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Sushi courses served up in St. Paul

Exotic dining options are only as far as one’s own kitchen, which is why Margarita Chen is hoping to help people make their own Japanese cuisine at home.
Margarita Chen (at right) demonstrates sushi-making techniques at a class held last year, through the French Canadian Association (ACFA) of St. Paul. Chen will be offering
Margarita Chen (at right) demonstrates sushi-making techniques at a class held last year, through the French Canadian Association (ACFA) of St. Paul. Chen will be offering three more classes on how to make sushi this year, on Oct. 30, Nov. 13 and Nov. 28.

Exotic dining options are only as far as one’s own kitchen, which is why Margarita Chen is hoping to help people make their own Japanese cuisine at home.

She notes that although she makes sushi every so often for the Golden Gate Family Restaurant’s buffet, there is no Japanese restaurant in town. So Chen is offering three sushi-making classes on Oct. 30, Nov. 13 (which will be conducted in French) and Nov. 28.

It’s a skill she picked up several years ago, when she and her husband owned and managed three or four Japanese restaurants. “I just learned from the Japanese chefs,” she said, adding, “I enjoyed making it, and my kids enjoyed eating it.”

She taught the class last year through the French Canadian Association of St. Paul (ACFA), and requests from interested people this year made her decide to offer a few classes again this year.

“At the end of the day, it’s easy to make, nutritious and fun to do,” she said. Since sushi makes great hors d’oeuvres and finger foods, people who take the class could trot out their skills at Christmas parties and functions, Chen notes.

People only have to bring a pair of scissors, a sharp cutting knife and a container to the class, while Chen will supply all the necessary ingredients. She says she plans to tailor the sushi options to individuals’ wants or needs, whether its seafood sushi with crab meat, smoked salmon or sashimi (raw salmon); vegetarian sushi with pickled turnips, avocado and carrots; or sushi with meat, such as teriyaki chicken or beef.

“It’s going to be quite beautiful on a plate,” Chen says, adding people can either eat the results after the class or they can take their culinary masterpieces home to enjoy. Chen will also distribute bamboo rolls and ingredients for people to take with them, if they want to fly solo on sushi-making at home.

People can sign up for any of the three classes, which will each last an hour and a half to two hours. All three start at 1 p.m. on Saturday at the Golden Gate Family Restaurant in St. Paul. Spaces are limited to five to 10 people for each class, but Chen notes she may offer the course again in December, closer to Christmas time. To book a space, call Chen at 780-614-8080.

“Hopefully, it’s a fun afternoon,” she said of the upcoming classes.

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