So, how do you eat sushi?

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(No, I'm not going to take "You don't." as an answer.)

I'm in a spot that has only forks (i.e., a Chinese buffet. Most of the ones around here have sushi). The rolls are too big to eat in one bite, and all types are a bit awkward on a fork, so I usually end up eating them with my fingers. Am I doing anything wrong?

Yes, I am a hick and a geek.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

New raw answers!

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I often eat Sushi with my fingers as I haven't quite got the chopstick thing down pat yet. I think it's acceptable. I haven't noticed anyone giggling at me or anything so I take that as a good sign.

― Penny Lane, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Fingers are okay. I've had to resort to that when necessary myself, didn't get the stare of death from the servers or anything.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

yeah, go the fingers. i cannot imagine using knife and fork type cutlery to eat sushi, ever. it just feels wrong.

― electric sound of jim, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Of course, this said I fully expect a dissertation from Momus on the subject. :-)

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

or, you know, hopefully an actual japanese person.

― jess, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

when someone comes to america and eats hot dogs and french fries, would anybody care how? I'm sure someone out there cuts up hot dogs and eats them with a fork (in the bun, even? i might try this out... chili dogs esp.)

I think the answer to your question is "Whatever feels comfortable and gets most of it into your mouth."

― Stuart, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But I don't think Nick ever actually comes when we call for him. (Innuendo noted, and posted anyway.)

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You take the o-hashi. One has to be static (can't move). That one has to be in the fold of your ring finger and thumb and rest against your middle finger. The other one moves. This one is held up by yer middle finger, index finger and thumb. Make sure they are on the same height (?) so you can grab things easily. You can do it however you want it but this is the *correct* way. It'll be a bit hard for you in the beginning. Don'tworry about dropping things, even the Japanese do it. Try to put the sushi in your mouth in one go as biting off bits is hard. Certainly when you have nori (sea-weed). Hope that helped.

― nathalie, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Stuart, of course not, you're American. Eating ritual in Japan is far more important. And comparing HOT DOGS with SUSHI? BLASPHEMY! ;-)

― nathalie, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

or, you know, hopefully an actual japanese person.

Are there any actual 'Japanese persons' on the boards, though? I ask this in all seriousness, because I've seen a few e-mail addresses from there around, but it wasn't clear if the posters were expatriates from elsewhere.

That said, Nath has answered the question v. well. :-)

― Ned Raggett, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Is this why every grocery store sushi bar in this country has an authentic imported japanese sushi chef? because if it was left to us, we'd have a big tray of fish sticks and popcorn shrimp?

― Stuart, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thanks, Nathalie.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Anyone else ever try to eat fish sticks raw (and frozen)? Yes, I was a little kid when I tried.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Were you in Japan?

― Stuart, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nope. Tried to dig my way to China, though.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Close enough... The Gorton's Fisherman suggests you cook them. It's a cultural ritual thing, you know.

― Stuart, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

cook/heat... what's the difference?!

― Stuart, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Cook implies some kind of change in the food during the cooking process, eg. browning of meat, addition of herbs, alteration of flavour, etc. Heat implies a simple change from cold to hot.

I was led to believe that Nigiri sushi, fish on oblongs of rice, should be eaten with fingers. Rolls and sashimi with chopsticks. I could be wrong though.

― Ed, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Nah Ed I gathered the same here, wheres Phil? He worked in a sushi bar and should know what the waiters REALLY sneer at.

― Sarah, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

mmmm sushi. i shall be experimenting SOON, hoom hoom...

― katie, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Am very sad that nice and ch34p sushi place in Chinatown has shut down. Now I no longer have a favourite place in Llunding for sushi. Can anyone recommend anywhere worth trying?

― Sarah, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

You fuggers, now it will be boring old sammiche shop for lunch as usual. MMMMM SAMMICHE.

― Sarah, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I've only eaten sushi at Yo! sushi, just down the road from the Betsey Trotwood. It was alright, but rather expensive as I recall. Since that occasion about eighteen months ago there have been Yo! Sushis opening up all over the bluddy place, inc. one in Paddington station.

― MarkH, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Sarah, kullu kullu, brewer st, cheapest and best conveyor sushi in london, the other day they had oysters.

― Ed, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Thank you but I had PRET VEGGIE SUSHI sitting in the park instead and lots of tree paraphenalia (branch, twigs, bird poo, blossom) got in it CHIZ. I will remember Kullu Kullu.

― Sarah, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

mmm pret veggie sushi = yumyumyumyumyum! i am jealous as i had boring old salad and soup though my new salt-related FAKT!!! for the day is that the word "salad" is derived from "sal" (=salt) cos the Romangs used to put salt on salad as a healthful dressing. yes i am reading the Salt book by Mark Kurlanski. it is ACE! and has nothing to do with sushi. sorry.

― katie, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

From where does this 'healthful dressing' phrase originate?

― RickyT, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Seen in sainsbury's the other day: Sushi Sandwiches. Handrolls squashed flat and cut into triangles to look like sandwiches. i was amused. Do not eat at Pret they are 40% owned by Macdonaldsand have started to behave more and more like them, noticed in window everything becoming Prettm.

― Ed, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

the Romangs thort that eating lots of salt was healthy! (tho by modern standards didn't actually eat all that much) and sprinkled their salad with it to enhance taste of leaves, promote virility etc. they also added the odd bit of vinegar or GARUM ick ick. hence dressing!

― katie, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

Oh, OK. It was just you've used the phrase three times in the last two days and I thought it sounded a bit unusual.

― RickyT, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

and if you are making a Grammar Query Rick then as you are WELL aware healthful = full of health = full of health giving properties and i cannot remember the Technical Term for this usage but i'm sure there is one SO THERE.

― katie, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

oh it was not a grammar query. ho hum. it's just a word i like to use as i'm feeling particularly health conscious what with the GIM and all.

― katie, Monday, 29 April 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

One more question: Can anyone recommend a good book on making sushi?

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Wednesday, 1 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I read this same question in a local "Miss Manners" type column, and her answer was it is perfectly acceptable to eat sushi with the fingers. She also said it was preferable to bite an oversized piece in two rather than trying to stuff the whole thing in your mouth.

― Sean, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

It's preferable to have rice and fish dribble down your chin than it is to temporarily have an overstuffed mouth? I don't know if I can get behind that.

― Dan Perry, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

That seaweed sheet stuff, whatever it's called (oh, no! I really am a hick and a geek!) is nearly impossible to bite in two, though.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

I know, I know... merely repeating what Miss Social Grace said...

― Sean, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

i. tip sushi out of bowl onto table cloth
ii. line under table so that mouth and top of head are not under table, but all else is (are)
iii. tug table cloth toward you => sushi moves towards table edge, and
iv. falls into mouth hurrah

momus will back me up on this

ii. you can also lie so top of head and eyes etc are under table and all else is (are) not, but this is specialist and tricky and not to be attempted first time out

― mark s, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

sitting in bed like an oriental prince, I eat sushi there and like that. mark s, did you get my email.

― rainy, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

But, Mark, I don't want crumbs all over my sushi.

― Christine "Green Leafy Dragon" Indigo, Thursday, 2 May 2002 00:00 (twenty-four years ago)

two years pass...

reviveo!

― adam. (nordicskilla), Saturday, 28 August 2004 00:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I am still a hick and a geek, btw.

― Christine 'Green Leafy Dragon' Indigo (cindigo), Saturday, 28 August 2004 00:50 (twenty-one years ago)

And comparing HOT DOGS with SUSHI? BLASPHEMY! ;-)

Years ago on CNN Headline News I saw some fluff-news bit about a Japanese woman who had written a sushi cookbook targeted to mainstream America. In the segment she prepared hot dog sushi -- yes, seaweed and rice surrounding segments of hot dog.

― j.lu (j.lu), Saturday, 28 August 2004 01:01 (twenty-one years ago)

brilliant

― adam. (nordicskilla), Saturday, 28 August 2004 01:03 (twenty-one years ago)

Sounds good. I've actually made just sushi rice and put some soy, ginger and wasabi on it when I didn't have any sushi grade fish around.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Saturday, 28 August 2004 01:25 (twenty-one years ago)

So, how do you eat sushi?

Carefully, and always under very specific conditions. Never at an "all you can eat" situation, never on the cheap. never via delivery and never, ever, ever on a very hot day.

The latter condition involves a very long and very grotesque anecdote involving a friend of mine's digestive track and a worm. Trust me, you don't want to know.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Saturday, 28 August 2004 02:00 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.inzing.com/cards/gk_wurm.jpg

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 28 August 2004 02:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Gygax says it must be fresh or just forget it.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Saturday, 28 August 2004 03:36 (twenty-one years ago)

Could someone please photoshop Ned's face on to that worm? thankyou.

― Nellie (nellskies), Saturday, 28 August 2004 04:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i eat sushi with my hands and a lot of money in my wallet

― cutty (mcutt), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:15 (twenty-one years ago)

poopeshi poo.

― Carey (Carey), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:22 (twenty-one years ago)

CAREY WHAT DOES THAT MEAN

― cutty (mcutt), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:24 (twenty-one years ago)

YOU WANNA FIGT MIGHTFICJKER!@!!!!!!!!!!!!

― Carey (Carey), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:25 (twenty-one years ago)

oh lord!

― cutty (mcutt), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:26 (twenty-one years ago)

WHO GOT YAHTZEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!'?????

― Carey (Carey), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:27 (twenty-one years ago)

OMG Sweet dinner! nrishomont for the body. noone better bring up pootang!

― Carey (Carey), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:28 (twenty-one years ago)

mmmm...pootang...

― Bryan (Bryan), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:31 (twenty-one years ago)

A friend of mine who just got back from a couple of years in Japan says eating sushi, especially maki, with your fingers is perfectly acceptable. I like to use chopsticks because I almost never eat regular maki sushi. One neat thing I discovered in that if you order ama ebi nigiri sushi in a good sushi place (we have one really good one here and a bunch of so-so ones) they'll bring you the shell of the shrimp deep fried for snacking on. Yummo!

― Bryan (Bryan), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:38 (twenty-one years ago)

CHopsticks and utensils are for fools. the things slippery slidery. you must get a grip beofer unleashing into world.

― Carey (Carey), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:44 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.xs4all.nl/~bart/hamster/anin.gif

Who says I never come when called? It might take two years, though.

― Momus (Momus), Saturday, 28 August 2004 05:50 (twenty-one years ago)

It's Momus! Wow! </caffeinated>

This thread is a cruel reminder of the fact that I have not had sushi in a heck of a long time and I've been craving it for about a YEAR. BADLY. I NEED sushi. I love sushi. Sushi and I are best friends. But yeah, I go to where the sushi is guaranteed fresh, the prices aren't the cheapest, the atmosphere is LOVELY, and where I can't really get what I want more than twice a year. (It's this sushi dinner featuring sashimi, sushi rice, and various other delights, plus a small bowl of delicious miso soup. It costs roughly $20. But it's worth every penny.)

Okay, that's it. I'm going to that place sometime next week. Yes I will.

Oh, and how do I eat it all up? Well, the soup obv is eaten with a spoon, but the rest I happily enjoy with chopsticks.

― Many Coloured Halo (Dee the Lurker), Saturday, 28 August 2004 07:37 (twenty-one years ago)

2 years' worth of sushi talk and no mention of this dude ... who is addicted to the female species and eats his mujeres "raw like sushi"?

http://image.allmusic.com/00/amg/pic200/drp000/p027/p02746e546j.jpg

― rrrrrrrrrico ... suaaaaaaavebär (llamasfur), Saturday, 28 August 2004 07:42 (twenty-one years ago)

A friend of mine who just got back from a couple of years in Japan says eating sushi, especially maki, with your fingers is perfectly acceptable.

For Westerners? I have never seen a Japanese person eat sushi with his/her hands. Not in Europe. Not in the US. And certainly not in Japan.

― jesus nathalie (nathalie), Saturday, 28 August 2004 08:37 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

Gygax says it must be fresh or just forget it.

― Adam In Real Life (nordicskilla), Sunday, 28 August 2005 19:20 (twenty years ago)

xpost
Your friend probably means temaki, where the sushi is rolled up in a cone of nori, not regular maki. I've never seen makizushi eaten by hand by a Japanese person. Onigiri rolls, like the ones you get at convinis, are also eaten by hand.

― Laura H. (laurah), Monday, 29 August 2005 04:38 (twenty years ago)

"For Westerners? I have never seen a Japanese person eat sushi with his/her hands. Not in Europe. Not in the US. And certainly not in Japan."

Good lord! Whose hands do they use?

― John Justen (johnjusten), Monday, 29 August 2005 05:09 (twenty years ago)

I have never seen a Japanese person eat sushi with his/her hands.

Although it's more common to see older people doing so, it's perfectly acceptable to eat sushi with one's hands. I witnessed Japanese people doing it, in Japan, a mere two days ago on my last jaunt down to the local sushi restaurant.

― J-rock (Julien Sandiford), Monday, 29 August 2005 05:16 (twenty years ago)

friend of mine who just got back from a couple of years in Japan says eating sushi, especially maki, with your fingers is perfectly acceptable. -- Bryan (twp62y...), August 28th, 2004 11:38 PM.

This is indeed how I understand it from my one year travels in Japan. I was told that it is an insult of the worst kind to the sushi chef (ahem, a thing you NEVER want to do) if you use chopstix you're implying that becasue the chef touched it with his hands, it is now spoiled for your hands and may make you ill. Better to take it up in your hand and call attention to yourself with a hand full of the roll (caterpillar or whatever) turn and face your chef holding the delicacy up for all to see and offer the chef the drink of his choice for poviding you such a work of art fit to eat; and if he accepts no beverage, be sure to tip him dearly if you are a regular. The next time in, you will be remembered and given the most amaxing welcome; both verbally and with little dishes sent coutesy of the sushi chef - so spectacular that you won't even feel human any longer

― Wiggy (Wiggy), Monday, 29 August 2005 05:18 (twenty years ago)

i eat nigiri with my fingers.

― phil-two (phil-two), Monday, 29 August 2005 07:08 (twenty years ago)

Actually me too but then I never eat'em in restaurants. Dunno why, I always use'em as snacks.

I guess it depends on what type of restaurant you frequent. But I have never seen people eat sushi with their hands (except nigiri).

― nathalie's pocket revolution (stevie nixed), Monday, 29 August 2005 07:57 (twenty years ago)

my sushi cookbook says its totally acceptable to eat sushi with the fingers.

― AaronK (AaronK), Monday, 29 August 2005 11:50 (twenty years ago)

It's macho to eat sushi with your hands.

― Mary (Mary), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 04:43 (twenty years ago)

Macho true, but truly feminine too, the whole tactile nature of it.

― Wiggy (Wiggy), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 04:53 (twenty years ago)

I've never seen Japanese people eat sushi with their fingers, either.

Even at picnics during getting-drunk-at-the-park festivals (er, cherry blossom viewing fest), the take-aways, combinis (convenience stores) and supermarkets always provide disposable hashi (chopsticks) with yer sushi-in-a-covered-plastic-tray. There really is no excuse not to use hashi. In less than a year in Japan, I ended up with a kitchen drawer full of free, unused wooden hashi still sealed in either paper or plastic. Ah, I miss all that excessive packaging and wasteful practices .

But if someone (especially a furriner) did use their fingers to eat sushi, I don't think anyone would be especially aghast. Or at least the Japanese would just be too polite to mention it. But they'd probably think you're just fulfilling the stereotype of filthy barbarian furriner.

If you're in the U.S., don't worry about it. Just eat the sushi with your (clean!) fingers if chopsticks aren't feasible. Oh, and the advice about absolutely fresh seafood is vital.

Yeah, you're supposed to eat the sushi roll in one go, but have you noticed how huge some of them rolls have been lately? There is no dignified or dainty way to eat some of those monster rolls in one bite. Sometimes I just eat half of it, and the sushi filling is usually moist enough to adhere to the portion still held in the hashi. If it falls on the plate, no big deal. Just pick up the remainder from the plate and eat it.

BTW, I'm not Japanese, but I'm Chinese-American. Although the Japanese rarely like to admit heritage from China, sushi originated in China. Anyroad, I lived in Japan for three years. I've used chopsticks for more than 30 years, and I've been eating sushi for nearly as long. I also learned to make vegetarian sushi about 15 years ago.

― Melinda Mess-injure, Tuesday, 30 August 2005 06:12 (twenty years ago)

Real foodies in Japan eat nigiri with their hands, using the mound of ginger to clean your fingertips after each bite. This is the classic edomae style.

For sashimi and makimono, use ohashi.

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 13:19 (twenty years ago)

I just googled it and apparently it's perfectly acceptable to eat'em with your hands (in/outside Japan). I nevah knew this!

― nathalie's pocket revolution (stevie nixed), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 13:29 (twenty years ago)

do you have to eat it with the non-poo wiping hand like you do with curries?

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

erm.. non-poo-wiping i guess.

― ken c (ken c), Tuesday, 30 August 2005 13:41 (twenty years ago)

People from Japan are always eating sushi with their hands. And they make sushi with their feet. Sometimes they use a bear penis, but only if the pubes are shaved. They don't shave the bear pubes, but then who does? The sushi is lightly brushed with the testicles.

― Sushi, Tuesday, 30 August 2005 22:17 (twenty years ago)

just buy big packets of sheets of seaweed and eat it without any of the fish etc num num.

― emsk ( emsk), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 00:07 (twenty years ago)

So, how do you eat sushi?

Drunk!

― fields of salmon (fieldsofsalmon), Wednesday, 31 August 2005 05:11 (twenty years ago)

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