I decided to compile my annotated bibliography into a PDF, so as not to lose visual formatting in WordPress. A link to the PDF here: Annotated Digital Bibliography

The Problem With Watching Too Many Cooking Shows

Ferdman makes a bold claim in his article by stating that, “As Americans cook less and less, they seem compelled to watch people cook more and more.” Ferdman creates a case around this claim, arguing through studies that the more one watches food television, the less healthy they eat. He also shows that people who watch food television and cook are even more prone to eating and cooking less healthy. Ferdman ends his article with a quote that sums up his rational towards the subject; “Restaurant quality meals really shouldn’t be eaten every day.”

Ferdman is taking a much more aggressive viewpoint on food television compared to other writers. From the beginning of his article, Ferdman takes a strong stance, not exactly against food television, but of the audience of food television. Ferdman is exposing what happens after the television is turned off, and studies show it isn’t exercise. Ferdman does seem to have a bias against unhealthy eating, calling out (ex) Food Network chef, Paula Deen for her insatiable use of butter in many of her dishes. This article tackles the eating or consuming category of food writing due to the texts hard stance against eating as if you were a Food Network chef. Ferdman demonizes the fatty, oversized food that has now become a popular staple of food television as it is normalizing this food; viewers are seeing these foods being eaten every day and in turn figure that they can eat like that every day as well. Ferdman emphasizes that if one wants to eat like a television chef, do it in moderation.

Ferdman, Roberto A. “The problem with watching too many cooking shows.” The Washington Post. WP Company, 18 Mar. 2015. Web. 2 Mar. 2017.

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The Feeding Tube: How Food Television Changed The Way We Eat

Platt’s article discusses how food television has changed and how this change can be seen in American culture. “More people on average watch the Food Network than CNN, and when you throw in other hit food shows (No Reservations on the Travel Channel, Top Chef on Bravo, Kitchen Nightmares on the BBC and its American spinoff on Fox), you have an audience that dwarfs almost anything outside of ESPN.” With this quote in mind, one can begin to imagine the broad scope that food television now has in America. Adding to this line of thought, Platt introduces the idea that food television personalities are now not just “cooks” but have become food celebrities to the American people. Platt ends the article with a celebrative tone, telling his audience to just enjoy this “golden age of food television…because it is here to stay.”

Throughout this article, Platt’s mood seems to shift. While at the beginning he seems to be calling for reform of food television, the end has a drastically different tone in which he gives the impression that change is bound to happen in every industry and we just have to learn to go along with the change. This text mainly falls into the selling or marketing food writing category due to mainly discussing food television and its corresponding personalities, as they relate and influence the American home. Food television can now be found in almost every home, whether it is directly through the television or through items that were either created, shown, or endorsed by food celebrities. Food media is here to stay.

Platt, Adam. “The Feeding Tube: How Food Television Changed the Way We Eat.” Grub Street. N.p., 24 Oct. 2011. Web. 01 Mar. 2017.

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We Spend More Time Watching Food On TV Than We Do Cooking It

Mills’ article gives an eye-opening view on food media and its relationship with actual cooking in the home. She begins her article stating a somewhat shocking fact, “The average adult spends more time watching, scrolling and reading about food on social media that they do cooking their daily meals.” She ends her article on a somber note, rehashing an interview with media psychologist, Emma Kenny. Kenny comments on the massive amounts of food media that is now available to the public, but despite this people are still not actually cooking in the home.

In Mills’ article, she gives a lot of good facts and information about how food media is all prevalent in many people’s lives, but she doesn’t add much commentary; rather she quotes others to get her point across: food media has changed from informational and informative, to more of a leisurely pastime, no longer used to help the at home cook.

Looking at her bias, she is not seemingly swaying to any argument at the beginning, moreover she is just trying to get to information out to her readers. Near the end of the article she does appear to have more of an opinion, as the use of the direct quotes seem to be talking for her. Her goal from this article is trying to get readers to become aware of how much food media is in our lives, and introduce the idea that cooking is not just for professionals and is not that expensive. Her overall stance seems to be advocating for a change in how the public uses food media. Mills seems to want to get back into informational food media rather than have it be the leisurely activity it has turned into.

Mills, Emma. “We spend more time watching food on TV than we do cooking it.” The Telegraph, Telegraph Media Group, 22 Sept. 2016, www.telegraph.co.uk/food-and-drink/news/we-spend-more-time-watching-food-on-tv-than-we-do-cooking-it/. Accessed 21 Feb. 2017.

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Epic Rap Battles of History: Gordon Ramsay vs. Julia Child

This YouTube video, created by the user account “Epic Rap Battles of History”, pairs famed, hot-head chef Gordon Ramsay against the women who revolutionized TV cooking, Julia Child. They rap battle against each other, throwing lines with layers of multiple meanings at one another. The intended audience is a very vast group of people, as anyone who watches YouTube or is interested in food media may come across this; as of March 7, 2017, the original YouTube video has over 20.5 million views.

The creators of this “Epic Rap Battle” seem to be very fair and unbiased. Almost every word spoken has an under lying meaning, whether it is purely food based or more cut-throat and personal. Each character makes great points against the other and it is truly not just a one-sided battle. This document can fall into several food writing categories, but it most seems to follow the idea of celebrating or memorializing food media. This battle is pretty much pitting old versus new of food television, and has two of some of these most historic and branded chefs of the eras to demonstrate the drastic change that has occurred. This battle not only brings the history of food media to popular culture, but makes it fun to learn about through an underused medium.

“Gordon Ramsay vs Julia Child. Epic Rap Battles of History – Season 5.” YouTube, YouTube, 18 May 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=99-n42Xb6NQ. Accessed 28 Feb. 2017.

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TV’s Food Show Evolution

 

 

 

 

 

In this text, Dawn discusses the evolution of Food television. Dawn claims that while cooking shows evolve away from professional chefs showing the audience how to cook and more into reality television with do-it-yourself amateurs, the professionals are “evolving themselves out of a job.”

While not giving any defining opinion, Dawn seems to be judgmental towards the food television industry. The use of several quotes show his judgment and perhaps his longing for food television to return back to its roots: teaching the public rather than purely entertaining. In his longing, Dawn demonstrates features of the advocating for a change category. He leaves the reader with a sense of wariness towards having food television become just another reality television market.

Dawn, Randee. “TV’s Food Show Evolution.” Variety. N.p., 21 June 2013. Web. 27 Feb. 2017.

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Cooking in Old Time Radio

This article, with an anonymous author, gives an informational history of some of the most popular food radio shows of the 20^th century. In looking at the evolution of food media, radio is important to examine because it is the real beginning of food media. While television has been a widespread medium, it wouldn’t be anything if radio hadn’t done it first. This article shows that, due to the time period, food radio was intended for women. Food radio was usually intertwined with other homemaker radio shows, such as “housekeeping tips, child-rearing, and even laundry tips.” As food radio began to progress as its own genre, many brands began to endorse shows such as PET Milk and The Mary Lee Taylor Program. Interestingly enough, a household name to this day, Betty Crocker, had a radio show and school all in one with the Betty Crocker Cooking School of the Air, eventually adapting the show to NBC in 1927.

While this article demonstrates traits of the memorialization category by reviewing the origins of food media, it also fits into the category of making. While this article doesn’t show a recipe, it does demonstrate how making food and widespread recipes became popularized and distributed in an era before television or the internet. This article shows that food media is, and will continue to be, a part of the American way of life, no matter the era.

“Cooking in Old Time Radio.” Cooking in Old Time Radio | Old Time Radio. N.p., n.d. Web. 23 Feb. 2017.

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10 Years On: How Yelp Has Completely Changed the Restaurant Industry

Gardiner’s article claims that Yelp has given the public a forum to express their own critical voice, but questions whether that empowerment has gone too far. Gardiner seems to be writing towards the users of Yelp, with the biggest age bracket being 35-45 years old and people who earn more than $100k per year.

Gardiner’s opinion on food media, specifically the review site Yelp, is neither positive nor negative. He is able to show both sides of the argument, though he does give a disclaimer about the business’ ethics and potential consequences of having everyone be a critic, swaying him slightly towards the more conservative side of food media. This text falls into multiple food writing categories, but specifically encompassing marketing and advocating for a change due to the nature of Yelp and its powerful influence over the service industry. Gardiner seems to want the readers to be aware of the power that the consumer now holds, and not to be overly critical on seemingly petty things. Gardiner questions the practice of giving everyone a critical voice, and warns his readers to be wary as well; just because everyone is a critic, does not make them a good critic.

“No one cares if a particular McDonald’s gets a 2-star review. It’s McDonald’s. If the little mom-and-pop burger spot around the corner gets pelted with poor reviews on account of a lack of parking or that a well-done burger took “too long”, however, it could be put at risk. Call it an evolutionary phase of consumer capitalism, or the devolution of the “expert” opinion.”

Gardiner, Ross. “10 Years On: How Yelp Has Completely Transformed the Restaurant Industry.” Obsev, 23 June 2014, www.obsev.com/food/10-years-how-yelp-has-completely-transformed-restaurant-industry.html. Accessed 1 Mar. 2017.

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The Yelp Factor: Are Consumer Reviews Good for Business?

Blanding’s article examines one of the biggest online review sites: Yelp; based upon research done by Michael Luca. The article has many similar opinions as Gardiner’s, but Blanding has a less cautious stance. While he does highlight some of the issues that Yelp and other review sites suffer from, he also proves the weight that online reviews carry. Using Luca’s research, Blanding shows that Yelp not only influences where people go, but what businesses survive.

Blanding keeps a very unbiased opinion in his article. He presents his and Luca’s information in a very open atmosphere, and allows for both positive and negative facts to be shared. He seems to be intending this article for Yelp users, as he wants to inform them of the full truth behind Yelp and its reviews. Due to the subject matter, this article is categorized into selling and marketing, as Yelp is one of the most popular ways to be able to advertise online. While reviews are still taken into deep consideration when purchasing anything, the importance of online reviews are growing every day.

Blanding, Michael. “The Yelp Factor: Are Consumer Reviews Good for Business?” HBS Working Knowledge. N.p., 24 Oct. 2011. Web. 1 Mar. 2017.

Immigration & United States Food Culture

Koger, Grove. “Foodways.” Immigration to the United States. N.p., 2015. Web. 27 Feb 2017. http://immigrationtounitedstates.org/504-foodways.html

In this text, Grove Koger introduces the idea that U.S. food culture has been affected by foodways. Foodways are foods preferred by immigrants, as well as the culture behind producing, cooking, or consuming them. Because of his status as an awarded librarian, Koger is able to incorporate information from a variety of different races and ethnic backgrounds. However, Koger seems to focus on European immigrants to America, most likely because he is of European descent himself. Through his article, he memorializes the foodways of many different immigrant groups to tie them to the common American today. This text serves as a basis to my topic, explaining the different food cultures of many popular immigrant groups of the United States. While other texts are more specific to a certain immigrant group, this text manages to be a broad overview of the entire topic, celebrating each individual culture as it is introduced and discussed.

 

Muturi, Jason. “8 Traditional Irish Dishes That Will Remind Every Irish American of Home.” Xpatnation. Jason Muturi, 17 Nov. 2015. Web. 27 Feb. 2017. < http://xpatnation.com/traditional-irish-dishes-that-will-remind-every-irish-american-of-home/>
  In his article, Jason Muturi shows several popular Irish dishes, discusses their origins, and gives general insight on how and when these dishes could be used.  Since he is just a journalist of Irish descent, Muturi writes this article not for accuracy, but to celebrate the Irish food culture in America. Many of the dishes discuss popular American versions of the recipes, such as using beef to make an Irish stew instead of lamb. This text presents a great example of how generations in America can slightly change recipes to fit the needs of Americans over time, while still honoring the historic culture of the food.

Nathan, Joan. “Food in the United States.” Jewish Women: A Comprehensive Historical Encyclopedia. 1 March 2009. Jewish Women’s Archive. (Viewed on February 27, 2017) <https://jwa.org/encyclopedia/article/food-in-united-states>.

In this article, Joan Nathan discusses the history of the American Jewish woman in terms of the kosher food industry. Being a Jewish woman herself, Nathan clearly caters to her own demographic, yet the tone of this piece is very professional and historical. She discusses not only the immigrant woman who started the industry, but also what the selling and marketing of kosher foods has become, even stating how it has spread beyond just Jewish people. This article goes very in depth into the history and culture of these Jewish women, and although it is one of the more biased sources pesented, it is also one of the most in depth. Nathan not only discusses the culture of the food, but also the extended effects across the United States and the global industry for kosher foods.

Shanker, Deena. “25 Classic Jewish Foods Everyone Should Learn To Cook.” BuzzFeed. BuzzFeed Inc, 26 Oct. 2014. Web. 27 Feb. 2017. < https://www.buzzfeed.com/deenashanker/make-bubbe-proud?utm_term=.vbLpKGXpX#.klYrvdnrn>

This text is a simple article for BuzzFeed, and does not contain much historical value. However, this is an excellent article to determine traditional Jewish foods and how to make them. Deena Shanker effectively links recipes for each of these 25 dishes, allowing the general audience to participate in cooking these foods. Shanker is a journalist for BuzzFeed and therefore only called upon personal experience to write this article; she does this in an attempt to be connected to a larger, less detail oriented audience. This text provides information for how to make these different, important, cultural foods as well as some light-hearted analysis of the dishes. BuzzFeed is a prominent source of entertainment for many Americans, and this article clearly depicts how immigrant foodways are directly making their way into overall American culture.

Perner, Lars. “Food Marketing, Consumption, and Manufacturing.” Thesis. University of Southern California, 2008. Food Marketing. Lars Perner, 2008. Web. 1 Mar. 2017. < http://www.consumerpsychologist.com/food_marketing.html>

Lars Perner is an assistant professor of clinical marketing at the Marshall School of Business at USC. In this extensive text, he discusses the theories behind food marketing across the globe. The purpose on this text is to explore insightful theories in terms of food marketing and consumptions to maximize manufacturing levels so that not only is there no shortage of popular foods, but also no surplus of unpopular foods. This thesis is highly technical and includes incredibly detailed analysis of this topic. The other texts take a much simpler approach, whereas in this text, Perner deeply analyzes the global trends that dictate the varying popularity of different foods from cultures all across the globe.

 

Mariani, John F. How Italian Food Conquered the World. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Print

In his book, How Italian Food Conquered the World, John Mariani discusses the process of how pizza became immensely popular; specifically, how the marketing of pizza as a fast food led to a huge increase in demand for pizza in the United States. John Mariani is a decorated food author and journalist who has many books discussing Italian food, American food culture, and fast food. This shows directly how American’s commercialized an original Italian recipe. The text discusses the history of the first Italian pizzerias opening in New York City, and how from the small immigrant run places, it expanded into a huge world-wide business.

 

“Immigrants Eat American Junk Food to Fit In: Study.” U.S. News & World Report. U.S. News & World Report, 06 May 2011. Web. 27 Feb. 2017. < http://health.usnews.com/health-news/diet-fitness/articles/2011/05/06/immigrants-eat-american-junk-food-to-fit-in-study>

This article discusses how immigrants choose to eat fast food once coming to America simply to fit in. Although many immigrants choose to stay true to their culture, some choose to attempt to fit in with Americans by choosing fast food. This is a statement of how American food culture is perceived. Although this article does not have an explicitly named author, it focuses on the immigration of Asian-Americans over any other immigrant groups. This study illustrates how alienated our food culture still remains even to this day from the food cultures across the world. The author of this article was trying not only to discuss the poor consuming habits of Americans, but to show how easy it is to spread these negative habits to immigrants who are willing to change in order to be accepted.

 

Choi, Amy S. “What Americans Can Learn from Other Food Cultures.” Ideas.ted.com. TED Conferences, 03 Jan. 2016. Web. 27 Feb. 2017. < http://ideas.ted.com/what-americans-can-learn-from-other-food-cultures/>

Amy Choi expresses an interest in advocating for a more culturally diverse food culture in America. As a woman who is married to a man of mixed ethnic backgrounds that do not overlap with her own, she sees herself as a global citizen with deep knowledge of other cultures. She describes American food culture as very fast and efficient, while other cultures cherish and savor mealtime as an important ritual. She advocates for this shift to create a food culture in America that is celebrated for its quality and not just for its efficiency. This article is written to be read by the public of America in the hopes that they will begin to think differently about the food culture that they portray. Choi explains how American food culture has implored some changes based on immigrants, but has not taken certain key aspects. Although this article gives less specific facts, it gives many theories and ideas about food culture in America and across the world.

Being from Texas, I’ve always been surrounded by Mexican food.  Having family which hail from Harlingen, a small town in the Rio Grande Valley about 20 miles from the border to Mexico, I had the privilege of being exposed to good, authentic Mexican food at an early age.  However, growing up in Dallas, I have also experienced many traditionally “inauthentic” Mexican dishes, mostly of the Tex Mex variety.  Both varieties of “Mexican” food taste very good, but in our society, the “inauthentic” dishes are regarded as lesser.  Thus, I’ve been researching how people perceive authenticity of Mexican cuisine in the United States, and have found an interesting trend.  It appears that, in this context, people generally care more about whether the food is authentic than how the food tastes.

Read more here.

I’ve compiled my research into a pdf at this link:

Okonomiyaki

Starbucks Bibliography

 

Intro : Curry is one famous food people eat. You can even see two different style of curry just on the Guadalupe street, vietnamese and Indian. I love curry and I thought it is a good chance to research about curry and find out some interesting things I did not know. History of curry, different styles of curry in many different countries. Also the spices that goes in makes difference too.

• “Spice World: 10 Top Countries for Curry – Hostelbookers.” com Blog. N.p., 03 Apr. 2012. Web. 28 Feb. 2017.

This site gives information about curry in 10 different countries, Britain, Thailand, Japan, Malaysia, China, Myanmar, Jamaica, Vietnam, Indonesia, and India. It points out unique styles of curry for each country and suggests the best curry place or restaurants in those countries. It does not seem to have any author’s thought in it, just informative type of writing.

 

• Dimbleby, Henry, and Jane Baxter. “The Secret to Making Great Curry.” Back to Basics. Guardian News and Media, 31 Oct. 2014. Web. 01 Mar. 2017.

This article is written by an author who actually cooked Indian curry and tries to give some tips and recipes of her own. She describes cooking Indian curry as learning four major chords in playing guitar, that we need to know only few spices that goes in which is impotant and that spices does not only bring the flavor but also the texture. Then she introduces two basic Indian curry recipes which takes less than an hour to make. To me this article was trying to make reader approach cooking curry easily and make the readers familiar with cooking. It also had informative characteristic.

 

• Hunt, Kristin. “A Beginner’s Guide to the Curries of the World.” Thrillist. Thrillist, 16 Mar. 2014. Web. 01 Mar. 2017.

This article also introduces different styles of curry in 12 countries, India, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, UK, South Africa, Trinidad & Tobago, Japan, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. This time it gives actual names or menus that are famous in each country and briefly explains what they are made of. This is an informative article also.

 

• Evans, Kaeli. “Curious About Curry: What’s the Difference between Indian and Thai Curries?” Flavor 574. N.p., 11 Sept. 2016. Web. 01 Mar. 2017.

Briefly talks about the difference between curry in India and Thai especially about the spices they use. India curry mostly uses powder based curry while Thai curry uses curry paste.

 

• “Why ‘Curry’ Is Not Indian.” DESIblitz. N.p., 07 Mar. 2016. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

This text talks about the origin of curry while most people think that curry is from India, the author points out some arguments that proves curry is not from India. The name curry was made when English people tried to describe the Indian dish and put it in their words. There fore there is no such word as curry in India until now. How can we say a curry is from India when the word curry does not even exist in India?

 

• Lawler, Andrew. “Where Did Curry Come From?” Slate Magazine. N.p., 29 Jan. 2013. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Has historical background proves that curry was made and consumed way before people think. While English people stayed in India the ancient left over cooking pods and dishes were analyzed with high technology and found an evidence that similar spices which is used in curry nowadays were used. We know that curry is not only among the world’s most popular dishes; it also may be the oldest continuously prepared cuisine on the planet. Vasant Shinde, an archaeologist at Pune University in India who directs the dig at Farmana, is delighted with the discovery. He says the find demonstrates that the Indus civilization pioneered not just good plumbing and well-planned cities, but one of the world’s most loved cuisines.

 

• “Understanding the Differences between Red, Yellow and Green Thai Curry.” Sedimentality. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

If you like curry, and have been to Vietnamese restaurant, you should have hesitated at least once in choosing between red, yellow, and green. What are the differences? For green curry, green chilies are used. For red curry, red chilies are added. For yellow curry, curry powder (which contains a high amount of turmeric) is used.

“I love yellow curry: the turmeric gives the dish a little sweetness and tangy flavor which balances so well with the spice from the red chilies in the curry paste. However, I also enjoy the richness of a red curry: the red chilies used in the paste seem to give its dishes a deeper flavor, like if you use a sun-dried tomato over a ripe red one. Green curries, while also delicious, have a definite kick but do not have that rich flavor which you get in a red or yellow curry.”

 

• “Curry — It’s More ‘Japanese’ than You Think.” The Japan Times. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Mar. 2017.

Japanese curry also has its own history. First called rice curry, at first it was food that can be made only at the restaurants and then when curry became a little common, japan imported curry powder from Britain. One day the great curry powder scandal of 1931 has happened, when unscrupulous dealers were caught selling cheap domestic curry powder as expensive Crosse & Blackwell powder from England. This happened since most of people cannot tell the difference between expensive and cheap curry powders. However, after that scandal, instant curry came out which can be cooked in 3 minutes by just heating it in the microwave. This idea was sensational, exporting to many other countries, which made Japan one top country when we talk about curry.

Image courtesy of: TexasFoodGawker

 My love for sushi began at a very young age, which isn’t common for most. As far as my parents were concerned, I could eat sushi for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For those who know me, it is apparent that sushi continues to be my favorite food to this day. My experiences with sushi remain within the boundaries of The United States, which left me wondering how sushi may differ in the place in which it was born: Japan. From how it’s made to how it should be eaten, let’s take a look at all that sushi culture has to offer.

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The Tale of Sushi: History and Regulations

Cindy Hsin-I Feng

The author of this article, Cindy Hsin-I Feng, provides an in-depth analysis of the history of sushi in Japan, how sushi began to make its way into the United States, and other important nutritional facts about sushi. She begins by telling the reader how the upbringing of sushi occurred around 718 A.D. and continues to takes us through the journey of how the process of sushi-making underwent multiple changes over the years. From sushi’s evolution into a snack food in the 1820s to making it’s first appearance in shops and restaurants in Japan around the 1920s, Cindy covers the invention of sushi and it’s upbringing in Japan all the way to the appearance of sushi in America. With its rise in the American diet between 1988 and 1998, sushi finally became one of the most popular dishes in America in the 20^th century. This article takes notice to the convenience of sushi in America and how it can be found in convenient stores across the country.

This article both memorializes and commemorates the story and transformation of sushi. Author Cindy Hsin-I Feng is a part of the Graduate School of Applied Professional Psychology at Rutgers. This article in particular can be found in the Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, giving it credibility and authority.

Hsin‐I Feng, C. (2012). The tale of sushi: history and regulations. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 11(2), 205-220.

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American Sushi

Trevor Corson

Trevor Corson provides an outline on the differences in sushi in America and sushi in Japan. Through telling his story of visits to sushi bars in Japan and how they differ from sushi restaurants in America, he explains how the experiences were extremely different when it came to the service and the quality of the food. Corson discusses how in Japan, a customer will sit at a “sushi bar” rather than sitting down and ordering from a menu like one would do in America. He continues by saying how the chefs in the Japanese sushi bars make it a point to get to know the customer through meaningful conversation, which is a very rare occurrence in America. This article portrays how America markets sushi as authentic Japanese cuisine, when in reality this is not what we are really getting. It brings to light how sushi chefs in America serve “simplistic menus” that offer unhealthy items and disregard the classic Japanese styles of sushi.

Trevor Corson, author of the highly commended novel The Story of Sushi: An Unlikely Saga of Raw Fish and Rice, worked as a commercial fisherman and has written many pieces for publications like the Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, and New York Times. He is the recipient of a Japanese Ministry of Education Fellowship and a John Fisher Zeidman Memorial Chinese Studies Fellowship. His passion for fishing and sushi stems from his time spent in Japan and China. This source deems credible due to his knowledge in and firsthand experience with Japanese culture.

Corson, T. (2009, June). American sushi. The Atlantic. Retrieved from https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2009/06/american-sushi/307431/

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Sushi Standards and the American Way

Tim Carman

This article written by Tim Carman serves the category of advocating for change by painting a picture of the many issues with American sushi and how they might be fixed. Kaz Okochi, chef of a sushi bistro, is interviewed by Carman and offers input on why he thinks American sushi is so different than sushi in Japan. He states his concern for the chefs who lack the long years of training that are crucial for any adequate sushi chef and explains how the qualified chefs who dwell in Japan have no interest in traveling to America due to a shortage of financial opportunities. Not to mention, immigration is extremely difficult. In American, this leads to mediocre sushi chefs serving low-grade fish and offering sushi that has little to no correlation to Japanese culture. Carman interviews Trevor Corson, a well-known author, who blames this mishap on Japanese sushi chefs who traveled across the ocean in the 1980s to America and received sufficient payment through the simplification of classic Japanese style nigiri.

A full-time writer for the Washington Post’s Food section, Tim Carman attains a passion for all that is food. The Washington Post is a highly recognized newspaper where millions of Americans flock to for their daily dose of news. Therefore, this article proves a reliable source for how the problem with sushi in America can be resolved.

Carman, T. (2012, January 24). Sushi standards and the American way. The Washington Post. Retrieved from https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/sushi-standards-and-the-american way/2012/01/18/gIQAI3slNQ_story.html utm_term=.bcc350b26dea

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Global Eating: Sushi and Identity

Paige A. Edwards

In this article written by Paige A. Edwards, the matter of how sushi is made and consumed in both Japan and America is shown through her own visits to sushi bars in Tokyo along with sushi restaurants here in America. She writes about her findings and offers precise details on how sushi is prepared in each region. She says how sushi in the United States has adapted to the American palette, but that it still maintains a Japanese style of sushi. She not only mentions differences in American and Japanese sushi, but also similarities. For example, conveyer belt sushi in Japan includes loud dining and vibrant colors, which is common to sushi dining in America. Edwards clarifies how cultures are affected by globalization through describing how “American” sushi is reimported back to Japan and introduced as “American-style sushi”. She argues that sushi is a model for how globalization has impacted culture and the ways in which we eat.

Paige A. Edwards works at the Western Michigan University and writes in this academic journal in order to address the effect of globalization on food cultures such as sushi.

Edwards, P. A. (2012). Global sushi: Eating and identity. Perspectives on Global Development and Technology, 11(1), 211-225.

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Jiro Dreams of Sushi

David Gelb

Still a master of his craft at 85 years old, Jiro Ono is a three Michelin star sushi chef from Japan. Tucked away in the busy streets of Tokyo, Jiro’s restaurant has become one of the most admired and best-known in Japan with only 10 seats. This Netflix documentary highlights the trials and tribulations of becoming a master sushi chef. From the fish market to the making of the sushi, Jiro Dreams of Sushi informs viewers how every step in the sushi-making process is imperative. This film advocates for change through discussing the issue of overfishing in our oceans, which is leading to an extremely low level of tuna. Jiro proclaims how traditional Japanese sushi is kept very simple and minimalistic. Jiro Dreams of Sushi allows viewers an insight into the art of sushi and how a sushi chef’s quest for perfection will never be complete.

Director David Gelb perfectly captures what it takes to master a skill in this film. This documentary is known as one of the best documentaries on Netflix with extremely high ratings, making it a viable and credible source.

Iwashina, K., & Pellegrini, T. (Producers), & Gelb, D. (Director). (2012). Jiro dreams of sushi [Motion picture]. United States: Magnolia Home

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The Truth About American Sushi No One Wants to Hear

Hannah Cooper

In this article written by Hannah Cooper, all fingers are pointed at Americans for incorrectly portraying what sushi looks like. She sheds light upon seven different ways in which Japan and America attain drastic differences in how they each prepare sushi including how it is made and the training it takes in both countries to become a sushi chef. This simplified and condensed list of discrepancies between the art of sushi in Japan versus America is an easy and enlightening read that all sushi lovers should take the time to enjoy.

Hannah Cooper is a junior Nutritional Science major at Pepperdine University in California. She writes for Spoon University, a site that thousands visit in order to explore their love for food.

Cooper, H. (2015, July 16). The truth about american sushi no one wants to hear. Retrieved from Spoon University website: https://spoonuniversity.com/ lifestyle/american-sushi-truth

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You’re all eating sushi wrong! Tokyo sushi chef teaches proper way to eat sushi

Jenn Harris

 This article offers a short, yet very informative outline on the proper way in which to eat sushi according to Tokyo sushi chef Naomichi Yasuda. Author Jenn Harris provides the reader with an educational YouTube video from Vice’s Munchies that shows different rules one should be aware of when dining at a sushi restaurant. It is made clear that Americans have been left in the dark when it comes to sushi etiquette. From using soy sauce properly to refraining from the use of chopsticks, this article will have you second-guessing your expert knowledge of sushi.

This article written by reporter Jenn Harris comes from the Los Angeles Times, which is one of the most highly distributed newspapers in the country. With the help of sushi chef Naomichi Yasuda, Jenn shares with us her love and knowledge of food.

Harris, J. (2014, August 28). You’re all eating sushi wrong! Tokyo sushi chef teaches proper way to eat sushi. Los Angeles Times. Retrieved from http://www.latimes.com/food/dailydish/ la-dd-tokyo-sushi-chef-proper-way-eat-sushi-20140828-story.html

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For Sushi Chain, Conveyor Belts Carry Profit

Hiroko Tabuchi

Not all sushi found in Japan is served in a traditional sushi bar with chef’s who have mastered their skills for years. Author Hiroko Tabuchi introduces the concept of conveyor belt sushi, which is a commonly found fad in the Japanese restaurant industry. She mentions how sushi found in these types of restaurants isn’t of the highest quality, but rather offers prices that end up “turning a profit in a punishing economy”. When reading this article, it becomes clear that similarities between American and Japanese sushi may exist. Conveyor belt sushi acquires a dining experience that is similar to one found in a America: a loud and busy atmosphere where customers are confronted with countless tables and booths. Although this may dishonor traditional style sushi, these “Americanized” restaurants market sushi in a way that allows for economic prosperity in Japan.

Having graduated from the London School of Economics and Political Science, Hiroko Tabuchi serves as a business reporter for The New York Times. Her talents led her to become part of a team that received the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting.

Tabuchi, H. (2010, December 30). For sushi chain, conveyor belts carry profit. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/31/ business/global/31sushi.html

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Why is Brown Rice Sushi so Awful? Here’s the Science

Sujata Gupta

Rice is cherished by most Japanese sushi chefs due to the vital role it plays in making a piece of sushi outstanding and burst with flavor. Written by Sujata Gupta, this article reinforces the importance of white rice in traditional Japanese sushi and how America has grown accustomed to sushi made with brown rice. Through interviewing Mori Onodera, owner of a Michelin starred sushi restaurant in Los Angeles, Sujata illustrates how sushi is about “balancing the flavors and textures” of the rice and fish. She reiterates how sushi has fused into the American diet and through Americans use of brown rice, become a new type of sushi that most masters of sushi frown upon.

Sujata Gupta works as a freelance science writer who attended John Hopkins University. She attains experience writing for BBC, The New Yorker, NPR news, and others.

Gupta, S. (2016, December 5). Why is brown rice sushi so awful? Here’s the science [Newsgroup post]. Retrieved from NPR news website: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/12/05/503907000/why-is-brown-rice-sushi-so-awful-heres-the-science

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Sushi for Two

Trevor Corson

 In this article, Trevor Corson once again enlightens us on the issue of sushi becoming “Americanized” by demanding that there is a change in the way people eat. He stresses how Americans have grown dependent upon tuna and that this “addiction” has evolved into a lack of Bluefin tuna in our oceans. Corson returns to his argument on Japanese chefs coming to America and growing lazy by serving simple, cheap sushi to their customers. This requires an ample amount of both high grade and low grade sushi, resulting in a dwindling tuna population. He says that these Japanese chefs “didn’t bother to educate us”. He calls to attention that it isn’t more tuna that the world needs, but simply a revolution in the preparation and consumption of sushi in America.

Corson, T. (2007, July 15). Sushi for two. New York Times. Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/15/opinion/15corson.html

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