Today "sushi" if found in nearly every country in the world, and basically
refers to what is called Nigiri-zushi
in Japan. The Neta, be it fish or something else is placed on top of the
shari, or sushi-rice. The quality varies from
simple supermarket grade to very expensive top level sushi made by trained
chefs in reknowned restaurants.
But there is far more to sushi than just fish on top of rice.

To understand this we need to look at the origins of "sushi" in Japan. The
oldest form of sushi still existing in Japan today is Narezushi, a prime
example being Funazushi.
http://www.e-nagahama.com/~timoto/img/p_funazushi_l.jpg

http://www.kohoku-tokusan.ecweb.jp/funazushi-m.jpg

Funa is Caspian Carp, a freshwater fish. Basically the fish is salted and
placed in a container with rice and allowed to "sit" for a year.
The fermentation of the rice creates vinegar which then reacts with the
fish.
This method of allowing the rice to ferment with the fish is believed to
have come to Japan from southeast Asia as early as 300 BC when rice
cultivation methods were also introduced. One can find evidence of such
origins in Thailand where fish fermentation (Pla) and even fish and rice
fermetation (Pla Son)
can be found.

Then combination of rice and fish when fermentation has produced vinegar
created a very tasty combination.
And by the 1500s, the Narezushi which had originally been food of the upper
classes had become widespread
to the common people. But the time it took to make was unbearable. By this
time vinegar was being made from rice,
and it was discovered that the process which took a year to make could now
be done in about 10 days.
It is surmised that the first such sushi may have been Saba-Zushi, with
salted mackerel pressed on rice which had
been vinegared. Later, the Saba itself was salted and marinated, so that the
time was reduced to an hour.
This is the basic form of Oshi-Zushi (pressed sushi) which is found in
various forms throughout Japan today, using various
ingredients. Masu-Zushi (Trout sushi) is one of my personal favorites.

http://www.shimadzukikai.co.jp/IMG_23971.jpg
http://www.eastsearoad.com.au/Assets...shi_pieces.jpg
http://www.goodsfromjapan.com/images...t/osizushi.jpg

So we have touched on the great taste of fish and rice with vinegar, and now
the process of "pressing" the fish and rice.
Why this is "tasty" can be explained by the concept of "umami" , which
incidentally simply means "tastiness" in practical
spoken Japanese.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami
http://www.umamiinfo.com/
http://www.glutamate.org/media/glutamate.htm
http://www.accessatlanta.com/restaur...apanumami.html

The vinegar in the rice, whether it is produced through fermentation or by
added vinegar (also made from rice, grains)
over time seeps into the fish. This causes a breakdown of the fish proteins
into amino acids releasing "umami".
It also changes the taste and texture of the fish such that they become one
when bitten.
The "pressing" together of the vinegared rice and fish accelerates this
process.

Now, we can fast forward to the early 1800s when the first Edomae-Zushi
stands started to appear in the city of Edo
(today Tokyo) and in keeping with the fast cosmopolitan pace, the use of
fresh fish together with sushi-meshi appeared.
But the way to keep that "umami" was to develop a way of "pressing" that
piece together with the hands in just the right
way. Nigiri-zushi, comes from the verb "nigiru" meaning to grip.
Even today, the correct "nigiri"; the manner in which the neta and shari are
pressed together, is one of the main skills
of a master itamae. The grip must be such that the bonding between the two
is made not slowly over time but
quickly, often in a matter of seconds. The result is a piece of nigirizushi
where the shari does not fall apart, the neta
and shari seem bonded together, and the combination of the two create the
perfect taste experience.

Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu.
Wishing everyone a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2007.
Musashi

Are those dandelion flowers?

Musashi wrote:
> Today "sushi" if found in nearly every country in the world, and basically
> refers to what is called Nigiri-zushi
> in Japan. The Neta, be it fish or something else is placed on top of the
> shari, or sushi-rice. The quality varies from
> simple supermarket grade to very expensive top level sushi made by trained
> chefs in reknowned restaurants.
> But there is far more to sushi than just fish on top of rice.
>
> To understand this we need to look at the origins of "sushi" in Japan. The
> oldest form of sushi still existing in Japan today is Narezushi, a prime
> example being Funazushi.
> http://www.e-nagahama.com/~timoto/img/p_funazushi_l.jpg
>
> http://www.kohoku-tokusan.ecweb.jp/funazushi-m.jpg
>
> Funa is Caspian Carp, a freshwater fish. Basically the fish is salted and
> placed in a container with rice and allowed to "sit" for a year.
> The fermentation of the rice creates vinegar which then reacts with the
> fish.
> This method of allowing the rice to ferment with the fish is believed to
> have come to Japan from southeast Asia as early as 300 BC when rice
> cultivation methods were also introduced. One can find evidence of such
> origins in Thailand where fish fermentation (Pla) and even fish and rice
> fermetation (Pla Son)
> can be found.
>
> Then combination of rice and fish when fermentation has produced vinegar
> created a very tasty combination.
> And by the 1500s, the Narezushi which had originally been food of the upper
> classes had become widespread
> to the common people. But the time it took to make was unbearable. By this
> time vinegar was being made from rice,
> and it was discovered that the process which took a year to make could now
> be done in about 10 days.
> It is surmised that the first such sushi may have been Saba-Zushi, with
> salted mackerel pressed on rice which had
> been vinegared. Later, the Saba itself was salted and marinated, so that the
> time was reduced to an hour.
> This is the basic form of Oshi-Zushi (pressed sushi) which is found in
> various forms throughout Japan today, using various
> ingredients. Masu-Zushi (Trout sushi) is one of my personal favorites.
>
> http://www.shimadzukikai.co.jp/IMG_23971.jpg
> http://www.eastsearoad.com.au/Assets...shi_pieces.jpg
> http://www.goodsfromjapan.com/images...t/osizushi.jpg
>
> So we have touched on the great taste of fish and rice with vinegar, and now
> the process of "pressing" the fish and rice.
> Why this is "tasty" can be explained by the concept of "umami" , which
> incidentally simply means "tastiness" in practical
> spoken Japanese.
>
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami
> http://www.umamiinfo.com/
> http://www.glutamate.org/media/glutamate.htm
> http://www.accessatlanta.com/restaur...apanumami.html
>
> The vinegar in the rice, whether it is produced through fermentation or by
> added vinegar (also made from rice, grains)
> over time seeps into the fish. This causes a breakdown of the fish proteins
> into amino acids releasing "umami".
> It also changes the taste and texture of the fish such that they become one
> when bitten.
> The "pressing" together of the vinegared rice and fish accelerates this
> process.
>
> Now, we can fast forward to the early 1800s when the first Edomae-Zushi
> stands started to appear in the city of Edo
> (today Tokyo) and in keeping with the fast cosmopolitan pace, the use of
> fresh fish together with sushi-meshi appeared.
> But the way to keep that "umami" was to develop a way of "pressing" that
> piece together with the hands in just the right
> way. Nigiri-zushi, comes from the verb "nigiru" meaning to grip.
> Even today, the correct "nigiri"; the manner in which the neta and shari are
> pressed together, is one of the main skills
> of a master itamae. The grip must be such that the bonding between the two
> is made not slowly over time but
> quickly, often in a matter of seconds. The result is a piece of nigirizushi
> where the shari does not fall apart, the neta
> and shari seem bonded together, and the combination of the two create the
> perfect taste experience.
>
> Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu.
> Wishing everyone a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2007.
> Musashi
>
>
>

No. Kiku family, what you'd call mums.

"Howard Johnson" > wrote in message
...
>
> Are those dandelion flowers?
>
> Musashi wrote:
> > Today "sushi" if found in nearly every country in the world, and
basically
> > refers to what is called Nigiri-zushi
> > in Japan. The Neta, be it fish or something else is placed on top of the
> > shari, or sushi-rice. The quality varies from
> > simple supermarket grade to very expensive top level sushi made by
trained
> > chefs in reknowned restaurants.
> > But there is far more to sushi than just fish on top of rice.
> >
> > To understand this we need to look at the origins of "sushi" in Japan.
The
> > oldest form of sushi still existing in Japan today is Narezushi, a prime
> > example being Funazushi.
> > http://www.e-nagahama.com/~timoto/img/p_funazushi_l.jpg
> >
> > http://www.kohoku-tokusan.ecweb.jp/funazushi-m.jpg
> >
> > Funa is Caspian Carp, a freshwater fish. Basically the fish is salted
and
> > placed in a container with rice and allowed to "sit" for a year.
> > The fermentation of the rice creates vinegar which then reacts with the
> > fish.
> > This method of allowing the rice to ferment with the fish is believed to
> > have come to Japan from southeast Asia as early as 300 BC when rice
> > cultivation methods were also introduced. One can find evidence of such
> > origins in Thailand where fish fermentation (Pla) and even fish and rice
> > fermetation (Pla Son)
> > can be found.
> >
> > Then combination of rice and fish when fermentation has produced vinegar
> > created a very tasty combination.
> > And by the 1500s, the Narezushi which had originally been food of the
upper
> > classes had become widespread
> > to the common people. But the time it took to make was unbearable. By
this
> > time vinegar was being made from rice,
> > and it was discovered that the process which took a year to make could
now
> > be done in about 10 days.
> > It is surmised that the first such sushi may have been Saba-Zushi, with
> > salted mackerel pressed on rice which had
> > been vinegared. Later, the Saba itself was salted and marinated, so that
the
> > time was reduced to an hour.
> > This is the basic form of Oshi-Zushi (pressed sushi) which is found in
> > various forms throughout Japan today, using various
> > ingredients. Masu-Zushi (Trout sushi) is one of my personal favorites.
> >
> > http://www.shimadzukikai.co.jp/IMG_23971.jpg
> > http://www.eastsearoad.com.au/Assets...shi_pieces.jpg
> > http://www.goodsfromjapan.com/images...t/osizushi.jpg
> >
> > So we have touched on the great taste of fish and rice with vinegar, and
now
> > the process of "pressing" the fish and rice.
> > Why this is "tasty" can be explained by the concept of "umami" , which
> > incidentally simply means "tastiness" in practical
> > spoken Japanese.
> >
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Umami
> > http://www.umamiinfo.com/
> > http://www.glutamate.org/media/glutamate.htm
> >
http://www.accessatlanta.com/restaur...apanumami.html
> >
> > The vinegar in the rice, whether it is produced through fermentation or
by
> > added vinegar (also made from rice, grains)
> > over time seeps into the fish. This causes a breakdown of the fish
proteins
> > into amino acids releasing "umami".
> > It also changes the taste and texture of the fish such that they become
one
> > when bitten.
> > The "pressing" together of the vinegared rice and fish accelerates this
> > process.
> >
> > Now, we can fast forward to the early 1800s when the first Edomae-Zushi
> > stands started to appear in the city of Edo
> > (today Tokyo) and in keeping with the fast cosmopolitan pace, the use of
> > fresh fish together with sushi-meshi appeared.
> > But the way to keep that "umami" was to develop a way of "pressing" that
> > piece together with the hands in just the right
> > way. Nigiri-zushi, comes from the verb "nigiru" meaning to grip.
> > Even today, the correct "nigiri"; the manner in which the neta and shari
are
> > pressed together, is one of the main skills
> > of a master itamae. The grip must be such that the bonding between the
two
> > is made not slowly over time but
> > quickly, often in a matter of seconds. The result is a piece of
nigirizushi
> > where the shari does not fall apart, the neta
> > and shari seem bonded together, and the combination of the two create
the
> > perfect taste experience.
> >
> > Akemashite Omedetou Gozaimasu.
> > Wishing everyone a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2007.
> > Musashi
> >
> >
> >

"Musashi" > wrote:
[excellent history and links snipped but saved]

Thank you for that great essay and nice links, Musashi-san.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

"Musashi" > wrote:
[excellent history and links snipped but saved]

Thank you for that great essay and nice links, Musashi-san.

BTW Jun says the Thai version of Funazushi is called Pla Som, that she also
puts garlic in it, mixes the salted fish and rice together, lets it sour
for 3 days or so, then fries or grill it, although she says with small fish
(like shishimo?) or small fish pieces, it can be eaten without further
cooking. Interesting that earlier this evening she made Mu Som for me,
which is the same thing made with pork, which she then fried. It was good,
even if OT.

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~