I love to cook for others. Like, really, really love making sushi for other people.

In a perfect world, I'd be allowed to experiment and have as much freedom coming up with new rolls as I do here on Sushi Day. But this isn't a perfect world, and not everyone will eat all the random rolls I put together (and, to be honest, not everything I attempt comes out well...). And I'm okay with that.

These days, there are a lot of things you have to take into account when making sushi for other people, like if you're going to a potluck. While my Spicy Shrimp Inari is always a crowd pleaser, you know there are always a few picky eaters: "I don't eat seafood... at all." (Hence my Man Sushi... trust me, that'll convince any meat eater that sushi's actually delicious!)

Then there are those with allergies - gluten-free? Just stay away from tempura. (And bring some wheat-free tamari soy sauce... did you know that most normal soy sauce actually has wheat products in it?) Dairy-free? Okay, no rolls with cream-cheese.

And, of course, you have those with other dietary restrictions, like vegetarians and vegans. At the most recent potluck I went to, I knew we'd have a few vegetarian/vegan attendees. So in addition to the other sushi dishes that I brought, I decided to come up with a vegetarian roll.

Obviously, I was going to use primarily vegetables in the roll. I considered using tofu, but decided against it since I didn't think there would be a quick, easy way to make tofu taste good in sushi. (I needed something that wouldn't be too time-consuming, since I was making four dishes that morning for the potluck.) I also couldn't resort to tempura-frying the veggies, since tempura isn't vegan - the batter uses egg. For the same reason, no mayonnaise is allowed either.

But it had to be a delicious, somehow interesting roll. It just wouldn't be right to make delicious rolls for my meat-eating friends, and then bring a boring, "blah" roll for my vegan friends. So I had to come up with something so good even the meat-eaters would love it.

"Asparagus... roasted. Obviously. I love roasted asparagus."

"Onions... sauteed? Nah, I want a texture contrast. How about fried? Yeah, I'll need to heat up oil to fry the Arctic Char and Cream Cheese Wontons, so I can just fry up a bunch of thinly-sliced onions before I start the wontons."

"What else... what would go well with asparagus and onions? Hm. How about carrots? Yeah, carrots would be good. But I don't want to just roast them. I'm already roasting the asparagus; another plain roasted vegetable would be boring. Oooh, what if I glaze them with a little maple syrup? That would add a nice sweetness that should round out the roll."

So how did it turn out? According to my veg(etari)an (as well as my omnivorous) friends, this fish-less, meat-less roll was a grand success. So much so, that it has definitely earned a place in my regular potluck menu. ^_^

Question: What do you do when you're tasked with making sushi for a group of friends, but one of your male friends has never eaten sushi and refuses to try raw fish?

Easy: MAN SUSHI. (Just imagine I'm saying that in a deep, "manly" voice.)

But what on earth is "Man Sushi"?

Well, what sort of food does your stereotypical man love? That's an easy one: beef, and anything battered and fried. Of course.

All you have to do is put grilled beef teriyaki and tempura-fried vegetables in a sushi roll, (and throw in some spicy mayonnaise for good measure), and you'll have a roll that your man will not only try, but will still be talking about a year later.

MAN SUSHI!

Uninspired. That's how I've felt lately, when it comes to sushi. Or, more specifically, when it comes to writing about sushi. My love of sushi is no less, nor has my desire to share this love with all of you diminished any. But it's been months since I've brought you a recipe here on Sushi Day, and even then posting has been sporadic for nearly a year now.

Spicy Tuna Roll - mayonnaise, hot chile paste, hot chile oil, toasted sesame oil, tuna, wasabi paste, green onion, toasted black sesame seeds, in rice paper wrappers

It's not for lack of material - I have pictures of sushi that I made all the way back in March that I never wrote about. Nor is it for lack of time - though I'm incredibly busy with work and play, I could have easily made time to put up a short post. And it certainly isn't a loss of interest in my blog or my readers - there has been an immense amount of guilt as days turned into weeks without a post, which turned into months of near silence here on Sushi Day.

Pacific Ocean Roll- smoked salmon, avocado, bacon

What it all comes down to is that the sushi I had made just didn't excite me. Oh yay, another spicy tuna roll. Whoopidee do dah, more shrimp tempura. Everything felt like something I'd done before - after nearly three years of sushi recipes, another California roll spin-off starts to get pretty damn boring.

Pink Panther Roll - salmon, avocado, tamago, wrapped in rice paper

So I would procrastinate. I don't want to put you asleep while reading my posts, I want you to hang onto my every word like I do with Shauna's posts, or Keri's, or Helen's. I know, I know, I have a long way to go. But I can't stand blogs that only give you a recipe without any interesting descriptions or anecdotes... and since I couldn't come up with any for sushi that bored me half to death, I just kept putting it off.

Too Crazy Roll - tuna, pesto

Then I was invited up to Seattle to go to the Sustainable Sushi Dinner at Mashiko. Oh, Mashiko. Did I mention that Hajime and I exchanged shirts (no, not like that!)? I sent him a Sushi Day shirt, and he sent me a sushiwhore.com (Mashiko's website) shirt. Fits perfectly. Anyways. Son and I got to go to this dinner, where we got to meet the very awesome Hajime Sato and the very cool Casson Trenor, and learn all sorts of things that I never knew at all about sushi and sustainability and seafood. Obviously, I loved the trip.

Unicorn Roll - tempura shrimp, cucumber, imitation crab, topped with spicy tuna

But then I come back home, all excited about sustainability and trying all these new types of seafood, and look at the pictures of sushi that I have yet to post. Tuna - not bluefin, of course, but still. Imitation crab - once a great choice, now not so much. *sigh* I just couldn't, in my good conscience, continue a series of posts that used some ingredients that, in terms of sustainability, aren't things I should promote.

Bam Roll - tempura shrimp, mayonnaise, green onions, tomato, hot chile oil topped with spicy tuna, eel sauce, sesame seeds.

But... I feel terrible depriving you all of the remaining sushi that I've made. Which is why I've posted all the pictures in this post, along with the ingredients that go into each roll. I've told you hundreds of times how to put together a roll of sushi... I'm sure you can figure it out from ingredient lists by now. I've also put up a separate post for each of these rolls with just the recipes (click the pictures to get to the posts), because Son insisted so you could see all the extra beautiful photographs he put so much work into for each roll.

TNT Roll - tuna, tomato, Tabasco sauce

So. What do I intend to do now, since I no longer have a queue of rolls lined up for me to post about? Make more sushi, of course. This time trying to be more sustainable, more inventive, more fun. Will the occasional tuna roll sneak in? My apologies in advance, I'm not (quite!) perfect. Might you see a California roll knock off or two? Perhaps, but they'll have to be really freaking amazing California rolls. But most importantly, what you'll see is me. Having fun. Doing what I do best as a food blogger... bringing you tons of sushi.

So hopefully you haven't gone too far away, because... the sushi girl is back, and ready to roll!

Bling-Bling Roll - imitation crab, mayonnaise, spicy tuna, avocado, drizzled with eel sauce.

I am a very shy girl. In social situations I'm awkward, quiet, and generally über polite to a fault. Because of this, I have very few people that I can consider really great, close friends. But every once in a blue moon, I meet someone with whom I just *click*. Whether it be online or off, once in a while I just know that I'm going to become very good friends with this person.

Nicole Brunet is one such person. We had probably "seen" each other in passing on certain blogs before then, but we really met almost a year ago when we both joined a new RPG. (Incidentally, I've made quite a few great friends from there. Harry and James have gotten together a damned good group of players there. :D ) Since then we've not only become two of the biggest addicts on ER (I mean... addicts? Nah. We don't have a problem, really.) and fantastic friends. You could call us kindred spirits, even. (No pun intended. ;) )

And... today's her birthday! Happy birthday, Nicole! So, me being me, of course I had to make her sushi. I chose the Sassy Shrimp Roll for her, because Lizzy Nicole is a bit of a sassy one at times (and we all love her for it!) ;) And because this roll was really freaking good. Only the best for my friends. :)

Ever since I was very young, I have been an avid reader. In first grade, I began reading the Boxcar Children series (we must have at least 100 of those books!) and Little House on the Prairie. (Although my all-time favorite book when I was young was Norma Jean, Jumping Bean.) In middle school, I graduated to the Wheel of Time series, the Golden Compass trilogy, and Harry Potter. Later, it was the Sword of Truth series, and of course, Twilight.

I've always loved escaping into the worlds in my books, but what I didn't know is that there was an even better way to get my, uh, "high".

It's been almost a year since I discovered two amazing men. Their blog has the most amazing community I've ever seen online, but they are so much more than just a blogging duo. For the longest time I was intimidated by both of them - James is super confident, and quite the go-getter; Harry is mysterious, but the kind of guy that everyone and their mother wants to be friends with. And me, well, I'm easily intimidated.

Just over five months ago, I began to get to know the both of them much better when I joined their RPG - Escaping Reality. Like I said before, it's an even cooler way to get the escape I get from reading - I get to have my very own character who I get to write into the story. It's very awesome.

So I've gotten to know these two men to the point where I would consider them to both be good friends. And, well, I've found out certain things about them. Like how James has never had sushi. And won't eat raw fish. And for the longest time refused to even consider eating sushi, because he thought it was all raw fish. (But it definitely isn't!) (Don't worry, I'll convert him someday. Somehow.) On the other hand, I've found out that Harry loves sushi. Specifically that of the salmon variety. If it includes some sort of roe... even better.

When I discover that someone I find incredibly awesome loves sushi, well, I like to create a sushi specifically for them. Thus I present you with the Refugee from Reality Roll. It involves not only salmon sashimi, but also smoked salmon, and obviously roe. Added to that is some cucumber and avocado, and a bit of spicy mayonnaise to add a little kick. I've got to say... my dear friend Harry is apparently a bit of a sushi genius, because this roll was amazingly good. I'm not kidding, you have to try it. (And if I can ever convince James to try sushi, don't worry, I'll make him a roll too!)

Two years ago today, Sushi Day was introduced to the world. On only our second day live, we got a very warm welcoming, and significantly more traffic than we had ever expected. From there, things only got better. A year ago, we began selling shirts, and just a month ago I introduced you to my new food blog.

In celebration of two years of fun, crazy, delicious sushi, I decided that I would highlight some of my favorite sushi I've made in the last couple of years. These are all must-try recipes that I've made and loved. Do you have a favorite roll on Sushi Day? Or maybe your own creation that you love to make at home? Tell me all about it in the comments!

Of all the rolls I have ever made on Sushi Day, the Crunchy Shrimp Roll is the most popular. Not only is it incredibly simple to make, it's also quite difficult to find anyone who doesn't like these ingredients! This roll has made an appearance at my family's New Years celebration ever since I launched Sushi Day, and probably will for many years to come!

For me, Inari Sushi is a classic. This was the first sushi I ever ate, and I've loved it since I was a small child. It's a little sweet and a little salty, and even picky kids will eat it - believe me, I was among the pickiest as a child!

The Caterpillar Roll was the first inside-out roll with some sort of topping that I ever made, and I was surprised at how nicely it turned out! Sure, sushi topped with avocado or other toppings seem intimidating to make, but they're really not very difficult at all.

Dear Yvo, one of the first commenters on Sushi Day and definitely the one who has stuck around the longest, came up with the idea for Monkey Maki. This was my first time ever tempura-frying anything... who knew you could tempura-fry a banana? And who knew it would be so yummy?

Tuna Salad Sushi is another of my favorites. I had tried tuna salad sushi from Bristol Farms before, so I already knew it would be a winner. Making it at home - just as amazing. Plus, you can make the tuna salad however you like it.

Living with Son, it's hard to completely avoid spicy foods, so it wasn't long before spice began to make it's way into my sushi. Hence the Spicy Tuna Salad Roll - so similar to the non-spicy one, but with the extra kick of Sriracha sauce.

The Crazy California Roll was a roll I had first tried on my eighteenth birthday, when Son took me to a local sushi restaurant. Ever since then I would always get this roll whenever we went back, and I was happily surprised when it tasted just as great when I made it at home.

Throughout college, I lived only a few minutes away from a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwiches) restaurant. Inspired by those sandwiches I love so much (and crave so often), the Banh Mi Sushi became another favorite of mine. It takes a lot of work, but oh my goodness is it worth it.

Oh, SPAM. What a poor, misunderstood product. So many people bash it just on principle, but if only they had one taste of Spam Musubi, I'm certain they would change their mind. Although my favorite way to eat SPAM is still scrambled in eggs, Spam Musubi comes in at a close second.

I know I have many vegetarian or vegan readers, who just can't eat most of the sushi I post because, well, fish? Yeah, not so much. Lucky for them, I have made quite a few vegetarian and even completely vegan (I think) sushi. Take my "Beef" and Broccoli Maki, for example. It's not really made with beef - the "beef" is actually fried tofu, marinated in a teriyaki sauce, then sauteéd with broccoli. Inspired by my favorite vegetarian Thai restaurant, this sushi is vegetarian-friendly, and amazingly delicious.

The Mango Salsa Sushi is, in my opinion, one of the most beautiful rolls on Sushi Day. The alternating yellow and green of the mango and avocado, not to mention the purple and pink from the red onion and shrimp, result in a very beautiful (and delicious) roll.

Stuffed Somen Salad is another beloved dish from my childhood. My great-aunts used to make stuffed somen salad every year for our family Christmas party, and my grandmother would sometimes stuff inari packets with the somen salad. Amazingly delicious. And, if you leave out the imitation crab (which we do because my mom is allergic), vegetarian!

My sister has been a great source of ideas for sushi. Every now and then she'll message me with, "hey, I'm coming home... want to make me sushi? I think you should make me sushi with these ingredients..." Since she came up with this amazingly delicious (unorthodox, yes, but delicious nonetheless) roll, I thought it only fitting to name it after her. Thus, the Kristen Maki.

The Bacon Crunchy Shrimp Roll. Because bacon makes everything better, and this was no exception.

Unagi = yum. California Roll = yum. Unagi + California Roll = Super California Roll = yum².

The Maguro Karakuchi Spicy Tuna is another favorite of mine. The sauce in this roll is nothing short of amazing. In fact, I use it not only for sushi, but also as a spread, mixed into tuna and egg salad, and to dip sashimi in. Seriously. Amazing.

What? I told you I love this sauce. Of course I had to use it for my Spicy Hamachi Gunkan.

Sometimes, simplicity can be amazing. Such was the case for the Mango Tuna Tango. Nothing more than tuna, mango, and a little Sriracha sauce go into this roll, but they all combine to create an explosion of flavor in your mouth.

When I first tried Spicy Shrimp Inari from Whole Foods, I knew I had to recreate it at home. I didn't think anything could make my classic favorite any better, but man was I wrong. This is probably the sushi that Son and I eat the most - any time we feel like sushi I make this because heck, it's so dang easy!

Hotate (scallop) has quickly become my favorite type of sashimi, as was in evidence on my Hawaii trip. My first attempt at using hotate in a roll was when I made the Santa Barbara Roll, and my goodness was this a success. Amazing, amazing, amazing all around.

My first encounter with hotate was in Sunnyvale, when I tried the Hotate Special. This was one of those rolls that I knew I would have to recreate at home, and it didn't fail to live up to my expectations when I made it at home.

My last must-try recipe is not a sushi recipe, but it's amazing just the same. Cheese Age are wontons filled with cheese and jalapeño, then deep fried until crispy. They are incredibly addictive, and although quite spicy, it's hard to stop at just one.

So thank you for sharing two years of sushi with me, and here's to many more!

Little did I know, there was an entire world I was unaware of.

On November 1st, 2006, I entered the world of blogging. Up until then, I had never subscribed to or commented on a blog - I didn't even know what an RSS feed was. The internet was a scary place - who knew what sort of people were behind the avitars and screennames... for all I knew, these were weirdos trying to decieve us all into thinking they were really the people they pretended to be online.

Little by little, I learned that this was rarely the case. Ralph Whitbeck and Yvo were two commenters who have been with Sushi Day from the beginning. They started as complete strangers, but slowly I have gotten to know the real people behind the blogs.

This was just the start to a wonderful community of real people I have gotten to know over the internet. There are some I've been lucky enough to meet in person, and so many more I hope to be lucky enough to meet someday.

However, the food blogging world was just the start. Although vast and full of amazing people, some of my closest online friends have come from blogs completely unrelated to the food blogging world. There are so many fantastic bloggers I want to tell you about, but for now I'll limit myself to introducing you to Karen Swim. One of the strongest women I know, she writes inspirational posts that help you live your life to it's fullest, and always make you think.

Not to long ago, she was lucky enough to work with Harry and James from Men with Pens, who made her a beautiful new design for her website. You really should go check it out... it's incredibly elegant, and suits her perfectly. In celebration, I promised her I'd make a new roll, just for her. (Because really, what's more awesome than having your own roll, made just for you? :D ) I used all my favorite ingredients - green onion, scallops, tuna, avocado, tempura shrimp, and spicy mayonnaise - and combined it all to make one of the prettiest rolls I have ever made. The ingredients all meld together to create a delicious explosion of sashimi flavors in your mouth, accented perfectly by the avocado, green onion, and spicy mayonnaise. Truly amazing - enjoy!