Getting Acquainted with The Octopus The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc, a cousin to the squid and the cuttlefish. It may be one of the most intelligent and behaviorally flexible invertebrates in the seas. Large or small, the octopi have the striking ability to defend themselves from predators. They can shoot ink at their enemies…

Delicious Scallops with Benefits Scallops are family members with snails, sea slugs, clams, mussels, octopuses and squid. These marine animals are bivalves, living within two fan-shaped, hinged shells with easily recognizable ridges. Unlike other bivalves, they are free-swimming, opening and closing their shells as they go, using their powerful adductor muscle. That’s the round, fleshy…

Shrimp Talk and Shrimp Benefits When you talk about shrimps, you’re referring to a broad classification of any one of hundreds of small crustaceans that inhabit all marine habitats in the world. Most known cultures eat shrimps. Most shrimp species are small, approximately 1-3 cm long, but the much larger varieties, sometimes growing up to…

The Many Faces of Japanese Rice Cooked rice is central to Japanese tradition and for over 2,000 years it was cultivated all across the country. It is barely absent on the dinner table and has come to symbolize the Japanese way of life. Let’s look at the different common types of Japanese cooked rice. There’s…

Sushi and Avocado: American-Made Many people don’t know that the avocado fruit is foreign to Japan and not commonly used in sushi rolls. Avocado only became available in Japanese supermarkets, mostly from Mexico, since the late 1970s. The Japanese refer to it as the ‘ butter of the forest’ for its buttery consistency, rich flavor…

Humble Whole Food, High in Goodness Edamame are soybeans, but are the young beans harvested at the early stage of development. Typically, soybeans are allowed to mature on the vine to form hard beans which can be easily harvested and stored. But they can also be picked at the peak of ripeness, right before they…

Why Ginger? Ginger is a big part of the culture throughout much of Asia. For centuries it has served as a delicious part of the culinary tradition, as well as a potent medicine. At our sushi restaurant in Bothell, it’s a simple side used to cleanse your palate between sushi rolls. The next time you…

Process of Making Soy Sauce Soy sauce is an indispensable part of our Bothell sushi restaurant. Every sushi fan knows the value of having a carefully mixed bowl of soy sauce and wasabi to dip their favorite rolls and nigiri into. But how is soy sauce made, exactly? Indeed, this classic brown fluid has a…

Getting tired of Salmon? Try Tuna! There was a time when tuna was king among seafood, and all other fish were mere serfs amid the surf. In recent years, however, it has lost its seat as the country’s favorite fish in favor of shrimp. This is, in a big way, due to fears that arose…