Class two

Since a sushi-making class I had signed up for conflicted with the second week of pottery class, we went on a Tuesday night instead of Thursday. And so did a couple who missed the first class. While they play catch-up, I have been working on kurinuki at home.

This is a sushi boat, with a place for some wasabi.

I don't know what this is. A canoe? A Post-It Note pad holder? Any suggestions?

This little dish goes with the sushi boat, to hold soy sauce.

I also want to make a squarish container for chopsticks.

Kurinuki is time-consuming, a lot of carving with smaller and smaller tools, but it is also very meditative. The instructor suggested working on the outside shape first, then the inside. This surprised me... until I did the opposite with the soy sauce dish and found (almost too late) that the general shape of the piece was wonky.

So, where did my interest in Japanese food come from? My granddaughter is interesting in Japanese culture (mostly anime, manga, and Hello Kitty), which got me interested in the food. I've also been watching "Midnight Diner" on Netflix, which features a different dish each week, foods you would find in a home but not at your local Asakusa restaurant.

My only problem is I'm not very enamored with fish or seaweed, but maybe I'll get over that with more exposure. Plus, I'll want to use my sushi boat.