Ceviche in, Sushi out

Let me start this with: I hope you're not pregnant. Consuming of raw fish during pregnancy is a no-no.

It's going to be a long nine months when my time comes.

Anyhoo, sushi has been around for THOUSANDS of years. I tried it my sophomore year in high school and wasn't impressed. A shoulder shrug + "eh, it's aight". In the past calendar year, I must have eaten enough sushi to match a japanese emperor. OMG, I HEART SUSHI! Any chance I get, I'm eating it.

The dish that can be raw or cooked, hot or cold, has made a phenomenal impact in the south florida community. Considering that the main cultures in S. Florida are of the Carribean descent, the only asian food we eat here is chinese. Enter the art of Hibachi. With hibachi restaurants entertaining families for the past 20 years in West Palm Beach and i'm sure all over south florida, the Japanese got their foot in the door to intoduce us to sushi. All the "it" people have been doing it for the past year; sashimi and sushi alike. Enter South AMERICA.

Ceviche is a traditional Peruvian dish in which fish is chemically cooked in citrus juices. The temperature of the fish and accompanying veggies (see: onions, bell peppers, hot peppers if you dare, cilantro) never reach 40 degrees. What fish is used? Whatever you like. Yesterday, I had shrimp ceviche that had lime juice, small red and orange bell peppers, onions, cilantro, and bean sprouts in it. DEE-LISH-US. The first time, it was conch cooked in lemon juice; ice cold and scrum-diddley-umshus.

Next time you're in the mood for raw fish, pass on the sushi and ask for the ceviche :-)