Sushi For Dummies [Paperback]

Judi Strada (Author), Mineko Takane Moreno (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 2, 2004

Demystify the sushi bar experience

Stuffed with tips and tricks - you'll roll, press, and mold sushi like a pro!

From rolling sushi properly to presenting it with pizzazz, this book has everything you need to know to impress your friends with homemade maki-sushi (rolls) and nigiri-sushi (individual pieces). You'll find over 55 recipes from Tuna Sushi Rice Balls to Rainbow Rolls, plus handy techniques to demystify the art of sushi making - and make it fun!

Discover how to:
* Find the right equipment and ingredients
* Understand the special language of sushi
* Make fragrant sushi rice
* Prepare vegetarian and fish-free recipes
* Dish up sushi-friendly drinks and side dishes

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Demystify the sushi bar experience

Stuffed with tips and tricks – you’ll roll, press, and mold sushi like a pro!

From rolling sushi properly to presenting it with pizzazz, this book has everything you need to know to impress your friends with homemade maki-sushi (rolls) and nigiri-sushi (individual pieces). You’ll find over 55 recipes from Tuna Sushi Rice Balls to Rainbow Rolls, plus handy techniques to demystify the art of sushi making – and make it fun!

Discover how to:

• Find the right equipment and ingredients
• Understand the special language of sushi
• Make fragrant sushi rice
• Prepare vegetarian and fish-free recipes
• Dish up sushi-friendly drinks and side dishes

About the Author

Mineko Takane Moreno, born and raised in Tokyo, received her degree in French literature. Her love of food has inspired a lifelong education in many cuisines, including Japanese, Chinese, French, and Italian. Moving to San Diego in 1973, she began teaching Japanese cuisine, with a specialty in sushi. She currently teaches dozens of sushi classes a year at seven culinary schools, including Macy’s, Williams-Sonoma, and Sur la Table. Mineko consults with restaurants wishing to put sushi and other specialties on their menu. Her culinary work has been featured in numerous print publications and on television and radio shows. She is a member of the International Association of Culinary Professionals.

Judi Strada has a bachelor’s degree in Russian studies, which led her to study other cultures through their foods. She was the food consultant and spokesperson for The Sheraton World Cookbook and The Culinary Festival Cookbook and coauthor of The Best of San Diego. She is a frequent cooking guest on television and radio shows on both coas ts. Judi, an award-winning writer, is currently food editor of San Diego Magazine; kitchen garden editor of Garden Compass Magazine; and a member of the Authors Guild, the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, the International Association of Culinary Professionals, and the James Beard Foundation. She is founding president of Les Dames d’Escoffier, San Diego.

Product Details

• Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 1 edition (April 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0764544659
• ISBN-13: 978-0764544651
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (43 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,479 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #2 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Meat, Poultry & Seafood > Seafood
  • #3 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Asian > Japanese
  • #45 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Culinary Arts & Techniques

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Everything about sushi, from A to Z!, April 1, 2004

By 

Peter Economy "Bestselling Author" (La Jolla, California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Sushi For Dummies (Paperback)

Wow. I just finished reading Sushi For Dummies, and was amazed at just how much I learned. The authors have created what must be THE most complete and detailed guide to sushi available anywhere at any price -- and they have done so in a highly readable way, with just the right amount of humor. If you've ever been curious about sushi -- all the different ingredients and styles of sushi, how to make proper sushi rice (an important step in the process, which merits an entire chapter in this book), safe handling techniques, cutting and storing, history and traditions, proper sushi bar etiquette, and much, much more, then you will do no better than buying this book. Five stars!

104 of 114 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best sushi making instructions, June 9, 2005

By 

Essie Cruise "Essie" (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sushi For Dummies (Paperback)

After getting tired of spending $8 for two pieces of sushi at the local sushi bar, I decided to learn to make sushi at home.

I was not interested in spending the next 20 years learning to become a master sushi chef (or "itamae" in Japanese). I just wanted to have some good sushi without paying a fortune for what was basically nothing more than a couple tablespoons of rice and salmon roe.

I ordered and read several sushi books, including Sushi for Dummies. As a basic primer for learning how make sushi, this book can't be beat. Sushi is all about the rice, and hands down, the author has the clearest and easiest description of how to accomplish this task. It is like she is right there in your kitchen telling you exactly how to cook the rice (including soaking it beforehand, something other books neglected to mention) and what proportion of vinegar/sake to use.

The other instructions are equally superb. How to roll both traditional nori covered, and "inside out" sushi, and how to form cone sushi are all easy to understand and follow along.

Because I just wanted to learn how to make sushi, I skipped all the intro and history stuff. However, this information is included in case anyone else is interested.

Once you learn how make and roll sushi, it's time to look at some recipes. Admittedly, I have not yet tried any of the sushi recipes in this book, but intend to do so in the future. In the meantime, I did try some of the exotic recipes in D.K.'s Sansei Sushi from Hawaii, a book which I highly recommend.

30 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Look out! Here comes the Sushi expert..., April 14, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Sushi For Dummies (Paperback)

After purchasing the book and reading a few of the recipes, I decided to give some of them a try for dinner. The instructions were so easy that I pulled off a sushi dinner for my family that they thought I had practiced making for days. I have taken a sushi making course before, but having the book with me while making dinner proved to be a much needed aid and I am glad I made the small investment. I have also been enjoying the other areas of the book that talk about Sushi Bar manners/etiquette, terms and definitions, and sushi party planning. Most cookbooks I have purchased are just used for recipies and not for reading or cultural education. This dummies book is actually interesting to read from cover to cover and gives the reader more depth than other cookbooks.