Seeing as this is my final article for this column, I wanted to make sure I chose a very special teacher. Ever since being her student in English 2 Honors, I’ve been so lucky to continue to be in Ms. Grace Savinovich’s orbit through student council. Ms. Sav is always awesome and brings the best vibes to leadership and student activities; I can’t imagine a student council without her. She’s always at the forefront of initiatives to strengthen our school spirit and she never fails to make people feel seen and needed. It’s definitely a superpower unique to her. Ms. Sav has the most infectious energy and smile!
In hopes of learning more about Ms. Sav through this column, I asked if she would like to participate in my last article! To my surprise, Ms. Sav said that she has been a fan of “At the Teacher’s Table” since last year! I was absolutely thrilled to find out that she is an avid reader of my column.
Ms. Sav’s favorite food is sushi, which made me even more excited because sushi is one of my absolute favorites as well! I decided to make her my take on my family’s favorite sushi roll: the caterpillar roll.
The caterpillar roll is composed of unagi, thinly sliced cucumber, and avocado. The taste of the sweet and savory unagi pairs well with the creamy flavor of the avocado. On top of that, the cool flavor of the cucumber cuts through the rich combination of unagi and avocado. It’s a family favorite for a reason!
If you have never had it before, unagi is the Japanese term for freshwater eel. Trust me, it’s delicious! The rich and savory unagi sauce is complemented by notes of caramelized sweetness.
After preparing the fillet of unagi, I started on the most important part of sushi: the rice. Although sushi is usually known for its raw fish component, the name sushi actually refers to the “sour” taste of the rice. So basically, you can put anything on sour-tasting rice and call it sushi. I made a fresh pot of rice and then seasoned it with rice vinegar, mirin to sweeten it, and salt to taste. No need for measurements because as long as you taste as you go, you’ll make the perfect rice!
Placing the layer of seaweed glossy side down on the bamboo rolling mat, I wet my hands with water and pressed my sushi rice into a thin layer spanning about half of the seaweed. I put the peeled and thinly sliced cucumber, avocado, and unagi horizontally on top of the rice, being careful not to overfill. Next came the hard part: rolling the sushi. The first step is to roll the sushi so that the filling touches the other edge of the rice. Then, you use the bamboo mat to tightly roll it into a rounded, cylindrical shape.
My mom helped me cut the sushi into pieces because her knife skills are infinitely better than mine. The sushi looked super appetizing! It was the best I have ever made. To make sure the sushi was perfect for the tasting the next day, I tightly wrapped each sushi with saran wrap to prevent the avocado pieces from getting all brown and mushy.
I joined Ms. Sav for lunch for the tasting the next day. I was pleasantly surprised when she pulled out a pair of metal chopsticks as I could immediately see that she was a sushi connoisseur. Ms. Sav said she had them on hand because she had always been ready for the day that she would be featured in this column! Upon her first bite, Ms. Sav exclaimed, “you freaking nailed it!” She loved the combined texture of the unagi, avocado, and cucumber.
Ms. Sav grew up eating seafood because her grandpa was a commercial fisherman. Through our conversation, it was clear that that was where her love for sushi originated from. However, she had grown up eating cooked fish; her family’s special dish is cioppino, a tomato-based stew made from a variety of seafood.
Her first encounter with sushi—and the start of many more—was at her friend’s sweet 16. They had dressed up fancy to go to a high-end sushi restaurant, and her discovery of sushi opened up a “whole new world” for her. She told me that both she and her family were hooked at the first bite! Her family’s favorite rolls are crab and lobster; while Ms. Sav loves those as well, she has a soft spot for unagi.
Sushi also plays an important role in keeping in touch with her family. When she and her parents meet up for quick holidays or on a limited schedule, they often meet at a restaurant halfway between her home and her parents’ in Sacramento. And guess where they meet: a sushi restaurant!
The final question of the tasting was one from Ms. Sav to me. She asked me how this column has impacted me throughout the two years I’ve been writing it. Her question really touched me. I’ve deeply appreciated the experiences that this column has given me. I have been so lucky to get to know my teachers on a personal level through their favorite foods.
To all my readers, thank you all for following along on this journey with me over the past two years! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading as much as I’ve loved making these dishes and writing these articles!
