Rolling up seaweed

Despite the fact that I've lived in Japan for well over a year I had yet to make my own sushi until Erin hosted a sushi party last night. When I first came to Japan I expected to find little sushi bars with their neverending conveyor belts and counters stacked high with empty plates on every street corner but that wasn't the case. There is way more to Japanese cuisine than sushi and chicken teriyaki than I could ever have imagined and although some of it is an aquired taste I have really enjoyed trying out as many culinary delights as possible in my time here.

Regards the sushi, it was really simple to make, so fresh and tasty and I think it will be making a regular appearance in my bento box when I return to work.

Erin armed with her sushi mat and seaweed and poised to start the demonstration.

I love the look of pure concentration on Orlando's face.

My first attempt at sushi! Spicy tuna rolls, and very tasty they were too.(I'll blame the wonky shot on any alcohol consumed.)

The evening was rounded off by a fun and at times tenuous game of Battle of the Sexes. I really love board games but I tend to get a bit too competitive. Iddya was my partner in competitive crime and we didn't take too well to the boy's smugness. See, don't they look smug?

I met Cheyenne for the first time last night and on introduction he said he knew me from somewhere. It turns out he recoginsed me from my blog! When he met Martin he said there mustn't be many pictures of him on the blog as he didn't recognise him. This made me laugh so I have included a picture of Martin with his very own sushi roll and mysterious hand just to balance things out.

Martin's sushi was also very good although he was a bit heavy handed with the wasabi which gave a few people a bit of a shock and a tingly nose.