Notes on the Consumption of Sushi

The consumption of sushi is a mixture of flavour, aesthetics and ritual. These things are harmoniously bound by something quite foreign to us: the sea. I enjoy the ritual of sushi, all of the dos and don'ts. Another thing I love is the presentation. Sushi is a beautiful food: the colour, design and placement of the carefully coordinated pieces on a platter is visually arresting. The consumption of sushi is a whole experience. I take notes as the meal begins.

A miso soup starts the meal. It is served in round, white, shiny porcelain. Encasing the soft squares of glistening tofu, floating about. A distinct, strong, earthy scent arises. Steam escapes the bowl. Thick white clouds billow around soft ribbons of seaweed, like a murky rock pool. This is a scientific phenomenon known as convection. Hot molecules condense and rise; cooler molecules are denser and sink. In miso, this results in thick, white clouds chasing each other around the inside of the bowl. I pick up my spoon, the concave side is broad and open, ladling the perfect amount of hot water inside. It is a pleasing sound as white porcelain clinks against white porcelain, spoon inevitably knocking the side of the bowl. I dip the spoon inside, under the water line and let the soup rush in. The first mouthful is rich and warm, an umami sensation. The colour is brown like the earth, the taste is salty like the sea. The silken tofu melts in my mouth. Slimy, it slithers down my throat, the seaweed follows. Paying homage to the sea the fish came from by consuming a miniature replica to start.

Next is a small and unassuming piece of sushi - maki. Small but aesthetically pleasing. The sheer simplicity of it: three concentric circles, three colours. A black border of seaweed contrasts against the white beads of rice within. The rice encircles a bright splash of colour – the colour is dependent on your chosen filling. I pick up a Tekka Makki: tuna. It is a small white circle, with bright, violent red in the middle, this image is contrasted by the black seaweed which holds it together. I should not make such liberal use of the soya sauce. It is considered impolite, but I cannot help it. I love the rich, salty taste.

The soya looks like petrol. It sits dark, thick, oily and still. Like the miso, it tastes like pure umami, like the miso it tastes rich, warm and comforting. I let the rice soak up the sauce, and when I place the maki in my mouth I experience a flood of sensations. The seaweed is textured, rubbery, and tastes like the sea. The rice instantly crumbles in my mouth, releasing the soya. Strong, tangy salt quickly and intensely fills my mouth. Then, almost as an afterthought, the sweet, clean taste of the tuna, followed by fire which sears through my nose as the final taste sensation, wasabi, takes over.