Come sit with me for awhile . . .
and see what I’m bringing to the table

The art form of sushi has, is, and will always be in a constant state of transformation. Why? .   .   . well “come sit with me for awhile…” and let me give you a brief history of the evolution of sushi.

So before you decide to speed read right past my little  history lesson, I think a quick and painless read would be fair, considering I’ve done all the research. I rolled up of my sleeves, dug deep into sushi archives, in order to bring to you my knowledge seeking friends .   .   . fact finding tid-bits .   .   . that I think will be of interest.

Ready ? .   .   . way back in the good olden days .   .   . let’s say 2,000 yrs. ago, give or take a few hundred years, in what was considered the place of inception, nameless fisherman, and, or perhaps chefs, created what they called nare-sushi.  Fish that had been gutted, skinned, and deboned, were then packed inside with salt, as well as covered in salt and placed in wooden barrels left to cure for at least 6 months. When this new form of food was finished curing, it produced a shelf life that lasted a minimum of 6 months.  Hello .   .   .  No refrigeration .   .   . that my enlightened friends was ingenuity ! This all took place on what turns out to be The Mekong River, a good couple of thousand miles south of Japan.

Wait .   .   . remember I said transformation. So .   .   . boys and girls, from there it made its way to northern China, where it no doubt took on yet another form of sushi, before migrating to center stage in Japan .   .   . after all we have already established this form of food to be an art form,  .   .   . and .   .   . as we all know there is that “artistic license” that lurks in all of us. Once this ancient dish hit the shores of Japan .   .   . well .   .   . as the saying goes .    .    . that’s all she wrote .   .   . fish became akin to a blank canvas .   .   . seasoned, and novice chefs alike sharpened their knives and stepped up to show their artistry.

Preparation, taste, and presentation .   .   . are all integral parts leading up to the grand finale!

I do lots, and lots of creative things in the kitchen .   .   .  BUTTT .    .   . not the prepping of sushi! When I serve sushi at home, what I do do .   .   .  for a party of 6 or more is display the sushi, and shashimi on large rectangular pedestal boards. I fill an antique pen tray that holds my assortment of chop sticks, and mini trays with wasabi. For the soy sauce I opt for Chinese size tea cups, and enough mini plates of ginger to make everyone happy. Now comes the bling, sparkle, and  romance  .   .   . Soft, low tea lights, and votives placed amongst the sushi platters is like the ribbon on a gift, or icing on the cake. Warm, or cold Sake depending on the weather is the perfect drink for these delicious morsels. For those who don’t drink Sake .   .   . no worries .   .   . think green tea. Rich in omega-3 fatty acids, high in protein, low in fat , makes for a healthy, and  fun menu!!!

From kernels of necessity, the honing of taste buds, and man’s innate desire to climb higher, run faster, and the need to make everything bigger or better .   .   . the evolution of sushi, be it taste, preparation, or presentation .   .   . will continue .   .   .

Til next time .   .   .

MORE CANDLE TIPS NEXT TIME

Sharon Insul is the former owner of the popular Beverly Hills boutique Candle light and…

I WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS and QUESTIONS  .   .   . sharons3@me.com