A Wealth of Delicious Variety

While practically anything that you eat at a restaurant can be made in your home, there will always be a few that you prefer to leave in the hands of professionals. For the longest time, I had always assumed sushi was one such meal – until I met Maya Jacobs. She never lived in Japan and doesn’t necessarily cook Asian dishes on a regular basis; she just knows that quality ingredients, homemade rice, and a skilled hand at rolling seaweed are all it takes to make great Maki Sushi.
When Maya and I make sushi, we never just stop at a few rolls – we always go for 20 or 30 and invite as many people as we can. The key to a great sushi spread is having a ton of options: fresh tuna (Maguro) or salmon (Sake), julienned vegetables, fried egg (Tamago), avocado (a must for any sushi party!), etc. For this occasion, we used smoked salmon and cream cheese as well. Lots of color is key, and makes it much more exciting! The filling varieties are endless – it’s basically whatever you feel inspired to try.
The rice is the trickiest part of making sushi – getting the right balance can be tough, but Maya’s recipe comes out perfect every time! You can use any type of rice (including brown) though it’s recommended to use sushi rice. It is a short-grain variety with a higher starch level than other rices, yielding a sticky, “glutinous” result that is perfect for rolling. Click HERE to see Maya’s practically perfect way to create homemade sushi.
For pairing this meal, I wanted to focus on the variations and endless colors this meal can provide. My friend Alexis recommended a work that is considered to be on of the standards of variation form: Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Originally composed for harpsichord, the work consists of 30 variations on the opening aria. The variations are based on the bass line, or foundation of the piece (much like the sushi variations all rely on the same basic ingredients). It’s a beautiful piece, and a truly iconic work in the classical repertoire. This recording is by (once again) Glenn Gould, an artist who just gets Bach – enjoy!