Feb 08 2011

How to Throw an Extravagant Sushi Party on a Budget, Part 1

By V Udasco

We all know that in this economy, cash is hard to come by, especially during the holiday season. However, you can throw a great sushi-themed party no matter the occasion, and it’s more affordable than you think!

Why not host a sushi themed holiday dinner?! Trade that dry turkey and stuffing in for some great tasting and healthy sushi, and start a tradition of your own! For any occasion, sushi is a yummy and popular way to go…you can just throw a “We Love Sushi” party, too!

You will really impress your guests with your exotic menu and they will appreciate your unique theme. You can host a Sushi Party that your relatives and guests will be wowed by. Just don’t blame me when they beg you to throw a Sushi Party over and over again!

Hosting a party at home can be a very stressful and daunting task, especially if are cooking a full course meal for your guests. When planning any get together, you must do the leg work regardless of what is being prepared. However, these tips can eliminate your stress, while keeping more of your hard earned money in your bank account.

Planning Phase (can be done on the internet, from the comfort of your own home)

o Determine your budget. Having a limited budget, you need to get the most bang for your buck. This means you will have to find great deals and do a lot of the leg work yourself.

o Send out RSVP’s to determine how many people will attend. By knowing who will be attending, you will have a better idea if you should cater towards vegetarian sushi recipes, fish recipes or both. If the majority of people attending don’t feel comfortable with raw fish, you can prepare “cooked” sushi recipes (i.e. tempura roll, Philadelphia roll with smoked salmon, cooked shrimp nigiri, California roll, and etc.) and not as much sashimi or spicy raw tuna roll. You get the idea and besides, if you stay away from the sushi grade ingredients needed for sashimi, you will save money there, as well.

o Depending on your guests, if they are close friends or family and want to bring something, you can have them bring a side dish such as edamame (soybeans) or sake (rice wine) or even dessert, maybe a green tea ice cream. Many of these items can be found at major grocery stores and this could help to minimize your costs.

o Research various sushi recipes online, both hot and cold, cooked and raw, to start developing your menu. When developing your menu, select ingredients that are in season and grown or produced locally. By doing this, you will save on cost and ensure the freshest ingredients.

o Make a few calls to your local grocery chain or seafood market to see what fish is in season. Ask if they have any sushi grade fish and the price. Sushi grade fish normally has been frozen for a specific period of time to kill any parasites that might have been in the fish, i.e. according to minimum health standards -4 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for at least 7 days). Ask if they have any seafood on sale…you may even ask who their fish suppliers are to purchase wholesale, if you are buying a large quantity of fish.

o To learn how to make sushi, you can either learn via the internet, which is full of resources (YouTube is a great source!) or purchase a sushi book if you feel adventurous and don’t mind the mess. It will take some trial and error, and also practice, but you’ll get it sooner than you think!

o If you don’t feel comfortable making the sushi, you have another alternative. Ask family members of friends if they know of a Sushi chef that you can hire on a per hour basis to prepare sushi “live” at your event. Another great idea is to visit your favorite sushi restaurant and ask the sushi chef if he works private parties. In this economy, you won’t have difficulty finding a sushi chef at a decent price and since they are already in the industry, they may be able to get the ingredients at wholesale price for you!

By doing most of the leg work above, you can save between 30 to 50% of the cost of Japanese sushi restaurant. The savings can be put towards a couple of good bottles of Sake to toast with your friends.

If you are in Southern California, you are in luck! One of our sushi chefs can assist you with your sushi party!

[http://www.MatsuCateringSD.com]

Matsu Catering is a Japanese owned and operated full service catering company. We poudly serve Southern California in San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=V_Udasco

http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Throw-an-Extravagant-Sushi-Party-on-a-Budget,-Part-1&id=3466602


Apr 02 2010

Top 10 Signs You’re Addicted to Sushi!


Top 10 Signs You’re Addicted to Sushi!
By V Udasco

It’s official. You know you’re addicted to sushi when…

10. All you can think of during the Superbowl is, “What are they going to DO with all that wasabi?! They should move those chips away to make room for the sushi!”

9. Your friend wants to show you his rare fish collection and all you can think about is how close they are to sushi grade and if you should cut against the grain of the fillet.

8. You attribute every ache and pain to the obvious…has to be mercury poisoning! And you should be able to miss work on Monday (a la Jeremy Piven), right?!

7. Your doctor has to explain your blood pressure results in terms of “the red cap” and “the green cap” bottles.

6. Instead of a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow, you’re convinced it’s a roll…a free, never-ending, always changing rainbow roll.

5. When you catch a cold, you head to your favorite sushi bar for treatment: wasabi nose flush.

4. You’ve eaten so much wasabi you are now immune to it and have to add rooster sauce to “spice it up”

3. Sure, you love eel, fish roe and octopus now…but a couple of years ago you wouldn’t touch nori with a ten foot pole if your life depended on it!

2. Ginger stopped tasting like Irish Spring. Not only do you finish yours now, you ask everyone else, “Are you gonna finish that?”

And…..

1. Your local sushi bar either let you name a roll or they have already named one after you…and they didn’t have to ask your name to do it!

The Cure: There isn’t one. Enjoy sushi, enjoy life.

“Too much of a good thing is wonderful” – Mae West

To add your own funny comment to our list, please visit us at http://www.MatsuCateringSD.com.

Matsu Catering is a Sushi and Japanese cuisine caterer serving San Diego and Orange counties.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=V_Udasco

http://EzineArticles.com/?Top-10-Signs-Youre-Addicted-to-Sushi!&id=3321609


Nov 20 2009

Sushi Party on Budget


How to Throw an Extravagant Sushi Party on a Budget, Part 1
By V Udasco

We all know that in this economy, cash is hard to come by, especially during the holiday season. However, you can throw a great sushi-themed party no matter the occasion, and it’s more affordable than you think!

Why not host a sushi themed holiday dinner?! Trade that dry turkey and stuffing in for some great tasting and healthy sushi, and start a tradition of your own! For any occasion, sushi is a yummy and popular way to go…you can just throw a “We Love Sushi” party, too!

You will really impress your guests with your exotic menu and they will appreciate your unique theme. You can host a Sushi Party that your relatives and guests will be wowed by. Just don’t blame me when they beg you to throw a Sushi Party over and over again!

Hosting a party at home can be a very stressful and daunting task, especially if are cooking a full course meal for your guests. When planning any get together, you must do the leg work regardless of what is being prepared. However, these tips can eliminate your stress, while keeping more of your hard earned money in your bank account.

Planning Phase (can be done on the internet, from the comfort of your own home)

• Determine your budget. Having a limited budget, you need to get the most bang for your buck. This means you will have to find great deals and do a lot of the leg work yourself.

• Send out RSVP’s to determine how many people will attend. By knowing who will be attending, you will have a better idea if you should cater towards vegetarian sushi recipes, fish recipes or both. If the majority of people attending don’t feel comfortable with raw fish, you can prepare “cooked” sushi recipes (i.e. tempura roll, Philadelphia roll with smoked salmon, cooked shrimp nigiri, California roll, and etc.) and not as much sashimi or spicy raw tuna roll. You get the idea and besides, if you stay away from the sushi grade ingredients needed for sashimi, you will save money there, as well.

• Depending on your guests, if they are close friends or family and want to bring something, you can have them bring a side dish such as edamame (soybeans) or sake (rice wine) or even dessert, maybe a green tea ice cream. Many of these items can be found at major grocery stores and this could help to minimize your costs.

• Research various sushi recipes online, both hot and cold, cooked and raw, to start developing your menu. When developing your menu, select ingredients that are in season and grown or produced locally. By doing this, you will save on cost and ensure the freshest ingredients.

• Make a few calls to your local grocery chain or seafood market to see what fish is in season. Ask if they have any sushi grade fish and the price. Sushi grade fish normally has been frozen for a specific period of time to kill any parasites that might have been in the fish, i.e. according to minimum health standards -4 degrees Fahrenheit or lower for at least 7 days). Ask if they have any seafood on sale…you may even ask who their fish suppliers are to purchase wholesale, if you are buying a large quantity of fish.

• To learn how to make sushi, you can either learn via the internet, which is full of resources (YouTube is a great source!) or purchase a sushi book if you feel adventurous and don’t mind the mess. It will take some trial and error, and also practice, but you’ll get it sooner than you think!

• If you don’t feel comfortable making the sushi, you have another alternative. Ask family members of friends if they know of a Sushi chef that you can hire on a per hour basis to prepare sushi “live” at your event. Another great idea is to visit your favorite sushi restaurant and ask the sushi chef if he works private parties. In this economy, you won’t have difficulty finding a sushi chef at a decent price and since they are already in the industry, they may be able to get the ingredients at wholesale price for you!

By doing most of the leg work above, you can save between 30 to 50% of the cost of Japanese sushi restaurant. The savings can be put towards a couple of good bottles of Sake to toast with your friends.

If you are in Southern California, you are in luck! One of our sushi chefs can assist you with your sushi party!

http://www.MatsuCateringSD.com

Matsu Catering is a Japanese owned and operated full service catering company. We poudly serve Southern California in San Diego, Riverside and Orange counties.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=V_Udasco

http://EzineArticles.com/?How-to-Throw-an-Extravagant-Sushi-Party-on-a-Budget,-Part-1&id=3466602