100th post!

I'm very happy to announce that this is my 100th post. It seems like a good milestone, and it reminds me that I have been at this for a little while, which seems like an accomplishment. For this auspicious occasion I have two meals to write about, one with pictures and one without.

For lunch today I had a few things that I was excited to try. My trip to Whole Foods yesterday yielded a bottle of Blood Orange Vinegar which it suggested might be good with a number of things, including salad. So, I decided to use it to make a dressing to go with my delicious salad of mixed greens, mojo chicken, and avocado. I marinated my chicken all morning and then ventured outside in the afternoon to throw it on the grill and give it an authentic taste. Cooking chicken on the grill is always intimidating to me because I don't want to dry it out or undercook it, and I'm not really familiar with how long it takes to reach that point. Today however, the chicken came off cooked to perfection and very juicy, I was pleased. The avocado was a chance selection from Whole Foods as I was walking through eyeing the produce... It ended up being a great addition as well. This whole salad was good and summery, and after I had already taken a picture and started eating I decided to add some leftover soaked strawberries as well, which added a nice surprise in bites of varying textures and flavors.



My other meal of the day was a delicious sushi dinner at Nakato on Cheshire Bridge. I really wish I had pictures because the presentation of all the food was amazing and beautiful, but I guess this meal is destined to be remembered and described, not seen. This was only the second "real sushi meal" I've had (the first one being a few years ago on my birthday with Craig and John). Tonight was again with the dependable Craig and John, as well as Marin, who I was very happy to see since it had been ages. Marin is a sushi aficionado, so she was very helpful in picking out what I'm sure were some of the best sushi and sashimi offerings on the menu. I stated my position at the beginning of the meal, that I would gladly try anything, and I did try and enjoy everything through the course of the evening.

If I had to choose one word to describe this meal, I think my word would be balance. Balance was the impression that I got from the dizzying array of intricately arranged dishes that crossed our table, and it was such a good thing. Even our little group of four divided up with a male and a female on each side of the table. But of course this is a food blog, so back to business. We started with soup, miso to be exact. It was warm and fragrant with the normal mixture of tofu cubes, green elements, and broth. The sake was cold, dry, crisp, good, and not overpowering with the fish. The edamame was salty and fun, drawing the perfectly smooth pods out with my teeth and fingers, and discarding the shells in a bright green pile. Flounder, almost paper thin, arranged in a semi-circle with the citrus ponzu, accentuated with bursts of ginger and spices. Later there was also soy sauce, salty with bursts of spicy from the wasabi. Then the sashimi, a plate full of artfully sliced fish. It was all so good, I wish I had taken notes... I liked the Spanish mackerel, red with bits of silvery skin still left of top, and of course the tuna which was a cloudy pink. One piece I especially remember though was the first triangle of white tuna I pressed into my mouth. I bit down into it and the flavor surged, rich, clean, and delicious, and I concluded that eating raw fish was a very heady experience. Then there was the sushi: eel, salmon, and something else that was white. I liked it all, but for some reason I remain especially partial to the eel, slightly sweet, and the only thing I didn't dip in the sauce. The first time I had a real sushi dinner I found the eel to be the most surprising off all the new things I tried. There were slices of ginger interspersed throughout, popped into my mouth like candy instead of hot, crunchy, addictive things that they are. I almost missed one of the other treasures of the meal. There were these rolls, and I don't remember what they were called, but I think they had deep fried crab in them. They were so delicious, creamy and crispy at the same time. I had completely forgotten about them until Craig, ever mindful, held out the plate for me to make a selection. I ended up with two of them, and they were so good I'm glad Craig brought them to my attention. Later there were the reliable tuna rolls with the slice of tuna packed in sticky rice and wrapped in seaweed. Then something that I think was called king crab rolls, but it was made with shrimp, and it was spicy, but it was a good end to our fish extravaganza, I love shrimp. But we weren't completely done there. For dessert I eagerly ordered the ginger ice cream, and I wasn't disappointed. Sharp, creamy, and cool on my tongue, it seemed a good way to chase the hot shrimp rolls. Then there was one final thing, a soothing cup of hot (green?) tea, searing the various flavors of the evening into my mouth as it simultaneously washed them down. And reminding me of the warm soup at the beginning of the meal, seeming so long ago, but suddenly connected. It all left me with a sense of good will as I watch my sweet friends smiling across the table. I again fell to the conclusion that I have the kindest, most generous friends anyone could hope to have, and for that, and their continued presence in my life I feel infinitely lucky. Sushi was a wonderful experience.