The Story of Sushi (47 page)
Read The Story of Sushi Online
Authors: Trevor Corson
history of, 28–31, 64–67, 77–79, 96, 149
invention of toppings for, 66, 67, 183
meaning of word, 27
origin of word, 29–30
quest for speed and, 96–97
regional varieties of, 40, 67
“Sushi” (Okamoto), 11–12
Sushi: The Japanese Tradition
, 317–18, 319–20
sushi bars:
eating at, 317–22
origins of, 79
sitting at tables vs., 95, 317
Sushi Central, Los Angeles, 57
Sushi Chef Institute, 4
Sushi Chef Kirara’s Job
, 52–53, 93, 115, 170, 192, 229, 234, 256, 262, 311–12, 315
Sushi Girl, 57
“Sushi Masters” competition, 294–300, 302
sushi rice:
factory-produced, 27, 31, 33
Miora in, 39, 41–42
origins of, 28–31
rice varieties used for, 37, 38
robot-pressed, 63–64, 67–68, 70, 92
sugar in, 40–41
sushi chefs’ preparation of, 27, 33, 36, 37–41
vinegar in, 31, 38, 39, 40, 41
sushi rolls, 81–88, 94–97, 100, 317
Americans’ fondness for, 81, 82, 85, 96–97
big (
futo-maki
), 27, 95, 159
California, 81–82, 85–86, 95
cucumber (
kappa-maki
), 86–87, 95, 304
eating, 322
inside-out (
ura-maki
), 81–82, 85–86, 88, 95, 97, 158, 159
Japanese tourists and, 88
neta
as term for fillings in, 89–90
nori in, 82, 85, 86, 95, 159
special or creative, 127, 157–60, 163–67
students tested on, 124, 125–27, 164, 166–68
thin (
hoso-maki
), 86–87, 95
in traditional Japanese meals, 81, 86
tuna (
tekka-maki
), 86, 87, 95, 254
Suzumo SSG-GTO, 63–64, 67–68, 70
swordfish, 154, 202, 237
T
tai
.
See
sea bream
Takayama, Masayoshi, 101
takeout sushi:
in America, 133, 134
in Japan, 65, 78–79
Takezushi, New York, 46
tako
(octopus), 232–35, 237
talc, rice coated with, 33–34
tamago yaki
(sweet egg omelet), 124–25
Tamamura, Toyoo, 96–97
tapeworms, 179
taurine, 235
tea ceremony, 76
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 87
tekka-maki
(tuna rolls), 86, 87, 95, 254
te-maki
(hand rolls), 24
Terauchi, Jay, 6, 7, 12, 24, 25–27, 31–32, 33, 61, 98–101, 103, 104–7, 127, 131, 132, 185, 278, 295, 297, 298, 300, 301–5, 315
Thailand, 28, 30
thin rolls (
hoso-maki
), 86–87, 95
three-piece breakdown (
san-mai oroshi
), 147
TMA (trimethylamine), 144, 145
TMAO (trimethylamine oxide), 144, 235, 242
Tokugawa, Ieyasu, 66
Tokyo, 154, 198.
See also
Edo
sushi in, 40, 41, 64–67, 77–78, 208
Tsukiji Fish Market in, 110, 228, 233, 249, 281
Tokyo Kaikan, Los Angeles, 46, 81–82, 100, 109
toro
(fatty tuna), 45, 60, 82, 111, 112, 182, 209, 246, 247–48, 252, 255, 319
trout, 155, 180, 251
Tsukiji Fish Market, Tokyo, 110, 228, 233, 249, 281
Tsumoto, Tetsuya, 108–12, 214, 253, 264–74, 277–79, 288–91, 303
Tsunami, Los Angeles, 56–57
tuna (
maguro
), 153, 154, 155, 183, 187, 194, 195, 237, 245–57, 260
aging of, 249–50
albacore, 148, 151–52
bigeye, 245, 251, 253–57
bluefin, 28, 245, 246–53, 320
bonito, 21–22, 23, 28, 187
challenges posed by, 249–51
cutting, 60–61, 253–57
fatty (
toro
), 45, 60, 82, 111, 112, 182, 209, 246, 247–48, 252, 255, 319
filleting, 252
freezing, 248–49
medium fatty (
chutoro
), 246, 248, 256
mercury and, 252–53
old, camouflaging age of, 106
population decline of, 251
red meat (
akami
), 246, 248, 255, 256
rolls (
tekka-maki
), 86, 87, 95, 254
spicy, 61, 95, 256
status of, 60, 66, 186, 245
very fatty (
otoro
), 246, 247
yellowfin, 245, 251
turbot.
See
flatfish
U
umami
, 23, 39, 84, 117, 146, 195, 242
unagi
(freshwater eels), 225, 227–28
uni
(sea urchins), 45, 279–81, 319
ura-maki
.
See
inside-out rolls
V
Vega, Alexa, 221
vegetables, pickled, 67
vegetarianism, 16
vinegar.
See also
rice vinegar marinating fish in, 142–46
vitamin B
1
, 35
W
Walton, Luke, 58
Warner, Jerry, 298–99, 300
wasabi, 26, 61, 150, 160–63, 277, 320–21, 322
wave cut (
namagiri
), 233, 235
whitebait (
shirauo
), 66
Wisner, Marcos, 75, 87, 93, 118–19, 126, 158, 190, 210, 211, 212–13, 230, 235, 243, 254, 260, 277, 278, 292–93, 301–3, 315
background of, 68
catered events and, 68–69, 70, 212, 213, 217–21
creative roll devised by, 163, 165, 167–68
student lunch counter and, 131, 139–41, 175, 176–77
Wolf, Harry, 45
women, 52–59
dining on their own, 53–54, 317
as sushi chefs, 5, 51, 52–53, 54–59, 115, 169–70, 311
World War II, 40, 66–67, 79
worms:
evolution of, 114, 116, 201–2
parasitic, 143–44, 149, 179, 198, 254
Woytisek, Ken, 299, 300
Y
yeasts, 14, 15–16, 29
yellowfin tuna, 245, 251.
See also
tuna
yellowtail (
buri, hamachi,
or
kanpachi
), 154, 197–205, 232
farmed, 198–200
scales of, 200–202
stages of, 197–98
sushi and sashimi, 204–5
Yohei Sushi, Edo (Tokyo), 77–78
Yuyama, Reiko, 53–54
yuzu, 195
Z
Zen gardens, 152
ZeroSushi, 315
The author of
The Secret Life of Lobsters.
TREVOR CORSON
has studied philosophy in China, resided in Buddhist temples in Japan, and worked on commercial fishing boats off the Maine coast. He has written for the
Atlantic Monthly
and the
New York Times
and is the only “sushi concierge” in the United States. He lives in New York City.
Visit www.AuthorTracker.com for exclusive information on your favorite HarperCollins author.
RAISE
FOR
Trevor Corson and
The Story of Sushi
(Previously titled
The Zen of Fish
)
“Rarely has a Westerner written so knowledgeably, or entertainingly, about the subject [of sushi]…. An expert’s command…. The reader emerges not only enlightened but a much better sushi eater.”
—New York Times
“A clever narrative strategy—the reader learns the practice and history of sushi alongside the students…. Authoritative, often amusing, chapters on sushi history, marine biology, and the physiognomy of taste. While the students hack away at mackerel, Corson serves up bite-size explanations of the invention of soy sauce, the sex life of red algae, and the importance of
umami,
that mysterious fifth taste that underlies so much of Eastern cuisine. His chapter on rice, a subject that Americans take for granted, is itself worth the price of the book.”
—
New York Times Book Review
(Editor’s Choice)
“Riveting…. Corson beautifully intersperses the drama with lessons about the history and science of each fish…along with the rice and wasabi…. Foodies will find dozens of useful tips to enhance their appreciation of ‘the fast food of old Tokyo.’…The combination of culinary insights and personal drama makes for one of the more compelling food-themed books in recent years.”
—Publishers Weekly
(starred review)
“A meticulously reported account…chock-full of great tidbits, revelatory findings, and amazing science. What could have been a dry sushi treatise is instead turned into a compelling read by the writer’s inventive narrative approach…. Corson proves a master at providing a nonstop banquet of tasty morsels sure to delight anyone who has taken a seat at a sushi bar.”
—Seattle Post-Intelligencer
“An amicably told tale that takes a quirky, humanistic, and mostly nonlinear approach to the story of sushi…. [The reporting] technique creates an immediate, and lasting, respect for the author’s narrative purity…. Corson’s work mimics an
omakase
meal, which signals to the chef that you are in his or her hands, guiding the reader on a mostly enjoyable, sometimes delightful journey through sushi land…. Corson also possesses a touch of the poetic, visible in beautiful sentiments.”
—San Francisco Chronicle Book Review
“The action…is fast and furious and should keep you flipping pages. If scenes of fish gutting doesn’t keep you riveted, then women fighting for equality in a man’s world might. Anyway, the catering jobs to Hollywood sets will definitely do so. [
The Story of Sushi
] is an excellent example of the narrative nonfiction style of writing.”
—
Santa Cruz Sentinel
“Fun, even sumptuous, and occasionally touching…. I was enchanted with how this tale unfolds…. [
The Story of Sushi
] is a highly readable field guide to sushi, beginning to end. Corson is a fine nature writer, a thorough and compassionate researcher with a well-honed literary voice…. This is a gem of a book for food lovers who care about their sources. It should be required reading for every chef and aspiring chef in North America.”
—
Edmonton Journal
“Corson is an excellent writer…. He quickly sketches several compelling personalities…. [
The Story of Sushi
] has a consistently graceful pace, shifting smoothly back and forth between human drama at the school and fascinating facts about fish…. Like a good sushi chef, [Corson] pares them down to their essence and serves them up in all their beautiful simplicity, without excessive garnish.”
—
The Daily Yomiuri
(Japan)
“Trevor Corson’s new history of sushi should come with a warning. Something like: ‘Eat before you read. This book causes intense cravings.’…A highly readable account.”
—
Bellingham Herald
“Trevor Corson’s reverence for all things from the sea is palpable. In [
The Story of Sushi
] he takes you on a fascinating journey into the world of sushi. The story he relates is rich in detail, thoroughly engaging, a pleasure to get lost in.”
—Eric Ripert, executive chef and coowner of Le Bernardin
“[
The Story of Sushi
] is a pleasure to read, entertaining and informative, with compelling characters and fascinating history, all told in an easy and natural voice. Excellent food journalism.”
—Michael Ruhlman, author of
The Soul of a Chef
“[Corson] tells us everything we could possibly want to know about every aspect of sushi.”
—Boston Globe
“Lively…. Vivid mixture of history, science, and personal anecdotes.”
—Los Angeles Times
“Modest, unpretentious, and personal—it offers the familiar comfort of an
omakase
lunch.”
—Entertainment Weekly
“Corson leaves no detail unexplained, and true food nerds will appreciate his rigor…. Fascinating…. You’ll still be lining up to order your favorite snack, but with renewed appreciation.”
—Penthouse
The Secret Life of Lobsters:
How Fishermen and Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean
“I Am a Fish, Cuisine Is My Sea” calligraphy is reprinted with the permission of the calligrapher, Rokusaburo Michiba, and the owner, Toshi Sugiura.
Excerpts of dialogue from the Japanese comic book
Sushi Chef Kirara’s Job
appeared in the Super Jump Comics series
Edomae-sushi Shokunin Kirara no Shigoto
, vol. 1, p. 206; vol. 4, pp. 80–81 and 188–190, by Hikari Hayakawa and Cozoh [Koz
] Hashimoto. Copyright © 2003–2006 by Hikari Hayakawa and Cozoh Hashimoto. Reprinted with permission.
THE STORY OF SUSHI
. Copyright © 2007, 2008 by Trevor Corson. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Adobe Digital Edition June 2009 ISBN 978-0-06-196204-2
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1