About the Book

Gourmand World Cookbook Award Best Single Subject Book in English

In The Story of Sushi, Trevor Corson, author of The Secret Life of Lobsters, provides a lively tour of the culture of sushi in America-from the chefs who prepare sushi to the multifarious creatures that compose it. He escorts students behind the sushi bar, through an extensive three-month course at the California Sushi Academy in Los Angeles where he spent a semester shadowing the founder of the Academy and a select group of master chefs and their trainees and experienced first hand what’s involved in becoming “a naturalist with a knife.” He describes the different types of organisms that compose sushi, their behavior, biology, evolutionary origins, ecological niches, and nutritional properties. He discusses the seasonal progression of the organisms and explores the techniques by which they’re harvested, including what’s the best time for harvesting and why. He then provides a history of sushi’s origins and evolution in Japan and its transplantation to the United States via Los Angeles, and most compellingly, considers the future of sushi in America, revealing why the best sushi chefs of the future will most likely not be Japanese and male.

“Rarely has a Westerner written so knowledgeably, or entertainingly, about the subject. . . . An expert’s command of the subject. . . . The reader emerges not only enlightened but a much better sushi eater.-New York Times

Critical Praise

“One of the best things you can enjoy without melted butter.” — Natural History magazine

“A fascinating story, blending science, politics and history . . . the writing is vivid.” — USA Today on The Secret Life of Lobsters

“Corson serves up a savory blend of history and science along with a satisfying course of lobster and human behavior.” — Boston Herald on The Secret Life of Lobsters

“Trevor Corson’s reverence for all things from the sea is palpable. In his new book The Zen of Fish he takes you on a fascinating journey into the world of sushi. The story he relates is rich in detail, thoroughly engaging, simply a pleasure to get lost in.” — Eric Ripert, executive chef and co-owner of Le Bernardin, and author of “A Return to Cooking” and “Le Bernardin Cookbook: Four-Star Simplicity.”

“The Zen of Fish is a pleasure to read, entertaining and informative, with compelling characters and fascinating history, all told in an easy and natural voice. Excellent food journalism.” — Michael Ruhlman, author of The Soul of a Chef

“Modest, unpretentious, and personal—it offers the familiar comfort of an omakase lunch…” — Entertainment Weekly

Corson leaves no detail unexplained, and true food nerds will appreciate his rigor....fascinating.... you’ll still be lining up to order your favorite snack, but with renewed appreciation. — Penthouse

“Lively. . . . vivid mixture of history, science, and personal anecdotes.” — Los Angeles Times

Illuminating new book... — Time Out New York

Editor’s Choice; “An often amusing history.” — New York Times Book Review

“Rarely has a Westerner written so knowledgeably, or entertainingly, about the subject. . . . an expert’s command of the subject. . . . The reader emerges not only enlightened but a much better sushi eater. — New York Times

“Corson garnishes the tale with plenty of interesting tidbits. . . . Sushi fans may devour the information in The Zen of Fish.” — Wall Street Journal

“The Zen of Fish” tells us everything we could possibly want to know about every aspect of sushi. — Boston Globe

“A quirky, humanistic and mostly non-linear approach to the story of sushi. . . . poetic . . . beautiful.” — San Francisco Chronicle

“Rarely has a Westerner written so knowledgeably, or entertainingly, about the subject. . . . The reader emerges not only enlightened but a much better sushi eater. — New York Times

“Since sushi has become so popular in America, [Trevor Corson’s book] The Zen of Fish is now as relevant to the average American diner as other popular works of food-related journalism like Eric Schlosser’s ‘Fast Food Nation’ or Michael Pollan’s ‘The Omnivore’s Dilemma.’” — Solares Hill Key West

“A meticulously reported account. . . . Corson proves a master at providing a non-stop banquet of tasty morsels sure to delight anyone who has taken a seat at a sushi bar.” — Seattle Post-Intelligencer

“[The reporting] technique creates an immediate (and lasting) respect for the author’s narrative purity. . . . Corson also possesses a touch of the poetic.” — San Francisco Chronicle Book Review

“Authoritative, often amusing, chapters on sushi history, marine biology and the physiognomy of taste. While the students hack away at mackerel, Corson serves up bite-size explanations. . . . His chapter on rice, a subject that Americans take for granted, is itself worth the price of the book.” — New York Times Book Review

“Riveting . . . Corson beautifully intersperses the drama with lessons about the history and science of each fish . . . along with the rice and wasabi. . . . The combination of culinary insights and personal drama makes for one of the more compelling food-themed books in recent years.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

-

Product Details

• ISBN: 9780060883515
• ISBN 10: 0060883510
• Imprint: Harper Perennial
• On Sale: 09/02/2008
• Trimsize: 5.310 in (w) x 8.000 in (h) x 0.940 in (d)
• Pages: 416
• List Price: $18.99
• BISAC1 : NATURE / Animals / Fish
• BISAC2 : NATURE / Animals / Marine Life
• BISAC3 : COOKING / General
• BISAC4 : COOKING / Specific Ingredients / Seafood