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History
What has become a Japanese culinary
art with delicious flavour and colourful form, actually
evolved from the depths of time. In the 7th century, Southeast
Asians introduced the technique of pickling. The Japanese
acquired this same practice, which consisted of packing
fish with rice. As the fish fermented the rice produced
a lactic acid, which in turn caused the pickling of the
pressed fish. Nare-Sushi is 1300 years old and refers
to the finished edible product resulting from this early
method. |
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However, due to
its lengthy process, anywhere from 2 months to a year, an
altered form appears through the 15th and 16th centuries.
Nama-Nare refers to this more rapid process of pickling which
cut the fermentation time while including the rice as part
of the meal. Ancient sushi such as, Nare-Sushi and Nama-Nare
were the foundation for what later became the delightfully
tasteful sushi we are familiar with today. |
| Improvements through
the centuries came about because of a few entrepreneurial
Japanese who possessed the knack for recipe variation. The
17th century saw this delicate finger food complimented
with vinegar. Matsumoto Yoshiichi of Edo (Tokyo) introduced
the use of rice vinegar into the sushi rice. The vinegar
was a welcome ingredient. It served to reduce the usual
lengthy preparation while adding a pleasant flavour of tartness.
Although the process of fermentation was shortened, the
custom of aged pickling with the boxed or rolled method
was continued until the 19th century. |
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In the 1820's Hanaya
Yohei of Edo (Tokyo) brought to Edoites a recipe similar
to what we are served today. His morsels, which included
Sashimi (fresh sliced raw fish) or seafood combined with
the vinegared rice, were prepared and served for customers
directly from his sushi stall. Not only did Hanaya introduce
raw fish to sushi rice (Edomae-Sushi/Nigiri-Sushi), he began
a tradition of serving snack food at it's freshest and fastest
form. His idea won immediate favour over the more time-honoured
sushi dishes. The portable stall was popular through WWII
and was the "Fast Food" predecessor to the sushi
bars of today. |
| This healthy and
delicious mouthful saw its most recent transformation in
the 20th century. As in art, Japanese Sushi continues to
grow, change and blossom. The most common forms are: Nigiri
-Sushi (hand shaped sushi, Maki-Sushi (rolled sushi) and
Sashimi (pure fillet). The changes are not in form or preparation
as much as they are in the ingredients and the atmosphere
where it is served. These adventurous and tasty creations
can be found in the most elegant of settings or the grocery
market counter. |
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The Itamae-San (expert
chef) has also seen change as demand for his/her craft has
grown. Years ago, one could not practice this art form without
a minimum of 10 years of training and proven skill. Now,
due to the growing need, restaurants will hire Sushi chefs
with just a few years of learning experience. But Sushi
is about culinary expertise and an Itamae-San continually
strives to master his/her skill while performing for the
delight of the patron and serving an array of bright colours,
mouth-watering tastes and tingling sensations. Even the
most timid can indulge themselves with the amazing selections
of sushi. Just the History of these rolled treasures should
warrant a taste …so give in and enjoy an authentic
Japanese edible art form. |
| Hanaya Yohei,
in some ways the father of modern sushi, revolutionized
the cuisine in the 1820’s, when he introduced sashimi
(raw fish) to sushi. This period also saw the development
of the portable stall, perhaps an offshoot of the more centralized
uogashi. Not much later, however, sushi suffered a large
setback with the Kanto earthquake of 1923, which destroyed
many of the sushi marketplaces. Afterwards, under the auspices
of the Central Wholesale Market Law, three new sushi markets
were founded: Tsukiji, Kanda, and Koto. Throughout the 20th
century, they’ve experienced expanded rapidly due
to population growth. Today, Tokyo’s Tsukiji market
is considered “the fishing industry’s answer
to Wall Street”(Bestor, Foreign Policy 54), which
sells more than 2.4 million kilograms of seafood a day (60). |
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Sushi: The Japanese "Snack", by Jorie Nelon
Tsukiji Market Website |
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