A great many of us love Japanese food, whether it is sushi, sashimi, tempura, ramen, udon and so on. I came across this book (Food Culture in Japan by Michael Ashkenazi and Jeanne Jacob) and found it to be quite interesting.
It talks about the Japanese food culture as a whole, from history to basic ingredients in Japanese cooking and even eating equitities in different places and occasion. It even discusses the good and bad sides of Japanese diet.
One interesting fact was that sushi actually started out as a preservation method. An Osaka merchant found that by wrapping fish in vinegared rice, the fish would last longer. This was because the in-land people wanted 'fresh' fish instead of the usual dried ones. The rice was thrown away after the fish has been taken out of the rice ball.
After trend caught on by the samurai of Edo (now Tokyo), they too wanted that dish. However they wanted true fresh fish and will not accept the preserved ones. Hence it was changed to little vinegared rice balls with the freshest fish on it. That was the birth of the current popular Edozushi (sushi from Tokyo).
Ever wondered about the little green fringe-cut plastic film that is always found in Japanese sets? Well in the olden days, it was not compulsory to put expirery date on food products. So box lunches (obento) makers would place the food on green bamboo leaves, which degrade at a fairly predictable rate. This is used by people to judge the freshness of the obento. If the leaves are still green, then it is fresh, but if it is brown... well it would be best not to purchase it :D This tradition of using freshly cut bamboo leaves is hard to maintain in modern Japan, so the evergreen plastic strips have become substitues.
For those who likes Japanese food, this should be a good read... warning, it is not for those who expect pictures with brilliant colours... Everyone who took a look at the book asked why it is so boring. But with a little bit of imagination, it will take you through time in Japan.
Thinking about eating sushi.....
Valerie
It talks about the Japanese food culture as a whole, from history to basic ingredients in Japanese cooking and even eating equitities in different places and occasion. It even discusses the good and bad sides of Japanese diet.
One interesting fact was that sushi actually started out as a preservation method. An Osaka merchant found that by wrapping fish in vinegared rice, the fish would last longer. This was because the in-land people wanted 'fresh' fish instead of the usual dried ones. The rice was thrown away after the fish has been taken out of the rice ball.
After trend caught on by the samurai of Edo (now Tokyo), they too wanted that dish. However they wanted true fresh fish and will not accept the preserved ones. Hence it was changed to little vinegared rice balls with the freshest fish on it. That was the birth of the current popular Edozushi (sushi from Tokyo).
Ever wondered about the little green fringe-cut plastic film that is always found in Japanese sets? Well in the olden days, it was not compulsory to put expirery date on food products. So box lunches (obento) makers would place the food on green bamboo leaves, which degrade at a fairly predictable rate. This is used by people to judge the freshness of the obento. If the leaves are still green, then it is fresh, but if it is brown... well it would be best not to purchase it :D This tradition of using freshly cut bamboo leaves is hard to maintain in modern Japan, so the evergreen plastic strips have become substitues.
For those who likes Japanese food, this should be a good read... warning, it is not for those who expect pictures with brilliant colours... Everyone who took a look at the book asked why it is so boring. But with a little bit of imagination, it will take you through time in Japan.
Thinking about eating sushi.....
Valerie
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