However, this sushi was not quite the same as the sushi we know today. It was often cooked — due to a lack of refrigeration — and served in larger pieces. He found that, instead of just throwing out the rice, it could be tossed with a bit of vinegar, and a small sliver of fish could be placed on top, making a flavorful, bite-sized treat that was delicious, portable, and affordable for the masses. Thus, nigiri was born — and the history of sushi as we know it in the West began in Japan.
Shortly thereafter, this dish would start to spread throughout the world. Sushi had been introduced to the West by the early s, following Japanese immigration after the Meiji Restoration. However, it was not popular among anyone except the upper-class, and as Japanese immigration declined in the late s, it became much less common. Sushi began becoming more popular again in the United States a few years after the conclusion of World War II, when Japan once again became open for international trade, tourism, and business.
In the s, this trend began to take hold in America in earnest, and middle-class Americans began trying sushi for themselves — and loving it. However, Kawafuku Restaurant of Los Angeles is often credited with this honor — as it was one of the first restaurants to offer sushi.
As you can imagine, though, the idea of eating raw fish took a little while to catch on in America — but by the late s, sushi had become trendy, and new sushi restaurants were opening up all across the country. To help Americans get used to the idea of eating sushi, many restaurants began experimenting with new taste combinations and sushi rolls. Just like that, sushi restaurants became a national phenomenon. Sushi is one of the most widely-eaten foods across the country.
Even the least-adventurous diners among us have likely at least tried a sushi roll such as a California roll — and thanks to the continuous spirit of innovation among chefs, there are always new rolls and dishes to try. Contrary to popular belief, sushi has nothing to do with fish at all. Sushi rice is a specific variety of short-grain rice prepared with rice wine vinegar.
The vinegared rice has its own unique flavor and clumps together to enable the creation of sushi rolls and other preparations. Sushi is often made with fish and other types of seafood. It is also sometimes made with egg or vegetables like cucumber and avocado. Sashimi is eaten plain without accompaniments aside from soy sauce. This is to allow the flavor of the meat to shine. Sashimi-grade fish is some of the highest quality seafood. It is caught on a single line rather than a net and is killed and iced immediately upon being landed, allowing it to stay fresh with minimal degradation or build-up of lactic acid.
Sashimi-grade fish is the safest and highest quality fish available. If you need to add wasabi, brush some onto the fish with either a chopstick or a piece of ginger. Don't leave the ginger on top of the sushi as an enhancement! Sucking the extra wasabi off of your chopsticks is also considered bad form.
Treat chopsticks as you would a fork in the West: Sucking on your utensils or using them to point just isn't good. Fresh ginger is provided to cleanse your palate between bites and should never be eaten at the same time as a piece of sushi.
You can always ask for additional ginger should you need it. Fortunately, there are no pretentious guidelines as to which type of sushi you should eat first, and no strict order follows.
The chef may have his own plan for which pieces should come in which order. If you particularly enjoy something the chef made, tell him, and ask for another piece. Sashimi slices of raw fish is typically eaten with chopsticks, but the traditional way to eat sushi items served on rice is by lifting a piece between your thumb and middle finger. Picking up the sushi with the fingers allows you to feel the texture and helps to keep it together, rather than damaging it with wooden sticks.
Regardless, you'll be forgiven for using chopsticks if you need to do so. Nigiri is often the default type of sushi served. Turn the piece upside down by rotating it counterclockwise, then dip only the fish into your soy sauce—never the rice if you can avoid it. Not only will the rice absorb too much soy sauce and change the texture of the bite, leaving rice behind in your bowl is amateur. Preparing the vinegared rice properly is also part of the sushi art. Sushi pieces such as unagi eel and those with sauce already on top should not be dipped.
To be a real sushi pro, pieces should be placed in the mouth upside down so that the fish is against your tongue. Allow your tongue to take in the complex flavors before gulping down the bite. Ideally, you'll be able to eat the entire piece in one bite. Trying to make a piece into two bites usually results in it falling apart. Sometimes pieces of nigiri are too big to eat in one go, another good reason to eat with the fingers so you can hold everything together. The last and most important rule of how to eat sushi properly is that you enjoy every single bite—more than likely it will be the bill and not the wasabi that causes a little heartburn later!
Exiting tip: Remember to give a deep, respectful bow to the chef as you leave the establishment. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads.
0コメント