Sushi

Sushi Sushi is most commonly defined as a Japanese dish shaped into a roll, consisting of cold cooked rice dressed with vinegar, wrapped in seaweed and garnished with raw or cooked seafood and vegetables, then cut into bite-sized pieces. (dictionay.com) Although not in its most contemporary, present form, sushi has been around for a surprisingly long period of time. What began as simple, two ingredient rolls, has blossomed into multi-ingredient flavored delights. A variety of types arises from fillings, toppings, condiments, and preparation. Traditional versus contemporary types include methods of assembly that create very different results from very similar ingredients. Not only does sushi have an interesting history, its main ingredients can be combined with an endless possibility of flavors, which creates a delicious array of types to satisfy individual desires. The history of sushi is a very old tale involving the evolution of a very simple dish. Sushi arose out of a way of preserving food. It was first mentioned in China. Fish was placed in rice and allowed to ferment. This allowed an individual to keep the fish edible for quite some time. The rice was then thrown away and the fish was eaten when needed or wanted. This method spread throughout China and by the seventh century, had made its way to Japan, where seafood has historically been a staple. The Japanese, however, took the concept further and began to eat the rice with the fish. A man named Matsumoto Yoshiichi started seasoning the rice with rice wine vinegar and then began to sell it. This allowed the dish to be eaten immediately, instead of waiting months it normally took to prepare sushi. Then in the early 19th century, a man by the name of Hanaya Yohei conceived a major change in the production and presentation of sushi. No longer wrapping the fish in rice, he placed a piece of fresh fish on top of an oblong shaped piece of seasoned rice. At this time, people began serving sushi