Well, I, for one, LOVE raw oysters,
And raw clams, too.
I do have a 'thing', though,
about eating other kinds of fish raw.
Due mainly, I am sure, to my upbringing.
Where fish, chicken & pork had to be well done.
I have always liked my beef rare,
(that was allowed)
and love Beef Tartare.
However, had to give that up,
as the only beef I can get anymore is
'grocery store' beef.
And the truth be known,
There are times when I still make my chopped steak
a little on the rare side.
I can hardly stomach ground beef when it is fully cooked.

We have a small Sushi area in one of the stores here.
Most all of the seafood in it is cooked.
I've never seen sushi made with cooked vegetables.
And I do buy some sushi there occasionally.
Not sure I would eat it if it was raw, though.
I do like some sort of assurance
That any raw seafood I eat is fresh.

I can understand and appreciate your concerns,
But I don't share them.

And to this day
(knock on wood)
I have never gotten sick or had any ill effects
From any raw or rare seafood or meat.

Rusty

PS. . .
I am quite a bit older than you,
so it is not an age thing. :>)

You could always try the vegetarian sushi. But if that's what he likes, he's going to continue to eat it no matter what. I just remember reading an article a long time ago about a man who was obsessed with sushi- ate nothing but that for years- who ended up urinating out a tapeworm that was so large it had to wrap around the bathroom more than once. Of course, for that one story, there's millions of people who've had no ill effects.

Although your hygenic concerns are valid, they apply to all food preparation, not just raw fish. How about the conditions in the factories that process cheese, milk, etc.? How about restaurants? What about the canning facilities for soups, vegetables and fruits? How about where all those frozen dinners are made?
In an attempt to address these concerns, we have food safety laws and health inspections. Even so, problems do arise. You can either trust the process or not, but I wouldn't say it is any MORE likely to go assunder at a sushi bar than any other type of facility handling raw seafood or raw meat--such as the meat or fish counter. I love sushi, because I love fish. I would imagine one of the reasons they have the folks preparing the sushi right in front of you is so you can see the conditions under which it is processed. I'm sure many of us would shudder if we saw the conditions behind the scenes in some restaurants and food processing and canning facilities.

I love sushi. I usually eat it at least once a week, and I've never gotten sick. I've read that sushi fish has to be deep frozen to kill parasites. Still, I trust my nose above all else, and I'm pretty selective with where I eat raw fish. It took me about 2 or 3 times to get over the weirdness of it and the texture, and a few more times to really like it.

It's very easy to spot blatant sources of cross-contamination all over the supermarket. I tend to be a lot more concerned in the poultry section than in the seafood section.

But as for seafood, it doesn't need to be a sushi bar; raw and cooked seafood shares the same bed of ice in just about every supermarket. Think fully cooked shrimp, king crab legs, etc. right next to the flounder. To me that says how much of a non-issue this is.

(OTOH - There's a very popular German butcher down the road from me. Seeing raw sausage in the case right next to cooked sausage makes me cringe, seeing the same hands handling both makes me gag. They've got some great food but I would NEVER buy cold cuts from them.)

I also learned to love sushi recently, when Elery and I went to California and the California contingent of CF took us out for sushi. My favorite than was the deep fried sushi, LOL, definitely not raw, but I like the sashimi too, especially the tuna.

I like tuna steak rare and I like duck breast medium rare. I like beef very rare and do not hesitate to eat it raw, but since I grow my own, I feel more comfortable. I also consume ice cream and other items made with raw eggs, but only when I know where the eggs came from.

As lpinkmountain mentioned, you are no more likely to get sick from that sushi bar than you are from the local diner. If you saw what went on in some kitchens, you'd never eat out again. I know, I owned a bar/restaurant for years.

And how about those buffeet restaurants? How many times do you think people have ducked under that sneeze guard, or coughed on the food, or handled it and put it back, with or without washing their hands? How many times do you think your cook or waiter or salad maker or whatever came to work sick because they couldn't afford to stay home? How many times did that guy making your taco at Taco Bell wipe his nose on his sleeve? How many didn't wash their hands after using the restroom or whatever? How long has that baked potato been sitting in the kitchen under the heat lights, wrapped in foil? People have died from botulism from that practice.

And that's just restaurants. How many people have had their hands on the grocery cart handle, or the fruit in the display? How many touched the handle of the door?

Germs and bacteria are everywhere, that's why we have immune systems. You are no more likely to get sick from that cooked sushi than you are from deli potato salad at the same place, or from having someone slice you some ham for sandwiches there.

So, if you are very old or very young or have a compromised immunity system, be careful. If not, your immune system will most likely protect you.

Annie

The first time I ate Sushi (many, many years ago in Santa Barbara - before it was so trendy in more of the US) I ate it raw and loved it. We also drank WAY too much saki....and, well, I got so, so sick...ugh. But I'm sure it wasn't the raw fish :) Still, I have never been able to eat it raw since. There also are concerns about the decimation of fish species to feed the world's raw sushi habits.

I often go out for sushi - we have great sushi restaurants here in the NW - but stick to the cooked versions. I especially love anything with unagi, or anago, which is cooked or smoked eel, California roll which uses crab, or spider roll with cooked soft shell crab. I've never had cooked veggies in the sushi I eat.

First of all, let's straighten out the terms here, please. Otherwise you'll be stuck at the equivalent of 'chop suey Chinese', only Japanese style!

SUSHI is rice, period. Usually seasoned with at least salt (typical country-style Japanese 'travel food') but nowadays most use the standard vinegar/sugar syrup addition, which also helps preserve the sushi at room temp for a couple of days without refrigeration.

SASHIMI is raw fish and shellfish. It does not need to be served atop sushi rice and in fact, my DH's favorite meal is a platter of yellowtail sashimi with regular 'gohan' (steamed white rice).

Sushi can be topped with anything. I have seen cringe-worthy recipes from Japan using 'exotic' American ingredients like Miracle Whip and canned corned beef. In Hawaii, where they eat more Spam than anyone else in the US, 'Spam musabi' is practically the state comfort food.

I grew up with sushi as picnic food, so I tend to associate it with hot dogs and potato salad. It took me a long time to wrap my mind around paying large sums of money for it, LOL.

I prefer futomaki, which is the traditional tightly rolled maki, with a filling of tamago (egg omelet), cooked carrot, kanpyo (seasoned gourd shavings) and spinach. I OD'ed at the age of 14 on sashimi and have never cared for it since, but the rest of my JapAm family still loves it.

As for contamination? You are more likely to get sick from salad greens than you are from eating at any Japanese restaurant where they take proper care of their equipment, facilities, and vendor oversight.

Now a deli....maybe, maybe not. But your chances are still higher that you'll get sick off the salad greens at the all-you-can-eat-by-the-pound bar, or from E. coli-contaminated feedlot products like ground beef.

It is just as important for food to be appetizing as it is for it to be sanitary. Unless it is a matter of preventing starvation, there is no point in eating food which does not appeal to you, whatever the reason.

Jim

I get this great sushi rice roll wrapped around sweet potato tempura. You can even eat sushi rice as a salad, with the nori chopped up and other ingredients added, kinda like what we think of as "sushi" only deconstructed. And you can just eat raw fish if you like, think tuna tartare. I dunno why though, but I just think sushi rice with raw fish makes the most perfect food taste bite. But if it doesn't ring your bell, no biggie. But I wouldn't avoid trying it due to food sanitation concerns. There was a time when I would never have considered eating raw fish, (but that was just because raw meat seemed unhealthy to me), but it looked pretty good at the local Wegmans so I tried it and found I liked it. I have also eaten at some sushi restaurants. But not very often, as raw fish is too pricey for my lifestyle.
Raw animal products have dangers, but they can be eaten safely if proper precautions are taken. I think the main issue is how adventurous do you feel? I know some people won't eat things like peanut butter in a savory dish, they just can't wrap their heads around it. No great sin IMHO. More for the rest of us, lol!

All right then, I meant maki.

Jimster, I think I disagree. Some things are acquired tastes, and I think raw meat/fish especially. A lot of us have been raised to think that raw meat is dangerous, and the texture is so different. Rare steak, runny eggs, and sushi were all weird and scary at some point. Now they're among my favorite foods. They also seem to have a favorable pleasure-to-calorie ratio. Raw tuna is about as much fun as you can have with lean protein. I say play through the pain!!

You make a very good point, Jessica, about acquired tastes. I too can say that foods I once liked least are the ones I like most now.

Which makes me wonder how one makes the transition. Food preferences and prejudices are subjective and powerful, ranging from craving to revulsion. It's all in the head, isn't it?

The OP, mudlady, seems to feel she is missing something by not enjoying sushi. And, to us sushi lovers, she is. Sounds like she wantse to learn to like it. Off hand, I don't know how to do that. Any ideas?

Jim

You make a very good point, Jessica, about acquired tastes. I too can say that foods I once liked least are the ones I like most now.

Which makes me wonder how one makes the transition. Food preferences and prejudices are subjective and powerful, ranging from craving to revulsion. It's all in the head, isn't it?

The OP, mudlady, seems to feel she is missing something by not enjoying sushi. And, to us sushi lovers, she is. Sounds like she wantse to learn to like it. Off hand, I don't know how to do that. Any ideas?

Jim

Things you are not familiar with can scare you, sure. But as others here have said, I'm more worried about produce and CAFO meats, mainly poultry.

I remember my first cucumber roll vividly, but I can't remember when I started eating raw fish. How about a slow progression from veggie to cooked fish to seared fish to raw fish?

sushi/sashimi is a gift from the gods! Love love love it....eat it out and also make it at home and to bring to parties (nothing impresses a crowd than walking in with a platter of sushi and various rolls, and telling everyone you made it yourself).

There are two different issues to concern yourself with...first it quality of the raw fish itself, second is the basic practices of the establishment preparing the food. BOTH must be up to par in order to not have any issues.

Personally I have never gotten sick, or known anyone who has, from an established "sushi house". Think about it...one or two people get sick, word gets around and they are out of business without a doubt. I have often had sushi from the supermarket displays, like the OP described, and while I never found the taste to be on par with a good sushi house, I have never had any issues with them.

Many areas have a fish market/Asian deli where you can get "sashimi-grade" fish....I have gone to a Korean deli for years for this...and have never had any issues. I make sashimi (just fish pieces), sushi (fish on rice) and also lots of different rolls...thats the fun part...they taste good and even with my "marginal" hygine practices, I have never gotten myself, or any of my friends, sick.

If you just can't get the thought of the little microbes out of you head, though...I would bypass the sushi bar, as it will probably wreck the experience for you (plus leave more for me!)

I grew up eating raw clams and oysters out of Barnegat Bay....back when it was safe....never occurred to me that they were "raw"....eww!! I grew up eating Lox.....and almost raw beef....but chicken and pork had to be well done or it would kill you.....everyone knew that!! LOL!
I'm not crazy about sushi....mainly because I don't get all the hype....little bites of sour rice with vegetables and sometimes fish. It's OK.,...and I trust that any raw fish from any place I would go would be very very safe.

Tried to post this last night....but the site wouldn't post nor load..,.glad to see things are better this AM.

Interesting that Oly likes eel. That's the one type of sushi roll I can't seem to get myself to eat. I know too much about eels I guess. I have the same problem with shrimp, which I grew up eating and love, but nowdays I'm more hesitant to eat them. I still like them though, the taste. I also discovered that I don't like sushi with lox and cream cheese, which they call "Philadelphia roll" around here. Like I said, it just seems like the rice and fish go really well together for my palate. Plus I really like the shaved pickled ginger you eat with it as a condiment. I also like the tempura sweet potato because it is rolled in a spicy sauce, which I like.

Tongue is another food I can't get my brain around to eat. I like to think of myself as adventurous, but tongue just looks too gross to me, I've seen too many cows. Even sliced thin I can't do it as a cold cut. I also have a hard time bringing myself to eat tempeh (fermented soybeans), even though I know it is very good for you.

If you think you might like sushi, I would say don't worry about the health concerns if you're at a reputable food establishment, and give it a try. Wegman's little six packs of sushi are the perfect way to start, that's how I started. But if the look and idea of it doesn't ring your bell, don't waste energy on it!

There's nothing wrong with being hesitant about raw foods. They aren't a major part of our culinary culture as they are in some countries/regions, so yes, it can be hard to wrap one's mind about a familiar food both looking and tasting different, with a different texture than you're accustomed to.

It applies to many things, not just meat. Think about a raw carrot versus a cooked one. I know some folks that can't stand either one. I know others who adore raw carrots but loathe cooked ones. Much of it is a texture issue, and getting into a 'mindset' where expectations are very rigid.

But as the OP points out, trying new things adds variety and interest to the diet.

And BTW, the "sour rice" comment is unfounded. The vinegar/sugar syrup is equal parts rice vinegar (far milder than traditional white vinegar) and sugar. My DH loathes vinegar but he loves sushi rice!

Note that the majority of restaurants use plain or salted rice, whereas home cooks almost always use the sugar/vinegar syrup. When I was growing up sushi restaurants made the rice the same way as at home, but that changed quickly as food and labor costs rose. I haven't encountered a restaurant using anything but a little salt, in literally decades.

If you want to ease into sushi, I'd suggest some of the following. These might be more available at restaurants than from a deli, however:

1) Maki rolls (sheets of pressed toasted seaweed rolled around rice) filled with:
- raw cucumber
- tempura shrimp
- avocado and crabmeat

2) Pressed sushi topped with:
- cooked shrimp
- cooked eel (always cooked teriyaki-style, very tasty)
- tamago, the sweet rolled egg omelet. Tamago is a standard egg omelet with a small amount of sugar added. It's not intended to be super-sweet, just seasoned a little. I've never found anyone who dislikes it.

3) Inazarizushi. I will say that I NEVER eat this outside of what I make myself. Not because it's unsafe, but because I make a 'deluxe' version similar to what I grew up with, and it's so much tastier than the plain version sold commercially.

Technically, inazari sushi is a fried tofu skin (aburaage) that's been cooked in a sugar and soy sauce mixture (think teriyaki - yum!), drained then stuffed with sushi rice. The aburaage is sold in cans, already seasoned. Like pita, you open the halves up with your fingers, and stuff it - in this case, with sushi rice.

I add finely diced cooked carrots, baby peas, and finely diced shiitake mushrooms, to my version of inazarizushi. When I put these out, they go faster than anything else. Vegetarian, vegan, meat-eaters - people flip over this sushi.

Anyway, hope that encourages the OP and inspires some others!

OK, the next time Wegman's sushi bar offers samples I will ask if I can taste something cooked.

It's strange reading this thread. Or reading any sushi menu for that matter. One word always jumps out at me. Maki is my last name. And I am not Japanese.

Maki is the Finnish word for hill. It's also the Quechua word for hands according to a friend that speaks the language.

Teresa

Teresa, I tried to look up Maki to see what it means in Japanese. Haven't found it yet.

For many years I was dealing over e. mail and telephone with someone by the name of Maiocchi. I always thought he was Japanese. It turned out that he is Italian.

dcarch

It would be difficult to figure out if "Maiocchi" was Japanese if you were hearing it, but not upon seeing it. Japanese is spelled phonetically and unlike English, the vowel sounds are always the same. When it's in writing, Japanese is one of the easiest languages to pronounce even if you don't know what you're saying, LOL.

If it was pronounced "My Oh Ki", it would be spelled Maiyoki. There is no soft "ch" sound in Japanese; the closest would be the "ts" consonant pair.

Mudlady I buy Wegmans sushi at auburn all the time it's delicious! Give it a try!
Jojoco