Columns

Q. “Do you have experience rolling homemade sushi? I think it would be a fun date night option.” —Angela, Appleton

A. While I have rolled sushi, it is not a common activity in my house. However, I can give you a few pointers. First, it is an important suggestion to pick up one or two of the bamboo rolling mats to help you form nice, tight sushi rolls. Second, select high-quality sushi-grade rice. Sushi-grade rice is a short-grained rice and intended to be sticky when cooked so that your sushi rolls stick together and keep their shape for eating. Third, select the appropriate ingredients for your sushi rolls. We are blessed with an incredibly diverse availability of ingredients in our community, and both mainstream and specialty markets have many enticing ingredients for your sushi. Of course, many sushi ingredients are fully cooked, but a caution is to make sure that any raw or undercooked foods you purchase come from credible sources because there is no protection by the cooking process. Finally, it may not be a bad idea to watch a few YouTube videos on sushi rolling. If you’ve never rolled sushi before, it could save you some frustration, even if you just pick up a few additional tips.