I make my own, but i'm veggie so there's no fish involved. It is high effort but super yummy and the only special equipment involved is a bamboo rolling mat. I hear you can use saran wrap, but that is more difficult.

I've tried it. If you're not worried about aesthetics, it's fine. Me, I was unhappy with the lack of perfection in my homemade sushi, and I couldn't enjoy the taste as much. But, that's my crazy.

eta: Or you could just be better at it than me :)

Birthday happies, Nora!

Did you celebrate by taking the day off?

Although it probably makes as much or more sense to take the day after off instead (or in addition to).

Which I usually end up doing because two days after my birthday is the 4th of July.

no, I'm at work and will be at work for the rest of the week. So sad!

Well boo, that's no fun.

Hmm. I've been saying I want to learn to make sushi rolls. It doesn't seem difficult, per se, just time-consuming.

Mmmm...sushi.

BTW, I still use the Robin roll-y bag you gave me. It has Evil Things in it, and people are always bemused when I show up at a party with it.

Heh. Cool beans.

Connie, you just need the little bamboo mat used to roll up the sushi, and the right rice and the vinegar to get it to stick. After that it's just up to you to get some yummmy fish bits.

My first day in this apartment in San Francisco my roommate at the time had a sushi making party. We all sat around in a circle and made our own sushi rolls. It was pretty yum.

Oh, I forgot, Connie. You need the seaweed wrappers too.

Anyway, you just lay the seaweed wrapper down on the bamboo mat (which is loosely linked so it can roll up). You spread your sticky rice on it. Put your yellowtail down. Add a slice of cucumber and then slowly roll it up tight. You seal the ends of the wrapper with rice vinegar (I think - it's been a while). And then you slice up your roll.

Seska, is your partner flying to Houston as in Houston, Texas? If so, M.D. Anderson is the place to be

Houston, Texas, yes - and I believe M.D. Anderson is where they're going. Good to hear it's a good place. I know nothing about American hospitals/clinics, but I know they used to live in Houston and they go back for their medical treatment because they consider it the best in the world. So that's got to be a good thing! Thanks for the reassurance.

How to make sushi video tutorial.

(Though this is cone style sushi instead of a roll. As a plus, it has a poodle.)