12/23/2006

Japan Prepares to Send ‘Sushi Police’ on Worldwide Crusade to Improve Japanese Cuisine
Chosunilbo:
…Japan’s Agriculture Ministry, which is preparing to inspect and certify Japanese restaurants around the world….The notion of Japanese inspectors setting cooking standards for soba in Sao Paolo, or teriyaki in Tehran - or sushi rolls in New York - has met with a certain amount of skepticism among international journalists here who were told of the plan…the Agriculture Ministry, however, are undaunted by such criticism. They are forging ahead with their plan to police the world’s sushi platters…more…

Damn, many times I have poisoned by insane soba and garbage sushi overseas. I hate fake sushi that tastes like bleached dog doo-doo such as served on Northwest Airlines. However, to say California Roll [カリフォルニアロール ] cannot be certified as “real” Japanese sushi when it can be ordered at most sushi places in Tokyo (see below) is crazy and racist. Agriculture Minister Matsuoka can eat my big, fat, California Roll, sheesh.

California Roll, basic recipe: Crab and avocado often with a dab of mayo and enveloped in a thick blanket of rice which is then wrapped in nori (pressed seaweed sheet). More details from Wikipedia:
The origin of the California roll is somewhat murky, but usually food historians credit Ichiro Mashita, sushi chef at the Tokyo Kaikan in Los Angeles with inventing the roll in the early 1970s. Mashita realized the oily texture of avocado was a perfect substitute for toro. He also eventually made the roll “inside-out”, i.e. uramaki, because Americans did not like seeing and chewing the nori on the outside of the roll. After becoming popular in southern California it eventually became popular all across the United States by the 1980s, and is also known in Japan as the Kashu-maki. The roll contributed to sushi’s growing popularity in the United States by easing diners into more exotic sushi options.

UPDATE:

Japan gives up plan to police overseas restaurants for authenticity

March 18, 2007, SMH.com
Japan has called off plans to police Japanese restaurants overseas for authenticity after a flurry of criticism.
Tokyo appointed a panel of food experts in November to discuss a certification system that would crack down on restaurants abroad that bill themselves as authentic Japanese, but fall short of culinary standards at home.
But the Agriculture Ministry panel called off the plan on Friday after receiving complaints - some from overseas - that the system was discriminatory…..