1
We made sushi
DD loves the sushi from the very expensive sushi place near us. It's the equivalent of £10 for six little sushi rolls. So we decided to make it ourselves.
I bought the rolling mat, the nori sheets, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. We have rice and we have cucumbers. I'm nervous about using raw fish from the supermarket frozen section so I didn't defrost the salmon we have in the freezer. Nor did a buy very expensive fresh salmon or tuna for this experiment. Instead I bought the mock-crab sticks that one of the sushi-making videos on You Tube used.
I cooked the rice. DD was offended by the smell of the rice vinegar that you're supposed to add to it. Honestly, I only added a bit. She refused to even taste the mock-crab let alone put it in her sushi. I made mine first with the mock-crab. I took a nice photo and ate it. It was ok.
Then DD made hers with just cucumber and rice inside. First she rejected the soy sauce. Then she rejected her sushi rolls. She ate the leftover cucumber, took a packet of crisps, and that was lunch.
I ate my sushi, DD's sushi except for one roll, some of the leftover rice, and a couple more mock-crab sticks. Then I threw away all the leftovers including the rest of the mock-crab sticks which have the texture of the cheapest vegetarian hot-dogs with a slight fishy taste. Ugh.
You might wonder why I'm so cheerful about all this? Well, we tried making shushi and we can do it. It's easy. I now have the equipment and most of the ingredients. I'll try making it again with more vegetables inside including avocado when they're back in season. Or not.
DD has crossed this expensive (when bought ready made) item off her limited menu of acceptable meals. I think I've gone off it a bit too.
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Meals with friends
It was the festival of Shavuot (Weeks, Pentecost, The Giving of the Torah) on Thursday night and Friday. Thursday night was dinner with friends. It was a small gathering as a nod to the restricted socializing guidelines. This was the first time I'd been anywhere besides the mini supermarket around the corner for 2.5 months. I am now so unfit that after walking home and up the three flights of stairs to my apartment I was totally puffed. This was probably also due to the amount of delicious food consumed and alcohol for the first time since March.
Yesterday we went to another friend for lunch. More good company and more delicious food.
After today's sushi, that's it. I'm not eating until Rosh Hashana (New Year) in September.
3
Catan
We love the game Catan. My nephews in London play it every Friday night after dinner with the whole family including Grandma. I wanted to get it for us here in Israel. I hesitated because to bring the English version back with us might limit the enjoyment for DD's Israeli friends. Even though the reading is minimal - just the knight cards and the development cards and you can get away with not even using them. Otoh, I'm not comfortable with the Hebrew version. Unless we don't bother with the knights or the development cards, but that limits the depth of the game.
Yesterday after lunch we played Catan at our friends' house. It was the Hebrew version and I was delighted to see that it has both English and Hebrew on all the cards and instructions. We are so getting Catan.
Have to admit - I did contemplate some Sushi from the fancy supermarket last week - might just pick some up on Monday when I'm over that way! You are both very brave for at least giving it a go. I am just so tired of cooking - the only good bit is that I'm tired enough to finally stop eating so much. I'll be spending the next few months trying to lose all the weight I've gained over the past 3 months.
ReplyDeleteYou are so lucky to be able to see friends again - we still aren't at that stage and it really is starting to wear people down. I am going walking in the park with a friend tomorrow - 6 feet apart. We are going to go early in he morning before any crowds head out.
I've play "Settlers of Catan" a couple of times - is this the same game? It was a fun thing for groups.
How are things going back at school for you both?
Yes it is Settlers of Catan. About returning to normal - a local high school has confirmed over 90 positive cases of corona this week and they've only tested half the students. This school has closed for the next two weeks and the elementary school next to it has also closed as a third of its pupils have siblings in the high school. DD's school is also a feeder school for this high school so we're waiting on a final decision, guidelines, anything. I so don't want to go back to school on Monday. The only reason most schools are ok is because there is only testing when someone shows symptoms and by then the virus has spread through the school. It's scary.
DeleteThat is scary! Hope things turn out ok.
DeleteWe had finally managed to get our daily count to below 300 but its up again today in Ontario - mostly in the Greater Toronto area. With over 3 million people it is tough to keep it under control.
The big scandal this week is in New Brunswick - they had done extremely well, had gone to stage 1 of reopening with no problems and had started to reopen even more - then - a DOCTOR - went to Quebec on some family business (a trip he shouldn't have made) - came back and didn't self-isolate for the 14 days (as required) - instead he went back to work at a major hospital (they didn't know he'd been away) - he saw 150 patients and then took ill - they are tracking and testing like mad but there are a lot of linked cases (including his own 6 year old son)! They have had to go back to square 1 - he has been suspended!
Wow, just shows how important it is to stick tot he rules. Here the schools are officially open but in a group of schools, including DD's school, the Parents Committees decided that the schools should be closed until Tuesday. By then we'll know more about the situation in the high school - over 100 infected so far anf they've not finished testing. I heard there are 11 positive tests in DD's school so far. My school is open and I'm expected back tomorrow. I really don't want to travel for 40 minutes on the bis and be teaching with a mask on all day. Now I'll find out how much I really do lip-read.
DeleteVery cool that Catan have the dual language on the cards for you. I find it a bit boring and slow at times, I think I need new playmates, that are a bit faster! lol Mich x
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile we're in isolation for the next 9 days because DD was in an art class at school last Wednesday with someone who tested positive. So we won't be playing Catan for a while. *sigh*
DeleteI have heard good things about Catan. Being able to socialise is such a boost. Well done on attempting sushi I've never been that brave!
ReplyDeleteI definitely recommend Catan. I think you'd love it as you're already a box games family. Sushi looks impressive but it's actually really easy. And as for socializing - we are now in enforced quarantine. I had better write a post about it.
DeleteI've only made sushi once, I really should do it more often. My DS and I love a sushi meal as a treat when we're on trips.
ReplyDeleteIt really was very easy to make. I think next time I'll put in less rice, les rice vinegar, and more fillings. A firend suggested grilled salmon rather than raw and this feels safer to me. Others suggested sweet potato and grilled aubergine. I'm quite looking forward to doing it again now.
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