Sunday, June 28, 2015

The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson

Nonfiction eBook About Sushi!
I love sushi!! It's one of my favorite foods to eat and the really well made stuff makes eating sushi worth while... Unfortunately, I've had to stop consuming sushi temporarily due to the elimination diet I'm currently on due to food allergies/intolerances I'm currently dealing with.

In the meantime, I read The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson to get my sushi fix!

I enjoyed Trevor Corson's writing and how he shares information about sushi with the reader... The story of sushi just isn't about the history of sushi in Japan, but also the history of sushi in the United States. Also, to make things more interesting, Trevor Corson writes about students training to become sushi chefs in Hermosa Beach, California at the California Sushi Academy, which I found made for interesting reading.

I also enjoyed reading the 'How to Eat Sushi' section at the end of The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson.

I learned tons of interesting facts about sushi, fish and rice from reading The Story of Sushi... Too many facts to share here, but the following are some of the interesting factoids I learned while reading The Story of Sushi:

* "The Japanese believe eel meat to be an aphrodisiac." Page 226
* Bluefin tuna are the fastest fish in the sea and can swim 50mph. If they swim too slowly, they'll suffocate. They are also warm blooded and can also weigh up to 1,500 pounds.
* "The modern term for "sushi" refers not to fish, but to rice -- rice seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Any food made with this seasoned rice can be called sushi, whether it involves fish." Page 27
* "In Japan alone, farmers have cultivated at least 2,000 varieties of rice." Page 38
* The California Roll "was invented in L. A.'s Little Tokyo in the late 1960s, at Tokyo Kaikan, one of the first restaurants to open a sushi bar, and premier Japanese eatery in L. A. The California rolls' inventor was a chef there named Ichir Mashita." Page 81

The following is a summary for The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson from Amazon's website:
A New York Times Editor's Choice 
Everything you never knew about sushi— its surprising origins, the colorful lives of its chefs, and the bizarre behavior of the creatures that compose it 
Trevor Corson takes us behind the scenes at America's first sushi-chef training academy, as eager novices strive to master the elusive art of cooking without cooking. He delves into the biology and natural history of the edible creatures of the sea, and tells the fascinating story of an Indo-Chinese meal reinvented in nineteenth-century Tokyo as a cheap fast food. He reveals the pioneers who brought sushi to the United States and explores how this unlikely meal is exploding into the American heartland just as the long-term future of sushi may be unraveling. 
The Story of Sushi is at once a compelling tale of human determination and a delectable smorgasbord of surprising food science, intrepid reporting, and provocative cultural history.
 I'm giving The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice by Trevor Corson a rating of 4 stars out of 5 stars!

Until my next post, happy reading!!!

6 comments:

  1. It sounds like an intriguing book, though I am not fond of sushi. I have tasted it, but the idea of eating raw fish does not appeal to me.

    I have heard, but don't know if it's true, that much of American sushi is produced by adherents of the Rev. Sun Myung Moon's church. Does the author touch on that?

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    1. Sushi isn't for everyone. I learned that Mackerel and other fish are susceptible to parasites creeped me out big time!!

      I do not recall the author mentioning anything about the adherents of Rev. Sun Myung Moon's church producing sushi.

      The author does discuss which companies that mass production of sushi for grocery store chains like Whole Foods and other outlets, which I found intriguing.

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  2. What an unusual book subject! I hope you'll bring this over to Books You Loved. Cheers from carole's chatter

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    1. Yes, it is an interesting book topic and one I thoroughly enjoyed reading as I love sushi. I find reading certain foodie related books to be rather interesting, but only if I am interested in that particular food, of course! Reading about the history of food is sort of a new topic for me. I have a book about cavier that I look forward to reading at some point.

      I do plan to share The Story of Sushi on the Book You Loved reading on your blog. I just haven't made it over there yet. Earlier this morning in fact, I was thinking about the fact that I hadn't add a link for it yet.

      Thanks for stopping by and leaving me a comment!! Happy reading to you!! :-)

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  3. Ooh this book sounds fascinating! I too love sushi and have been curious about its history. I'm afraid that this book will make me hungry all the time I read it. lol

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    1. This book is very fascinating. I loved reading very much and learned more about the history of sushi, rice, and various fish in sushi than I ever I would. This book is packed with information written in an engaging fashion by the author. The Story of Sushi did make me hungry for sushi... However, when I was reading the parts about mackerel and a a few other fish being prone to parasites, I was a bit grossed out by the information and now want to avoid eating certain fish!!

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