What is the difference between male and female Uni, and does it affect flavor?
Yes — male and female Uni are noticeably different. Female Uni tends toward bright yellow, with higher moisture, a creamy melt, and sweet, oceanic flavor. Male Uni is deep reddish-orange, firmer, with lower moisture and more concentrated, intense flavor. Most commercial Uni is mixed. Sashimi DC occasionally receives sex-sorted boxes; female-only is rarer and more sought-after.
Kagoshima Unagi — Daishin
Eel from Kagoshima is back. The producer is Daishin, equipped with the longest steaming line in Japan. That matters: long, slow steaming produces a texture that is genuinely fluffy — light and soft all the way through, without the dense or slightly rubbery quality you sometimes get from less carefully processed eel.
This shipment came in alongside a special event at the Japanese Embassy. It is likely a one-time import — we may not see this particular lot again.
How to reheat: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. To warm, use a hot water bath — seal the eel in a bag and submerge in hot (not boiling) water for a few minutes. This preserves the fluffy texture. Direct heat in a pan or microwave will dry it out.
Male-only Uni — 3 large boxes
This week we received something unusual: three large boxes of male-only Uni.
Most people don't know that Uni can be sorted by sex — and that male and female are genuinely different things to eat. Here is what distinguishes them:
| Female (ovaries) | Male (testes) | |
|---|---|---|
| Color | Bright yellow | Deep reddish-orange |
| Moisture | Higher | Lower |
| Texture | Melts in the mouth | Firmer, more defined |
| Flavor | Sweet, delicate, oceanic | Rich, concentrated, intense |
Male Uni — the deep reddish-orange lobes — has lower moisture and a more concentrated, intense flavor. Female Uni tends toward bright yellow, with higher moisture and the characteristic melt most people associate with great Uni. The color difference is immediately visible when you open the box.
Three large boxes is more than we typically receive of a single variety. If you want to try something you genuinely may not have encountered before, this is the week.
Uni moves fast. Order early or come in — these boxes will not last past the weekend.
Community — Snow Crane pop-up, April 19
Snow Crane is doing a two-part Sunday activation at Rice Market on April 19th, centered on Maryland dairy discovery through freshly spun ice cream.
Part 1 — Ticketed Dairy Tasting, 12:00–1:00 pm ($75 + tax)
A guided tasting led by Takeshi. Four Maryland local dairies, each spun into ice cream live on-site using liquid nitrogen or Pacojet, and served immediately at peak texture for direct comparison. The tasting is structured so you can experience exactly how dairy selection shapes texture, richness, sweetness, and finish — the same milk, different farms, genuinely different results.
Part 2 — Open scoop service, 1:00 pm onward (walk-in, no ticket needed)
Wine this week — Perkins Harter
This week we're featuring Perkins Harter. Shelby Perkins left a career as a nuclear waste attorney-advisor at the US Department of Energy, traveled to Antarctica in 2006, found wine amid Washington DC lobbying dinners, and eventually flew to Oregon to make Chardonnay. In 2018, she and Peter Harter established Bracken Vineyard in the Eola-Amity Hills — the same fruit that Violin Wine currently vinifies, and that Shiba Wichern Cellars will work with from the 2025 vintage.
Their own wines are a direct, honest expression of the site: Pinot Noir and Chardonnay farmed organically with biodynamic sprays, natural fermentation, low sulfur, and a philosophy that natural acidity runs the show. The vineyard was replanted extensively in 2021 after vole attacks and a severe ice storm — setbacks that Shelby describes in Cormac McCarthy terms: who's to know what worse luck your bad luck saved you from. The wines reflect that resilience.
perkinsharter.com · @perkins.harter
Schedule notice — early closings next week
Two events next week will mean early closings on Monday and Tuesday:
- Monday April 13 — Japanese Embassy, evening. I am helping with the fish import for a dinner event at the Embassy. We will close early that day.
- Tuesday April 14 — Ikejime Federation & Yamaha event. We will be participating in an event alongside the Ikejime Federation and Yamaha to promote Ikejime processing in the US. Early closing that day as well.
Exact closing times for both days will be posted on Instagram the morning of. If you are planning to come in Monday or Tuesday, check first.