1. Posted by emmycello77 on Tue, Jun 03, 2008, 6:06 pm PDT

Sake should never be served chilled. That's considered an insult in Japan. It should be served sort of luke warm.

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2. Posted by K V on Mon, Oct 20, 2008, 6:18 pm PDT

...How is this on a "shoestring" budget? Sushi in my town is expensive and we have to order everything online if we want to attempt to make it ourselves.

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3. Posted by Marie Montaine on Tue, Nov 25, 2008, 5:29 pm PST

I like to buy my sushi at costco, get my ginger and wasabi and safeway, and my chopsticks from the 99 cent store... Sushi is so cheap to make...I'd make a bunch, too...with veggie inserts...and forget raw fish, no one eats that, get real...tuna salad sushi is the best...and BLT temaki rolls...with loads of ginger...the more elaborate ones can be got at cos'ys for about $4 for two rolls... The note on warm sake is correct, too... And it must be poured by someone else or it's bad luck...and you must say "banzai!" as a toast...and as you get progressively more trashed...that's where the fun begins! But really, the way to throw a sushi party is to spare no expense, drop a hunny or two and have the caterers come over and build a bunch of sushi for your sake-swilling guests while you enjoy your friends and the time of your life...

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4. Posted by Cookie on Sun, Nov 30, 2008, 5:42 am PST

Note on the serving temperature of sake (nihonshu). Higher quality is served chilled as the heating process will cause the loss of flavor. The less expensive bottles may (and some really always should be) served hot - a tradition for the winter months. All may be served room temperature, or chilled - according to the quality and consumers preference. All but the cheapest bottles of sake should be kept refridgerated until opened, and consumed within 3 hours for best taste. As for the sashimi (raw fish) either use fish frozen at sea and a really sharp knife allowing just enough time for the fish to thaw as your guests arrive, or leave that to the pro's. However sushi (the vinegared rice & nori rolls) is/are VERY EASY to make yourself after a practice roll or two. The ingredients purchased at the local grocery store make it a genuine shoestring budget party (enough so that you can afford the extra's mentioned in the article). You can find all kinds of how-to articles using any search engine, or a good site to start with is sushifaq-dot-com . Good luck, and Good eating!

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5. Posted by Smart Girl on Thu, Feb 19, 2009, 11:16 am PST

Yes, I agree with the other person. It cracks me up when all these articles and websites and FAUX experts talk about anything on a shoestring budget. What shoestring are they on? In my town, sushi would cost $150 for 5 people. Then tack on the drinks, dessert, etc.

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6. Posted by stephoney22 on Wed, Jul 29, 2009, 11:04 am PDT

This article is contradictory. A shoestring budget will never equal buying sushi for your own party. If you know what good sushi is like, you will know that making you own sushi is VERY affordable and a REAL money-saver. Especially if the fish is on special at your local grocer. I bought my boyfriend a "make your own sushi kit" from Amazon with all the right tools and a "how to" booklet. We don't do crazy rolls with a million ingredients-that's not real sushi anyhow. Sashimi-grade tuna at your grocer is affordable and ginger & soy are cheap at the grocery, too. We cut up avocado and cucumber, roll it up and that's it. We eat the leftover fish as sashimi or sushi for lunch the next day. And he has a ricemaker which cooks it perfectly. It's the best sushi I've ever had. It's not a quick process, so keep your party small. But trust me, if you make your own sushi and your friends don't, they'll be so impressed you won't need fancy plates or dessert. If they're close friends, ask them beforehand to bring a couple dollars for the event. They'll be impressed and super-happy to chip in knowing they would've payed 15x as much at a restaurant.

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