Thursday, June 14, 2012

Intro

Not so long ago, Japanese food such as sushi was something exotic and weird. No one would every think to eat a piece of raw fish over a ball of rice or to use seaweed to wrap various things with rice. Now, however, sushi is readily available everywhere. For example, just typing in "Japanese food" in google maps shows more than a dozen Japanese Restaurants within a five mile radius of my house. Japanese food has become global food. People all around the world eats Japanese food. Japanese food is as abundant as McDonald, without the big name brand. This makes Japanese food more of an individual specialty because Japanese food can be of any style or value. Living in Portland, I know that there are sushi restaurants in the downtown area that cost well over fifty dollars per person per serving, while there are some sushi restaurants that cost a dollar a plate. Also, Japanese food is easily changed to match the taste of anyone. For example, here in the United States, Ramen has typical beef, chicken, and shrimp flavor. However, in places such as Japan and China, there are flavors such as barbecue pork, seafood, and XO flavor. Also, things such as sushi can easily be changed such as california rolls and Philadelphia roll which incorporates ingredients that is not used in Japan. These ingredient include avocado and cream cheese.


Japanese food is no longer just an exotic food. It has become a food that is on the menu for people all around the world. Places can easily get Japanese recipes and sauces at the super market. Foods such as teriyaki and sushi can be bought at your typical American grocery store. Japanese food is a global food.   Next time you get dinner out, try a Japanese place! You'll be surprise how your local taste gets incorporated into the food.



Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sushi: History and Globalization

Sushi was first eaten in the Edo-era in Tokyo in the nineteenth century. Sushi use to be a method or meat preservation with vinegar rice. Sashimi was widely eaten way before there was "sushi", however, it was later combined to create modern day sushi. Now it is virtually found in every major city in the United States. Sushi, however, is not from big corporations like McDonalds who opens restaurant all around the world; it globalized in a different way. Sushi came from immigrants who traveled to the United States in the nineteenth century when they came to the United States to work on the railroads. However, sushi is not just enjoyed in the United States and Japan, it is globalized. Sushi is eaten in many countries all around the world. Sao Paulo in Brazil has the largest population of Japanese people outside Japan. There is more sushi bars in Sao Paulo than Brazilian barbeque shops. Sushi has also changed to match the taste of local flavors. For example, one of the greatest (and popular) addition to sushi is the California Roll. California rolls inclues avocados which is not used in traditional Japanese cooking. In Brazil, Mango is used in sushi to match local taste. 





Source: The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy