| Sushi has been a trendy culinary fashion on the | | | | along with the fish. During the seventeenth |
| West Coast for several decades, only hitting | | | | century Haya-Zushi introduced vinegar to the |
| mainstream United States in popularity during the | | | | cooked rice, offering the tangy flavor familiar to |
| mid 1990s. It is now available in restaurants and | | | | sushi lovers today. |
| Japanese sushi bars throughout the U.S., even | | | | Rolled sushi, Maki-Zushi, was introduced by the |
| found in specialty areas of local supermarkets. | | | | eighteenth century. This was followed by the |
| With its beautiful presentation and fresh, pure | | | | creation of bite-sized Nigiri-Zushi, or finger sushi, |
| flavors, it is a healthy alternative to more | | | | which might be considered the earliest form of |
| fat-laden fare. | | | | fast food, since it could be eaten on the go. In |
| Though considered by most to be the chic cuisine | | | | 1824, Hanaya Yohei, a sushi stall vendor in Tokyo |
| currently, sushi had its humble beginnings over | | | | made history with his introduction of Nigiri-Zushi |
| 2,000 years ago in Japan. It was originally a | | | | garnished with a slice of raw fish, resulting in the |
| process of preserving fish in a salt and fermenting | | | | sushi roll as it is popular today. |
| rice mixture. The preserved carp, or Nare-Zushi, | | | | High in protein and healthful Omega-3 fatty acids, |
| could be stored for months with this process. At | | | | loaded with nutrients, and prepared with no added |
| the time, it was eaten without the rice, which was | | | | fats, sushi is an excellent nutritional choice as well |
| discarded. | | | | as being delicious. There's little question that its |
| The process was altered around the fifteenth | | | | popularity will only continue to grow as even more |
| century to create a partially fermented sushi, or | | | | include this heart-healthy fare into their menu |
| Nama-Nare-Zushi, in which the rice was consumed | | | | selections. |