Name: The Story of Sushi
Rating: 4.1 (45 reviews)
Author: Trevor Corson

What’s in it for me? Become a sushi connoisseur!

Twenty years ago, sushi was a novelty in most places outside Japan. Since then it has become a takeaway staple, served in fashionable restaurants and sold pre-packed in supermarkets. But, despite its ubiquity, most of us know fairly little about it.

Most of us think sushi is all rice, seaweed and, of course, raw fish. But what about all the vegetarian sushi options out there? Here, we will delve into the story of sushi: how it is made and its cultural significance. When we’re done, you will be a sushi connoisseur.

In these blinks, you’ll find out

why eating sushi with chopsticks is wrong;
how dipping any rice in soy sauce is frowned upon in Japan; and
all the tips and pointers you need to order and eat sushi like a pro.

In Japan, sushi is a source of health and well-being, and this outlook has spread to other cultures.

For many kids, eating healthy foods like broccoli or spinach is a kind of torture. You probably remember being told to finish your vegetables – but, unless you grew up in Japan, you were probably never admonished for failing to finish your sushi.

In Japan, sushi has an enduring reputation as a source of strength and good health for adults and children alike.

In fact, there’s a famous Japanese children’s story, written by the poet Kanoko Okamoto in 1939, that’s simply called “Sushi.”

The story centers on a small boy who is such a picky eater that he becomes weak and sickly. So, his mother sits down with him to prepare some special sushi to get her child eating.

She makes sure her boy sees how clean her hands are and then begins the delicate process of rolling the sushi and preparing it with special, nutritious toppings. After seeing how much love and care his mother puts into the food, he agrees to eat.

By the end of the story, the boy has learned to love food. He grows up healthy and strong, and becomes a famous sushi chef. Like his mother, he takes care to prepare the perfect sushi for each customer.

Today, this appreciation of sushi’s unique qualities has reached far beyond Japan.

Californian soccer player Kate Murray discovered the benefits of sushi as a young adult in the early 2000s. After suffering a sports injury, Murray had to give up exercise, which led to illness and kidney disease.

To make matters worse, Murray spiraled into depression and began eating only fast food. Fortunately, a friend introduced her to sushi; Murray immediately fell in love with the food, and her metabolism kicked right back into gear.

Part of Murray’s appreciation came from the friendly and attentive sushi chefs who created the perfect roll for every customer.

In fact, Murray decided to become a sushi chef herself, and, as we’ll see, there were many more sushi secrets she unlocked.

Shrimp is a recent addition to sushi menus, but there are concerns about using the curious creatures.

One of the most popular items at your local sushi restaurant is likely to be a nigiri topped with shrimp, especially if you live in the United States.

But this is a relatively recent addition to the sushi menu. Shrimp only joined the list of popular toppings after World War II, when the Tokyo way of making nigiri spread throughout the West.

People use different names to describe the maturity of a fish, but everyone agrees, wild fish make the best sushi.

Have you ever found yourself in a sushi restaurant, staring uncomprehendingly at all the unfamiliar ingredients on the menu? If so, you’re not alone. Deciphering the details of a sushi menu is an art form all its own.

After all, it’s not exactly common knowledge that Japanese refer to yellowtail tuna as “ascending fish,” due to the progression of flavor changes that happen in the different stages of the fish’s development.

Salmon eggs are a relatively new addition to sushi and they have a lengthy and complex preparation process.

The world of sushi isn’t restricted to just raw fish and rice. If you’ve recently been to a sushi restaurant, you know that fish eggs have also found their way onto nigiri.

Even though they’re a relatively recent addition to sushi menus, salmon eggs have been part of the human diet for thousands of years.

Kernaussagen in The Story of Sushi