By DALE GRAHAM

Several years ago my husband introduced me to sushi. I didn’t exactly rush in with open mouth, but he’s pretty much a country boy, and I figured if he would eat it, I could at the very least try it.

Fish bait? Really? I was shocked that he had developed a taste for such things as octopus sliced thinly and served with a cucumber and vinegar salad, or smelt roe, (fish eggs), wrapped in seaweed. What really shocked me was that on the first night that he took me to “Benkay” in Nashville, I too was hooked, and over the years I have gotten more and more adventurous with what I will try.

But really. Sushi, in Dickson? I just didn’t think it was a good idea. Nashville I trust, close to the airport so they rush the fresh fish in every afternoon. I trust it, which is important when you’re eating anything raw! But we heard from a few different people that we really needed to give Akoya in Dickson a try, so we did.

I won’t waste a lot of time trying to describe the food, just trust me. It is delicious, artistic, creative and top notch! Fresh and fun from the moment it leaves the sushi bar and is traveled across the floor to your table, you will not be able to take your eyes off of it.

As far as the staples go their Miso soup is delicious, loaded with seaweed and very flavorful. The salad is fresh and cold, but the ginger salad dressing needs a little bit more of a kick in my opinion, but that’s the only thing I wasn’t wild about.

We started with a Tuna Martini. Beautiful piece of art and incredibly delicious. If you like spice, try the fresh Yellowtail Jalapeno, slices of Yellowtail tuna with a jalapeno slice on top. If texture is something you pay attention to, try the Wonton Tuna, delicious tuna pieces on top of crispy fried wonton with a mango salsa on top. Unbelievable!

For a beautiful piece of edible art, try to spectacular Tiger Eye, smoked salmon wrapped in toasted squid with a special sauce.

Of course, they also serve a full menu of Japanese, Chinese, Thai, Mongolian and Korean meals, but I personally can’t get away from the sushi long enough to try any of them. Maybe next time.

When you are finished eating, they will bring you a lovely plate of fruit to cleanse the palate. We on the other hand opted for this beautiful creation (below): Sticky rice with mango, raisins and sweet coconut milk. I’ve never tasted anything like it, and I’m hooked!

Akoya is open Sunday through Thursday from 11a.m. until 9:30p.m. Also Friday and Saturday from 11a.m. until 10:30p.m. They are located at 2420 Highway 46 S, in Dickson, TN. (Go left off the interstate exit and they are on the right in front of an old motel. You can reach them at (615)375-8389, and check out their menu at AkoyaTN.com

And please tell them you heard about them in the S. C. Advocate. See their ad on page 3 of this week’s Advocate.

I am on the board of a small Christian sign ministry called Gospel Text Mission located from Cross Plains, TN. Gospel Text Mission got a letter from the IRS stating that “Your organization’s tax – exempt status has been revoked automatically because you have not filed for three years.”

That notice came to us on February 13, 2012.

Our director keeps exacting records and I helped him respond. However, in all of the years since inception from 1989 we never sent certified mail – return receipt requested.

We gathered all our copies for the missing three years the IRS said we didn’t file and sent them. But, we could not prove we sent them. We responded on July 27, 2012.

We got nowhere.

We later learned that over 3,000 Christian ministries had their status revoked for the same reason. Folks, imagine 3,000 not filing for those past three years but having no problem before.

In December 2012, I sat with the director and we prepared a bundle of their required information supplying start up records from 1989 and all the other information. It took hours. Think of the good ministries that may have lost their original start up charters, etc.

We sent a large application by certified mail. The IRS responded and said it would likely take a while but they would get back to us.

Citizens of Cheatham County and beyond: The actions you hear about in the news are not just afar off in this IRS scandal. It’s right at the doors of your neighbors.

Homer R. Dodson

Of East Belltown

Tuesday, May 21st @ 10:30 – Coffee & Chat and Knit-Us-Together.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

**Monday, May 27th, Library CLOSED for Memorial Day.

**The Summer Reading Program begins June 13th @ 10:30.

NEW FICTION:

“Screwed” by Eoin Colfer: Daniel McEvoy finds himself on the wrong side of both a New Jersey crime syndicate and the police. So now he is trying to stay below the radar of both. But when his step grandson comes asking for help in locating Aunt Evelyn, Dan feels he has little choice but to oblige. The question is whether he can survive long enough to find her and still slip back into the shadows.

“Angora Alibi” by Sally Goldenbaum [ A Seaside Knitter’s Mystery]: Izzy Chambers Perry & her new husband are expecting a baby. Her bliss is disturbed when she finds an abandoned infant’s car seat on the beach along with a small blanket. Izzy recognizes the blanket as made from yarn she sold last fall in her yarn shop. When a young man murdered while scuba diving is discovered to have connections with the abandoned car seat, Izzy & her Seaside Knitter’s group spring into action. While time is short, motives are high as the group applies its skills in analysis to try to solve this mystery before Izzy’s baby comes.

“Shattered Trident” by Larry Bond: Nations in the western Pacific have created the Littoral Alliance to block China’s plans to dominate the region. Currently they are engaged in covert submarine activity toward this end. Jerry Mitchell captains the USS North Dakota as part of a submarine squadron monitoring the area. He is surprised to observe a Chinese nuclear attack sub torpedo a Vietnamese merchant ship. Mitchell’s squadron receives orders to interfere with any future attack, whether Chinese or Littoral Alliance, in an attempt to buy time for the U.S. President to resolve the matter via diplomatic means. Failure could mean economic disaster or nuclear disaster – or both.

NEW NON-FICTION:

“From Mama’s Table to Mine: Everybody’s Favorite Comfort Foods at 350 Calories or Less” by Bobby Deen and Melissa Clark.

“Rocks, Dirt, Worms & Weeds: A Fun User-Friendly Guide to Creating a Vegetable or Flower Garden With Your Kids” by Jeff Hutton.

Library Hours: Monday/Tuesday/Thursday 10:00-8:00

Wednesday/Friday/Saturday 10:00-4:30

615-952-4752

www.kingstonspringslibrary.org

Art, music, fun and familiar faces, all that and more at the Pegram Elementary School Spring Frolics last weekend. The weather forced it all indoors, but that didn’t dampen any spirits.

Pegram Elementary School Students of the Week for May 10, 2013 are:

(Top, l to r) McKenzie Rose, Katelynn Petty, Parker Vandrasik, Ellis Hurt, Maggie Harden, Haley Gipson, Jayden Hayes, (Middle, l to r) Bekah Franck, Abigail Plumlee, Kensley Gipson, Shelby Warren, (Bottom, l to r) Clara Jane Sinclair, Garret Perkins, Andrew McClendon, Frank McClendon, and Jamelyn Kelley. Not shown: James Plumlee and Hailey Williams.

www.pegramccs.net