Sushi Money

   And now a timeout for Sushi!  I don’t talk much about sushi, but I do enjoy it.  There are only a few decent sushi restaurants in our area, so when we do visit it’s a real treat.  Today Yahoo! Beauty Eats blog wrote an overview about making healthy choices when eating sushi.  If you’re counting calories, there are some choices that are really full of ‘em!  I was surprised that they cited the noted Japanese cuisine expert Hiroko Shimbo stating that sushi restaurants do not use mayonnaise on sushi dishes?  I suspect that means in a strict and traditional sense for the art of sushi preparation, but otherwise that was not my experience after living in Japan for several years.  I found that the Japanese love mayonnaise.  You can find mayonnaise on many different foods, and especially mixed or chopped with sushi recipes that are used for rolls and other presentations.  It’s certainly not a staple or main ingredient, but more of an interesting choice on the menu.  Have you ever had pizza in Japan?  Many varieties are full of seafood and… yup, mayonnaise!

Hiroko Shimbo has written an amazing book on the subject of sushi:

The Sushi Experience

   But I think sushi is one of the healthiest food choices I have ever made.  Except that I can hardly keep myself from eating too much of it!  I love sashimi in all its forms, especially the beautiful Maguro, or tuna.  My favorite experiences were at the sushi restaurants with conveyor belts, and colorful dishes.  You chose what you wanted to eat as it passed by, and the staff would tally your bill by the color and designs on the plates.  I would usually have a stack of 15 to 20 plates by the time I was finished.  Yum!  And it’s just a pleasant experience… a little green tea, a little ginger between plates… and a relaxing dining experience.   Somehow I think sushi will only continue to grow in popularity over time.  Here’s to healthy eating! 

On the lighter side, or not, depending on how seriously you consider the fine art of making and eating sushi, Yahoo News is reporting that Japan will “certify real sushi” around the world.  Some have jokingly called this idea the beginning of the “sushi police” and wonder how Japan can effectively achieve this goal.  Perhaps to the purist it is a great idea…   There’s nothing wrong with a desire for achieving excellence in food preparation.  And in Japan the creation and presentation of all things sushi is indeed a deep tradition, with years of apprenticeship and a dedication to quality unmatched in many culinary endeavors.  If not taken to the extreme, then I see no harm in it.  The growth of Japanese dining and eating sushi is exploding around the world.  So if this helps foster excellence in Japanese food, then why not?  Realistically, I believe in “economic survival” in that restaurants with good food and presentation will survive, while those with poor food quality will eventually fade away.  Sushi is definitely something that is either wonderful, or awful.  If not prepared properly, “you know it when you see it.”  How many times have we eaten at an asian restaurant with sushi on the menu, but all that’s really there is some conglomeration of rice in a roll designed to imitate sushi?  In America we love asian food… most typically through Chinese restaurants or buffets.  Japanese restaurants are less well known except in larger metropolitan areas, as well as Thai, Vietnamese and others.  When you visit Japan, it can be surprising and almost overwhelming… yet refreshing, to see harmony and devotion to the homogenous nature of Japanese culture.  Food is no exception, and for the creation and enjoyment of sushi there are few places in the world to match the experience on such a wide scale.  If this effort to “certify real sushi” results in higher quality sushi and Japanese food around the world, then I’m all for it.  It may be difficult to implement but hopefully will be a fun and welcoming, rather than divisive, experience for restaurants who desire an emblem or certificate that shows their efforts to provide a quality Japanese dining experience.