While the rain is starting to taper off here in Seattle, Japan is now welcoming the Rainy Season! That also signals summertime, and a great season for white fish, especially Tachiuo, which is featured on our new Summer Platter. Our selected sake enjoys the purity of an underground water source in Japan. Enjoy the outdoors, family and friends as the onset of summer finally begins!

Summer Platter

Green is emerging from our landscapes and temperatures continue to climb – true signs of summer! Along with summer comes the return of our Summer Platter with summer fish such as Tachiuo. Summer is a great season for enjoying the delicacy of white fish. Enjoy our Shiro’s Summer Platter for fun gatherings and special occasions, such as graduation, Father’s Day, summer picnics, and much more!

CONTENTS:
Eight types of nigiri fish (4 pieces each)
Two types of Sushi Rolls
Price: $160 plus tax
Available now! Please order at least 24-hours in advance
Takeout only

* Takeout is now available for pickup from 5pm to 9pm only.

Sushi Rice (“Shari”)

The special sushi rice that comes with sushi is often called Shari in Japanese. While we have covered the history of Shari and types of rice vinegars used in Shari in our past newsletters, we sometimes receive requests from our guests to serve sushi without Shari, which is almost equivalent to serving sashimi. However, the depth of Shari adds a special touch that brings an authentic experience and omitting it will make you miss it the next time you eat sushi.

Much of Japanese cuisine serves steamed rice in a bowl separate from other foods. When it comes to rice for Shari, rice which taste great for regular steamed rice does not necessarily taste good in Shari. So, at Shiro’s we look for many brands of rice available and spot the best one for Shari.

The choice of vinegar is also crucial. In-house, we blend vinegars that provide a perfect balance of sweetness and sourness for sushi. Mixing rice with vinegar plays a major role in determining the taste and texture of Shari. The rice gets too sticky if it is mixed too long. But it must be thorough, or it creates unevenness in distribution of vinegar.

All of these techniques result in great tasting Shari, the foundation of delicious sushi. Enjoy Shiro’s sushi with the best Shari and best fish on top.

Fish in Season
Tachiuo (Belt fish)

Tachiuo (belt fish) is named after its appearance. “Tachi” means a long Japanese sword, or Katana longer than two feet, and “uo” means fish. Tachiuo actually looks like a long Katana, however, Taichiuo are much fatter, and lucky for us, taste much, much better!

Tachiuo is mostly caught in waters surrounding Japan, with a size of about 4 feet and 2 pounds in weight. There are many ways to enjoy Tachiuo, such as fried or steamed, but at Shiro’s we proudly serve it as Sushi or Sashimi!

Sake in June
Kubota Junmai Daiginjo

Asahi-Shuzo Sake Brewing Company, Niigata, Japan

Kubota is a renowned sake brand, earning a reputation that spans several decades. Founded in 1830, Asahi Shuzo Sake Brewing Company is in Nagaoka City in Niigata, which is well-known for its pure underground water flow, which also contributes to the high quality of rice in the area.

Kubota Junmai Daiginjo has a crisp yet gentle touch with a refreshing citrus nose that pairs well with many types of seafood, including Sushi and Sashimi. We serve it in a 300ml (10.1oz) bottle which is a perfect size for giving it a try! You won’t be disappointed!

Japan in June
Rainy Season

The rainy season in Japan starts at the end of May and ends at the beginning of July. That means that June is a month filled with rain! Unlike rainy seasons in tropical regions, rain continuously falls all day, every day during the rainy season in Japan.

However, recent climate change has created Kara-tsuyu many times. “Kara” means empty and “Tsuyu” means rainy season. So, essentially a rainy season without rain. While the sun is always welcomed, rain in June provides the water necessary for vegetables and fruits to grow, as well as countless other benefits. Japanese try to appreciate the decent amount of rain during the rainy season and look forward to the sunny summer in July and August!

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