Adventures in Sushi: Uni

Back towards the end of last year, I acquired my taste for sushi. Since then, I've tried a whole bunch of different stuff. Rolls of all kinds, which are absolutely fantastic. I've also enjoyed seaweed salad, and of course there are the individual pieces of seafood. I've been able to work with the ginger and a tad - a taaaad - of wasabi. The latter really surprises me, because the first time I tried wasabi I thought it smelled like industrial waste and tasted like chemicals.

I've had - and love - tako (octopus), ika (squid), and fish eggs (forget what that's called). I think I've tried eel too, but not sure. My most adventurous sushi experience was uni - a premium sushi always listed at 'market price'. It's sea urchin...you know those spiny purple brown balls that wash up on the beach?

I had it at a team outing, which was good because uni does not look appetizing at all (see the picture). It resembles a hairy, orange tongue.  I'm not sure but - without the peer pressure to eat it after having declared my intention to do so - I might have chickened out. No joke, it was gushy, squishy, and tasted ghastly. But at least I can say I've tried sea urchin.

Perhaps the wasabi sauce would have helped with this particular experience.