Food Safety During and After Cancer Treatment Approved by the Cancer.Net Editorial Board, 10/2016Sushi has gone through a fascinating evolution in this country, from exotic high-end import to ubiquitous staple. Along the way, the audience has become more polarized than ever: Snobs won’t go near the stuff unless it comes from the most hallowed temples of sushi-master zendom, while the downmarket version—sold in plastic containers at supermarkets—is now basically a faddish health food, as pedestrian as wraps and smoothies. But what do we really know about sushi? Despite its popularity, the Japanese delicacy remains one of the most misunderstood cuisines in the U.S.—a minefield of misinformation littered with improperly labeled fish and supersize “Kamikaze” rolls. From assumptions about what sushi is most “authentic” to the way we slather our nigiri with wasabi and soy sauce, most of us have the raw fish game all wrong. To sort out the facts from the myths, we tracked down an pro who could set us on the path to sushi wisdom.

Trevor Corson, the author of The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice, traveled to Japan for the first time when he was 16 on scholarship for a summer home-stay program. When he tried sushi in 1986 Washington, D.C. in preparation for his trip, he remembers thinking, “Now here’s a cuisine that is truly repulsive and I never want to eat this again.” sun sushi menu vancouverAfter trying sushi at a neighborhood restaurant in Japan with his host family, he changed his tune and realized he had a lot to learn—and a lot of new fish to try.sushi take out el paso Since his humble discovery as a teen, Corson spent three years living in Japan, worked as a commercial fisherman, and penned the pop-science bestseller The Secret Life of Lobsters: How Fishermen and Scientists Are Unraveling the Mysteries of Our Favorite Crustacean. how much sushi rice per person

He also regularly hosts educational “historical sushi dinners” in New York City (for more info visit his website). Through his own travels and his commitment to studying sushi in both its traditional and modern iterations, Corson is helping to educate others on how to better understand and enjoy sushi.sushi making kit australia Photo by Matt Carrsushi delivery in se calgary With that, it’s time to put down the sake, leave the chopsticks on the table, and do this thing right. sushi candy kit buyHere, Corson debunks 15 common sushi myths that tend to circulate among diners in the U.S.—his answers will help you navigate your next sushi dinner like a true aficionado.jiro dreams of sushi courses

You Should Always Use Soy Sauce When Eating Sushi Corson says: With sushi, a good chef should be pre-seasoning every piece of fish for you. Sushi Should be Paired with Sake Corson says: It is not low-class to have beer with sushi. Bluefin Tuna/Fatty Tuna Belly Is the Ultimate Connoisseur's Sushi Corson says: The bluefin tuna was basically invented by Japanese airline cargo executives who were trying to find a product they could put in their planes on return flights from the U.S. to Japan, and there were a lot of bluefin tuna at the time. Sundays and Mondays Are the Worst Days to Go to a Sushi Restaurant Because There Is No Fresh Fish Coming In Corson says: People assume that you want your sushi fish as fresh as possible; however, that is not the case. A lot of fish taste better after they’ve aged a day or two. You Should Add Wasabi to Your Soy Sauce and/or Sushi Corson says: sushi chefs have told me that if they see people adding extra wasabi to their sushi or to their soy sauce, they immediately stop giving them their best fish because they know they won’t be able to taste the difference.

Corson says: the fish that you are getting in average sushi bars is of very questionable origin. Pink Tuna Is the Freshest Corson says: Looks can be deceiving, however, as there is a whole practice in the industry of gassing tuna with carbon monoxide to make it look pink. Only Men Should Make Sushi; When Women Do It, It's Not As Good Corson says: There are all these myths about women and sushi-making that don’t hold any water. Sushi Was Invented in Japan Corson says: You can still get that traditional form of sushi in Southeast Asia, in Taiwan, and in a few shops in Kyoto—the old capital of Japan. Sushi Should Not Be Eaten with Your Hands Corson says: When we eat with chopsticks and chefs see this, they will pack the sushi together much too tightly so that they won’t fall apart when we try to pick up the sushi. In Japan, People Eat Sushi All the Time Corson says: Most Japanese people probably eat their version of curry rice [kare raisu] more often than they eat sushi.

A California Roll Is Not Real Sushi Corson says: anything that is made with rice and seasoned that way—no matter what shape or size (there are many many regional styles of sushi)—is called sushi. When Eating Nigiri, You Should Put It in Your Mouth Fish-Side Down Corson says: If you are turning the nigiri upside down, then the garnish might fall off. Ginger Is a Garnish for Sushi Corson says: have a bite of between different pieces of fish to cleanse the palate and prepare the tongue for the flavors of the next fish It is Not a Good Idea to Buy Sushi from a Supermarket Corson says:  the quality between a grocery store and the average sushi restaurant [in America] is not that much better or different.Have your sayHas rice ever given you food poisoning? Have your say on the messageboard below. When it comes to food poisoning most of us know the dangers of undercooked chicken or seafood left out of the fridge for too long, but rice can also leave you with more than a full belly.

You can get food poisoning from rice if you don't store it in the fridge after cooking.What makes you sick is Bacillus cereus, says CSIRO food microbiologist Cathy Moir. These bacteria produce toxins that will give you a mild vomiting illness shortly after you eat the contaminated food (sometimes it only takes 30 minutes to get sick).Bacillus cereus is commonly found in the soil and sometimes in plant foods that are grown close to the ground – such legumes, cereals, spices etc...If foods are cooked and handled correctly Bacillus cereus isn't a problem, but in dry conditions – such as those found in a rice packet or spice container – Bacillus cereus remains present as spores. The spores remain dormant until you add water, then presto they germinate and grow.Unfortunately the cooking process doesn't kill the heat-resistant spores or the toxin produced so once the rice is cooked the bacteria grow and thrive in moist, warm environments.So if you're not going to eat rice straight after you've cooked it, then you need to store it in the fridge – as soon as possible, but definitely within four hours.

Refrigeration won't kill the bacteria but it will slow down its growth – any uneaten rice should be thrown out after three days in the fridge.Moir says this type of food poisoning is less frequent now than it was in the 1970s, when fried rice was a common culprit."Restaurants would cook steamed rice one day, then leave the rice out overnight to cook as fried rice the next day – so it had been sitting around for a day and the Bacillus spores had germinated, grown and produced the toxins."When the fried rice was cooked the toxin wasn't destroyed, then the customer consumed the rice and was sick. So there were plenty of outbreaks," Moir says."With the health authorities identifying the cause and educating the restaurateurs, the incidence of this type of food poisoning quickly decreased."The best way to avoid food poisoning from Bacillus cereus and other – often nastier – bacteria is to always cook and store food safely.So the next time you're preparing your work lunch, think about whether or not the rice from last night's takeaway is really a good idea.