Sushi Day

Today is my last cooking class with Noah. He and his family are moving. It will be a bittersweet day. We will certainly have fun, like we always do, but it will be a little sad too.

I asked Noah what he wanted to make today, and he said sushi. I know how to make sushi, but why make it when I can buy it for less and it will be better. So I told Noah I would buy us some sushi and we would prepare some other things to go with it. Deal. He said he likes salmon sushi. I will eat anything, but one of my favorites is ahi tuna. I got something both of us will enjoy.

The first thing to realise is that “sushi” doesn’t mean “raw fish”. It actually refers to a dish of vinegared rice served with various fillings and toppings, which may include raw fish. Sushi was originally invented as a means of preservation, when fermented rice was used to store fish for anything up to a year. This was known as narezushi, and in fact the rice was thrown away and only the fish consumed. A later variant called namanarezushi, invented in the 16th century, introduced the idea of using vinegared rice, which was consumed instead of being thrown away, and this is still enjoyed today, particularly in Japan’s ancient capital, Kyoto. Find out more from sushi veteran Masayoshi Kazato.

Sushi is said to have originated in China between the 5th and the 3rd centuries BC, as a means of preserving fish in salt. Narezushi, the original form of sushi, has been made in South East Asia for centuries, and nowadays, there are still traces of it in some parts. Narezushi appeared in Japan in the 8th century, and still survives today in the form of foods such as carp sushi.

Sushi was introduced to the west during the early 1900’s, and was reintroduced after WWII. Today, sushi is popular all over the world. It comes in many different varieties and is always evolving and changing, like so so many different foods do. The type of sushi most popular, at least in the western world, is nigiri-zushi, a type of sushi most known today, in which seafood is placed on hand-pressed vinegared rice, invented in 1824. It was the fast food of the Edo period. Originally, sushi was fermented fish with rice preserved in salt, and this was a staple dish in Japan for a thousand years until the Edo Period (1603 to 1868) when contemporary sushi was developed. The word “sushi” means “it’s sour,” which reflects back to sushi’s origins of being preserved in salt.

Sushi is made with just about any type of fish, as well as vegetables, eel, and sometimes chicken. It is very versatile. The sushi chefs use ONLY A grade fish, and traditionally it takes years to master the art of sushi making.

Sushi, no matter how it is made is always beautifully presented. It always looks like edible art. All of these look amazing! They almost look too pretty to eat. ALMOST! I would enjoy any and all of these at anytime.

So even though we are not making our sushi, we will be making some other delicious things to accompany our sushi.

Have a great day and make everyday great. Stay safe and stay well. ‘Til next time.