Sushi Time

 If there is one weakness I have, it’s sushi. I can’t get enough of it! On Sunday I realized the intensity of Sunday football at work. Lunch was oddly quite lucrative. Once work had been completed, Jeff and I headed over to Raleigh to see my crazy friend Daniel.  I was more than thrilled when Daniel recommended sushi for dinner.  Having worked in the past at Spring Street Café in Sylva, we would have sushi night every Wednesday. It always amazed me how creative our chefs got with these rolls.  When I mean creative I mean dessert rolls with strawberries and mango with balsamic reduction.  Trout was even incorporated in a roll known as the Appalachian roll. Um good idea, yes? One thing I have heard in the past from people who go to sushi restaurants is the concern for the low sanitation score. For those who are unfamiliar with sanitation scores, every restaurant receives a grade based on cleanliness and safe food practices. The highest is 102, at sushi restaurants this score might be lower based on the fact that raw food is served and has to be thoroughly documented in regards to temperatures. I promise I have never gotten sick from sushi.

A nice cold beer to get started with, I suppose this one will do. Very crisp, very refreshing after a busy day at work. 

 Sushi Nine, located in Raleigh, shows both school spirit for NC State as well as eastern elegance for patrons consisting of the college crowd as well as Raleigh locals. As for the rolls, just a heads up, I was very hungry after work and almost devoured this whole thing before I remembered to take a picture. I had the Hurricane roll and the Sunset roll. Both were very basic in my opinion and nothing too crazy. The hurricane roll consisted of spicy tuna, tempura flakes with slices of avocado and just a drop of rooster sauce. What can I say, I’m a sucker for avocado.  

 As for the Sunset roll, I have never tried raw salmon with lemon, but to my surprise this was a complimentary combination. Using a classic California roll consisting of crab, cucumber and avocado on the inside of the roll wrapped with salmon and lemon on the outside, this truly lived up to its namesake. 

 In other news, I did follow through with one of my projects. I just got finished making homemade chocolate peanut butter bars, like Mama Pea's. The good news, really easy to make:

• ½ cup of unsalted butter, melted
• ½ cup finely ground oats
• ½ cup crushed corn flakes
• ½ cup peanut butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Combine all these ingredients together. It will look peanut buttery and crunchy. Spread the mixture on an 8 x 8 shallow pan. Next melt 2/3 cup of chocolate chips and 2 Tablespoons of peanut butter in a double boiler. Spread the melted chocolate on the peanut butter mixture.

Now the bad news, waiting. Place the pan in the refrigerator for an hour and a half. 

 I’ll give updates tomorrow.

“Sitting, Waiting, Wishing”-Jack Johnson