Sawara Arrives: Kan-Sawara Season Has Begun
We received Sawara (Japanese Spanish mackerel) this week, and its season has just started. The kanji 鰆 combines “fish” (魚) and “spring” (春), which marks it as the fish of spring. But as the temperature goes down, the fish gains fat in the flesh, and my favorite season for Sawara is late autumn to early winter. We call it Kan-Sawara (寒鰆, “cold-season Sawara”). For more on how peak flavor follows the calendar in Japan, see our guide to Japanese fish seasonality.
The flesh is fragile, and Sawara comes skin-on.
How to Eat Sawara
- Sashimi: we suggest Aburi style (lightly seared).
- Grilled: just salt (Shio-Yaki), or marinate in miso and sake (Miso-Zuke).
- Do not overcook when you grill, to keep the fluffy texture.
Sawara is wild-caught, so it comes frozen, following the FDA parasite-destruction guideline for potential parasites. Enjoy the taste of the season!
This Week’s Lineup
In the case this week: Bluefin Tuna, Sasshu Salmon and Hokkaido Uni, plus Ikura, Shiso and fresh Wasabi. We also carry frozen fish: Unagi Kabayaki, Kinmedai and Saba. We are missing Hokkaido Scallops this week, as they are not in a good season.
November Classes
All classes are held at Sashimi DC in the lower level of Rice Market. See our events page for details.
- Fish Cooking and Wine Pairing Class, Sunday, November 1 (2:00–3:30 pm, $70). See our wine and fish pairing guide for the science behind the pairings.
- Knife Sharpening and Sashimi Slicing Class, Sunday, November 8. See our guide to Japanese knives for what you will learn.
- Fish Cooking and Wine Pairing Class, Sunday, November 15.
Chef Takeshi Nishikawa’s Dinner, November 7
Chef Takeshi Nishikawa will host a dinner at Rice Taste Kitchen, the event space on the second floor of Rice Market, on Saturday, November 7, at 6:30 pm ($185 plus fee). It is a rare occasion to taste his cuisine beyond ice cream (see his Snow Crane Ice Cream on Instagram). The pricing is really affordable for the menu, and I highly recommend it. Tickets are available through the link in the Snow Crane Ice Cream Instagram bio.
Closed November 23 to December 1
We will be closed from Monday, November 23 through Tuesday, December 1. November 23 is a national holiday in Japan (Labor Thanksgiving Day, 勤労感謝の日) and November 26 is Thanksgiving, so the customs process does not work out that week. We reopen on Wednesday, December 2. Please plan your orders before the closure.