Jon posted the other day about the upcoming prestigious Sushi Rollers face-off sponsored by the California Rice Commission.  [Disclosure: I am a former director of the Commission and current constituent]  That competition was held today here in Sacramento at the Sutter Club.  It matched our fearless Republican leader, Mike Villines vs. Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez.  [Last year, yours truly forged a three way tie in the competition with Senator Cedillo, Senator Denham, and I competing]

The winner would win the honor of displaying a beautiful Samurai Sword and sheath, mounted inside a lovely windowed frame.  They had me display it on the floor Thursday for the members during the challenge by Mike of the Speaker.  We thought maybe it should have a sticker on it, "In Case Of Emergency, Break Glass" for our Samurai Tax Cutters.

The buildup to the competition was tense, both members looking for tips to best roll their own winning California Roll.  The competition would be decided by votes of the audience present.  About 10 were selected to participate, including me as past champion…OK, co-champion.

Taro Arai from Mikuni’s Japanese Restaurant and Sushi Bar demonstrated for the contestants a  technique for a successful California roll.  He made it look easy with a perfect roll.  Next up: The Contest.  Mike started early, to the Speakers loud post-partisan protest.  Soon they were both rolling, using North California grown fine Sushi rice, as well as avocado and strips of crab, with a seaweed wrap, being careful to place the rice on the ‘rough’ side of the wrap.  Then came the slicing in to 8 pieces and finally the ‘presentation’ onto the platter…presentation is where Sushi Rollers are separated from sushi pretenders.  

The judges were then invited up to visually judge the handiwork {I don’t think these guys washed their hands, so no tasting was done!]  Votes were cast by placing orange ping pong ball ‘ballots’ into
vertical clear plastic tubes, placed right in front of each competitor.  This non-secret ballot may prove to be a challenge for me later.  When I judged the works produced by each, I had a choice: political expediency or merit.  

Mike’s effort at the California Roll was valiant, arranged in what I’ll call an "interpretive" form, while Fabian chose a symmetrical form.  Given that the Speaker used much more rice in his roll, that I farm rice in real life [eat all you want, we’ll grow more] and that it just flat looked better, fairness ruled and my orange ping pong ball rolled to a stop in the canister assigned to…..

The Speaker, who won the competion handily, and will be displaying the Samurai Sword in his office for a year.

Mike will be over at Mikuni’s enjoying purchased sushi rolls.

I, tomorrow morning, by not voting for the valiant roll effort of the still very talented Republican leader, will likely be waiting around my office hallway for the locksmith to cometh, but basking in the post-partisan glow that pervades the Capitol nowadays, knowing I was able to give the Speaker a critical post-partisan vote this year.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 27th, 2007 at 12:00 am and is filed under Blog Posts.