Sushi, That’s How We Roll.

Ja-Roen's Sushi Area.

 "You know, the kind with seaweed wrapping

I can never seem to get enough,

So get your hands off my sushi man

  Roll it up!

Got chopsticks to hold it up

Dip it in wasabi if you're bold enough

Cuz I love, I love sushi"

The Sushi Song

Song by Romeo Eats and Walk off the Earth ‧ 2021

 

When we hear the term “sushi”, automatically we think of Japan, raw fish, sticky rice, soy sauce, pickled ginger and wasabi.  Well, in the Cokenour household, we do, and when we have a craving for it, it’s to Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi, here in Monticello, that we run to.  But there is more to sushi than the simple items I just mentioned.

While Japan comes to mind immediately, the origin of sushi, or the art of preserving fish in fermented rice, began in the Mekong River region.  “Narezushi” spread to other countries that the river flowed through; China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam before reaching Japan by the 8^th century.  The more evolved presentations, that we see in today’s restaurants, developed during the Edo Period (16^th to 19^th centuries).  As England and America began to explore Japan, the cuisine of this mysterious new country was also investigated thoroughly.

Quick, when you hear the word sushi, what do you immediately imagine?  There are many types of sushi, and not all come in a rolled form.

Traditional Sushi Types:

Nigiri: A small oblong of hand-pressed rice topped with a slice of raw fish or other seafood.

Maki (or Makizushi): Sushi rice and fillings rolled in seaweed (nori) and sliced into rounds.

Sashimi: While often served with sushi, it is not technically sushi as it is just thinly sliced raw fish or meat with no rice.

Temaki: A cone-shaped roll with seaweed filled with rice and other ingredients.

Chirashi: A bowl of seasoned rice topped with a variety of scattered ingredients, often including fish and vegetables.

Uramaki: A type of maki roll where the rice is on the outside of the seaweed.

Inarizushi: Sushi rice in a seasoned, deep-fried tofu pouch.

Oshizushi: A type of pressed sushi made by pressing the ingredients into a mold, creating a rectangular block of sushi.

Gunkan: A type of nigiri with a band of seaweed wrapped around the rice to form a cup, which is then filled with soft, loose, or finely chopped ingredients like sea urchin or fish roe.

Temari: A small, ball-shaped sushi that is often made for special occasions.

Is sushi healthy?  Yes and no, and it all depends on, not just any illness you may have, like diabetes or gastrointestinal issues, but also the quality of the ingredients used.

Ah, the rice, it’s a main component when creating sushi, but can any type of rice be used? 

The best rice for sushi is short-grain Japanese (or "japonica") white rice due to its high starch content which makes it sticky enough to be molded into the correct shape.  If short grain is unavailable, medium grain can be used in a pinch, but using long grain rice ensures a total failure.

Master Sushi Chef Dos, and his wife, Fon.

 

Recently, I was honored to be able to take a sushi making lesson with Ja-Roen’s master chef, Dos.  He has been creating his masterpieces for 24 years, and can be seen working alongside his wife, Fon.  Palm, Ja-Roen’s most excellent manager, assisted with my lesson; hey, put a sharp knife in my hand and who knows where it will fly off to!  My hubby, Roy, chose the roll that I would be creating…The Spider Roll.  This is a soft-shelled crab (shipped in from Thailand), done up tempura style, slices of avocado and English style cucumber (less moisture, so holds its shape when cut).  Toppings over the roll are unagi sauce (aka eel sauce) and mayo; along with flying fish roe (bright orange-red color).

Hair tied back, gloves on (a dab of mayo rubbed on them keeps the rice from sticking to the gloves), makisu (the sushi mat) down, and a square of nori (seaweed sheet) on top.  Most important step begins with measuring the rice, 130 grams (approx. 2/3 cup), and using a food scale will get the perfect measurement.  It is placed on the center of the nori and stretched out to the left and right edges; half the rice is then spread upwards, till about a half inch from the edge, and a couple of bits of rice are mashed to the edge to create a type of “glue”.  The other half of the rice is spread downwards, again, about a half inch from the edge.  The rice should be spread that none of the nori is visible underneath without mashing the rice.  The crab, which was cut in half lengthwise, is placed in the center, and the legs should stick outside the end of the nori.  Two slices each, of avocado and cucumber, end to end, on top of the crab.

 

Soft Shell Crab

Spreading the rice.

Add Avocado and Cucumber Slices.

Now the scariest parts of all, for me at least, was the rolling and knife cuts.  Dos had already demonstrated each step, and I paid attention like a deer caught in headlights.  When it comes to the rolling, the trickiest part is making sure to do it evenly, and not put too much pressure.  Once rolled, then comes the knife cuts, and while I have very good knife skills, I am no master!  Estimate, as close as possible, the center of the roll, place knife down, begin to cut downward (not too much pressure!), then a sort of see-saw motion quickly.  Now there are two halves; with one half, cut off one section, about a half inch; then cut the remainder of the roll in half, and cut those two halves in half.  Repeat with second half of the original roll, and now there are ten sections, hopefully all evenly cut.  Being a nervous nelly, and being scared I would squash the roll, I sometimes did not cut the nori all the way through. 

Apply Even Pressure.

 

Begin Rolling.

 

Ready to be Cut.

Lining up the pieces next to each other, the mat is used to “repress” them into the proper shape before plating.  That was fun, making the pieces stand or lean prettily, decorating with the sauces and roe, but the best part of all was…the eating!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut Roll in Half.

Cut 1st Piece off 1st Half.

Cut Pieces Evenly as Possible.

Plating. 

Now for the condiments and sauces.

Begin Plating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pickled Ginger and Wasabi in one corner.

 

Unagi Sauce and Mayo.

Sprinkle on Flying Fish Roe.

 

My Spider Roll (front view)

 

My Spider Roll (back view)

 

All in all, what I thought would be a scarily difficult food creation ended up being much easier, and definitely less terrifying, than I thought it would be.  Chef Dos and Palm were very patient, and most excellent instructors.  It made me feel so much more confident to hear Chef Dos say, that, for a first time, I didn’t do too badly.  Oh, the spider roll…this was the most delicious one ever, especially since I had made it.

In the mood for sushi, after reading this; Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi (380 S Main St, Monticello, UT 84535; (435) 587-4000) are open Mon-Wed: 11am-3pm, 4pm-9:30pm, and Thurs-Sat: 11am-9:30pm.  Last seating is at 9pm.

Cucumber Roll pairs nicely with Spider Roll.

 

 

 

 

Cucumber Roll

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, Ja-Roen has extended their drink menus (see photos below) and locals get a 5% discount!

Coffees, Tea, Juice, Water.

Boba(Bubble) Tea, Soft Drinks, Non-Alcoholic Beer.

 

 

When it comes to excellent service, atmosphere and Thai/Japanese cuisines; you MUST check out Ja-Roen Thai & Sushi.

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There’s Mexican and Then Sort of Mexican.

When it comes to cooking up Mexican recipes, I often tend to wonder, “Is this authentic, or another recipe that has been Americanized?”.  Let’s get real about American food, it basically came about from other countries and cultures that immigrated to North America.  Nowadays, mainly in extremely large metropolises, purely ethnic communities can be found and you will get the real deal when it comes to their country’s cuisine.

Mexican food can be found from the smallest town to the largest city, but even restaurants have to cater to the awkward taste of the typical born and raised American.  Take, for example, fajitas; you will not be finding them served in Mexico City, Guadalajara (Gustavo’s of Monticello does have them on their menu), Oaxaca or even Tijuana.  Why?  Their origin is Texas, The Lone Star State, where cowboys from Mexico taught the American West cowboy how to eat better.  This is an example of fusion cooking, where the cuisine of Texas combined with Mexican cuisine, and a new recipe was born.  Don’t think this is true, then I’ll quote myself from November 2016, “A historical piece called “Fajitas, South Texas Style”, done at Texas A&M University by Mary K. Sweeten and Homer Recio, established that this could be traced as far back as the 1930’s in Texas; hence the beginning of what is called “Tex-Mex” cuisine.  (Go to: https://oaktrust.library.tamu.edu/bitstream/handle/1969.1/147901/Bull1500a.pdf?sequence=9&isAllowed=y for the full story.)”.  A whole study done on Tex-Mex cuisine, and fajitas; now would I lie to you?

Let’s take on another popular recipe which, again, has its origins in Tex-Mex, Taco Soup.  Alright, don’t be getting your knickers in a twist, no way will I be disillusioning tacos.  Taco soup is actually derived from a more traditional Mexican soup, Tortilla soup. It combines traditional Mexican flavors, like those found in tacos and chili, with ingredients easily available in American supermarkets, such as taco seasoning, diced tomatoes with green chilies, and a variety of beans.

In my search for a taco soup recipe worth creating, I found one in a Paula Deen cookbook; however, it ended up being the consistency of chili, and tasting exactly like that.  Doing more searching, I was amazed that most of the recipe sites that mentioned taco soup had "cooks" with Paula's recipe listed word for word; yet they listed the recipe as their own "original" recipe.   So, I have "cooks" in quotes to show my sarcasm as they aren't real cooks, just copycats who don't have the manners to give credit where credit is due. The recipe I will be giving is highly influenced by Paula Deen, but tweaked enough to be considered an original, not a copycat.  It has a creamed soup texture, not thick like a standard chili, and the ranch dressing gives a mild flavor that does not overpower the concept of tacos.

 

 

Taco Soup

Ingredients:

1 lb. ground beef (85% lean), browned, drain excess grease

1 (28 oz.) crushed tomatoes

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1(14.5 oz.) can beef broth

1 (15 oz.) can great northern (white) beans

1 (15 oz.) can whole black beans

1 (11 oz.) can Mexican style whole kernel corn

1 (1.25 oz.) packet taco seasoning mix

¼ cup bottled original ranch dressing, not buttermilk

Preparation:

 

Set 4-quart crock pot on low; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Put in all items from ingredients list; do not drain beans or corn. Cover and cook for 4 hours.

 

Makes 10 (2 cup) servings.

Garnishes:

Chopped fresh cilantro

Avocado slices

Diced red onion

Sour cream

Shredded Mexican cheese blend

Crumbled Queso Fresco cheese

Tortilla chips or strips

Now for that authentic Mexican soup I mentioned earlier, Tortilla Soup aka Sopa Azteca aka Sopa de tortilla.  The origin of tortilla soup is traced to pre-Columbian Mexico, where the use of corn tortillas in soups was a natural way to utilize leftover tortillas. The dish evolved from indigenous practices in Central Mexico, incorporating ingredients like corn, tomatoes, and chiles, and later adding European influences like onion, garlic, and chicken broth. While the exact moment of creation is unknown, the combination reflects ancient Mexican culinary traditions. Tortilla soup's foundational ingredients were staples in the diet of indigenous peoples in Mesoamerica, including the Aztecs, long before the arrival of the Spanish.  It is an iconic meal that is comforting and resourceful at the same time.

Besides chicken broth, my recipe also incorporates chicken meat, so hence the name, chicken tortilla soup. The soup is colorful from the ingredients, flavorful from the seasonings and a mild warming sensation from the chilies exemplified the essence of comfort.  The tortilla chips? I wondered about them, basically why put something crunchy in a soup, just so it can get soggy?  I was surprised though; the softened tortilla chips gave the illusion of noodles (tortilla strips) or dumplings (tortilla chips) enhancing the feeling of comfort overall.

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

 

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, do not drain liquid

1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, do not drain liquid

2 (11 oz.) cans Mexican corn, do not drain liquid

1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes with green chilies

1 Tbsp. dried cilantro

½ tsp. dried oregano

½ tsp. ground cumin

¼ tsp. ground black pepper

2 (14.5 oz.) cans chicken broth

Tortilla chips

Preparation:

Set a 6-quart crock pot on low; place inside the ingredients in order of listing. Cook for 6 hours; remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to crock pot and mix thoroughly. Line bottom of soup bowl with tortilla chips; ladle soup over chips.

Makes 12 servings.

Garnishes: sour cream, shredded cheese, avocado, chopped fresh cilantro

Considering the stormy weather we are currently having, a hot bowl of either of these soups will warm body and soul up quite nicely.

Mary Cokenour 

 

 

Smoke Pizza Company and DaYz Desserts are Two Greats in One.

Smoke Pizza Company and DaYz Desserts

148 South Main Street

Blanding, UT, 84511

Telephone: Currently unavailable; however, ordering can be done via their website: https://orders.cake.net/11552341, and they also have a Facebook page, so you can leave comments or reviews.

Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 11am to 9pm, Closed on Sunday. 

 Several hours after visiting Smoke Pizza Company and DaYz Desserts, I was still finding it difficult to begin this newest of restaurant review articles.  Why?  Reeling from great conversation with owners Jon and Colleen Raisor (another owner, Daylen Carter was not present), and employee Vincent, plus the amazing food high from the great food and baked goods…how in the world was I supposed to sit still, form coherent sentences and make sense!? (Wow, talk about a run-on sentence).

First, we have to time travel once again to December 9, 2015 and the article about David Ludwig, his pizza wagon, and the wood burning oven he had built himself.  While he provided a good product to Blanding locals, and visitors passing through, he eventually moved on, and sold his business to Jon and Colleen Raisor.  “What were they thinking?”, they had to ask themselves, but they were interested in getting into the food industry, and opportunity came a-knocking at their door.  For eight years they created excellent pizzas at a Main Street location, and also went to events to wow new customers.  As good as this was, they wanted more, a larger location, the opportunity to earn monies to fill their coffers, more food choices for the community, and a way to truly show off their cooking and baking talents.  Getting together with Daylen Carter, having access to a prime Main Street location once again, Smoke Pizza Company and DaYz Desserts opened in September 2025.

Sourcing comes from a popular food distribution company that most restaurants tend to use.  Jon makes sure to purchase as many products that are of Italian origin as quality goes a much further distance.  Practically every food item is housemade; dough for the pizzas and pastas, sauces, dressings; except the sauces for the wings.  Alright Jon, let’s go over this one more time: 1-stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted; whisk in ¼ cup Frank’s Red-Hot sauce, and that’s mild for the wings.  Want it hotter?  Just whisk in more Frank’s till it’s just right, yes, we had a good laugh over this.  Back to the housemade, the salads are created fresh, not purchased prepackaged, and all the baked goods (breads, croissants, cookies, brownies and much more) are made in-house.

 

Colleen Raisor Working the Oven.

Just a small selection offered by DaYz Desserts.

So, how was our dining experience from start to finish?  When we first got there, a group of motorcyclists, who just happened to see the new sign, decided to try it out.  I asked them about their experience, and they were so pleased about everything; the welcoming and friendly atmosphere and staff, the longest wait time was about 10 minutes, and they thought the food was quite amazing. They were seasoned travelers, so a good place to eat, could be a challenge at times.

 

The building interior is very open, roomy, with large windows that let in plenty of light.  A motorcycle group of about 24 people were there, so this restaurant can handle large groups looking to celebrate an event, such as a family gathering, or friends having a reunion.   Let me tell you, after speaking with Jon, Colleen and Vincent, that is exactly what it felt like, a few friends getting together for laughs, storytelling and enjoying great food.

Alright, I hear you, shut up about the people and building and tell us about the food!

 

We ordered the Combo Meals; as usual, this pizza snob went with the 10-inch plain cheese pizza.  Hey, if they mess up that kind of pizza, what chance do they really have?  It came with a brownie (I chose mint) and a 16-ounce beverage.  Roy went with supreme pizza loaded with Italian sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, sausage, Canadian bacon, onions, mushrooms, bell peppers, and olives; his brownie choice was salted caramel plus the 16-ounce beverage.  The price for this meal deal could not be beat!  We also ordered wings with barbecue sauce as a starter.

 

The Wings – an order has 6 large and meaty wings that are baked, yet they have a good texture, thoroughly cooked, and not a gummy skin on the outside.  They are not over sauced, so your taste buds get a good mixture of chicken meat with sauce.  This starter is perfect for two people, or a really hungry single person.

 

 

 

 

 

The Pizza – crust was nicely browned, not overly crispy, but it held all the ingredients well; no flopping and dropping. The edges were slightly darker, but that is due to being close to the flames; yes, their pizza ovens use flame cooking.  Sauce was definitely a winner in flavor; Mama Mia, that’s Italian!  The cold pizza test gets a definite A+, and if you see my hubby with a bandage around his hand, he tried to steal my leftovers.

The Brownies – they are frosted brownies with the frosting being a perfect accompaniment for the rich chocolate brownie.  The mint had a subtle taste which combined so well with the chocolate.  The salted caramel had just enough of a hint of salt, you knew it was there, but did not get overwhelmed as if biting a nugget of sea salt.  Later on, I purchased a sampler container of the brownies which contained three with vanilla frosting; oh, that was nice, yeah, really nice.

 

When it comes to customer favorites, everything on their menu depends on tastes, but pepperoni pizza, or anything pepperoni really, is the best seller.  Speaking of the menu, besides those amazing wood fired pizzas, there are pasta dishes, salads, breadsticks, chicken wings (choice of four sauces), sandwiches, additional toppings and sauces and, not to be overlooked, those yum-o-licious brownies.  The prices are very reasonable, especially for such good quality.

There are a few future goals for the business, like adding calzones and gelato to the food menu.  Catering is being considered, but all the logistics have to be figured out, so stayed tuned for further news. Oh, the food truck, that will still be used for special events.

 

Before leaving, purchases of cinnamon rolls, brownies, a huge loaf of ranch bread, and humongous croissants were destined for home.

Hours of operation are Monday-Saturday, 11am to 9pm, Closed on Sunday; busiest time is usually 6-7 pm, the dinner hour.  Friday and Saturday are the busiest days, and Monday the slowest, so now you can plan your visit…you have to visit!  Afterwards, you will again and again and again; hey, maybe you’ll see us there and we can have a fun chat.

Mary Cokenour