable tempura in a black pepper and salt mix which was a welcome addition.  We paired it with warm Sake and it was consumed in minutes. So much so that I only remembered to get a picture on the last roll!

So to sum up, not really a culinary creative day on my part but I did get to experience foods from around the world today. From India to Japan, I had experienced a spicy buttery chicken curry to melt in the mouth sashimi and crispy lightly battered tempura.  Plus, everyone needs a day off.

The Last Roll

Day 4 - Slightly Manic Monday

I had a busy start to my Monday morning. I finished work at 2.30am and got home around 3am to find younger sister asleep on our sofa bed after drama at her work party. At half 8 I was up and about helping her deal with the aftermath, finally getting home around 11.30am.  All seems to be mostly settled now which is good news. 

However, after little sleep the idea of having to prepare food is not an appealing one and I realise that when I'm tired I find convenience food the name of the game. This year I'm trying not to fall into the ready meal trap as often, even if it means my culinary concoctions aren't to the highest standard.  Today, to stave off hunger while I thought about what I could properly make, I made myself a lovely cheese, ham and mushroom toastie and it hit all the right notes. 

For dinner, I got inspiration from an unlikely source.  Gerry wasn't working today so we ended up watching My Neighbour Totoro - a fantastic film from the Ghibli Studios. In the film they make bento boxes for lunch...so that's what I decided to do for dinner!  I had quite a few ingredients left over from the sushi on Saturday so dragging myself off the sofa I set to work.  The degree of difficulty in these boxes it would seem comes not from the individual elements but making sure it all makes it into the box at the same time so it can be served hot.
I was pretty pleased with the outcome as its officially my first bento attempt.  I even managed to create a little rice Panda to put in the box which made us both smile!  

Clockwise from TR: Rice, Edamame, Rice Panda, California Rolls, Prawn Tempura, Duck Spring Roll (Not Japanese but yummy!), Nasu Dengaku, and Chicken & Vegetable Gyoza. Little cucumber knife wizardry in the centre!

Day 2 - Sushi Saturday

I've been promising two of my friends, N and L, for ages that I would invite them around for a sushi dinner party.  Tonight is the night.

I'd become interested in the Japanese culture after taking a two year course in the language while at university.  My experience with the food however was confined to the culinary delights that Nottingham's restaurant scene had to offer back in 1999. It was fairly limited to say the least.

However, over ten years later, I've moved to the big smoke and travelled all over the world, experiencing some great Japanese cuisine. My favourite part being sushi and sashimi. I started learning the art of sushi back in October 2004 when my best friend E bought me my first sushi starter kit. I hasten to add I am self-taught but over the years I think I have honed my skills to a fair degree, often taking influence from the restaurants I have visited and takeaways I have ordered. I once said to Gerry, that I cannot even consider the idea that we might one day move somewhere there is no sushi takeaway facility available. My older sister T told me I was a complete numpty. Fair point.
Despite throwing a fair few sushi dinner parties over the years I find myself strangely nervous about tonights and I'm not altogether sure why.  I think it's because I've not prepared sushi for a number of months.  It took a little back seat while I dieted 3 stone of unnecessary weight away.  Ironic really since, in moderation, it is considered one of the healthiest cuisines available. 

Anyway, I'm all prepared having visited one of my favourite places, the Japan Centre, early this morning with Gerry. We were only the second people in so the aisles were all nice and quiet. Now I have the sushi-grade salmon and tuna - cut for me by a lovely elderly Japanese sushi chef, Japanese aubergines so I can create Nasu Dengaku, assorted vegetables for the tempura, eggs for the Tamagoyaki and of course crabsticks for Gerry's California rolls - her favourite. All this and much more, so I'm confident in my menu.
Yet I'm worried. I think its the rice issue. Get this right and I'm on the home straight, however, it can be easy to get wrong.  Too much water and it is a soggy nightmare, too little water and the rice won't be cooked through. I've done it well over a hundred times by now but I still get anxious. Maybe I should just buy a rice cooker. Apparently most Japanese households own one so why should I be any different?
 
Right, on with the making. Fingers crossed, deep breath and wish me luck!

Roll in Progress

Just Awaiting the guests

The finished result is below.  Served with warmed Sake courtesy of Gerry. It was delicious and certainly seemed to go down well with everyone. Success!

Sushi Spread - Clockwise from TR: Tuna & Salmon Hosomaki, Tuna & Avocado Uramaki, King Prawn Tempura Uramaki, Nasu Dengaku, Chicken Katsu Uramaki, Tamagoyaki, California Roll with Wasabi Tobiko, Salmon & Avocado Uramaki, Tuna & Spring Onion Gunkan, Prawn Tempura, and finally Chicken Katsu