故郷の味 Part2／ Taste of Home Part 2

日本に帰ってくるとどうしても食べたくなるのは、やっぱりおいしいお寿司です。築地に行って、頂いてきました。

私は安上がりな女で…、光モノが大好きです。
こちらは大衆魚の王様、イワシ。安くておいしいなんて、素晴らしい。
しかし、イワシのお寿司の写真を真剣に撮る客も珍しかったのでは…。

この季節に日本に戻ってきたのは何年ぶりか…思い出せません。ということで、思い出せないくらい久しぶりの、旬のカツオもおいしく頂きました。
赤身のきれいなこと。

こちらは軍艦のトリオです。

頭がついた魚って、西洋人は大抵嫌がるようです。普通の焼き魚でも、頭があると嫌がるくらいですから、そのまま丸ごと食べる白魚などは、かなり恐怖？なのではないでしょうか。
よく、「目が見てる～食べられない」とか言います。
しかし、これが日本のカルチャー。というわけで、白魚のアップ写真です。

おいしいんですけどねぇ。

今回も思いましたが、お寿司ってとってもきれい。もっと美しく撮れたらよかったのですけど。
あるとき、このお寿司屋さんで、お刺身の盛り合わせに見とれてしまい、板前さんに「お刺身、本当にきれいですねぇ」と言うと、「いやあ、お客さんほどじゃないですよ」と…。

あの…刺身と比べられても…

今回の板前さんも、おおらかで愉快なお兄さんでした。また帰国の際には、ごちそうになりに行きます。

％.％.％.％.％.％.％.％.％.％.％.％.％.％.


One of the many things I look forward to eating when I come back home is GOOD SUSHI.  So we went to Tsukiji, where the famous fish market is.  There are lots of nice sushi restaurants around there.

In Japan, "fatty fish" are called "glittering fish" (hikari-mono which sounds nicer in my view) - and I love them.  They are inexpensive and yummy and nutritious, what more can you ask for?
Below is the photo of sardine (iwashi) - topped with grated ginger and sliced spring onion.

It was the season for bonito (katsuo), so we ordered some.  I couldn't even remember when was the last time I was in Japan at this season.  It tasted goooood.


Here is a trio of Gunkan (the sushi wrapped in nori and made in to a oval-cylinder shape).  Small white fish (shira-uo), sea urchin (uni), and salmon roe (ikura).

Based on my own observation, (a lot of) Western people dislike having fish with its head on.  Even when it is a large fish which you eat with knife and fork, they prefer the fish to be filleted.  If they have to eat whole fish with heads..  some might freak out.  "God, they have eyes!  They are looking at me!!!"..
Oh well, but us Japanese people, we eat them.  It's our culture, and I'm proud of it..

Trust me, it's good.

I always think that sushi is beautiful.  The colours of fish flesh are just amazing.  I wish the photos came out better.
A few years ago when I was at this sushi restaurant, I was talking with one of the sushi masters and said, "Your plate of sashimi is so beautiful!".

He said,  "Not as much as you, madam"

..I wasn't quite sure if I should be flattered, to be told I was more beautiful than fish??

This sushi chef was not the same person, but was also a very cheerful and nice man.  I'm already looking forward to going back for more sushi..!