I'm kinda new to sushi, so I have a couple of newbie questions:

1) I enjoy the shrimp sushi, both ebi and amaebi... I know the amaebi
is northern/pink/sweet shrimp, whatever you like to call it, but what
kind of shrimp do they use (most often) when you order just regular old
ebi? White shrimp?

2) Does anybody like red snapper? It has a really bitter taste to me.
The first time I had it, I thought maybe they did something wrong, but
I've had it several places, from reasonably priced to high end, and
every time I think the chef is trying to poison me.

wrote on 7 Jan 2006 04:17:53 -0800:

p 1) I enjoy the shrimp sushi, both ebi and amaebi... I know
p the amaebi is northern/pink/sweet shrimp, whatever you like
p to call it, but what kind of shrimp do they use (most often)
p when you order just regular old ebi? White shrimp?

To each their own I guess! I am enthusiastic about red snapper,
at least at my favorite places but I dislike "sweet shrimp" no
matter what size or type of shrimp is used and will only eat the
cooked variety.

James Silverton.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm kinda new to sushi, so I have a couple of newbie questions:

1) I enjoy the shrimp sushi, both ebi and amaebi... I know the amaebi
is northern/pink/sweet shrimp, whatever you like to call it, but what
kind of shrimp do they use (most often) when you order just regular old
ebi? White shrimp?

Black tiger or whites, butterflied.

2) Does anybody like red snapper? It has a really bitter taste to me.
The first time I had it, I thought maybe they did something wrong, but
I've had it several places, from reasonably priced to high end, and
every time I think the chef is trying to poison me.

Few sushi bars serve "real" snapper . . . most have succumbed to using
frozen tilapia fillets. If the "snapper" tasted bitter, it either wasn't
snapper or there was something wrong with it.

D. wrote on Sat, 7 Jan 2006 08:34:27 -0800:
-------------
Few sushi bars serve "real" snapper . . . most have succumbed
to using
frozen tilapia fillets. If the "snapper" tasted bitter, it
either wasn't
snapper or there was something wrong with it.
---------------

As I said, I only have snapper at my favorite sushi places. I
know what tilapia tastes like and its mouth texture and I would
give up on a place that serves that especially if it alleges it
is snapper. I don't even like tilapia when it is cooked in
Chinese food!


James Silverton.

Would you describe red snapper as having a slightly bitter taste,
though? I thought it might be the quality of the fish, but it's my
understanding the majority of red snapper is from the Gulf of Mexico,
so it wouldn't be in short supply being here in Dallas. Maybe my tongue
just doesn't agree with it, I just thought it was odd because it was
the only fish I had that kind of reaction to.

Few sushi bars serve "real" snapper . . . most have succumbed to using
frozen tilapia fillets. If the "snapper" tasted bitter, it either wasn't
snapper or there was something wrong with it.

Is that because of supply of red snapper in those areas or for
cost-saving reasons? It's my understanding most red snapper is
harvested in the Gulf of Mexico, so it doesn't seem like it'd be in
short supply here in Dallas.

Next time I sit at the bar I might ask the chef about it. I usually
don't sit there because I like to go with a group of friends and share
so we can try as much different sushi as possible, and that's alot
easier at a table.

D. Lutjen wrote:

Few sushi bars serve "real" snapper . . . most have succumbed to using
frozen tilapia fillets. If the "snapper" tasted bitter, it either wasn't
snapper or there was something wrong with it.

Is this because of supply or cost-saving measures? It's my
understanding most red snapper comes from the Gulf of Mexico, so being
here in Dallas, it doesn't seem like it'd be in short supply.

I used to work in a seafood department and for a long time I sold
frozen, vacuum packed fillets of "Izumi Tai" thinking this was a
relative of the "tai" (Sea Bream or Japanese Snapper) from Japan. I was
dumbfounded when I learned one day that "Izumi Tai" was indeed
farm-raised tilapia. Not only did I feel hoodwinked, I felt like I had
unknowingly been a participent in a giant lie.

The Tai I see mostly comes from the waters off NZ and Australia and is
very different than what we call "Red Snapper" in the Pacific
Northwest. And both of these are very different that Tilapia.

-tmo

Sorry for the multiple posts, er, rather the similiar posts, it said
there was an error everytime I posted, so I didn't think they'd go
through...

Sorry for the multiple posts, it said there was an error everytime I
posted, so I didn't think they'd go through...

Christ, did it again... I guess that's what the Beta in the Google
Groups stands for.

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm kinda new to sushi, so I have a couple of newbie questions:

2) Does anybody like red snapper? It has a really bitter taste to me.
The first time I had it, I thought maybe they did something wrong, but
I've had it several places, from reasonably priced to high end, and
every time I think the chef is trying to poison me.


Any questions concerning "Red Snapper" for sushi is tough to aswer for a
number of reasons:

1) Red Snapper per se doesn't exist in Japan, and is an American substitue
for the "Tai" or "Ma-dai"
of Japan.

2) "Red Snapper" on the US East Coast refers to a red colored bream caught
in US southern waters.
It's taste, cooked or raw is fairly close to the Japanese "Tai" which is
also a bream.
"Red Snapper" on the US West Coast refers to the Red Rockfish which is not a
bream.

3) Often "Red Snapper" is loosely used, especially by not-so-authentic sushi
establishments to cover
any shiro-mi (white fleshed fish) and as has been mentioned, inexpensive
farmed Tilapia is often used.
The Tilapia is a freshwater fish and it's main culinary characteristic,
IMHO, is that it is very bland.
Even in Japan, Tipalia under the somewhat misleading name Izumi Dai (Spring*
Bream) can be
found in lower priced sushi places.
* Spring as in bubbling water, not the season

4) Adding more confusion, the Japanese Tai, which is popular in Japan both
Wild and Farmed,
is showing up more and more in Japanese restaurants and food storesin the
US. Especially the latter.
Some Sushi restaurants in the US try to overcome the Japanese names by
"translating" them into
English. Calling American Striped Bass "Suzuki" is an example, which one can
somewhat let go by because
of a similarity in taste to the Suzuki (sea bass) of Japan. But other
examples, like calling American Tilefish
"Amadai" ought to be a crime since the taste is sooooo different.
Anyway, there are some restaurants that may label it's imported Tai as "Red
Snapper" in an effort to
make it sound less alien to the customers.

Having said all the above, Red Snapper, Tai, or even Tilapia if fresh should
not
taste "bitter". Looking around in Google, and even Japanese site using
Google Japan
produced no hits on various keyword combinations.
On the other hand, once several years ago, I had some Tai sashimi in Japan
which I thought
tasted slightly "bitter". Intuitively I thought that perhaps the fish was
not as fresh as it should be.
But I have not experienced this "bitterness" since.

Musashi

1) I enjoy the shrimp sushi, both ebi and amaebi... I know the amaebi
is northern/pink/sweet shrimp, whatever you like to call it, but what
kind of shrimp do they use (most often) when you order just regular old
ebi? White shrimp?



Black tiger or whites, butterflied.


__________________________________


The shrimp I always get on my chirashi at sushi joints are my least
favorite thing. Some other things that don't impress me are the
octopus and the whaddyacallit, the compressed fake fish stuff. Those
reddish colored clams are only slightly higher up on the list.



ww

[quote] The shrimp I always get on my chirashi at sushi joints are my
least
favorite thing. Some other things that don't impress me are the
octopus and the whaddyacallit, the compressed fake fish stuff. Those
reddish colored clams are only slightly higher up on the list.
[Endquote]

I'll preface my comments by saying that it's all in how the seafood is
prepared, cooked or not. Chances are, if you go into a restaurant and
have the seafood tasting somewhat blah...somebody cut a corner. As many
here know, I make my own sushi, and have been doing so for many years.
I don't consider myself a great expert, but I've actually brought some
of my stuff to sushi bars so the chefs might have a taste. I usually do
this at a time when they are not too busy. In any case, I've been told
that it's authentic tasting and quite good for homemade.

If you take any frozen shrimp and just drop it into a pot of boiling
water, I can almost bet the farm that said shrimp will have either
lousy taste, lousy texture or both. I've seen frozen cooked octopus in
oriental groceries that cost 15 bucks a .lb and up. Too expensive for
me. I'll spend 5 bucks a lb for frozen octopus and cook it myself.
Doing it by the book, taking the time and effort results in some tasty
stuff. That fake fish you mentioned is probably kamaboko. Pretty good
in soups, but I'll pass on it for sushi. The red clams are probably
arctic surf clams. I have no problem serving them. The trick is to thaw
'em out in cold salted water.

Jim

wrote in message
oups.com...
I'm kinda new to sushi, so I have a couple of newbie questions:

2) Does anybody like red snapper? It has a really bitter taste to me.
The first time I had it, I thought maybe they did something wrong, but
I've had it several places, from reasonably priced to high end, and
every time I think the chef is trying to poison me.


I really like Red Snapper. I find a sweet soy sauce goes very well with it
when served as Sashimi.