make your own sushi and Survival Japanese Cooking

Montreal-based artist Shié Kasai presents a site-specific cross-cultural culinary experiment derived from her art practice in sculpture. Using local food products and kitchen equipment as material, Kasai created a multimedia riff on sushi, as she explains: “In response to this common understanding of what is considered to be Japanese, I have made sushi which I consider to be very Canadian.”

Here we present Kasai’s paper craft model, make your own sushi, as well as seven photographs from Survival Japanese Cooking.

This work is based on a survey that Kasai conducted with 154 Montrealers on their eating habits. The results were presented as part of a multi-media installation at MAI (Montreal, arts interculturels) in the Fall of 2008.

Photographs from Survival Japanese Cooking are from the collection of the Canada Council Art Bank.

1. Take a sushi chef hat and put it on.

   Prenez et mettez un chapeau de chef cuisinier.

2. Choose the type of sushi you want to make (you have the choice between a blank template or a pre-printed colour template).

   Choisissez le type de sushi que vous voulez confectionner (vous avez le choix entre un modèle vierge ou un modèle en couleurs).

   

3. If you choose a blank template, fill it in by drawing your favourite ingredients with the pencil crayons provided. Be imaginative.

   Si vous choisissez un modèle vierge, remplissez-le avec les dessins de vos ingrédients préférés en utilisant les crayons. Soyez imaginatifs.

   

4. Cut out the template with a pair of scissors by following the solid outline.

   Coupez le modèle avec les ciseaux en suivant la ligne pleine.

   

5. It is important to score or trace the folding line before beginning the folding process. Use a ruler and the inkless ball pen provided (labelled "for folding line") to score or trace over the dotted line. Press down hard to indent paper. Then make valley (concave) or mountain (convex) folds according to the type of line (see Legend).

   Il est important de rayer la ligne à plier avant de commencer. Utiliser une règle et un stylo sans encre (identifié « for folding line ») pour rayer la ligne pointillée. Il faut appuyer fort pour bien rayer le papier. Par la suite, faites un pli vallée (en creux) ou un pli montagne (en relief) selon le type de ligne (voir Légende).

   

6. Put glue on the grey areas of the template. Using tweezers and sticks for delicate manoeuvres assemble your sushi.

   Mettez de la colle sur les zones grises du modèle. Pour des manoeuvres plus délicates, assemblez vos sushis en utilisant les pinces fines et les bâtonnets en bois.

   

7. When you are done, if you like, place your sushi on one of the plinths next to the table.

   Une fois terminé, si vous le désirez, placez vos sushis sur un des socles près de la table.

8. Return the hat back to its original spot.

   Remettre le chapeau à son endroit original.

   

According to a survey conducted with 154 Montrealers and their eating habits, the top most popular fruits were raspberry and blueberry

13% answered that maple syrup is “Canadian.” Respondents also noted that they enjoy it with breakfast foods such as eggs and bacon and other cabane à sucre favourites.

Montreal is famous for its “steamé” hot dogs. (I’d also like to mention that I learned about “Grill-pain Hot Diggity Dogger” for the first time when one day I received my master card bill statement with the ad, it was for “Seulement $59.99.”)

In Japan, the most popular Donut chain is “Mister Donut” where they also sell dim sum. As we witness the rapid popularity growth of sushi in Montreal and other parts of Canada, Tim Hortons may start selling Sushi in near future.

According to the survey result, the most favourite restaurant type to eat out is Indian (74 votes out of 154), and the second and the third are Japanese (62) and Thai (60).

Christmas celebration is a big deal.

A Canadian/North American icon.