I apologize. It's been too long since my last post. I assure you that I've been cooking (and eating!) . . . I just haven't been taking very many pictures or setting aside the time to write. But just to prove to you that I've been busy in the kitchen, I'm posting pictures of some futomaki sushi that I made a couple of weeks ago:
1) 
The "guts" of my sushi: cucumber sticks, simmered (dried then revived) shiitake mushrooms, imitation crab, blanched spinach, fried egg, avocado, and blanched carrots. I also used some anago kabayaki (barbequed salt-water eel).
2) My work station, all set up with a pan of sushi rice, toasted sheets of nori (dried seaweed), and my plate of goodies.
3) A work in progress.
4) A plate of finished futomaki sushi. I made different kinds using different combinations of ingredients.
When I was a kid, my mom would often let me help when she made sushi. The two of us would sit next to the open sliding glass door at my grandparents' house in Makiki, fanning a steaming pan of sushi rice. My favorite part of sushi-making with my mom was that she always let me eat the rejects and the end pieces when she sliced the rolls. I used to stand over her like a little vulture, praying that she'd make a mistake so I could have another piece.
My solo sushi-making adventure was a totally exhausting, time-consuming and fun experience. My recipe for the rice is still a work in progress--I struggled with the texture (too sticky!) and balance of flavor. I also had trouble with the egg, which is supposed to be delicately and evenly fried.
Last, I think I need a sharper knife, because slicing the sushi without smushing or bursting or disfiguring it was a real challenge. Or maybe I was sabotaged by my subconscious . . . Did I secretly want all of those delicious rejected pieces to myself?
