Banzai News - Your Source for Everything Sushi

After America’s sushi boom in the 1970’s sushi became increasingly more popular throughout American culture.  There has been another boom recently making sushi more accessible, while molding into a new style of American Sushi.  The original Japanese meaning of the word sushi referred to just the rice, but is now used in American culture to refer to the rice roll and its toppings.  But not just the meaning of the word has changed; the style of sushi has changed. 

American sushi is generally served in larger portions, either larger rolls or greater amounts.  And although American sushi rolls often have creative names like ‘spider roll’, there is less emphasis put on the presentation.  It is the convenience of sushi's grab-and-go style that gives it such enormous popularity throughout the U.S., and it is this desire for convenience which has lead to the development of frozen sushi products.  Perhaps the most commonly known American sushi roll is the California roll.  American sushi bars have developed their own style of sushi accompaniments, such as a Sake Bomb (beer with a shot of sake dropped inside).

While traditional Japanese style sushi follows strict standards, American style sushi has opened the doors for many people.  Traditional Japanese style sushi is prepared by a highly trained Japanese chef called an Itamae.  American sushi is made at home or in a restaurant by men and women of many different origins. 

See more great frozen food tips at Sushi University only on Banzai Sushi

Chopstick Hints:

• Some disposable wooden chopsticks will splinter when you break them break them apart, so in order to avoid getting splinters in your mouth rub the chopsticks together to break off any residual splinters.
• The chopstick is multipurpose; it serves the Japanese as fork, knife and spoon. They eat soup with it they cut food into small morsels with it; and they use it to pick up food and carry it from the plate to the mouth.
• Practice makes perfect when it comes to using chopsticks. The key is that the bottom chopstick remains still while the upper chopstick moves to grasp the food.
• Do not stab food or leave chopsticks sticking straight up from a bowl of rice, this can be interpreted as ill willed.
• Once you have become a chopstick master, teach your friend and family and challenge them to picking up small items such as rice, beans or peas.