Travelers then watch as the chef creates an omakase tasting menu. Along the way, students will learn about fish types and etiquette, and have an opportunity to converse with the chef with help from a translator.
“A common mistake is taking the topping off the shari (vinegar rice) and eating them separately,” explains Hanada.
“The balance of the topping, shari, wasabi and soy sauce is considered by the chef when preparing the sushi and it should be eaten in one bite.”
Other common no-nos include wearing pungent perfume (it interferes with the Edo-style sushi’s delicate flavors), smoking, chatting up the chef while he or she is at work, or letting the sushi sit on your plate too long (Hanada says it should be consumed within 10 seconds).
Sushi is simply an overarching category that includes several variations. The most familiar worldwide is probably nori maki — or sushi and vegetables, rolled up in rice and seaweed. This covers your ubiquitous California and tuna rolls.
Then there’s nigiri (slices of fish over rice), sashimi (raw fish slices), chirashi sushi (rice bowls with toppings sprinkled on top), oshizushi (layers of pressed sushi), and Inarizushi(sushi wrapped in fried tofu).
While sushi has made its way around the world, it wasn’t always so easily accessible.
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