Sushi for Dummies

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.

This book is terrific. Sushi is all about technique and the authors have managed to convey those techniques clearly and simply. It demystifies the process and explains all those Japanese terms that I can never remember. I only wish it were bigger (next edition, Wiley???)

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.

This book actually gives you enough information to go to a sushi bar and NOT be a barbarian. It's easy to read and understand, and well organized. If you want to go the extra mile and prepare your own sushi, the directions are clear and easy to follow, with tons of side information (like how to know if the fish is REALLY fresh) and fun ideas. I found the part on correctly making the vinegared rice especially helpful, and the diagrams on how to cut things are great! There is also a section on manners which I found fascinating. This book is interesting as well as useful!

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!