Sushi is a celebration, a comfort food of taste, texture, and presentation! Rice flavored with vinegar, sugar, and salt. Add sashimi (raw fish), fresh or dried chopped vegetables, and wrap with nori (seaweed).

Flavor with a dab of fiery green wasabi (Japanese horseradish), ginger, and soy sauce. Garnish with daikon, sesame seeds, or watercress. Yum Yum!

"To enjoy the flavor of life," advised Robert Heinlein, "take big bites."

Big bites of popular combinations include nigiri sushi (raw fish wrapped around flavored rice and seasoned with wasabi), hosomaki or futomaki (thin or thick sushi rolls wrapped in sheets of seaweed), and oshi (pressed sushi cut into small squares).

This culinary creation grew out of Japan's age-old method of preserving fish between layers of rice and salt, which were topped by a heavy stone and left for montstone and left for months to ferment. An 18th century chef named Yohei skipped the curing process and served sushi.

Sushi is low in fat and nutritious. Fish provides protein and can be a good source of omega-3 fatty acids. Seaweed is rich in iodine. Rice provides complex carbohydrates. A typical setting of 7 to 9 pieces contains about 300 calories. Sushi is a good fit in a healthful eating plan.

Always so popular in Hawaii. Finally, the Mainland is catching on... What are you waiting for?

More COOKING Quotations

Itadakimasu! (Bon Appetite!)