How do you eat sushi?

Most people simply pick up the sushi with chopsticks and dip the bottom of the rice into soy sauce.

But many Americans don’t know that there is actually a “proper” way to eat sushi. This example is on the “improper” list.

Sushi comes with its own set of table manners. Even if you are at a casual sushi eatery in the U.S. and don’t want to mind your manners, you’ll need to learn them before a eating sushi in Japan.
 
 
EAT SUSHI LIKE A NATIVE

Here are some basics from Ken Sato, the sushi chef and director of restaurants for True World Foods, the leading distributor in fresh fish in the U.S.
 
1. Can you use your hands to eat sushi?

Yes, you can eat sushi with your hands, although—as with chicken drumsticks—not at a fine restaurant.

Sushi was originally a food for gamblers, so they didn’t have to stop playing cards in order to eat. Then, it was a street food, which people ate with their hands.

That’s why, at a restaurant, you receive a damp towel to clean your hands before eating sushi.
 
2. Can you pass food with chopsticks?

No, you should not pass food to another person with your chopsticks. It’s considered rude. Put the food on a plate and pass the plate instead.

Reverse the chopsticks to use the clean end (the larger end) when moving food, or when taking from a communal plate. But it is considered more refined to ask for a clean set of chopsticks to transfer food.
 
3. What is the proper way to dip sushi in soy sauce?

In the case of nigiri, you don’t want the soy sauce to touch the rice. The reason is that sushi rice is already reasoned with sweetened vinegar.

Instead, grasp the nigiri with chopsticks and turn it upside down. Lightly dip the fish side into the soy sauce.

With a sushi roll, also dip the piece lightly. You don’t want the salty soy sauce to take away from the delicate flavor of the fish.

With gunkan maki (the oval shape used to serve ikura [salmon roe] and uni [sea urchin), you cannot turn the piece upside down to dip it or the contents will fall out.

So while Americans tend to dip the seasoned rice side (the bottom) into the soy sauce, Japanese would dip a piece of ginger in soy sauce and brush it over the top of the seafood.

Using a lot of soy sauce is rude to the sushi chef. It’s a sign that the chef is not serving the freshest fish.
 
4. What should I do with the ginger and wasabi?

The wasabi can be placed directly on the fish or it can be mixed into the soy sauce.

Wasabi and ginger were originally used to help the stomach fight off potential bacteria, in the age before refrigeration.

In the modern era of food safety, they have become flavor enhancers and palate cleansers.
 
5. Chopsticks Position

Place the pointed ends of chopsticks on a chopstick rest when the chopsticks are not being used. If a rest is not provided, make a chopstick rest by folding the paper case that the chopsticks came in.

Americans rest the chopsticks on the plate or the soy sauce dish, which is fine. The tips should be pointing to the left.

Do not place chopsticks on the tabletop, cross them on a plate, or vertically stick them into a bowl of rice.
 
 
PRINCIPLE TYPES OF SUSHI

[1] A deluxe sushi plate at Sushi Inoue (photo © Sushi Inoue | NYC).

[2] A plate of nigiri and maki. The three bottom maki are uramaki, with the rice on the outside. (photo © Sushi Takibun [now closed]).

[3] Vegetarian futomaki—fat roll or big roll (photo © Haru Sushi).

[4] Futomaki special: salmon, tuna and yellowtail with takuwan, pickled whole daikon, with added color at Zuma | NYC (photo © Zuma).

 
 
WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT SUSHI & SASHIMI?

Here’s everything you need to know, in our Sushi & Sashimi Glossary.

[1] The Roussillon commune produces red, white and rosé wines, plus sweet wines (photo #2) (photo courtesy Wine Goblet).

[2] The sweet wines of Roussillon, vins doux naturels, are also available in the “three colors.” They’re often referred to by their initials, VDN, and indicate naturally sweet wines (photo courtesy Vignerons Catalans).

[3] Languedoc-Roussillon, an administrative region of France that combines the communes of Languedoc and Roussillon. Compared to the small size of Roussillon, Languedoc is one of the world’s largest wine regions (photo Wikipedia Commons).

If you’re a wine drinker, you’re no doubt familiar with the French wine communes (regions) of Beaujolais, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne.

How about Alsace and the Côtes du Rhone?

And then there’s Roussillon (roo-see-YONE), a region not well known among American wine buyers*.

While exports to the U.S. market are steadily increasing, and the U.S. is Roussillon’s fourth-largest export market, most people we know have yet to try a bottle—or to even know that it exists.

That’s even though Roussillon produces delicious wines at affordable prices—many in the $18 range. Thus, our Top Pick Of The Week is the wines of Roussillon.
 
 
THE COMMUNE OF ROUSSILLON

The area, in southern France, is nestled between Spain, the Mediterranean Sea, and two mountain ranges: the Pyrenees and the Corbières (photo #3).

It’s the sunniest wine region of France, with more than 320 days per year of sunlight and ideal temperature variations.

Heavy autumn rains fill the water tables and enable the vines to find abundant moisture during the hot summer months.

In other words, Roussillon is a land “blessed by the gods” for winegrowing.

Roussillon is a small community of some 1,500 people, as opposed to the neighboring commune of Languedoc, another wine region with a population of some 2.5 million. (The two areas were combined into the Languedoc-Roussillon administrative region in the late 1980s.

Roussillon’s unique geology and microclimates enables cultivation of 24 authorized grape varieties.

The grapes produce red, white and rosé wines, both still (photo #1) and sweet (vins doux natureles, or fortified sweet wines, photo #2).

These are quality wines: There are 15 PDO wines (Protected Designation of Origin) and 3 PGI wines (Protected Geographical Indication) wines (here’s an explanation of these designations).

The first vines may have been planted by the Greeks as far back as the fifth century B.C.E., by Corinthian sailors who had wine-making skills [source].

These vineyards, along with some areas of Languedoc and Provence, are among the oldest planted vineyards in France [source].
 
 
VINS DOUX NATURELS

You know about dry red wines and dry white wines, but how about sweet wines?

Vins doux naturels, often referred to as VDNs, are fortified sweet wines—very high quality, and costlier than most of the still wines.

Fortified wines, which are made in many wine-growing regions worldwide, have grape brandy added to the wines. This gives them a higher alcohol content (about 17%-20% A.B.V.†) and a longer shelf life after the bottles are opened.

Fortified wines can be either be dry or sweet. The fortified wines of Roussillon are sweet (doux).

These wines also pair beautifully with spicy international cuisines, such as the sweet-and-sour or savory-sweet dishes of Chinese, Indian and cuisines.
 
 
HEAD TO THE WINE STORE

The only way to get to know Roussillon wines is to head to a wine store and discuss the available options with a knowledgeable clerk.

Red, rose, or white; still or sweet: It’s time to get to know these wines.

Some of our favorites are below. By the way, if your store only has wines from the Languedoc, be wary. While wines are improving there, the region has long been known for average wines.
 
 
FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WINESOFROUSSSILON.COM.
 
 
WINES WE LIKE

  
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*France’s other wine-producing regions include Jura, Languedoc, Loire Valley and Provence

†A.B.V. is alcohol by volume. Double the A.B.V. to get the proof. For example, an 80-proof spirit is 40% A.B.V.

August 10th is National S’mores Day, a cookie sandwich first popularized in the 1920s by the Girl Scouts.

The love of the gooey treat has led to many other recipes combining the three ingredients: chocolate, graham crackers and marshmallow.

Today we present a S’mores Ice Cream Cake, with more luscious recipes below.

The recipe was developed by Country Crock. Prep time is 20 minutes, freeze time is 5 hours.
 
 
RECIPE: S’MORES ICE CREAM CAKE

Ingredients For 16 Servings

 
Preparation

1. MAKE the crust. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter and sugar in medium bowl. Press into a 13 x 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish.

2. COMBINE the chocolate chips, 2 cups of the marshmallows and the milk in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 4 minutes or until completely melted, stirring once.

3. COOL for 10 minutes, then stir in the remaining 2 cups marshmallows. Spread over the crust; freeze for 1 hour or until firm.

4. TOP the chocolate layer with the crumbled graham crackers.

5. CUT the carton from the ice cream with scissors. Place the rectangle on its side, then cut crosswise into 4 slices. Arrange the slices in baking dish, pressing to form an even layer. Cover and freeze 4 hours or overnight.

6. FROST with the whipped cream or whipped topping just before serving. Garnish as desired. Cut into rectangular slices with a knife dipped in hot water.

[1] S’mores ice cream cake (photo © Country Crock).

[2] Chocolate ice cream (photo © Breyers).

[3] Mini marshmallows. These are vegan, and taste even better than the major brands (photo © Dandies).

 
 
S’MORES FOOD HISTORY
The History of Chocolate
The History Of Graham Crackers
The History Of Marshmallows
The History of S’mores
  

[1] Turn the s’mores recipe into an ice cream sundae (photo © Bamboo Sushi | Portland).

[2] The classic S’mores cookie sandwich (photo © Dandies).

Bamboo Sushi in Portland, Oregon does more than turn out great sushi:

It creates smashing desserts like this S’mores Sundae.

This one is so easy to make. National S’mores Day is August 10th, so gather the three ingredients you need for this sundae and make a “test” version.

We tried several test versions—we couldn’t stop “testing.”
 
 
RECIPE: S’MORES SUNDAE

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. SPREAD the Fluff on a plate in an artistic swirl. Use the broiler or a kitchen torch to brown the top.

2. ADD a scoop or two of ice cream on top of the Fluff.

3. TOP with graham cracker pieces.
 
 
MORE FOOD FUN

We love knowing where our favorite foods come from: What part of the world? An accidental mutation or a deliberate invention?

The ingredients for S’mores—and the cookie sandwich itself—were all deliberate creations.

When was the last time you ate something new?

Most of us pursue a familiar grocery list, week in and week out.

But a trip to the farmers’ market always yields new discoveries. It may be an apple; but it’s an apple you’ve never seen before, like the Pink Pearl apples in the photo.

So go browsing this weekend. Ask the booth clerk about heirloom varieties, or simply try a fruit or vegetable you rarely eat. Loganberries? Turnips?

Here’s what’s in season in summer, although you’ll find other fruits and vegetables not on this list.

While you’re at the market, pick up an artisan bread for sandwiches.
 
 
THE HISTORY OF APPLES

Apples, which may seem to some to be an all-American fruit, originated in Central Asia: in southern Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Xinjiang, China.

Its wild ancestor, Malus sieversii, can still be found growing wild today—although the fruit of the tree won’t appeal to humans.

Apples have been grown for thousands of years in Asia and were brought to other regions by botanists, colonists, and traders.

As a result, apple trees (Malus domestica) are cultivated worldwide. Sweet fruit varieties are grown for eating, and sour varieties are grown for cider or other alcoholic beverages.

The center of diversity (breeding) of the genus Malus is in eastern present-day Turkey. The apple tree may have been the earliest tree that humans cultivated [source].

There are more than 7,500 known cultivars of apples, bred for specific characteristics. Even among sweet apples, different cultivars are bred for hand fruit and cooked fruit (applesauce, pies), with many varieties in each.
 
 
Apples Come To America

Apples were introduced to North America by colonists in the 17th century. The first apple orchard on the continent was planted in Boston in 1625 by Reverend William Blaxton in 1625. (The only apples native to North America are crab apples.)

The colonists primarily used the apples for cider, which was preferred to water with its potentially harmful microorganisms.

Cider was also easier to make than beer.

Cider apples are different from varieties meant to be eaten rather than turned into a drink. John Chapman, a.k.a. Johnny Appleseed, spread cider apples across the country, not apples for pie.

But by the 1800s, American farmers were growing a staggering 14,000 varieties of apple, many of which had been bred domestically. Apples also cross-pollinate, creating new breeds themselves [source].

So, assuming you’re not making cider, which apple would you rather have a Delicious, a Fuji, a Gala, a Granny Smith, a Honeycrisp, or the scores of other varieties within your reach?

Perhaps your farmers market scouting will yield some heirloom varieties, such as Black Oxford, Cameo, Gravenstein, and Newtown Pippin, a yellow apple with olive green and red spots, that was grown by Thomas Jefferson at Monticello for cooking.

Every region grows different varieties, so whenever you’re visiting a different area, ask for the nearest farmers market.

It’s a fun—and potentially delicious—voyage of discovery.
 
 
FOOD TRIVIA: Is it really as American as apple pie?

America has no claims to the origin of apple pie. the first recorded recipe for apple pie was written in 1381 in England and called for figs, raisins, pears, and saffron in addition to apples.

Dutch recipes for apple pies appear as far back as 1514.

Those early apple pie recipes generally didn’t include sugar, and their pastry crust was “coffin” pastry—a stiff, inedible dough that was used because baking pans were not common*.

Meats and other foods were also baked in coffins. By the time society developed inn America, metal cookware was available.

So why is it “as American as apple pie?” Because Americans loved apple pie. It’s that simple.

Today, the expression might be, “as American as a cheeseburger and fries.

Check out the history of pie and the history of pastry.

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*By the 17th century, it was common for a Western kitchen to contain a number of skillets, baking pans, a kettle, and several pots, along with a variety of pot hooks and trivets. Brass or copper vessels were common in Europe and Asia; iron pots were common in the American colonies. Improvements in metallurgy during the 19th and 20th centuries engendered pots and pans from metals such as steel, stainless steel, and aluminum to be economically produced.
 
 

[1] Pink Pearl apples. Like many heirloom varieties, they have a short season. That’s one reason some varieties of fruits and vegetables aren’t grown commercially; some others are disease-resistant, drought-resistant, and are hardy once harvested (photo © Good Eggs).

[2] Surprise! The inside of rose apples is all rosy pink (photo © Melissa’s Produce).

[3] Opal apples are a newer breed. Here’s more about them (photo © Golden Sun Marketing).

[4] These are not apples…but would you have thought these items were heirloom cucumbers? We’ve included a large size of the photo below so you can see more detail (photos © Baldor Food).

[5] As American as apple pie (photo © U S Apple).

[4] An expanded view of photo #3. If you saw these uncut, would you have guessed they were cucumbers?